Who owns the Earth (day)? A day of reckoning, celebrating, and digging into the dirt at the Ivy Bookstore
The Ivy Bookstore, Vital Matters, and youth-led environmental group Baltimore Beyond Plastic (BBP) present: Who owns the Earth (day)? A day of reckoning, celebrating, and digging in the dirtoutside on the grounds of Ivy Bookshop in Mt. Washington on Saturday April 23from 12 p.m.
These three organizations first came together in December for Vital Matters’ inaugural event, winter seeds, a Climate Change Theater Action event, co-produced by Single Carrot Theater and Submersive Productions. Theater artists and puppeteers from Baltimore presented readings of short plays dealing with climate change from a global perspective. The event ended with Lifea futuristic and hopeful piece by Jessica Huang that asks the audience to make a personal commitment to change, and a conversation with young activists Nadia Nazar of Zero Hour, and Maya Weikert and Antonio Dismel of Baltimore Beyond Plastic.
Who owns the Earth (day)? begins at noon with a reusable bag decorating workshop with members of Baltimore Beyond Plastic (bags and art supplies provided), with support from local visual artists. Around 1 p.m., the main event will begin, featuring local artists and readings by community members. Baltimore Beyond Plastic will open the community conversation with a discussion of Harriet Washington’s book, A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Spiritaccompanied by special guest Dr. Lawrence T. Brown (author of The Black Butterfly: The Nefarious Politics of Race and Space in America). Attendees will also be invited to participate in a participatory art walk through Ivy’s 2.5 acres and join Jordan Bethea of Bliss Farm and local gardeners in preparations for the bookstore’s public green space project.
Ivy Director Hannah Fenster says, “Our goal is to use our historic building and beautiful natural grounds to make the world of books and ideas ever more vital, inviting and community-based. Our space offers a unique resource in Baltimore’s greenspace network, where books, stories, and ideas serve as the connective tissue between people and the land. This Earth Day week, an opportunity to come together around the work of Vital Matters and local artists, Baltimore Beyond Plastic, Dr. Lawrence Brown, and Harriet Washington–and use these insights to guide our relationship with the world. he public green space at The Ivy – reflects this spirit of connection and drives it forward.
Vital Matters is an interdisciplinary laboratory for change, grounded in the arts, somatic practice, and an integrated approach to social and environmental justice and climate change. Founder Michele Minnick said, “Baltimore Beyond Plastic had more great ideas than could be accommodated at our winter event. Hannah suggested the Ivy as a location to host an event in the future, and that’s how the idea for this Earth Day collaboration was born. We are thrilled to work with these young leaders to create a participatory event that brings together our love of the land, air and water with the issues of equity and interconnectedness that are essential for Baltimoreans and all earthlings have a just and viable future.
Baltimore Beyond Plastic is a youth-led, action-oriented organization dedicated to fusing public health, environmental advocacy and legislation to change the world, starting in Baltimore. The group was founded in 2016 as part of the Baltimore Office of Sustainability’s Youth Sustainability Leadership internship program, which continues to provide mentorship and support to the team. Major projects include banning styrofoam and plastic bags, creating survival kits for homeless city residents, and advocating for the MD Environmental Human Rights Amendment. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with Ivy Bookshop and Vital Matters to produce an event that both celebrates our beautiful land, while educating Baltimore on how we can do better!” said BBP member Harry MacGillis.
The event is free and open to the public, and is aimed at Earth lovers, justice fighters and the curious of all ages. Who owns the Earth (day)? is made possible in part through support from the Baltimore Office of Sustainability. For more information and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whose-earth-day-a-day-of-reckoning-celebration-digging-in-the-dirt-tickets-302667024217
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