That feeling of crisis: Rachel Kiddell-Monroe

In this episode, Brooke speaks with Rachel Kiddell-Monroe - Founder and Executive Director at SeeChange Initiative, and board member at Médecins Sans Frontières. In their discussion, they examine the impact of COVID-19 on marginalized communities, as well as the lack of empathy exhibited by first world nations towards less developed countries. Rachel raises the question of whether the models and systems on which our societies are built actually serve the interests of all. From our colonial roots to our current education and healthcare systems, this episode examines many factors that shape our view of struggling communities.

Some of the items discussed include:

• The legacy of colonial systems and how they persist all around the world, despite their weaknesses and inability to tackle the big challenges facing us.
• The need for both individual and community action to bring about real change, and how both relate to each other. When individuals and movements come together, the momentum and desire for change builds, as exhibited by the Black Lives Matter movement over the past year.
• Why a single visionary leader cannot solve all of our problems. Unless the whole society is ready to change, there will always be the need for such leaders to compromise and not be able to fully achieve the change they want to see.
• Now that we have been living with COVID for over a year, taking a step back and seeing it as a potential opportunity to drastically change some of the systems that are broken or no longer working. And not letting this opportunity pass us by as this pandemic (hopefully) starts to get under control.