Episode 2 - Making Space For Our Grief with Kristen Sison

In this episode of Climate Justice Radio, host and CJTO member Bella Lyne interviews Kristen Sison, about her work as a death doula and explores the intersections of death cycles, grief and spirituality. Kristen Sison is a diasporic Filipinx Womxn community choreographer, storyteller, artist-healer, and book witch! She serves community by creating youth-led alternative educational spaces that re-imagine how we teach and talk about climate change and climate justice including Conscious Minds Camp, now Conscious Minds Co-operative, and most recently, a 3-month climate leadership program called Rooted and Rising. She is close to releasing a book called It’s Bigger Than All Of Us, an archive that reflects the process of claiming self-sovereignty within our bodies, and deepening our relationship with Spirit! She is also a founding member of Kapwa Collective, a collective and mutual support group of Filipinx-Canadian artists, critical thinkers, and healers based out of Tkaronto.

This episode explores the ways in which death cycles can make space for individual and collective transformation and offers a reflective meditation on where our movements are heading. During a time where our movements and social events have moved mostly online, Kristen reminds us of the importance of listening to our bodies and practicing selfcare.

The episode's Temp Check features Daniel Xie and Maitri Gupta. They discuss CJTO's restructuring, a climate alliance between the federal NDP and Green parties, Ontario paid sick days, Premier Ford's Bill 251, COVID-19 and the Farmer's strike in India, Palestinian Solidarity and the crisis in Colombia . Follow the links in the resource section to take action and find out more.

Also included in Episode 2 is an opportunity to learn a movement song with Bella and Brook. Listen and feel free to sing along to More Waters Rising by Saro Lynch Thomason.

This episode was first aired on CJRU’s Radio Everywhere program, which works in “collaboration with community organizations to produce pieces that showcase the work they’re doing, and to provide a platform for them to tell their own stories”. You can find out more about CJRU here: https://www.cjru.ca/project/radio-everywhere/ 

KRISTEN SISON

@bonesthrown on Instagram
https://www.bonesthrown.com

CLIMATE JUSTICE TORONTO

climatejusticeto.com
@ClimateJusticeTO on Instagram
Climate Justice Toronto on Facebook
@CJusticeTO on Twitter

TEMP CHECK

@350canada
@ontarionurses
@ontarionursesforchange
@decentworkandhealth
@migrantmutualaid

CREDITS

Interviewee: Kristen Sison
Host: Bella Lyne
Editing: Bella Lyne, Stefan Hegerat & Alexandra Simpson
Original Music: Stefan Hegerat
Producer: Climate Justice Toronto