An Update for Early 2013
Dear Interwoven Community:
Wow, it has been ages since we talked! First of all, we would like to thank our supporters again for each and every donation that facilitated our travel last summer. Because of our trip to Indonesia, not only did we have incredible, travel experiences at the time, Justin is now on track to becoming a conservation photographer, and Altaire's upcoming masters dissertation is centered around assessing climate change vulnerability on location in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. The trip was life-changing, affirming, and is shaping our futures in exciting ways.
Here are some more updates about our project:
1. Have you checked out our blog yet? If you haven't, now is a great time. It is chock-full of travel stories, and we also highlight all of the incredible projects we encountered on our journey that deal with environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, cultural preservation, and climate change. Some were even cross-posted on National Geographic News Watch! Just today, we are proud to release a *new* blog which is catered to describing various concepts of "interconnectedness" found in disciplines ranging from Earth system science to cosmology to economics.
2. After our trip, we became passionately involved with the campaign for West Papuan independence, which you can also read about on our blog. After attending a heated demonstration in London, a photo of Altaire made it to the Washington Post! We continue to try and raise awareness about what many consider genocide in the Indonesian region of Papua, and Altaire recently wrote an article for First Peoples Worldwide about indigenous Papuan objections to Jared Diamond's new book about "traditional" peoples.
3. Our gallery is full of beautiful images from our adventure. This year, we will be compiling our most vibrant, illustrative photographs into a book. Stay tuned for how you can acquire one.
4. We've recently finished writing what we call the "Interwoven Discussion Guide: A Resource to Inspire Community Get-Togethers for Change." After we officially convert it into an e-book, it will be available online for free. This guide, among other materials we plan to develop, is meant to increase awareness about the trajectory of human progress and to make clear the fact that our future is but one path within a range of actions, paradigms, and decisions that we have the power to affect. It is targeted toward young Westerners with time and resources to share, who have not yet entered the world of advocacy. The guide is meant to be an easy, inviting introduction to thinking outside the box and beyond our comfort zones, by way of creative social activities.
5. Our Facebook page is updated every day with articles chosen in order to engage readers with material about the themes of interconnectivity within and between world issues such as agriculture, consumerism, and women's empowerment. If you haven't "liked" our Facebook page yet, now is a great time! It will also help to keep you informed of updates throughout the year. We have new followers every week and love getting more people on board.
We wish that we could spend more time on Interwoven, but starting photography careers and completing postgraduate study leave little time for private endeavors. That being said, we both pour all of our spare time and extra energy into making Interwoven the vision we believe in. Over the next few weeks, we would like to see the discussion guide do really well. Then, once our photo book is released, we have some ideas in the works to make Interwoven a much larger database of multi-media resources addressing the complex, open systems in which we all participate, and how to improve them. More than anything, we want Interwoven to inspire people to realize the threads that bind us all in this rich tapestry of existence, and most of all, we hope it awakens our viewers to the possibility of weaving together a new vision for humanity.
We aren't anywhere near done with this project. Please always feel welcome to let us know your thoughts along the way. Thank you again, everyone! Terima kasih lagi, semua!
Altaire & Justin
