I recently saw a film entitled "From the Heart of The World," which provides a rare and stunning glimpse into the customs of the Kogi Indians.  The Kogi currently reside in the remote high regions of the Sierra Madre de Santa Marta mountains in Colombia, a landscape that they consider the Heart of the World. From their vantage point atop those peaks, the Kogi have long regarded themselves as the protectors of the Earth (the "Elder Brother"). They are keenly aware of the destruction that technology and industry, creations of the "Younger Brother", have exacted upon the planet. The documentary chronicles a final proclamation from the Kogi to the Younger Brother to abandon the path of increasing violence towards our natural environment and to initiate an era during which our global society returns more to the earth than we extract from it. The fate of the planet, they say, is in our hands. 

Aside from being an important film for anyone concerned about the effects of the human fingerprint on our planet (and a fascinating story in and of itself), the documentary was an intensely emotional viewing experience for me. The message of the film was simple and clear:  The planet is not impervious to our presence and we are not immune to the consequences of our actions here. We must act accordingly.

"From the Heart of the World" nurtured an environmental awareness that has gained primacy in my life. My goal at Earthjustice is to translate my experience into a life-long commitment to the creation of a more environmentally conscious and responsible society. Above all, working with Earthjustice is an invaluable learning experience that I hope will make me a more persuasive and effective advocate for radical change.