Provisions 4/20/2021

Where do we go from here?

The last provisions session of the spring semester focused on the question “where do we go from here?” Amongst troubling times at the College- how do we as educators, staff members, and students charge forward? 

Our wonderful panelists, Claudia Lingertat-Putnam Professor of Counseling  & Jeanne Wiley Associate Professor of Philosophy. described insightful ideas, tips, and thoughts about how we can move forward and utilize strategies to ensure our mental and physical well-being during these difficult and uncertain times.

Jeanne Wiley started the conversation off with an insightful PowerPoint presentation about Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation by Jonathan Lear. The book follows Chief Alaxchiiahush or Plenty Coups, the last of the Crow people. Plenty Coups experienced a vision when he was young that non-indigenous would be the downfall of the Crow people. Plenty Coups spent the rest of his days advocating for his people even though he knew his way of life was coming to an end. Wiley suggested that during these turbulent times both at The College and in the world, we are slowly losing the way of life we used to know. To combat the changes, Wiley suggested using small changes both individually and as a community. More so, Wiley highlighted some of The Dark Mountain Manifesto- The 8 Principles of Uncivilization which suggests: 

• We live in a time of social, economic, and ecological unraveling. All around us are signs that our whole way of living is already passing into history. We will face this reality honestly and learn to live with it.
• We will reassert the role of storytelling as more than mere entertainment. It is through stories that we weave reality. 
• The end of the world as we know it is not the end of the world’s full stop. Together, we will find hope beyond hope, the paths which lead to the unknown world ahead of us. 

Wiley concluded her statements by saying that although times have changed, and nothing is certain we as individuals and as a community can work together through these changes while upholding the life we once knew. 

Claudia Lingeratat-Putman started her portion of the conversation off by saying “chaos and confusion are indicative of the time we are in.” Lingeratat-Putnam says that we are living in times of uncertainty and to forge ahead, we need to work together. Lingeratat-Putman highlighted the importance of self-care and making small incremental changes that will amount to a much larger change in the future. Lingeratat-Putnam  said that even though some things such as job loss and budget cuts are out of our control, we still have control over our own self and happiness. Lingertat-Putman concluded her statements by posing the question “ how can I help myself move forward and feel better?”

The discussion opened up to the group about possible solutions and small changes to try and combat the uncertainty of the world. The group suggested that the staff at The College can work with students to find new and invigorating ways to create change and reignite the passion within the liberal arts. More so, we can find small pockets within the community to focus our energy and lessen the extreme burdens we are feeling. Small strategies and changes can amount to larger more changes within The College and community. The conversation ended with remarks about how times will continue to change but we need to continue advocating for The College and ourselves.