Storytelling and Marine Conservation: An Interview with Tales for Gaia team
BY LAURA DE LUCA
No matter where you are on Earth, every single person has a story to tell about the lives they live. Stories have the power to connect us to each other and to bring about change. They also have the power to make us more emphatic to what is happening around us. This is the beauty and magic of storytelling! Without it, we wouldn’t be humans.
We want to share with you a story about friendship and passion for the ocean; about three friends who firmly believe that storytelling is necessary when it comes to protecting our oceans. Caitlin, Jilian and Christina started an organization called Tales For Gaia which strives to bridge the gap between science and storytelling. Storytelling isn’t just writing; there are so many diverse ways to tell stories through creative arts. The Tales for Gaia team spoke to us about how the organization was created, the importance of storytelling in conservation and how you can become a storyteller.
Tell us a bit about yourselves. How do you know each other?
We are childhood friends who grew up together just west of Toronto, Ontario. This land is the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and (most recently) the Mississauga of the Credit River. We went to high school together and, after graduation, went off to complete our respective post-secondary educations across Canada.
Caitlin: I have a BSc from the University of British Columbia and I am currently completing my master's in Geography from the University of Waterloo.
Jilian: I have a BSc from Dalhousie University and a postgrad diploma in Environmental Technology from Durham College.
Christina: I have a BAA in Photography and certificate in Creativity and Creative Problem Solving from Sheridan College. I am currently completing a postgraduate diploma in Advertising - Creative and Digital Strategy from Centennial College.
What drew you to the ocean ?
As much as we all love the ocean, none of us grew up near it. Although Canada boasts the longest coastline in the world (surrounded by the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Ocean), we grew up in a landlocked province. Each of us is attracted to the ocean for different reasons but shared a common fascination with the diversity of life that lives within our blue planet and all the mystery that it holds. The three of us are very inquisitive people, and the unknown about all the ocean has to offer excited us. It is such a vastly under-explored aspect of our world, and this curiosity pulled each of us closer in.
How was the idea of creating Tales for Gaia born? What motivated you to start this Organization?
Caitlin: During my undergrad, I was told that I could not minor in creative writing. My Bachelor of Science required too many “science” courses, and I would not have the time in my course calendar. This was the moment I realized that science education undervalues the importance of storytelling to ignite change. At the same time, I was confronted by the popular stereotype of scientists as poor communicators.
Jilian: Ever since I was a child, I’ve always loved arts, crafts and exploring the outdoors. For me, Tales For Gaia was created by just that, my love for creativity and sharing outdoor experiences. Having recently graduated with a Bachelors in Environmental Science I am also extremely passionate about science education. I hope to share stories in untraditional creative ways that inspire people to learn and care about the ocean!
Christina: I grew up passionate about conservation but felt I didn't have a proper place in the discussion because I did not have a science background. Caitlin and Jillian were on one side of the spectrum: frustrated trying to blend creativity into their science. I was on the other side: trying to blend science into my creative outlets. I wanted to figure out a way to make an impact by utilizing my unique set of skills and show others how to follow suit.
We all joined the Ocean Bridge a few years later. The program provides Canadian youth with professional development opportunities to grow into the next generation of ocean leaders. Through this program, the three of us teamed up after sharing our common frustrations with education and the lack of connection between creativity and science. All of us had a personal connection to this issue that we wanted to see improved. It was from there, Tales For Gaia was born.
Tales For Gaia's mission is to bridge the gap between ocean science and storytelling by creating tales that promote ocean literacy and conservation. Diversity in our team is our greatest strength. Our unique and broad backgrounds (from the sciences to the arts) offer the opportunity to create an organization that values the intersection of the historically separated fields.
What does the word conservation mean to you?
To us, conservation means meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow. We believe this can occur on a variety of scales, from the individual to the corporation. What is often missed from popular interpretations of conservation is the interdisciplinary complexity. Our solutions to problems should reflect and resonate with the world we live in. We believe that conservation must cross the traditional boundaries of disciplines to make a positive and lasting impact.
You share tales told through writing, artwork, comics, photographs, videos and DIY ideas. How can storytelling help ocean literacy and conservation efforts?
Partnerships have arisen between the marine ecologist and the mechanical engineer, between the social scientist and the remote sensing specialist, all in the name of conservation. However, we have yet to hear the discussion of interdisciplinary research to partner the sciences with the creative arts. What about the forest pathologist and the artistic writer, or the landscape ecologist and the musician?
Humans have always used stories as a means to pass lessons to future generations. When it comes to ocean conservation, we need to understand our oceans and the challenges being faced. We acknowledge this need as ocean literacy. Ocean literacy is vital as it provides the foundation for ocean conservation. Storytelling is a diverse medium. It helps to engage a variety of audiences and offer lessons of ocean literacy and conservation. After all, that is the goal of a well-told story. They shouldn't feel like a lesson, but rather an experience, one for the audience to explore and interpret for themselves. Global action from a collective group of individuals is required to address ocean conservation. And the best way to reach the widest range of people, is with a well-shared story.
Why is it so important to bridge the gap between science and all these ways of creative arts? Which challenges do you think still persist in order to achieve this goal?
The ocean is the largest ecosystem on earth. Wicked challenges facing these complex systems require creativity to ignite change - from ocean acidification to overfishing, plastic pollution to habitat loss. Storytelling is a form of creativity too often left undeveloped in the world of ocean science. Tales For Gaia is an organization that understands stories are powerful. That is why we create original ocean tales across six storytelling mediums that promote ocean literacy and conservation.
The biggest challenge we face is the hesitation for people to believe in their abilities to become powerful storytellers. This is why we aspire to create a community of ocean storytellers, learning from one another and collectively building their creative capacity.
Can you give some tips or advice to women that want to become storytellers?
If you’re looking for a friendly place to share your work, Tales For Gaia is a great place to start. As an all-female team with different perspectives, stories and life experiences, we believe diversity and inclusiveness should be at the forefront of everything we do. Just like us, everyone has a story to tell. The first step is always the hardest, but creativity, community and determination are the keys to our success thus far. We want to see the Tales For Gaia world grow and flourish, and allow others to share their stories and grow their skills. So, want to strengthen your storytelling skills? Send us a message, or fill out our contact form. Regardless of your creative medium, our team would love to provide feedback, give advice, or edit any rough drafts you might have. The ocean needs more storytellers. Yes, that storyteller is you.
Which has been your favourite aspect (or aspects) of working in Tales for Gaia?
Our favourite aspect of working at Tales For Gaia is the freedom we have to be creative without limits. Storytelling is subjective. Science is most often not. There is a sort of liberation that comes with creating a story without any rules to follow. It is a challenge at first, particularly to those trained in the sciences. As there is no proper methodology to adhere to and no formula to follow. Replicability is not the goal. Creativity is a process and not the destination. We have been overwhelmed to learn about how our mission resonates with so many others worldwide. It solidifies our mission to address the gap between the sciences and storytelling and fuels us each day to continue on this journey.
How do you envision the future of Tales for Gaia?
Our vision is to create an empowered society that harnesses creativity to promote, protect, and preserve our oceans. Short term, our goals are to grow our reach to communities around the world and inspire others to join us in this storytelling journey.
Long term, as we continue to advocate for creative conservation and storytelling, we hope to ignite significant change in the education system. We want to build a better educational experience that values the various creative ways youth can change the world for the better.
Where can we find your work and is there anything else you would like to add :) ?
We would absolutely love to hear from you. First-time storyteller? Send us your rough draft, and someone on our team would be happy to provide feedback. Seasoned storyteller? Let us know how you would like to collaborate to achieve our collective mission. Not sure where to start? Check out our blog post “Combining the sciences and the arts: 5 Simple steps to fuse science with storytelling”
We love to share stories created by our community on our website and social media pages. Check them out here:
@talesforgaia (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
