FGC Virtual Gathering 2020 - Introduction by Kallan Benson
On Tuesday, June 30th, 2020, Dr. Mica Estrada, Kallan Benson, Kenyatta James, and George Lakey will share their visions of how we, as Quakers in this society, can move forward into a shared vision of a better world for us all. Moderated by Laura Magnani.
Kallan Benson, at 16, is already a veteran activist with 7 years of experience fighting for a sustainable future. Kallan is a national coordinator for Fridays For Future USA and integral to the international movement. She initiated the national strike movement on December 7, 2018, as one of the first two youths to establish strike locations. In less than one year, her efforts built a broad collaborative community, with approximately 300 weekly strike locations across the country.
Through the Mother Earth Project, she co-directs a collaborative art activism initiative, Parachutes for the Planet, which invites participants to express their concerns about the future through community art. The project, initiated by her own art parachute that represented the voices of 1600 students at the Peoples Climate March in 2017, has expanded world-wide, attracting the participation of nearly 3000 communities of youth.Because Kallan is an introvert who is often uncomfortable receiving attention, she is driven to seek creative ways to express her activism and ease others into action. She has earned the nickname "Butterfly" for a ubiquitous pair of wings from which she draws confidence in crowds. Greta Thunberg famously asserted, "You are never too small to make a difference." Those who work with Kallan quickly learn not to underestimate the "Butterfly" effect.