As team See Jane Do attempts to get back to the basics in our personal life; gardening, cooking, walking to town and connecting with our community, we can't help but think of the wise women, our grandmothers who often led this lifestyle long before Slow Food, organic, or free range became selected options.
Nowadays with a disconnect from local community, genetically modified, processed foods, and ill-treatment of our land, It seems the lessons grandma taught us and the wisdom they can offer us are more important than ever.
We met a handful of grandmothers that are taking the grandmother archetype of a sweet old lady, sitting on her porch in her rocking chair crocheting doilies and turning it upside down. In fact, one of our guests from Nevada County Grandmother's For Peace organization suggest that while they might not be rocking in chairs they are rocking the world to create a peaceful planet for the generations to come.
These women are proving that activism and community involvement doesn't end in one's golden years, but rather with the knowledge and patience that comes from years of lived experience, can be a powerful asset when taking on multi-billion dollar corporations that threaten our health and environment, teaching back to the basics, spreading messages of peace, or that change is always possible.
In this segment of See Jane Do listen to the stories of Alla Ivanovna Gafner, a community leader and grandmother from an area near Sakhalin-II, the world's largest integrated oil and gas plant located on Sakhalin Island in Eastern Russia. Hear her incredible story of holding these massive global corporations accountable to the people and the environment. Alla was traveling with a group of mothers and grandmothers who were participating in a workshop led by Pacific Environment. Program Associate, Audrey Wood translates their stories.
Shirley McDonald and Mary O'Brien of the Nevada County Grandmothers for Peace share their experiences as grandmothers trying to find different ways to bring peace into people's consciousness.
Poet and teacher Molly Fisk reads a poignant essay about her grandmother and how it is possible for people to change their mind and ways; you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Plus hear everyday women sharing their own stories of what they learned from their grandmothers.
Please continue to share your stories with us at [email protected].
Click here to listen to their stories.
Elisa and Jesse
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