Here is what Jessica Sheffield, an incredible Costa Rican leader in environmental education and the creator of the Guardians of Nature Movement, had to say yesterday in La Voz de Guanacaste about women’s leadership at this beyond critical moment in the history of our planet. This translation is excerpted from Jessica’s Facebook page:
Women play an essential role in the conservation of our natural resources. We are leaders with the potential to achieve a critical transformation in the protection of nature, ensuring the well-being of our communities and the planet.
In Costa Rica, a large number of women are leading initiatives that are transforming society. Christiana Figueres promoted the Paris agreement on climate change; Karla Chaves Brenes leads the Latin American recycling program ecoins; Alejandra Monge-Jiménez directs the Corcovado Foundation, which protects the Osa Peninsula, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet; Zdenka Piskulich is the force behind Costa Rica Por Siempre, one of the most consolidated conservation NGOs in the country. There are many other prominent Costa Ricans achieving change through their leadership initiatives.
Our formal education, especially during the early childhood years, is mostly led by women. During my three years directing Guardians of Nature, I have noticed the extraordinary power that teachers have, inspiring and educating a new generation of children, the guardians of our natural resources. Given the necessary tools and resources, teachers will educate present and future generations about the need to live in peace with nature.
Costa Rican women have leadership roles in our homes as well. Even though times have changed, many of us still take care of our children’s food, select products that benefit their health and the environment, and educate the family about the proper use of resources. Above all, we are an essential force and engine in the marketplace with the ability to influence the supply of products and services through our own consumption.
…I am confident that, little by little, there will be many more guardians of nature, women who exert great influence from their homes, jobs and social circles. Thank you to all the girls, moms, and professionals who make this difference every day.
Amen!
And on that uplifting note, here is a recap of this week’s posts:
Monday Motivation: An anniversary that celebrates Costa Rica’s elementary schools!
Tuesday Beauty: An artist whose social media feeds make me smile.
Wellness Wednesday: The curse of multitasking.
Travel Thursday: The one thing every visitor to Costa Rica must pack.
Bonus: Over at Poems on Demand, I tried my hand at a sonnet. Shakespeare may be agitating just slightly in his grave, but it was fun. You can see it and my other poems here.
Have a wonderful weekend and wish me luck (more about that on Monday!).
I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! You can also find me churning out small, square poems on any topic under the sun (here on the site, on Instagram or Twitter).
katherine stanley obando 