This past month, I celebrated the Lunar and Chinese New Year with family and friends – another cycle of the Earth around the sun. I find new year’s celebrations are always a good time for reflection, connection, and appreciation, and these past couple of months have been exactly that. February is also Black History Month, and provides a good reminder on how far we’ve come as a global society but also how much more work we still have to do to reach actual equality.
My career journey and the goal of acting more intentionally and locally over the past couple of years has also allowed me to take the time and space to think about my position in the world. My privilege. Where that privilege comes from, how I got here. How my family got here, in Canada.
I have been reading and listening to more diverse accounts about colonialism, including its ties with racism. Some of this material is shared at my workplace, which I am extremely grateful for. Some of the material is shared by thought leaders I follow on social media. And other material is stuff I’ve dug up across the internet.
The writing I’ve done for me lately, isn’t ready for public eyes. But I want to share some other resources that I have enjoyed and learned from recently. In no particular order:
- JEDI advocate and coach, Rosie Yeung’s blog and newsletter
- Author, Liselle Sambury’s Youtube channel
- Who is a Settler, According to Indigenous and Black Scholars
- Americas Jewish Colonizers
As far as project work goes
I’ve been pretty busy working on a variety of things. It’s been exciting getting near the end of the fiscal year (March 31), meeting with many First Nations clients to wrap up their Community Energy Plan reports. I went through my first official procurement process with a rooftop solar project! And I keep rediscovering how small the world of renewable energy and cleantech is.
I joined a former Clir colleague on a Climate Tech panel at the Women in Tech Regatta; provided support to an interesting wind energy tower startup, and Student Energy’s guided projects program review; and officially handed over BCSEA’s Vancouver Chapter to a new and keen volunteer group! To be determined what will happen to WISE this year.
In the last two months
I was feeling pretty down and one thing we started to do at home is practicing: ‘what are you thankful for?’ It’s supposed to be every night before bed, but we miss some nights, and that’s okay.
There are tons of things to be excited about and grateful for right now, and I hope you and your loved ones can keep those in mind as we continue to live through everything bad going on in the world.
If you have topics you’d like to discuss or elevate, reach out to me at blog@erinjquon.com or leave a comment!