Osprey Orielle Lake is the Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, working nationally and internationally with grassroots and frontline women leaders, policy-makers, and diverse coalitions to build women’s leadership, climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean energy future.
She wrote this important book – “The Story Is In Our Bones” – which I had the privilege to review and which I hope you will find well worth the read:
Patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism, domination, racism, ecocide – these are some of the words that are used to describe a predominant worldview that has been evolving for centuries and has become so entrenched that many believe it is normal and inevitable; we forget there is any other way. Yet it is abundantly clear that this paradigm has become deadly, has caused immeasurable suffering, and has consistently attempted to obliterate whole other possible ways of knowing and being in the world.
This book goes into great depth about the evolution and consequences of this predominant worldview. That, in itself, makes it a fascinating and necessary read.
Yet it is also about a great remembering taking place of “ways of knowing and being” that came “before”, that in fact have never died. These are the “stories in the bones” of women, indigenous peoples, people of color, the lineage of our ancestors, the land, the other than humans. Osprey brings all these voices to the table showing how they may be the best hope of re-storying our future.
Diné/Lakota elder, Pat McCabe says that a worldview is a choice. It is not inevitable. Right now it seems we are on a trajectory toward disaster. If the ultimate question before us is how we might change that trajectory and, instead, have the best chance to live and to thrive, then “The Story is in Our Bones” is a truly paradigm shifting response.