In this episode, we are joined by National Geographic Explorer and political scientist KM Reyes, whose passion for conservation by respecting Indigenous land rights contributed to the protection of a vast area of critical habitat on the stunningly biodiverse Palawan Island in the Philippines. KM’s story is one of self-discovery through global exploration, where the experience of being lost and unsure of her place in the world took her on an unmapped journey that led her to find clarity of purpose and a sense of belonging.

In KM’s We As Nature story, she shares:

• The impact of growing up as a first-generation Australian, born to Filipino parents.
• How the question ‘What am I?’ sparked a journey of connection to herself through Yoga, and marked the beginning of her connection to the natural world.
• The decision to drop out of university and embark on a global adventure.
• How learning multiple languages opened up doors to connect with other cultures and paved the way for her career to unfold.
• The realisations gleaned from time spent working with communities affected by narco-trafficking in Latin America.
• From human rights to environmental rights and how working with people led to working with the planet.
• The experience of both exclusion and inclusion based on her racial identity.
• How she returned to her roots and found a place of belonging on Palawan Island, the Philippines.

Find out more about KM’s work:

• The Centre For Sustainability PH
• KM Reyes on Twitter and Instagram 
• 30 x 30 South-East Asia

Credits
Creative Producer & Host: Nathalie Joel-Smith on behalf of Flourishing Diversity
Music Composer and Sound Producer: Dom Martin
Live Event Production: Katy Molloy,  Laura Tyley & Andrea Langlois
Illustrations: Rohama Malik

About Flourishing Diversity
We As Nature was recorded during an online gathering hosted by Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity nurtures the human capacity to respect and uphold vibrant cultures and flourishing ecosystems. The events we produce, the narratives we amplify and the relationships we nurture seek to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.

You can register to receive updates and inspiration from us here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Linked In.

Painter, poet and Honorary President of the Black Environment Network (BEN), Judy Ling Wong, takes us on a captivating journey, illuminating the unforgettable imprint of her childhood experiences and surroundings. From 1950s Hong Kong to 1970’s London, Judy’s story invites us into a world where oneness with nature is a palpable experience. 

In Judy’s We As Nature story, she shares:

• A window into her childhood in 1950s Hong Kong.
• How the culture of her upbringing facilitated her to embrace the full aliveness and mysticism of life.
• A childhood experience that shaped her relationship with nature. 
• Her journey across continents, from Australia to Berlin, and eventually London, which became her home.
• How her background as a traditional Chinese artist contrasted with the loneliness and commodification of being an artist in the Western world. 
• How community art projects led to her role in the founding of the Black Environment Network (BEN).
• How she sees creativity as a tool to connect, awaken and change the world.

Find out more about Judy’s work:

• Website 
• Twitter 
• Black Environment Network
• Linkedin

Credits
Creative Producer & Host: Nathalie Joel-Smith on behalf of Flourishing Diversity
Music Composer and Sound Producer: Dom Martin
Live Event Production: Katy Molloy,  Laura Tyley & Andrea Langlois
Illustrations: Rohama Malik

About Flourishing Diversity
We As Nature was recorded during an online gathering hosted by Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity nurtures the human capacity to respect and uphold vibrant cultures and flourishing ecosystems. The events we produce, the narratives we amplify and the relationships we nurture seek to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.

You can register to receive updates and inspiration from us here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Linked In

Holistic activist and multi-passionate entrepreneur, Samantha Colli, shares her personal story of remembering that she is part of nature. From reaching burnout as a human rights lawyer to founding an initiative seeking to heal and regenerate eco-social ruptures, Sam’s story weaves childhood tales with global travels. She takes us on a journey of mind, body and spirit, revealing what led her to reconnect to the Mayan cosmovision of her ancestors, and how this has informed the unfolding of her life’s path.

In Sam’s We As Nature story, she shares:

• The legend of the Mayan Aluxes (‘little people’) and what it taught her
• How a decade spent working in human rights law perpetuated a story of separation from nature
• Her experience of burnout and how she emerged from this
• How reconnection to ceremony paved the way for new beginnings
• The impact of her time at Schumacher college
• The role of healing practices in moving from mind-dominance to feeling and being within her body
• How she came to create the digital platform ‘El Telar de Maya’ and its foundational cosmovision

You can listen to the El Telar de Maya podcast here and stay up to date with Sam's work by following El Telar de Maya on Instagram.
 
Credits
Creative Producer & Host: Nathalie Joel-Smith on behalf of Flourishing Diversity
Music Composer and Sound Producer: Dom Martin
Live Event Production: Katy Molloy & Andrea Langlois
Illustrations: Rohama Malik

About Flourishing Diversity
We As Nature was recorded during an online gathering hosted by Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity nurtures the human capacity to respect and uphold vibrant cultures and flourishing ecosystems. The events we produce, the narratives we amplify and the relationships we nurture seek to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.

You can register to receive updates and inspiration from us here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Linked In.

Filmmaker and explorer Bruce Parry, best known for his BAFTA award-winning BBC documentaries with Indigenous Peoples, shares the experiences that changed him and his worldviews forever. Coming from an institutionalised, military background, Bruce journeyed from seeing the world through the lens of hierarchy to having his eyes opened through unique experiences with Indigenous People that taught him that living in balance with the earth and with other humans is where we have all come from. His story is one that embraces the importance of community, deep inner contemplation, living with nature, and the healing modalities of the natural world.

In Bruce’s We As Nature story, he shares:

• How the women in his life impacted his awakening to new perspectives
• The role plant medicines have played in his journey
• The revelations and transformation he experienced through immersing himself in multiple Indigenous communities across the world
• His perspective on what is required for humanity to move forward in harmonious ways rooted in interconnectedness

Links to Bruce's documentaries:

• TAWAI
• TAWAI II - Ayahuasca
• TAWAI III - Mbendjele

You can learn more about Bruce's work via his website and connect with him on Twitter and Instagram.

Credits
Creative Producer & Host: Nathalie Joel-Smith on behalf of Flourishing Diversity
Music Composer and Sound Producer: Dom Martin
Live Event Production: Katy Molloy,  Laura Tyley & Andrea Langlois
Illustrations: Rohama Malik

About Flourishing Diversity
We As Nature was recorded during an online gathering hosted by Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity nurtures the human capacity to respect and uphold vibrant cultures and flourishing ecosystems. The events we produce, the narratives we amplify and the relationships we nurture seek to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.

You can register to receive updates and inspiration from us here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Linked In.

In this episode of We As Nature, Method Gundidza, Director of EarthLore Foundation-Southern Africa, shares his unique story of discovering a profound sense of belonging to the world. Method, a Zimbabwean national living in South Africa, discovered his calling in his early 40s when he was introduced to the philosophy and practice of Earth Jurisprudence by the Gaia Foundation. Method shares his journey from working at a company that sold coal, to becoming a successful accountant, to dedicating his life to working with rural farming communities restoring their Earth-centered ways of life.

In Method’s We As Nature story, he shares:

• The unlikely unfolding of his career path that led him to dedicate his life to Earth Jurisprudence.
• A definition of Earth Jurisprudence and how time spent listening to nature cultivated an embodied understanding.
• His return to his homeland in the Bikita district of Zimbabwe, and how a reciprocal relationship developed with local elders, tapping into Indigenous knowledge and leading to the revival of traditional seeds, rituals and sacred sites.
• The humbling teachings he has received from plants and rituals

Find out more about Method’s Earth Jurisprudence work with The Gaia Foundation here, and with the Earthlore Foundation here. You can connect with Method on Linked IN.

About Flourishing Diversity
We As Nature was recorded during an online gathering hosted by Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity nurtures the human capacity to respect and uphold vibrant cultures and flourishing ecosystems. The events we produce, the narratives we amplify and the relationships we nurture seek to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.

You can register to receive updates and inspiration from us here and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Linked In.

Credits
Creative Producer & Host: Nathalie Joel-Smith on behalf of Flourishing Diversity
Music Composer and Sound Producer: Dom Martin
Live Event Production: Katy Molloy,  Laura Tyley & Andrea Langlois
Illustrations: Rohama Malik