Summary: "Each and every one of us is meant to be here. None of us is a mistake.” - Lyla June Johnston In this episode of #moonwisepodcast, we speak with indigenous scholar and community organizer Lyla June Johnston about leadership, service and humanity’s reciprocal role with nature. Lyla June is an Indigenous environmental scientist, doctoral student, educator, community organizer and musician of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages from Taos, NM. Her dynamic, multi-genre performance and speech style has invigorated and inspired audiences across the globe towards personal, collective and ecological healing. Her messages focus on the climate crisis, Indigenous rights, supporting youth, inter-cultural healing, historical trauma and traditional land stewardship practices. “It’s really not that humans are supposed to disappear and the land will be healthy. The land actually needs our touch, it needs our presence,” says Lyla. We discuss how numerous traditional cultures have worked with the land as an integral part of the food web. She talks about human beings as a keystone species and how indigenous science can inform our path forward. We also dive into her insights about leadership in uncertain times and her recent experience running for office. She explains, “sovereignty is no just being able to feed yourself, but being able to lead yourself.” We also talk about: Indigenous Science Food Sovereignty Peak Oil Biodiversity
