Last spring, Daria Love and I sat down for a conversation about the importance of naturopathic doctors engaging more meaningfully in climate and social justice initiatives. We had both approached our professional associations about being more vocal on these issues, and were advised that by making our own organization, we would have the autonomy to speak out and act up without having to worry about membership approval or partisan impacts. Setting aside my personal frustration that anyone would have grounds to object, we established a commitment to creating a group that would focus on mobilizing the naturopathic community to action. Over the summer we engaged a team of advisory members, and NEST was born (Naturopathic Doctors for Environmental and Social Trust).
Through regular conference calls (advisory group members at that time were located across the country), we dissected and massaged our assumptions and values, and ultimately created a vision and mission. We are exploring partnerships with other allied groups so that our efforts can be amplified. Our first major event is next weekend! On Saturday, March 14, members of NEST, Naturopathic Students' Association (NSA), Naturopathic Medical Student Association (NMSA) and students, staff and faculty from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine are coming together for an exciting and forward thinking day of learning and acting around ecological determinants of health. This event offers a packed day of interactive workshops and activities to connect and mobilize collective action. Expect to get your hands (metaphorically) dirty; join us in creating art as a community, and sitting down to a delicious potluck. Bring your personal fashion items that are ready to be passed forward, and bring your ideas for ways to bring what you will learn to life! If you are not in the GTA, let us know if you'd like to livestream! Stop by the NEST table to meet advisory members, learn more about our mission and vision, and discover how to get involved. NEST will be hosting a networking hub to connect participants with affinities for different types of actions inspired by the event's program, and will be providing a comprehensive online clinical toolkit for all attendees. We hope to see you there!
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