Speaker: Whitney Terrill, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
How (and why) are you taking action on climate change solutions in, for, and with your community?
Whitney Terrill: Hi, my name is Whitney and I'm joining you from Minnesota, where I'm actively working on water protection for the Great Lakes region. Both thinking about accountability for a major pipeline that was built called Line three now 93. And then also thinking about ways that Line five which is um really affecting, especially Michigan and Wisconsin is connected to all of us who care about the Great Lakes region. And its permitting process comes through the Saint Paul Army Corps of Engineers. So I'm really interested in water protection in ways that both we have a future for protecting some of the world's fresh waters that are in our region. And also thinking about ways to honor treaty rights. Um and a pathway forward that where there's like fresh water access for all of us. And my deeper why is, is, is both like spiritual and moral, but also, um I think we have a moral imperative um for the world to protect the fresh water systems that we have here in Minnesota and also in the Great Lakes Region.
Who or what inspires/inspired you to care about climate change and climate solutions?
Whitney Terrill: I'm really grateful in my organizing experience that I've had an opportunity to see parts of Minnesota before and after line three, now 93 was um built and there's major destruction that happens to wetlands. There's um it crosses over were almost 200 bodies of water. So I think seeing that first hand and in parts of the line has been really impactful for me and also understanding ways that the full process didn't achieve consent for um everyone who is involved, but especially for many native people, I think it is really powerful for me. Um And something that I carry with me also the idea of spiritual allyship um for many native people, the idea of resisting this pipeline has been um very spiritual. It's, it's prophetic. And so, um I think that my personal worldview allows me to think of this beyond just like organizing for organizing sake or as a trend. But to really ask myself, what does it mean to be in spiritual allyship with a community whose outlook is also something that I identify with in the sense of protecting water and that um water as like such uh intricate ways that we, um, may want to purify ourselves. We need it for water. It's, it's a source of life. And that theme has been really consistent throughout our work. But I think it's the firsthand experiences, the relationship building. And um I would say almost like promises that we made to each other in the organizing that keeps me going.
