MY FAVORITE KIND OF WORK: THE REASON FOR IT ALL
It started with Marco Witschge, who had heard about the Beaver Lake Cree First Nation case through Kristin Casper, an attorney at Greenpeace.
Marco convinced RAVEN Trust that The Crowd Versus was the best partner for crowdfunding in Europe. When Andrea Palframan and I were introduced to one another, we clicked. We found a shared admiration for the work of Kumi Naidoo, a great activist; Mr. Naidoo is now on the Advisory Board of The Crowd Versus.
It is an incredible honor to work with these valuable contributors.
At The Crowd Versus, we want to change the ways of irresponsible corporations and governments. We do this through supporting litigation and policy changes – everywhere, financially and in raising awareness.
We accomplish this by activating people to join in litigation that encompasses the principles of real change for a better society and world.
Some of the other cases where we raise funds and awareness:
- Mexico v. Genetically Modified Corn, where Monsanto, Bayer and other big seed multinationals want to establish their right to sell GM seeds in the country of origin of corn
- Save the iMfolozi Wilderness, a permit challenge from coal companies wanting to build an open cast coal mine (in this day and age) near South Africa’s oldest reserve.
- the Chevron-Texaco v. Ecuador case, who currently crowdfund against an August 16thdeadline to raise $350,000 in court costs to stand in front of the Canadian Supreme Court, to test the challenge of human rights and public domain over corporate impunity
In my previous career I was a paralegal for third party premises liability lawsuits. In these types of cases, the plaintiff has been harmed by negligent behavior of the owner and/or leasing agents of a rental property; they have a duty of care to their renters.
Transfer this concept of (legal) duty to a larger global view, where everyone, corporations and governments included, is held to a standard of care for all people and our environment, and I had found my perfect fit.
The best way to share is to create a win-win situation for all.
In my volunteer work for Greenpeace PNW, I attended a de-colonizing workshop with Sweetwater Nannauck a few years ago.
This helped me define my environment’s biases and still helps me find my own.
Every day I work on not being judgmental, every day I try to realize how far we have been indoctrinated, every day I try to do my best. I still make mistakes every day as well.
Doing this work helps me stay grounded and contribute toward the world I want to leave behind for my children and grandchildren.
Working with RAVEN Trust to promote the case of the Beaver Lake Cree feels like such an opportunity.
What do I like about Crystal Lameman?
I think Crystal Lameman embodies modern leadership: a woman who works and stands for the community she loves and forms a substantial part of.
She raises her children and also gives presentations in front of huge groups of people to activate their sense of climate awareness.
How can you not admire her?