1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to stuff. Mom never told you a production of 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio and y'all, I am back, but alas I am 3 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: anyalst today as the podcast guys have decided to throw 4 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: us another curveball and have any do her civic duty 5 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: as a juror of what I would assume will be 6 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: an intense and perhaps material filled trial for her to 7 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: report back to us. Yes, as I will say, I 8 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: am getting like some texts here and there, and though 9 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: I'm not getting any super juicy details, it's obvious I 10 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: think she misses us, just so you know. But until then, 11 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: we are going to keep trucking and I or we 12 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: maybe bring some fun guests along the way. She should 13 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: be returning by the following week. And just in case 14 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: you were trying to figure it out, yes, I'm recording 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: on October eighth, twenty twenty four for Today's Feminist Around 16 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: the World. Y'all again, Anie will return after she has 17 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: completed her task of serving the state of Georgiah, and 18 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: we wish her well and hope that she is doing 19 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: okay mentally and physically, because we know this could be taxing, 20 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: but you know, send her some well wish us y'all. 21 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: But for today, I am talking about an amazing woman 22 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: who has been officially working to advocate for her community 23 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 1: as well as for us, and we are talking about 24 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: indigenous Ecuadorian activists Elena Gualina. So this young activist is 25 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: already a pro when it comes to advocacy and activism, 26 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: and she comes from an amazing family of activists who've 27 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: been influencing her and supporting her all the way. Her mother, 28 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: Namiki Linga, is the former president of the indigenous group 29 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: Quichwa Women's Association in Ecuador. Her sister Nina is also 30 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: a pretty popular and well known environmental indigenous activist, and 31 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: her aunt and her grandmother, Patricia and Christina, are well 32 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: known within the women's and environmental rights activism in the 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: Amazons themselves. So she has been watching from a very 34 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: young age as her family fought against and was even 35 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: persecuted and targeted by large corporations, oil corporations and even 36 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: the government, and has watched as activists in their community 37 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: get hurt or killed due to the violent conflicts against them. 38 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: She's talked about her experience with the WBUR in a 39 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen article, and here's a bit from that quote. 40 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: What got me into environmental activism was just living and 41 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: growing up in the community. She says, I think that 42 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: is activism. That's a sign of resistance. Oil companies have 43 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: posted a threat to Wellllinga's community for as long as 44 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: she can remember. She says, these companies often do not 45 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 1: consult indigenous communities before in their territory. She says that's 46 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: what happened to Sara Yaku her home. The Ecuadorian government 47 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: supported oil companies and together they entered the indigenous territory 48 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: along with military, she says, to protect their forests. She 49 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 1: says the community had to stand up against these powers, 50 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: and she's talked more about what got her started in 51 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: advocacy work with Refinery twenty nine for their twenty twenty 52 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: feature of her in their article titles Climate Advocate Alna Galinga, 53 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: Climate change is not a gen Z issue, She says, 54 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: My mom is from a community called Quichua Sara Yaku. 55 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: Sara Yaku is a very small indigenous community in the 56 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: Ecuadorian Amazon. There are about twelve hundred people there, and 57 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: the year I was born, an oil company entered without 58 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: my community's consent. So when I was growing up, I 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: constantly saw all the things that happened to my people, 60 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: to the people that said no. It was always part 61 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: of my life that people were fighting for our communities. 62 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: This was normal for me that someone was trying to 63 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: take our home from us. So when I grew up 64 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: and I realized that I have a voice, I have 65 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: a platform that I can use. English is a very 66 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: good tool to have to reach a lot of people. 67 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: I think I owe this to my people. That's the 68 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: least I can do to help my people, and her 69 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: community has been working hard to advocate for their land 70 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: and for their people. In fact, in twenty twelve, her 71 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: community was able to win a court case against the 72 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: Ecuadorian government, helping to establish the activists as a force 73 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,239 Speaker 1: to deal with. She talked to CNN in twenty twenty 74 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: two a little bit about the significance of the case. Quote, 75 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: the Sara Yaku case is a symbol of resistance throughout 76 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: my childhood. The leaders of my community, many of whom 77 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: our family, were violated, facing defamation, violence, torture, and criminalization 78 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: of their defiance. It sparked rage in me and my community. 79 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: But when Sara Yaku won, we showed the world that 80 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: you can fight big oil because no political or economic 81 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: force is powerful enough to exploit land when it's people unite. 82 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: Our victory inspired other indigenous peoples protecting their lands and 83 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: sends a powerful message to the companies and bank invested 84 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: in projects that violate our rights, their time is up. 85 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: And then she continues, after living in fear of losing 86 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: our homes, my peers and I have followed in our 87 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,559 Speaker 1: elder's footsteps in defying the systems that uphold violence against 88 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: people and nature. Last month, a youth gathering was held 89 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: in Sarayaku, where indigenous youth from across the Ecuadorian and 90 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: Peruvian Amazon gathered to discuss the future of our territories 91 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: and reaffirm our commitment to protect Kawasaksatcha. Glinga has been 92 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: working hard in her advocacy, becoming a spokesperson for her 93 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: indigenous community, speaking at the COP twenty five and other 94 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: UN events, but she's reluctant to use the word activists 95 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: for herself. She explained in that same scene An article 96 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: that her activism isn't a choice, but something that has 97 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: become a part of indigenous culture, and she went on 98 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: to explain why she thinks advocacy for the indigenous community 99 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: and for the environment go hand in hand. She says, 100 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: I don't identify as an activist because I do not 101 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: believe we had a choice. Where I come from, most 102 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: of the Amazonian indigenous population would be considered activists. If 103 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: Sara Yaku did not put up a fight, our territory 104 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: would have been destroyed. It's a matter of survival rather 105 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: than acting out of choice. My region, Latin America is 106 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: one of the most dangerous places for indigenous people and 107 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: land defenders. Our life's work has been to protect our lands. 108 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: Our existence is our resistance. The mere existence of people 109 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: in the Amazon is what is securing the future of 110 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: the Amazon. Does that make us activists know? It's simply 111 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: part of who we are and where we come from. 112 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: It's the defense mechanism of nature itself. And with that, 113 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: she has talked at length about the need to have 114 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: indigenous voices in conferences and talks about environmental changes and protections. 115 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: She told CNN, our communities have been raising the alarm 116 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: bell on the climate crisis as we see the changes 117 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: to the environment firsthand. We are on the front lines 118 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: of keeping fossil fuels in the ground as we work 119 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: to defend our lands as a world is moving away 120 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: from fossil fuels is now being replaced by the green 121 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: indugery and industry. However, the transition to a green economy 122 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: must ensure that it includes indigenous people in decision making 123 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: and that it does not repeat the same colonists approach 124 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: for the fossil fuels industry. However, the green inenergy industry 125 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: is currently not adequately including indigenous people in decision making, 126 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: and she goes on to say it's essential that the 127 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: indigenous people not only have a say in climate negotiations, 128 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: but the discussions are also led by indigenous people, so 129 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: that all climate action is guided by climate justice. Indigenous 130 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: people have tended ecosystems for thousands of years. The knowledge 131 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: we have obtained interacting and coexisting with nature for years 132 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,119 Speaker 1: is essential to understand how we will restore and find 133 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: balance between humans and nature. To understand this, let's look 134 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: at the numbers. Indigenous peoples comprise less than five percent 135 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: of the world's population, but we protect eighty percent of 136 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: the the Earth's biodiversity in the forest, deserts, grasslands, and 137 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,239 Speaker 1: marine environments in which we have lived for centuries. Right, 138 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: and she is making sure that she uses her platforms 139 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: to continue to elevate Indigenous voices, trying to be a 140 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: leader for climate justice because she has to. And in 141 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, she was featured in the documentary Helena 142 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: Sara Yakumanta, documenting her life and activism. And also she's 143 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: very much present on her social media using that as 144 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: a platform to continue to spread her message. Yeah, she 145 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: has done a lot of work. Her entire family has 146 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: done so much work in order to protect their community, 147 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: our community in the world in general. She is definitely 148 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: still on the forefront and the news trying to get 149 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: more awareness about what is happening, and has been a 150 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: part of the UN as well as different festivals trying 151 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: to spread her message. So definitely go and look her up. 152 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: Ooh and with that, we miss you Annie. Thank you 153 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: to those who are stuck with me doing this alone. 154 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: We've been doing these solo sessions a lot. It makes 155 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: me sad because again I miss Miyannie. But if you 156 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: miss us and want to talk to us, you can 157 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: email us at stuff Media Mom Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. 158 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: You can find us on Instagram and TikTok as stuff 159 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: Moom Never told you we have a book, you can 160 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: find it anywhere, but you know we love a good 161 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: independent bookstore. So if you happen to have purchased our 162 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 1: book from an independent bookstore, send us some pictures. We 163 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: need those pictures. And then thanks to of course, a 164 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: super producer Christina who makes me sound coherent and make 165 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: sure I am coherent, Executive producer Maya, and contributor Joey. 166 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: And thanks to you, whom we love and are so 167 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 1: thankful for. Stuff. Moom Never Told You is a production 168 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 169 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.