129 Unlearning and reeducating with Céline Semaan, founder of Slow Factory
Sep 9, 2020
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Céline Semaan, co-founder of Slow Factory and Study Hall, focuses on human rights and environmental justice in the fashion industry. In this conversation, she emphasizes the importance of unlearning old systems before reeducating ourselves about sustainability. Céline discusses innovative initiatives like Landfills as Museums, showcasing the impact of waste on design. She advocates for a collective shift in perspectives around consumption and technology while highlighting the intertwined nature of activism and global challenges. Her insights offer a refreshing take on the pace needed for meaningful change.
Céline Semaan emphasizes the need to unlearn old systems and engage in open education to foster sustainability literacy and collective responsibility.
The podcast highlights the evolving nature of activism, underscoring the importance of discussing uncomfortable truths about racism and environmentalism for meaningful change.
Deep dives
Intersection of Human Rights and Environmental Justice
The discussion highlights the importance of addressing human rights in relation to environmental issues. Céline Seman emphasizes the need for organizations like Slow Factory to operate at this intersection, showcasing their commitment since 2012. This organization partners with the United Nations to influence the fashion and beauty industries while tackling waste management issues. The aim is to raise awareness about how these elements are intertwined and require mutual consideration in both policy and education.
Evolution of Sustainability Literacy
Seman reflects on the evolution of sustainability literacy over the past 15 years, noting a shift from merely acknowledging difficult topics to having open conversations about them. Initially, discussions surrounding racism and colonialism were fraught with defensiveness, but there is now a broader acceptance of these conversations. The growing comfort with discussing social justice issues, particularly in light of recent global events, signifies a culture that is beginning to embrace uncomfortable truths. This shift plays a critical role in fostering a more informed public, leading to a deeper understanding of sustainability.
Open Education and Collaborative Learning
The podcast underscores the significance of open education in fostering environmental and social awareness, particularly through initiatives like Study Hall. This free climate conference series promotes collaborative learning by bringing together a diverse group of experts to share insights. Seman highlights that open education is rooted in the principle of accessibility, aiming to dismantle hierarchies of knowledge. By creating a platform for sharing information and strengthening community ties, Slow Factory contributes to a more educated and engaged public.
Activism and Collective Responsibility
The conversation delves into the evolving nature of activism and its increasing relevance in contemporary society. Seman argues that activism has gained traction, especially since 2016, as a necessary response to systemic injustices. Recognizing the significance of collective responsibility, she highlights the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives, even those that may oppose one's own views. By actively participating in dialogues around difficult topics and supporting grassroots movements, individuals can contribute to the broader effort needed to create sustainable change.
The slow pace of the pandemic has given many of us the opportunity to take a step back and reexamine our impact on people and the planet. This slower pace may seem counterintuitive in the face of urgent crises like climate change and systemic racism, but Céline Semaan and her team at Slow Factory have decided that it's the right pace for real, lasting progress.
Systemic change, Céline says, comes first with unlearning old systems, then relearning by way of open education. In fact, she plans to help boost the public's sustainability literacy with peer-to-peer initiatives like Study Hall, Open Education, and Landfills as Museums — an initiative to show product designers, firsthand, the impact and potential of waste (pictured above).
In this episode, Céline walks us through the perspective shift she's seen in the past nine months, and how optimism and progress can only come with discomfort.