Melina Laboucan-Massimo and Nikki Sanchez talk about the importance of supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) frontline land defenders, folks experiencing the brunt of environmental degradation and trauma, and how Hollyhock community can offer healing justice and space for them. This session was recorded live during a 10-hour Hollyhock-a-thon Solstice online fundraiser in June, 2020.

“If Hollyhock wants to continue to be a place of climate, environmental and social justice discussions and dialogue then it also must be a place that includes healing justice.” – Melina Laboucan-Massimo

Melina Laboucan-Massimo is Lubicon Cree from Northern Alberta. She has worked on social, environmental and climate justice issues for the past 20 years. Melina is the Just Transition Director at Indigenous Climate Action, the Founder of Sacred Earth Solar and a Fellow at the David Suzuki Foundation. She is also the Host of a new TV series called Power to the People which profiles renewable energy, food security and eco-housing projects in Indigenous communities across Canada.
Nikki Sanchez is a Pipil/Maya and Irish/Scottish academic, Indigenous media maker and environmental educator. As an Indigenous media maker, Nikki’s most recent project is the 8-part documentary VICELAND series “RISE” focused on global Indigenous resurgence. A TEDx speaker, her most recent presentation is entitled “Decolonization is for Everyone”. In 2020 she released her book “Spirits of the Coast: Orcas in Science, Art and History”