Reflection

Reflection

I wrote “i used to dream in color” as a testament to people across the globe who are threatened by the adversities of climate change, specifically those who are drifting and undone because of climate injustice. Throughout history, Indigenous groups of people have increasingly suffered the effects of climate change due to displacement, colonization, and neglect. “i used to dream in color” is the haunting, unbroken truth of a drifter, who feels lost at home because of climate change and displacement, but finds purpose and wavering color after devoting themselves to remedying the environment. My roots span the Atlantic and are innately woven into my ancestral homeland of Sri Lanka, where ancient mangroves are an indigenous part of life in many Sri Lankan seaside villages. These coastal guardians provide critical livelihoods for thousands of people, especially impoverished women in coastal communities. With climate change destroying these coastal buffers and forcing people away from their homes, I wrote “i used to dream in color” keeping Sri Lanka in mind, keeping the Indigenous Vedda in mind. The long-lasting effects of colonization, displacement, and discrimination are a burden that many Indigenous people carry, from the Vedda to Mayans to Native Americans, all who have historically been denied equality, support, and adequate resources. This is the inspiration and yearning I stitched into “i used to dream in color”. This is my climate story, which I feel is woven into the tapestry of all of our stories, told and untold - from the women in Sri Lanka struggling for survival along vulnerable mangroves to Indigenous families in the Boreal region fighting for their ancient lands, to me walking in the woods when the world feels too big. I have learned that later is too late; the time to act is now. When I write, my message is a future in which all of our climate stories have woven a new tapestry, one of a restored and whole Earth. One where all people can once again, dream in color.