Event Recap: Movement Building and Justice with Judy da Silva

“I try to speak for the water. Not just for Grassy people, but for future generations, for the kids not born yet. That’s why we do this work.”

This statement is the key point that Judy da Silva kept returning to during her talk, Movement Building and Justice, held recently at the University of Victoria – her deep responsibility and connection to the land, water, and people impacted by the mercury crisis is central to building a wider movement for justice in her community.

Judy is a member of Grassy Narrows First Nation, Asubpeeschoseewagong in Anishinaabemowin, a Nation that is taking Canada and Ontario to court over the mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system. Approximately 10 metric tonnes of mercury waste was discharged into the river system during the 1960s. The effluent has led to increased methylmercury, an extremely toxic form of mercury for humans and the natural world. It is in the fish that Grassy Narrows people rely on for their sustenance, livelihood, cultural practices, and Treaty rights. Judy explains that “the fish is not just food, it’s a part of who we are as Anishinaabe.” It has been over 50 years and Grassy Narrows is still seeking justice for the ongoing harm.

Sitting down at the front of a lecture hall in conversation with RAVEN Executive Director, Danielle Wilson, Judy shared stories from Grassy Narrows. For those of us in the audience, it felt less like a talk and more like you were listening to your friends over a warm cup of tea, and you couldn’t help but hold onto every word they said.

When asked what pushes Judy to be an advocate for her community, she gently rebuffs the title, saying that she is just a person. “I don’t see myself as being an advocate. I see myself as a responsible mother, an auntie, a grandmother, and a sister. Those responsibilities are what push me.” This way of being – the shared responsibility with your relations – is what drives Grassy Narrows in their pursuit of justice. The people you see leading the River Run, on the front lines of the call for justice, are likely the most affected by mercury poisoning. Their resilience seeds the movement.

How can you get involved? Here are our key takeaways from Judy’s talk:

1. Act: Follow the lead of the Grassy Narrows people by engaging in small actions that can have a large impact for environmental justice. Organize a community event or online fundraiser, write letters to the provincial or federal governments calling for justice, or show up in solidarity at community-led actions.
2. Amplify: Invite your friends to learn about Grassy Narrows together, tell your coworkers and classmates about mercury contamination and Grassy Narrows’ story
3. Give: Donate what you can to support Grassy Narrows’ litigation
4. Care: Take care of the environment. Notice your own impact where you live — how can you deepen your relationship with the land and waters near you? How can you care for the environment surrounding you in ways that dream of a better future?

Judy deeply believes in the power of storytelling, word-of-mouth, and sharing information with each other, telling the group of rapt listeners, “You may be one person, but you can make a great change.”