Public Interest Environmental Lawyer Conference 2015, Eugene, OR

So I skipped a class and dropped my Fulbright seminar opportunity in order to attend this conference. I've heard about this conference quite a lot, and since Lewis & Clark's biking squad has started their practice since months ago, I knew I must make my best effort to attend. And it turns out to be really worth it: they have 10 parallel panels, and each panel consisted of 16 different panels that you have to choose. Aside from that, they have amazing keynotes.

I really have no idea how grassroot activists will see this conference, but since I am not grassroot activist, all I can say is: PIELC is not for mediocre. It's serious, man. Not necessarily you must be lawyers, but you must be an environmental activists in order to fit within the crowds. My conclusion was not without some reasonable rationale. Look at these grandmothers.

Raging grannies and a Fransiscan eco-activist

Yep, as absurd as it sounds, it's the Corvallis and Eugene Raging Grannies who sang against XL Keystone, modifying the tone of Are You Sleeping into provoking but funny lyrics, bringing protest signs with them so bold and provocative. And those grannies really know what's at stake! I spoke to some oldies, and how they know so much about the XL Keystone advocacy makes me feel like a baby.

We also chanted a lot during keynote speeches, as you can see in one of the picture above (top left) - that's Gary Nabhan, a Fransiscan brother who happen to be an ethnobotanist and agricultural ecologist. He asked us to chant a line (that sounds like prayer) stating a totally demanding commitment in environmental advocacy, basically avoiding adversarial tactics when we can compromise, avoiding harm to the least-powerful community.

Another funny greeting came from Bill McKibben, who joked around with his "see you in jail". Even with this subtle kind of greeting, we know that true activists do not say "see you in other conference" and instead picking a place like street and organizing efforts - even jail. Also, these activists throw jokes around without trying to be politically correct, like when Antonio Oposa from Philippines bragging about how bad the western world is in front of a white majority who attended the conference.

The other interesting stuff is the combination of nature and session. We went hiking at McGowan Grove, a pretty off-trail hike (and that's why they suggest 'moderately experienced hikers') with a Congressman and a Senator as our guide. And yeah, they're badass either as a guide and as a field speakers. I don't think Indonesia's congressman would ever do that.

Congressman DeFazio and Senator Wyden lead the walk in the grove

Eugene's awesome McGowan Grove

Another funny speaker was this 14 years old climate justice public speaker, a cute indigo kid named Xiuhtezcatl Roske-Martinez who sang some awesome environmental justice hip-hop songs and spoke about public trust doctrine like it's he knows all about it. Here's one of his song with his kiddo gang: Take You to Court. Okay, kid.

I guess that would be sufficient since it's impossible for me to tell you all about each and every panels. Just if you're in the US and want to network with real activists, learn great strategy about stuffs and really implement it back home, know some people who keep doing great without funding, this conference is definitely your place.

See you somewhere on the earth! (Hopefully not in a boring conference room)