Hollyhock Presenters

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Our presenters are curated for their quality, depth, integrity, and alignment with our educational purpose. Since 1982, a distinguished faculty of authors, educators, activists, artists, performers, and practitioners have shared their work at our Cortes Island campus and in Vancouver.

People smiling at Activate 2023 Hollyhock Leadership Institute

Melina Laboucan-Massimo

Melina Laboucan-Massimo is Lubicon Cree First Nation from Northern Alberta, Canada. She has worked on social, environmental and climate justice issues for the past 15 years. Currently a Fellow at the David Suzuki Foundation, Melina’s research is focused on Climate Change, Indigenous Knowledge and Renewable Energy. Melina holds a master’s degree in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria with a focus on Renewable Energy in First Nation communities.

Facing firsthand impacts of the Alberta tar sands in her traditional territory, Melina has been a vocal advocate for Indigenous rights. For over a decade, Melina worked as a Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace Canada and the Indigenous Environmental Network internationally.

She has written for a variety of publications and produced short documentaries on the tar sands, climate change, water issues and Indigenous cultural revitalization. Melina has studied, campaigned and worked in Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Canada and across Europe focusing on resource extraction, climate change impacts, media literacy and Indigenous rights & responsibilities.

Melina also works on the issue of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women in Canada after the suspicious death of her sister Bella whose case still remains unsolved. Melina currently serves on the boards of Seeding Sovereignty and NDN as well as the executive steering committees of the Indigenous Clean Energy Network and Indigenous Climate Action.

Events with Melina Laboucan-Massimo

Depth Ecology Camp
August 14 - 18, 2024

With Special Guests Merlin Sheldrake, Erin Robinsong and David Abram. Humans do not stand apart from the earth and its living systems. To address our global challenges, we must start from our roots as creatures of this Earth. What does it mean to take action and adopt a genuinely ecological…