The Bioneers gathering describes itself as, “A celebration of the genius of nature and human ingenuity to connect people with solutions and each other”. So when Bioneers puts out a call for me to come share some poetic energy to a room full of two thousand change leaders, I didn’t just jump at the chance (again!). This time, I brought my daughter with me.

Many big events, no matter how well-intentioned, can be draining. It’s a tiring prospect to be ‘on’ in the sense of being surrounded by thousands of voices; to meet a dizzying array of new people; and to absorb so much information we can hardly see straight after a day, let alone two or three. But Bioneers is different. It’s energizing, and that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.

Of the 3,000-3,500 people who attend various lectures, sessions, and training events each day, over 500 of them are sponsored ‘emerging leaders’ who may otherwise not be able to make the trip, and over 90 indigenous nations from around the globe take part in a leadership capacity. For people doing the daily work of climate justice — working on so many fronts, from the global political will of industry and governments to the behaviour change and participation of populations and individuals — Bioneers is a shot in the arm. Its renewal by way of celebration, diversity, and discourse makes forward motion. It connects people together so they can practice coherence. And when you care about the planet, there’s no more inspiring place to be. It’s a good thing, because we’ve got a lot on our plate:

How can we evangelize and iterate green-new-deal thinking?
In addition to facing the scientific reality of where we’re at, where should we focus our energies next?
How can we involve more people from more diverse places and perspectives?
How can we relay urgency and protect hope at the same time?
What exciting developments are unfolding now that will spark the next round of exciting developments?
In addition to our concern, what is underpinning our optimism?

Today’s activism will only have an impact if it’s a big tent that can expand exponentially. We need people, ideas, and voices of all sorts on all fronts — even from those who may speak in new ways, or come from unfamiliar angles, or who may have unique on-the-ground perspectives or challenges. Whether it’s a shift in our politics, our food, our academia, our consumerism, our manufacturing, or our agriculture, Bioneers is a roll-up-your-sleeves What can we create together next? for people on the leading edge of change — no matter where or how.

I show up to listen, to absorb. Then I sum-up. As a poet, it’s my job to craft and deliver the rallying cry.

Can you think of any better reason to encourage your kid to skip a few days of school? I can’t. Not many young people from rural Nova Scotia have the opportunity to ask a lifelong artist, “What is throat singing?” and get a personal demonstration of the Siberian Inuit variety, right in her ear. What a place to be!

At a spoken word event that was a part of the youth leadership track, they did a cipher at the end — a hip hop tradition where everyone gets to say something, and to be heard. What blew Emma away in that moment was the same thing I feel in this place, when I’m asked to serve as poet in-residence for Bioneers: unexpected rhymes and truths — even when they’re unfamiliar, haunting, or complex — make us smile, and wake us up.