I originally wrote this in my newsletter, and I wanted to share it here as well. I often take a break from posting on the internet in the summer, but this year has been different.

I have been quiet on the internet for a while. This started out as just taking a break during the pandemic when I was spending so much time online. I wanted some time to get grounded, to work on my garden, and to watch summer happen around me in Alaska (see the caption above). Then George Floyd was murdered by the police and protests for Black Lives Matter sprung out again all over the United States and the World. This was not the first time a Black person was unfairly killed by police or that people protested about it, but it was maybe the loudest time. A lot of white people muted themselves to provide more space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) work, stories, lived experiences, and protest actions. I’ve been taking time to be quiet and to listen, to learn more about and reflect on the systemic racism in this country. I understand that silence is its own act of violence and certainly isn't the solution here. I also think it’s OK to take some time to be quiet to work on changing ourselves and to reflect on our surroundings. It needs to be followed up with action, with words and writing. So here I am.

What I say and write will not be perfect, but I am here to learn and to work on doing better. I’m an artist and this newsletter space is about my artwork. My work is about and inspired by nature and the environment. One of my goals as an artist and a teacher is to help people feel more connected to nature. For me, the natural world makes me feel humble, strong, curious, and grounded and I want others to feel that way too. But we cannot do this to the full extent if people don’t feel safe. Environmentalism and social justice are intrinsically linked. Yet the outdoors industry, science, and science illustration have all been built with institutionalized racism and because of colonialism. As a white person I have benefited from this system and my work unintentionally often reflects it.

Spending time in nature has given me so much strength and purpose. I want to help to change the way we talk, view, and think about people in the outdoors and for it to be more diverse and inclusive. I want our view of the outdoors to represent the global majority and to recognize indigenous people and the people who have always been here. @intersectionalenvironmentalist is a group of people working on Intersectional environmentalism. They posted this pledge on their Instagram page and want to share here:

I will stand in solidarity with BIPOC communities and the planet.
I will not ignore the intersections of environmentalism and social justice.
I will use my privilege to advocate for Black and Brown lives in spaces where their message is often silenced.
I will proactively do the work to learn about environmental and social justice BIPOC communities face without minimizing
I will respect the boundaries of BIPOC friends and activists and not demand they perform emotional labor or do the work for me.
I will share my learnings with other environmentalists in my community.
I will amplify the messages of BIPOC activists and environmental leaders.
I will not remain silent during pivotal political and cultural movements that impact BIPOC communities.

I have been making an effort to diversify who I am listening to and whose art I am looking at. The internet is a global community, yet sometimes what we consume there can get so insular. We can all change that.

During the pandemic (yes it's still happening) I shared resources for creative work online. At this time I want to share a few resources for anti-racism work. There are so many. Afterall this a complicated issue with many facets that will require life-long work. Here are a few that have been useful to me that I want to pass along:

Dr. Robin DiAngelo talking about her book, White Fragility (thanks to my mom for sending me that one)
This list of podcasts from Gail Straub at She Explores called Education. If nothing else, I recommend the podcast 1619.
Layla F Saad’s workbook, Me and White Supremacy, provides journal prompts to untangle each day. It is a lot of work and a commitment, but it has been very worthwhile for me to work through. I do them more slowly than one a day. I often read/ listen to a day and think a topic doesn't really apply to me only to reveal upon reflection that it does.
Anti Racism Daily is a daily e-mail started and edited by Nicole Cardoza. Each day is a different topic, with background information, reflection questions, and actions.
Please please whatever you do, and whether you agree with me or not, register to vote (if you are a USA citizen 18 or older).

There is so much out there. Find what speaks to you, but please don’t shy away from it. Let me know if you have any suggestions. I’m curious to know what you are doing and thinking. Also, it should go without saying, but the people who create these resources should be recognized and compensated.

In the past few months, I have considered my work and its place in the world. The beauty of nature is something that is still important. So are observations from this remote, rocky, glaciated, and dynamic landscape. Even though I am far from the protests and everything that is happening in the cities, there are small waves of change in my tiny rural community. There are lessons that we can learn from the landscape.

Black Lives Matter. Black lives are valuable. Black lives are beautiful. And so much more.
As I get back to making and posting more artwork, I don't want my work to be a diversion from anti-racism work, but rather to add to it. Sitting down to sketch from nature is always something I've found to be healing, and I want to keep sharing that. I also am open to your thoughts and feedback about how I can do better and to help me live up to what I say. We can help keep each other accountable.
Thanks for being here.

This post was originally sent out as an e-newsletter. If you are interested in being on my list, subscribe here.