Meany Center for the Performing Arts
Climate Crisis: Our Response as Artivists
Thurs. Feb. 22, 2024 4 p.m.
Walker Ames Room, Kane Hall
UWAA hosted reception to follow
Appearing onstage at the UW’s Meany Center in February, “Small Island Big Song” is an immersive concert experience that celebrates the seafaring cultures of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and features Indigenous musicians from the frontline of the climate crisis.
The UWAA and Meany Center are excited to gather a UW College of the Environment alumna, a current student (Majoring in geography) and creators of “Small Island Big Song” to talk about issues of climate change, advocacy, art and culture. Our panelists each come to these topics from different vantage points and will share their reflections on how these topics all impact one another.
As the climate crisis quickly rises to the top of world concerns, different sectors — including artists — scramble to figure out ways to respond to its impending pressures. We all have a vital role to play. Join the conversation as we explore ways we can use our voices to push the needle on political, economic, social and cultural questions at the root of this global concern.
Note: Registration for the “Climate Crisis: Our Response as Artivists” panel does not include admission to “Small Island Big Song.” You can purchase tickets for the Feb. 24 performance here. UWAA members save 20% on admission.
About the panelists
Tim Cole, Co-founder, “Small Island Big Song”
Tim is an Australian creative who has been working on cross-cultural arts projects with music at the heart since producing Not Drowning Waving’s album and DVD ‘Tabaran’ in Papua New Guinea.
Skills developed whilst studying film making at Melbourne University during the day, and producing music at night, which led to a career of equal parts film and music, for artists and events including Archie Roach, The Australian Indigenous Music Awards, Proof and Bran Nue Dae (film soundtracks), Not Drowning Waving, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, The Sing Sing Concerts, Shellie Morris and the Borroloola Songwomen and Circus Oz with 8 years of international touring with seasons on Broadway NYC and West End London.
His reputation in Indigenous arts led to him to Alice Springs as Senior Music Producer for CAAMA – Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association. It was the experiences here recording traditional songlines whilst hearing the 5th IPCC report, which led to the founding of ‘Small Island Big Song’.
Tim holds a BEd. in Media Arts from Melbourne University an A.D. in Music Production from the University of Victoria in Australia and has received a Churchill fellowship and invitation to speak on climate change and the arts at the United Nations, APAP – NYC, WOMEX. Along with industry recognition through numerous awards for projects he has played a key creative roll on.
Jamie 真理恵 Stroble ‘10, Climate Justice Advocate
Jamie 真理恵 Stroble is an experienced policy advocate, trainer/educator, and community organizer with over 15 years of experience working in environmental justice-related fields, including community development, racial equity, food justice, air quality & environmental health, youth programming, leadership development, and immigrants & refugee programs.
Jamie is a strategic changemaker, and has worked to institutionalize change from at the grassroots, local government and state wide levels. From 2016-2021 she served as King County’s first Climate Equity & Community Partnerships manager, where she founded and led the creation of the first-ever climate justice framework for King County’s 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan. To drive this framework, she created the Climate Equity Community Task Force, an innovative co-creative body led by frontline communities to center Black, Indigenous, and community of color voices in community-driven climate policy-making.
She served on the founding Community Partner Steering Committee for the City of Seattle’s Environment & Equity Initiative and the Climate Justice Committee for Got Green, and served as Co-Chair of the Seattle Planning Commission during the critical update of the city of Seattle’s comprehensive plan. She also serves on University of Washington’s EarthLab Advisory Board, Healthy King County Coalition’s Built Environment workgroup, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Advocating Together for Healthy Communities board, and the youth leadership & food justice organization FEEST. Jamie has also worked in strategic communications and on state policy focused on reducing disproportionate pollution burden.
As a movement builder, she is always looking for ways to support new leaders, and strategize around affecting change. From working with youth in the Chinatown/International District to leading leadership development programming for community organizations, and starting paid climate equity internships at King County – she has long been committed to building the next generation of environmental leaders, particularly black, indigenous, and people of color who are underrepresented in the environmental field. She founded Noio Pathways to serve as a community capacity building catalyst to “build the bench” of the leaders from underrepresented communities to navigate government and build climate resilience.
Jamie was raised in Hawai’i on the lands of the Kānaka Maoli, and has grown many roots over the last 19 years living on Coast Salish land in Seattle. She finds connection and healing on the water, and serves as a coach for Hawaiian outrigger canoe club, Hui Wa’a o Wakinikona.
Lesley Tonga Kamoto, Student Activist
Lesley Tonga Kamoto is a junior intending to study geography on the Cities, Citizenship, and Migration track. She is also double minoring in business and Oceania Pacific Islander studies. Lesley is vice president of the Polynesian Student Alliance here at the UW, as well as a student ambassador with the Multicultural Outreach & Recruitment Office representing the Pacific Islander community on campus to prospective students. She is passionate in serving her community and bringing light to the various issues that impact her people daily.
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