Her Hope, Her Courage by Michael

Description

HER HOPE, HER COURAGE

Michael Connors, 18, USA

Now is a time of great crisis as we suffer from the impact of COVID-19, systemic racial injustice, gender and economic inequality and a sickening planet. While these situations are grim there is hope through courageous action. The figure represents Mother Earth, and those courageous women who are care-taking and defending our world. Her polluted heart bears the consequences of our extravagant consumption. Her skin is made of repurposed books to symbolize our history, reminding us how our decisions affect the environment and in turn ourselves. However there is hope, because of our current and future actions, she may thrive again. She wears a mask as a symbol of conscientious choice in this time of sickness and uncertainty; this action of responsibility creates a lifeline for the earth and future generations. In her right hand she holds a plastic bottle of polluted water, but in her left hand she holds a revitalized heart. When we make sustainable choices, the toxic water is cleansed and life is restored. These same principles of respectful and conscientious actions apply to cleansing our society of prejudice and our world of the threat of global pandemics. Her wings represent the angelic courage of medical personnel, educators, essential workers, and others sacrificing to stabilize the economy and build our collective COIVD-resiliency. By investing in the empowerment of women, we greatly invest in our overall resiliency. By choosing to nurture the environment and our society, we create a pathway for a stronger economy and a brighter future.