Greetings of peace, salaam, shalom, namaste, sat sri akal!
For a person of faith, the profound beauty of nature – oceans, mountains, trees, animals – are signs from God and serve as awe-inducing examples of God’s mercy, power, and love. As a Muslim woman of Indigenous and Latinx heritage, I hold firm to the belief that God made humankind to be stewards of Creation.
So I am blessed beyond measure to join the ecoAmerica team as a Climate Justice Fellow for Blessed Tomorrow, working directly with Reverend Carol Devine – a climate justice colleague who has quickly become a dear friend.
In nature we feel a deep spiritual connection to our Creator and to the world around us. We are called to understand and hold sacred the connections between all of God’s Creation and to recognize humankind’s responsibility to not cause an imbalance because of our actions.
God tells us in The Holy Qur’an (45:13), “[God] has subjugated for you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the Earth.”
However, this dominion we have been gifted with over the Earth does not mean we can do whatever we want without concern for the results of our actions. Islam teaches that the Earth and everything in it comes from God, and that we are entrusted by God to cherish it, not exploit it. When we actually pause and reflect on the stunning beauty of Creation, we are astonished and moved to protect and care for it even more, realizing our intricate role in it all.
In my new role at Blessed Tomorrow, I am thrilled to bring with me over 30 years of non-profit leadership, governance, and community organizing experience with a core focus on climate equity, civil rights advocacy, interfaith and intrafaith bridge-building, civic engagement, and leadership development. When presented with an opportunity to help bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice, I say, “Yes!” In that work, I maintain a sincere and firm commitment to lift up others’ voices alongside (and very often instead of) my own, and to help others understand that we are working to rectify a history – and the present – which does not center justice: from lack of access to clean, open spaces for recreation, to decisions on placements of environmentally degrading utilities, or the prevalence of food deserts, and many issues in between.
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, said that all the Earth is a place for prostration, a place to worship God — in other words, a truly sacred space. Because it is sacred, it is our duty to take care of it. Because it is sacred, we are called to care for and protect God’s bounty in a sustainable way.
Witnessing the power of nature reminds us of our dependence on God and that every element of Creation has a purpose. I look forward to working alongside each of you to take care of Creation, and to take care of each other.
About the Author:
Priscilla Martínez, Blessed Tomorrow, Climate Justice Fellow
Additional Resources:
American Climate Leadership Awards 2023 Broadcast Recording
ecoAmerica American Climate Leadership Awards Replication Guides
