Elders in Our Midst

Elders in Our Midst connects and celebrates seniors across British Columbia who have contributed to climate action in their communities. Through intergenerational interviews and hand-painted portraits by Joy Hanser, the project highlights the unique experiences, knowledge, and efforts of these Elders. Youth-led interviews bring these stories of senior climate action to life, while the accompanying portraits offer a visual tribute to their impact, inspiring people of all ages to recognize the diverse ways we can care for our planet and foster community-driven climate action.

The goal of Elders in Our Midst is to inspire the wider society to embrace and care for elders and value their many contributions to society. This initial group of profiles, with one exception, come from the ‘Lower Mainland’ of BC. Nominations were gathered over several months and then sorted to portray a wide range of senior climate actions, from everyday caretaking to longer-range strategic campaigns. These are people like you and me who have found a purposeful role in mobilizing seniors to speak out for climate action, advocating for marine protection zones, revitalizing traditional Indigenous knowledge, growing and sharing local and sustainable food, reconnecting children with nature, practicing eco-friendly repair and reuse, and using the creative arts to strengthen cultural resilience.