Louise Potash – Arts and Activism Mentor

Art Works For Change interns do great things!

Just over the last year, they created:

—a website that mushroomed with followers 

—an instagram account linking design with political action

—a student-created documentary and newsletter 

—a presentation on “Fast Fashion” that included a fashion show with student models wearing clothing made out of trash (garbage bags and newspapers) designed by the student intern. She then collaborated with a speaker from the CA Product Stewardship Council, highlighting a textile recycling bill (that ultimately passed!!!).

—a school mural created by the school eco club and the art honor society, (spearheaded by an AWFC intern)

—and so many other amazing projects and actions taken, leading others to take further actions.

I have the privilege of mentoring students in the AWFC Environmental Leadership Internship program,which starts whenever an intern is ready. Students from across the country reach out (through Volunteermatch)  to be able to participate in our unique program where they quickly learn about climate policies, advocacy techniques, and the role of storytelling in promoting engagement. I am always fascinated by the ways in which our interns align their proclivities and passions with proven paths to develop their own climate action portfolios.

As an Arts and Activism Mentor, I support the interns’ efforts to figure out and execute the most effective plans that contribute to solutions to the climate crisis. Unlike most internships that assume the intern will shadow more experienced professionals, our AWFC internship flips the script and has the intern lead. 

Our interns are interested in environmental stewardship and activism, as well as using the arts in the service of activism. Some students are seeking an arts experience and bring considerable talent and existing creative portfolios. Others are concerned about the climate crisis and just want to do something productive. Here at Art Works For Change, we believe everyone has creative capacity. You don’t have to be a sculptor, or a visual artist, or a dancer, or a musician, or a poet, or a thespian. But difficult problems require creative solutions. As an AWFC intern, you get to use your creativity to activate others. Each intern leads from their interests and abilities, and I get to help them craft a project or set of actions, and build their portfolios while educating them along the way. It’s joyful, fascinating, and creative, and I get to learn along the way too. 

While there are few parameters to the internship, as we tailor it to individual needs, we follow our theory of change: Learning to See; Learning to Solve; and Finding Your Place in the Climate Movement. 

Using art and games and interactive activities to help people visualize the impacts of a warming planet while introducing them to the underlying climate science and data, mentors direct students to learning resources including the IPCC report,Project Drawdown and En-Roads, and explore ways to use creative methods to convey information to others. They then lead others with calls to action.

As interns lead me along their own paths, I coach them in effective communications, and direct them towards grassroots organizations to which they can connect and expand their networks. Meanwhile, I get to learn about their communities and climate concerns and research local opportunities for them. 

Introducing civics as a means to promote environmental stewardship has proven to be much more fun than you may think. We connect interests to local, state, or sometimes federal and corporate actions, and sometimes this is the first time a student has encountered an opportunity to participate in the political process.  It is the real deal and it is empowering!

This work is truly important and we welcome everyone who can carve out some time to learn to see, solve, and find their place in the climate movement. You can learn to be a climate leader. Leaders engage others to be part of the solution. The climate crisis needs all our creativity and action. 

Louise Potash

Arts and Activism Mentor

Art Works for Change

15 December, 2024

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How’s Your Weather?

Learn to see

the forest 

through trees,

behind

the curtain,

certain,

while consumption

without assumption

of consequence

or sequence

of events

systemic,

seemingly

endemic

in our culture,

ignoring

nature

in danger,

due to

the illusion

of control.

Learn to see

blindspots;

hot spots

of regions

and reasons

for how we

unintentionally

perpetuate

this state

of climate 

crisis

for us

which 

we may not

be able

to reverse,

could relieve

this perverse

curse

of disconnection

between

decisions

and ramifications.

We have

solutions;

paths that 

we’ve proved

to behoove

us.

Technology

and policy

combined

with the necessity

of accountability,

helps us solve

what we’ve 

yet to resolve

without

yet

being able 

to see

clearly.

We need

the creativity

and participation

of everybody.

Use your

resources

and proclivities

for activities

where 

the priorities

engage

others

to bother

to do

more

than weather

current

Conditions.