For The Love Of Earth

I always remember Earth Day on April 22 because it happens to be the day after one of my great friend Anna's birthday. Receiving Earth Day campaigns on my email remind me not to forget to send Anna a special something! This year, it's even more pronounced on my calendar because it heralds a period in my life where I left the hustle and bustle of the city to go farming in Hawaii for three months. Earth Day reminds me that the trials and tribulations of the last year were, well, worth it. I feel that I am on the verge of a triumphant victory against some of the demons that have kept me back for so long. And so much of it had to do with stepping back and not just smelling the roses, but actually planting them, and watching them grow (imagine kale instead of roses for a more literal picture).

After my stint in Hawaii, I traveled back home to the Philippines where I spent plenty of time on farms outside the city to meet with farmers and see what kinds of progress were being made in food production; but also, more importantly, what kinds of challenges the farmers were facing. I spent a lot of time getting to know the work of a local agriculture and renewable energy nonprofit, SIBAT (Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya/Wellspring of Science and Technology). Despite their hectic schedule, I was given all the time I needed to ask my questions and work with them on some of their programmatic challenges. The Philippines needs more support in this sector, and nonprofits like SIBAT, which are few and far between, are at the front lines of this uphill battle.

Now that I'm back in San Francisco, it's been a whirlwind few months of cracking down on my priorities as a full-time artist, while also building on my farming experience of the past year. If I could have a 2 acre farm in my own backyard; have it in the city; and have a studio built into it, I'd definitely be living in a dream and I wouldn't dare pinch myself.