Activism & Social Change – Ecosystemic Magazine

The Life and Legacy of George Washington Carver

10Apr

By May ChanNo Comments

The Life and Legacy of George Washington Carver

Written by May Chan A young boy, born into the shackles of slavery, was destined to become a towering figure in American history. George Washington Carver's life reads like a tale of triumph against all odds. From the cotton fields of Missouri to the halls of universities, Carver's life is a rollercoaster ride of resilience, innovation, and fights against racial discrimination. From a young age, Carver’s intellectual curiosity was recognized by people around him and he was accepted into Highland College. However, when the college discovered he was Black, his admission was withdrawn. In disappointment, he found work with a family in Ness County in search of land to homestead. From 1886 to 1889, he homesteaded on a quarter section of land where he built a sod house and worked the lan...

Hurricane Katrina: African-Americans Once Struck Down Fighting Back

24Mar

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Hurricane Katrina: African-Americans Once Struck Down Fighting Back

Written by Saanvi Bapat 2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of a huge tragedy, Hurricane Katrina. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, causing widespread death, injury, and damage. But this tragedy also came with a huge racial component added. About one-half of those who were displaced came from New Orleans. New Orleans’ social and economic composition left the storm heavily impacting the poor and African American communities. In fact, 51% of those who died were Black, and the mortality rate among Black people was 1.7 to 4 times higher than that among white people for those 18 and older. In addition to this, initial reactions to the government’s response to the tragedy showed the divide between those of different racial backgrounds. Two-thirds ...

24Mar

By Saanvi BapatNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

On Climate Change & Wealth Inequality

Written by Saanvi Bapat Climate change is a problem that affects every single person all over the world. But in fact, those who are most affected are already suffering from socioeconomic inequalities. BIPOC communities, or those that are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, even though they have contributed very little to it. There is a large intersection between racial wealth inequality and the impact of climate change. The racial wealth gap highly prevalent in our world today stems from the lack of financial access for those of color due to systemic and structural racism, and as a result, these people have fewer resources to face climate change. Climate change means higher temperatures, leading to man...

How the Effects of the Anthropocene will Create Climate Refugees

16Dec

By Maira ZaidiNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

How the Effects of the Anthropocene will Create Climate Refugees

Refugee displacement can commonly be attributed to causes including war, persecution, and natural disasters. In the rapidly changing Anthropocene, a new reason may join that list: climate change. More specifically, its catastrophic impacts can destroy communities, infrastructure and agricultural land, forcing people to flee their homes in search of safer environments. In some cases, entire regions may become unsuitable for safe human living, leading to mass migrations and the creation of climate refugees. Deadly natural disasters occur more frequently and strike harder as a result of climate change. In November 2020, two Category 4 hurricanes hit Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, displacing thousands. Several phenomena can lead to the creation of climate refugees, including ag...

Indigenous Communities Advocate for Mitzy Cortes and Her Fight for Climate Solutions

16Dec

By Angela DingNo Comments

Activism & Social Change, Notes From the Editors

Indigenous Communities Advocate for Mitzy Cortes and Her Fight for Climate Solutions

Who deserves to be in the center of climate conversations? Who is the most qualified to spearhead solutions to the climate crisis? To Mitzy Cortés, the answer is obvious. Indigenous peoples disproportionately experience climate impacts and are the only ones that have the thorough knowledge of local environments, and their protection of the land will restore the climate. Mitzy Cortés is a young environmental activist from San Sebastián Tecomaxtlahuaca and part of the indigenous Mixtec people of Mexico. As an inherent part of her culture, she was raised to love the living world around her and center her lifestyle around environmental awareness. However, while sustainability was a value she personally upheld, she realized the rest of the world became severely misaligned with protecting t...

Developing Countries in Global South Bear the Brunt of Climate Change Effects

16Dec

By Stella StoneNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Developing Countries in Global South Bear the Brunt of Climate Change Effects

Heat waves. Flooding. Crop failures. Drought. These are worldwide issues in the Anthropocene, but nowhere are their effects felt more than in developing countries in the Global South. Though these nations are nowhere near topping the list of climate polluters, they feel the effects more acutely. Some countries are warming much faster than others. For example, South Sudan’s temperatures are increasing at two and a half times the global average. Currently, 1% of the world is unlivable due to high temperatures. By 2050, that number is projected to rise to 19%. Most of this area is below the equator, predominantly in northern South America and western Africa. This increase in temperature and natural disasters leads to multitudes of harmful effects that already peripheralized coun...

20Jun

By Sofia CalderonNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

Why Volunteering Matters

Image courtesy of Hannah BusingBy Sofia Calderon “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead At the beginning of my freshman year, I joined my school’s biggest club. With over 200 members, our club had its eyes set on supporting our community in any way we could. Through a student-led board, leaders of the club reached out to other community organizations to find out when and where we could help. One of my very first events was the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. At a local park, we helped to pass out water and T-shirts and inform visitors of the event. The summative activity was a walk on a two-mile pond loop. My friends and I walked, talked, and laughed about the past few hours a...

How Both Individual and Corporate Actions Can Contribute to Positive Change

15Jun

By Eyob SisayNo Comments

Activism & Social Change

How Both Individual and Corporate Actions Can Contribute to Positive Change

Image courtesy of Martin SpiskeBy Eyob SisayClimate change is a global challenge that can only be addressed through a united effort between individuals and corporations. While governments and international agreements aid in the effort, individuals and corporations have a unique opportunity to contribute to positive climate action. By adopting sustainable practices, both individuals and corporations can become engines for change and pave the way for a brighter, greener future. Global society is composed of billions of individuals, each of them having the power to alter small aspects of their daily lifestyle in order to live a more sustainable, environmentally conscious life. One way that an individual can contribute to positive climate action is simply by staying informed on current cli...

14May

By Ema MieleNo Comments

Activism & Social Change, Literature

The Rainbow Rule – Poetry

Image courtesy of Ariana ThorntonWritten by Ema MieleRed is the color of poppies,Orange is the color of daylilies,Yellow is the color of dandelions,Green is the color of pine trees,Blue is the color of the sky,Indigo is the color of orchids,Purple is the color of lilacs,But as nature gets polluted, cut, and trashed,Our world turns dull and gray;Underneath the clouds hides a rainbow,One that our world can uncover again;Treat the Earth the way you want to be treated-The rainbow rule.

Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial – Poetry

14May

By Audrey WuNo Comments

Activism & Social Change, Literature

Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial – Poetry

Image courtesy of Dean OliverWritten by Audrey WuI watch the sunriseeach morning at the Lincoln MemorialIt is barely winteronly late November, but there’s a quieteeriness, a hint of knitted frostblanketingour sleeping nationI watch the sunriseand wonder what they saw when they built thiswhat they would have thought of someone like mean American, who belongs to this countryas much as it belongs to meas much as the men on those rusted copper penniesyet theirs are the faces immortalizedtheirs are the names memorializedI watch the sunrisebut it is creeping closer and closer stillthe curtain is drawingand through the tilted blindsthe light seeps through.The ground can’t be greenwhen our “Fathers” spilled the blood,crimson with each golden glare of the afterglow.When will you see thatthis n...