Active 8! Who will lead us in 2012?
Olivia McDonald // February 15, 2012
This is a continuation of another article. View Part One here.
Jordan MacPhee – Charlottetown, PE
Hailing from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Jordan MacPhee is wise beyond his years. As a full time Bachelor of Sociology and Environmental Studies student at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), Jordan refuses to be silent. An active member with Oxfam Canada and 350.org, Jordan’s passion is helping others.
“[Helping others] was what was missing from my life for far too long as I grew up. Now that I’ve discovered this source of fulfillment, I think it’ll be next to impossible to give up finding some way to connect with people in hopes that we can make a good thing happen for somebody else.” Jordan is inspired by the way people will step up to make a difference in other peoples lives when they understand the challenges faced and they are given an opportunity to participate in making change.
An active member of UPEI’s environmental society, Jordan has helped organize several events for Oxfam and 350.org because to him they “represent the people who are most effectively and directly tackling this world’s biggest problems; poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation.” Previously, Jordan has helped organize concert fundraisers for Oxfam, with performances by his own band, the most recent of which raised over $550 in one night. At an event in September of 2011, he played for 24 hours straight! Jordan uses these events to engage members of his community with issues that are important to him. He sees them as opportunities he might not have otherwise to share his opinions and values, with a hope that this will inspire their participation in making change.
When asked how he inspires others to take action, Jordan says “I don’t know for a fact that I inspire others, but at the events I organize and attend, I always hear comments about how good it feels to come together for something bigger than the self. I think this sense of belonging is what drives all positive social action, and by providing that to others and feeding off the energy of that social engagement myself, I’m connecting with a part of myself that is truly fundamental in obtaining satisfaction and fulfillment in my life.”
Jordan says he wants to live in a world where “those who have the knowledge and the power to accomplish significant positive change in the world use their knowledge and power wisely, where those who feel left behind are empowered and enabled to stop being part of the problem, and start being part of the solution.”
Kandace Hagen – Charlottetown, PE
Kandace Hagen, native to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island has a story to tell. Her personal struggle attempting to access reproductive freedom in her own province led her to a province wide battle with political officials regarding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In 1988 The Supreme Court of Canada made a firm decision that to deny a woman the right to abortion care was to interfere with her body and therefore violate the security of her person. PEI is the only Canadian province which does not provide women with safe, accessible abortion care on its own soil and Kandace, along with other like-minded Island women, is speaking out about this taboo issue in an attempt to highlight a reality that is in essence a barrier to the realization of full human rights for women everywhere. Kandace and the women she works with do not stand alone against barriers to reproductive freedom. Access to reproductive health care, including abortion services, was recently upheld as an inextricable part of our Human Right to Health as recognized by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In 2011 Kandace co-founded PEI Reproductive Rights Organization (PRRO, http://www.prro.tk/). PRRO’s goal is to inform residents of PEI what reproductive rights women are entitled to, but are currently being denied. Kandace is an active spokesperson for PRRO and is often found lending her voice to speak up for those who can’t. Within the first six months of creation, with the help of Kandace and her team PRRO appeared on CBC Television, CBC Radio, The Guardian and in Shameless Magazine.
Kandace is heavily involved in her community and with PRRO’s ongoing campaigning. When not in front of the camera, she is often found behind the scenes creating speeches, updating PRRO’s website and Facebook page and collaborating with local writers, bloggers, photographers and citizens. When asked what inspires Kandace to take action she says, “women. I am inspired by the raw brilliance that I see in the phenomenal female figures that I have had the greatest pleasure in knowing.”
“I feel that we are on a new brink of a feminist age as we see women laying claim to their bodies in such a plethora of ways. The declaration of female reproduction justice has been ringing so clearly these past few years as we continue to take strides to claim control of every aspect of ourselves. PRRO will be alongside women every step of the way.”
When asked what kind of world she wants to live in, Kandace says simply “I want to live in a world that trusts women”.
Paul Manning – Truro, NS
Paul Manning dreams of “a sustainable, fair and productive global agricultural system” and he’s well on his way helping make this dream a reality. Currently a 3rd year Bachelor of Science student at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) in Bible Hill, NS, Paul is majoring in Environmental Science while also completing a special certificate in Organic Agriculture. Upon graduation he aspires to get a PhD in the study of insects or the role of agriculture in the world, doing research on beneficial insects in an agricultural landscape.
But his focus isn’t just on books and bugs (or on books about bugs!): he’s also an avid promoter of involvement in international development. Paul credits his drive and interest in international development work, especially sustainable agriculture, to his experience in Ethiopia. In the summer of 2010, Paul travelled there for an international development project with NSAC where he worked to increase the quantity of food available for consumption. A quick look at his blog will tell you a few things: first of all, he had a life-changing experience. But furthermore, Paul is not only a wonderful photographer who is curious about and attentive to the natural world around him: he is also a dynamic, warm hearted young man to whom personal relationships and connections are important. Since returning to Canada, Paul has done many public engagement activities and keeps eagerly offering to do more.
“I inspire others to take action by continuing to share my experiences abroad. I believe that the most effective way to encourage others to understand how educating, rewarding and exciting international development can be is to talk with people one-on-one”.
It is quite likely that this combination of a warm heart, dynamic personality and ability to engage people one-on-one is why Paul was elected President of his Student Union at the NSAC. Described as “eager to help”, Paul is often found volunteering his time with the Students’ Union. It’s certain that in this position of leadership, Paul serves as a role model to his peers as an active global citizen, dedicated to positive change. Paul Manning wants to live in a world where “agriculture works harmoniously with the earth to keep the global population healthy and happy”. He says “Seeing the ingenuity and creativity of agricultural systems throughout the world gives me hope, that the world will someday be tied more closely together through the common theme of food production.”
Rebecca MacDonald – Sydney, NS
Rebecca MacDonald wants to live in a world where everyone’s rights are respected, no matter who they are, and from her home base in Sydney, Nova Scotia, she’s fighting for that equality – at home and abroad. In particular, Rebecca has a passion for human rights issues in Latin America. While studying at Cape Breton University in 2007, two professors noticed her passion for the region and asked her to join the Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network (ARSN – http://arsncanada.blogspot.com/) – a network of individuals and organizations who work in solidarity with people in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through this connection, Rebecca travelled to Guatemala in 2008 with a Breaking the Silence (BTS) delegation to spend time and learn with Mayan community groups working for peace, justice, reconciliation and human rights. Since returning, Rebecca has been highly committed to BTS and even served as a BTS Intern in 2010-2011 with the Highland Committee of Small Farmers, the organization that provides the coffee beans for the Breaking the Silence label of Just US! Fair Trade coffee. Rebecca’s commitment is an active one: she writes articles and human rights Urgent Actions (declarations calling for attention to and actions on human rights abuses), she raises funds for BTS and is now a committed organizer for the 2012 ARSN conference.
On the local front, Rebecca is an active member of the Steelworkers Union and Sydney and District Labour Council Executive, where she works consistantly to educate members regarding human rights concerns. In July 2011, Rebecca was invited to join a Steelworkers Humanity Fund Delegation to investigate human rights violations relating to mining in Mexico. While a CBU student, she and friends started a “Students for Social Justice” group and organized a social justice week. She has worked at the Whitney Pier youth club, engaging the group in developing its own plans including local fundraising and environmental activities in the community.
How can she sustain this level of participation in the global community and her commitment to global social justice? Rebecca says “that millions are denied the basic necessities of life in a world with ample resources inspires me to work on combating the sources of inequality. I am inspired by individuals who spend their lives making grassroots change by creating relationships within their communities, and working with others to realize change.”
She believes that “one story can start a chain reaction of action”, and hopes through sharing her story and those of others – with this campaign and in everything else that she does – you’ll be a part of that change.
Feeling inspired? I am. If you would like to make a pledge of action (the pledges can be as simple as “I pledge to turn the lights out when I leave the room”, or they can be more ambitious like, “I will volunteer overseas”), or for more information on the Active-8! Campaign please visit: www.active8campaign.com. Let’s start the year off right with positive change. Help make a difference.
“It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” Nelson Mandela
