Erased but Not Silenced: Leading the Global Climate Fight with Vanessa Nakate

So when I started activism, I didn't know the connection between faith and climate work.

In fact, I didn't know a lot of things.

I just knew that we were doing these climate strikes to raise awareness about what was happening in our communities.

about the disasters that climate change was causing.

But I actually didn't know so much beyond that.

I didn't know the impact of the fossil fuel industry.

I didn't know the impact of the fashion industry.

Many of these things I learned on the job.

Like people say, to learn on the job too.

So that is how I got to learn many of these things.

And even the aspect of faith.

It was not there in the beginning, but it came later on when I started to, you know, again, because I was already a Christian.

And then I started to ask myself, like, you know, what does God have to do about this? And like, would God be an environmentalist? Would God be an activist? I started asking myself that.

you know, those questions, and they led me to try and read, you know, the Bible and see the connections.

And I really got to learn that the very first responsibility that God gave to humanity was to take care of the earth.

And it was like the very first assignment that was given to human beings.

And for me... that was it for me in that moment like this is it like if god was like god would be an activist in fact he is an environmentalist because he prioritized the taking care of the earth because when the earth is well taken care of then our well-being is also well taken care of so then activism went beyond just being something that I wanted to do for my community, but it became a divine mandate or responsibility and even purpose that I have on this earth.

And...

I mean, I've asked myself so many times, what am I doing here on this earth? What is my purpose here? What is my role here? And when I got to learn about some of those scriptures that point to environmental protection, when I got to understand biblical understanding on the environment and its protection, then activism became more than something that I wanted to do for my communities.

It became something that I feel like was a responsibility or a purpose to do on this earth.

No, very clear, very clear, Vanessa.

And thanks for sharing this very intimate connection, in a way, with your Christian faith and this awakening with your activism.

Now I'd like us to go to another, you know, what has been called a crucible moment in your life, which is obviously a very young life.

By the way, for our listeners, if you want to know more about what a crucible is, you should check out the episode with Bill George on North Star.

It is one of those moments we have in our lives at different times, which is going to shape us.

So when I started activism, I didn't know the connection between faith and climate work.

In fact, I didn't know a lot of things.

I just knew that we were doing these climate strikes to raise awareness about what was happening in our communities.

about the disasters that climate change was causing.

But I actually didn't know so much beyond that.

I didn't know the impact of the fossil fuel industry.

I didn't know the impact of the fashion industry.

Many of these things I learned on the job.

Like people say, to learn on the job too.

So that is how I got to learn many of these things.

And even the aspect of faith.

It was not there in the beginning, but it came later on when I started to, you know, again, because I was already a Christian.

And then I started to ask myself, like, you know, what does God have to do about this? And like, would God be an environmentalist? Would God be an activist? I started asking myself that.

you know, those questions, and they led me to try and read, you know, the Bible and see the connections.

And I really got to learn that the very first responsibility that God gave to humanity was to take care of the earth.

And it was like the very first assignment that was given to human beings.

And for me... that was it for me in that moment like this is it like if god was like god would be an activist in fact he is an environmentalist because he prioritized the taking care of the earth because when the earth is well taken care of then our well-being is also well taken care of so then activism went beyond just being something that I wanted to do for my community, but it became a divine mandate or responsibility and even purpose that I have on this earth.

And...

I mean, I've asked myself so many times, what am I doing here on this earth? What is my purpose here? What is my role here? And when I got to learn about some of those scriptures that point to environmental protection, when I got to understand biblical understanding on the environment and its protection, then activism became more than something that I wanted to do for my communities.

It became something that I feel like was a responsibility or a purpose to do on this earth.

No, very clear, very clear, Vanessa.

And thanks for sharing this very intimate connection, in a way, with your Christian faith and this awakening with your activism.

Now I'd like us to go to another, you know, what has been called a crucible moment in your life, which is obviously a very young life.

By the way, for our listeners, if you want to know more about what a crucible is, you should check out the episode with Bill George on North Star.

It is one of those moments we have in our lives at different times, which is going to shape us.