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Young Winnipeggers are able to find hope in the midst of climate chaos

Young Winnipeggers are able to find hope in the midst of climate chaos

Young Winnipeggers create hope in a time of climate chaos

This Creator Network article and a short film The Dream HouseLaura Cameron, a Winnipeg activist and filmmaker, shares her experience. 

The warmth of the Prairies this winter was a welcome relief after last year’s hot winter and a drought-like summer. It felt almost normal.

Climate anxiety can make me feel desperate hopeless. It is hard to believe that the window of opportunities to stop climate change runaway will close before I am 40. It seems impossible to plan for the future.

As a climate activist, my goal is to reduce anxiety by organizing others and taking action. It can be difficult to find motivation, I must admit.

How can they continue to face the challenges posed by our warming world head on rather than turning a blind eye?– Laura Cameron

It is often a mystery to me where other young activists get the motivation to do their work. How can they continue to confront the challenges of our warming planet head-on, rather than retreating? Where do they find the energy to convene on the steps of the legislature, in late-night Zoom meetings and in the halls of their community centres, rallying others To demand change? 

These questions were shared with friends and a short film emerged. The Dream HouseInterviews, workshops, and the creation of an artwork installation with young activists from Treaty 1 (which includes Winnipeg) explore theories of hope and visions for a better future.

Winnipeg activists Brenden Gali, Mandalyn Unger and Kakeka thundersky are working for change. In The Dream House, a short film, they share their stories. (Laura Cameron and Sidney Phommarath).

These activists are creating hope through their fight for change. This is not a false sense of optimism. It is a genuine hope.

Hope that accepts coming of age in an age of climate chaos, class warfare, and hope that refuses to accept a predestined destiny; hope that works in solidarity with people around globe who feel the gravity of the crisis just as deeply as you do.

The future is uncertain. As such, Rebecca Solnit, Yotam Marom and other hope scholars remind us, in that uncertainty lies the space for hope. Change is possible, but it is also inevitable and we have the power of influence.

Mandalyn Unger, climate activist, says that “Being in community is where we find power.” Unger shares her fear and hopes for the future in The Dream House. (Laura Cameron and Sidney Phommarath).

The future will be influenced by the actions we take now, just like the rights and access that we enjoy today are the result of the efforts of those who have fought for them. We are the product of our forebears’ hopes and dreams. We have a responsibility and obligation to continue this energy forward. 

Many young people find it difficult to find hope. It can be slippery and elusive.– Laura Cameron 

The pandemic reminded us that no aspect of our society is infallible. We are given the chance to rebuild something new after the destruction. This means that we must have a vision of the future that we want to build, which is possible by using the elements available in the present.

Perhaps, as the visionary adrienne maree brown It is possible to suggestWe can see the struggle of this moment in terms of a battle of the imagination and turn our attention towards what we want to eat. These alternative futures can be articulated, just as we did in The Dream HouseIt is a beacon of hope that guides us through an uncertain future.

Winnipeggers visit the Dream House, an art installation that temporarily allows people to imagine the future they desire. (Laura Cameron and Sidney Phommarath).

For many young people, hope is difficult to find. It can be slippery or elusive. It is a choice that we make. We refuse to give up on despair and instead choose to embrace hope in this difficult moment and the opportunities that it brings.

I look forward to the Messages from Danielle Moore, my friend and activist.For inspiration, see.

She wrote: “In the midst of changing times, in the midst of a looming future, we can also revel in the idea that such a change can bring upon a new way of life. So I chose hope.


The CBC Creator Network supports emerging filmmakers, community storytellers, and helps them create compelling content. Content is focused on audiences 18 to 30 years old and includes short docs and videos, personal essays, point-of-view columns, photo essays, animation and audio essays, among other projects. Check out the content here. 

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