Artful poetry used to spread the message of climate change

The Pacific Islands may not be known for their poetry, but powerful young voices writing and speaking on issues such as climate change, colonialism, language, identity, sexuality and sovereignty have been catching the attention of the art community (NBC News, 2016). One in particular, Kathy Jetnill-Kiljner, from the Marshall Islands (Perez, 2016). This artistic take on climate change comes at a good time as, increasingly, journalists and climate change advocates become frustrated by the lack of / poor reporting of climate change – especially in the Pacific Islands (Koroi, 2016).

Kathy was chosen to address the UN members on 23^rd September 2014 for the opening of the Climate Change Summit in New York. She represented civil society and delivered an emotional speech aimed at world leaders to address and find solutions on the issue of climate change, which the Pacific Island nations are already feeling the effects of. She ended her speech with a poem she originally wrote for her seven month old daughter. She received a standing ovation, a rare sight among the world leaders in the U.N. headquarters. She is a poet, climate change activist, mother, teacher, and performing artist (Perez, 2016). She is not the only one however, speaking up against the injustices faced in the South Pacific. William Alfred Nu'utupu Giles, is another, he is a Samoan-American poet living in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a Kundiman Fellow, works at the non-profit Pacific Tongue promoting artistic expression in the Oceanic community. He is a Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam Champion, and is the 2015 National Underground Poetry Slam Champion (NBC News, 2016). These are two of the growing community of people rising up against the oppression of climate change, using artistic means to express their struggle.

Videos of the various poets can be found on the NBC website