Cultural Ecopsychology:  Issues of Displacement and the Urban African Community

Conclusion: Cultural Reintegration into a Living System
 
If we think of urban life as a location where black folks learned to accept a mind/body split that made it possible to abuse the body, we can better understand the growth of nihilism and despair in the black psyche. And we can know that when we talk about healing that psyche we must also speak about restoring our connection to the natural world...Wherever black folks live we can restore our relationship to the natural world by taking the time to commune with nature, to appreciate the other creatures who share this planet with humans. Even in my small New York City apartment I can pause to listen to birds sing, find a tree and watch it. We can grow plants — herbs, flowers, vegetables...Unmindful of our history of living harmoniously on the land, many contemporary black folks see no value in supporting the ecological movements, or see ecology and the struggle to end racism as competing concerns. Recalling the legacy where we connect our well-being to the well-being of the earth. This is a necessary dimension of healing (bell hooks, Touching the Earth in Barnhill, 1999, p. 55-56).
 
At this point, the author has addressed the current problems, past history, and founding traditions of the urban Black community. The author identified and critiqued the western system of the United States, outlining how it is oppressive to both people of color and non-human groups within the living world. She continued by looking at a definition of the key criteria of a living system, contending that western culture needs to reintegrate into this natural model in order to diminish oppressive practice and perceive a more immanent form of existence. Here, the connection between culture and place was raised, stressing that a healthy culture serves as a guide to living sustainably within one’s local landscape. Next, the author explored trauma and history of displacement for urban African Americans, connecting it with the current problems of Black urban communities. Lastly, the author explored some nature-based traditions from the ancestral lands of African Americans. The purpose was to demonstrate how a culture may mediate a relationship with the natural world and to document that African Americans have this knowledge within their ancestral traditions. In order for urban Blacks (and all people embedded within western culture) to reintegrate into the living world, it will be imperative to employ a range of sustainable models which address the specifics of one’s local landscape. The author believes that culture is one way to accomplish this goal.
This chapter looks at possible ways the urban Black community can reform to improve its situation by reconnecting to a living system. The author believes that, ultimately, every individual and group functioning within the framework of western culture will need to make this shift. Furthermore, the author believes that every individual and group operating within the western system is, to some degree, oppressed. The exploitation of natural resources and status of many non-dominant groups (such as people of color, the poor, women and children, religious groups, and those advocating decentralization of the government) demonstrate how western culture is not serving the needs of all living beings within it. It is important to recognize that every group operating within the western framework is, to some extent, oppressed because they are enmeshed in an unnatural state.
The author has focused upon urban African Americans because this is what she is most passionate about as it speaks to her birth heritage. Moreover, the author feels that urban Blacks are in a powerful position to model a shift into a living system because they are: ready for dramatic social change; are the descendants of profound earth-based traditions; and live in geographically segregated regions. At the same time, it is important to recognize that urban Black communities are interconnected to the larger western culture. Thus, there needs to be a shift within these communities and outside of them in order to bring about longstanding, dynamic change. As urban Blacks address the problems within their communities, other communities must be doing the same work, and these sub-groups must come together to invoke change. At the same time, the prescriptions for reintegrating into a living system cannot be uniform as they must be specific to place. Clearly, the landscapes of the United States are quite diverse, and thus there will be a diversity of practice. However, the unifying principle must be the goal of reintegrating into a living system.
This chapter is organized along some principles found within Johanna Macy’s work, Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World (1998). Within her book, Macy prescribes ways to reintegrate into a living system. She calls this shift the "Great Turning"and contends that humans must focus upon three areas in order to enact this change. They are:
1. Actions to slow the damage to the Earth and its beings;
2. Analysis of structural causes and creation of structural alternatives:
3. A fundamental shift in worldview and values (p. 17).
Within this chapter, the author applies Macy’s three areas of focus to the urban Black community. All three are identifiable within this community, making the shift a real possibility. The author identifies how they are manifesting within this community and, in addition, what needs to happen in order to make this reform more wide-scale.
While the author is advocating for specific change. It is of utmost importance to acknowledge that she does not have the ultimate solutions to these questions. In accepting the principles of Cultural Ecopsychology, living systems, and ancestral wisdom, the author understands that human thought is not the highest form of knowledge. It is subordinate to the infinite intelligence of the conscious universe, the unknowable. Even the best intended individuals must relinquish the idea that human knowledge will solve our present dilemmas. If one held to this fallacy, one would simply invent another human-centered system that might prove effective for short-term change, but in the long-run would produce another unnatural system. In order to reintegrate into a healthy living system, humans must release the idea that they can attain ultimate knowledge and that they can control their world.
At the same time, the author recognizes that within the human tradition, there is an ability to internally perceive higher truths and manifest them externally. Ideally, this perception affects every facet of the human world reaching the individual, the family, local community, and larger society. Equally important, is the recognition that the ability to perceive this higher knowledge will not rest in the hands of one individual, nor a select group of individuals. A true shift will be manifested by the community who allows itself to be affected by the higher wisdom of the living universe. Thus, the prescriptions offered here are simply the author’s interpretation of this knowledge. It is incomplete, for it does not include the interpretations of others.
 
Ready for dramatic social change
A consistent question that comes from larger society when assessing the problems of the Black community is "why has this group remained at the bottom?" Apart from Native Americans, they are the "minority"group with the longest history within the United States. African Americans experienced the lows and highs of history within this country without having long-term, withstanding gains in relation to other groups. Other "minorities" have overcome economic depression, racism, and culture shock, successfully integrating into the mainstream and achieving the economic security of the "American Dream." Why are Blacks still on the bottom and what are they not doing to attain cultural health?
Within the chapter, Systems and their Relation to Culture, the author demonstrated that the experience of "caste-like" minority groups is different than that of other minorities, because they (Blacks, Native Americans, and some Hispanic groups) never chose to be a part of western culture. They were forced into it. It is important to note that the experiences of these groups within the western system has often caused these groups to reject the principles of western culture. When one is aware of how repressive a system is, one cannot turn around and embrace its principles, even if the embrace would better their condition. This again connects to Herbert Kohl’s idea of "not-learning"(1994). Kohl reveals that one chooses to not-learn when the subject, teacher, or curriculum contradicts with the learner’s sense of identity. Clearly, many Blacks recognize that the nature of western system immediately contradicts with their identities. From enslavement to institutional racism, western culture has been oppressive to the Black population again and again. Of course, there are numerous cases to the contrary. Many African Americans have achieved success through the model of western culture. But, as a whole, the African American community, specifically the urban Black community, has not attained this success.
The author believes that no matter how well the economy of the United States is doing and no matter what doors are opening, the situation within the urban Black community will not drastically improve. The situation of urban Blacks will not change until the western system is changed to mirror principles that include the identities of Blacks. Until the linear system becomes more relational/circular (and thus less oppressive to more circular oriented groups), Blacks will continue to not-learn how to integrate successfully into western culture.
Kohl also points out that not-learning is empowering for its practitioners:
It [not-learning] tends to strengthen the will, clarify one’s definition of self, reinforce self-discipline, and provide inner satisfaction. Not-learning can also get one in trouble if it results in defiance or a refusal to become socialized in ways that are sanctioned by the dominant authority. Not-learning tends to take place when someone has to deal with unavoidable challenges to her or his personal and family loyalties, integrity, and identity (p.6).
The current state of urban Blacks in terms of rates of imprisonment, drug abuse, and crime can often be linked to Kohl’s idea of not-learning. Clearly, these are more often linked to basic survival needs. The economic conditions of inner cities often make these types of activities necessary. If there are no jobs, one may have to sell drugs, steal, prostitute, or engage in other illegal activities even if the consequences are negative. The other alternative involves not surviving and/or integration into a system that has been historically oppressive to one’ s culture. Of course there are many who desire the rewards of integration and are simply tangled in a long-line of blockades to reaching this success. But this desire may simply be another response to struggle for survival. Integration may ensure their long-term survival.
Yet one truth is that, in general, African Americans are dissatisfied with their status within the United States. The poorest and most oppressed Blacks can attest to this statement. Through her own experience and those of people close to her, the author believes that even successful Blacks would agree. They would acknowledge the barriers they had to overcome in order to achieve this success and the continual discrimination they still receive. The author believes that this dissatisfaction is empowering for African Americans because it can translate into a mass movement for social change. This has been a ongoing thread throughout U.S. history. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and 1970's demonstrated this potential. However, conditions have not changed enough to alleviate this dissatisfaction. Until the nature of western culture changes this dissatisfaction and potential for social change will be present.
For there are times when disobedience heals a very ailing part of the self. It relieves the human spirit’s distress at being forced into narrow boundaries. For the nearly powerless, defying authority is often the only power available (Somé, 1994, p. 119).
The above statement by Malidoma Somé supports the idea that defiance is empowering for the Black community. According to Johanna Macy (1998), activism is one way to achieve the "Great Turning", a shift to a new way of being that is congruent with a living system. Many of the illnesses manifested in urban African American communities are a result of their rejection of the laws of the mainstream society, both through necessity and rebellion. In sum, Blacks (and many others) are ready for revolutionary change.
 
Why should Blacks become environmentalists
The reasons for desiring social change may be clear to many African Americans. However, the reasons for becoming involved in the environmental movement may not be straightforward. What does social injustice and concern with the welfare of the natural environment have to do with one another? In the chapter on systems, the author addressed this idea. Oppression of people of color and the natural environment go hand in hand as they are two visible fallouts of a non-living system. Western culture is oppressive to these groups as well as other non-linear groups within its sphere of influence. To advocate for change in one area without addressing the other area reduces the solution to parts-oriented thinking. It does not address or change the real problem, the system itself.
The last chapter, African Nature-based Traditions, also addressed why African Americans should be concerned with the welfare of the living world which extends beyond humans. Their ancestral traditions stress an inherent connection between the living world and their own well-being. The life force clearly demonstrates this connection. It is the most essential part of existence and is comprised of the entire living world, including the spirits of the ancestors. The idea of the life force suggests that the human spirit and the fate of the human is contained within the natural world. The other traditions and principles of Africentric psychology from the preceding chapter supported this connection as well. If African peoples stop caring about the welfare of the living world, they stop caring about their own welfare, for they are intrinsically a part of it.
In the chapter, Displacement and Oppression for Urban African Americans, the author offered another reason why Blacks should be concerned with the environmental movement through the work of Robert Bullard (1993). In his book, Confronting Environmental Racism: Voices from the Grassroots, Bullard introduces the term environmental racism and documents how the environmental movement often conflicts with the environmental concerns of communities of color. The activism of environmental organizations and local community groups is often successful in moving environmental toxic industries and practices out of their communities and areas of concern. However, these industries often move into poor communities of color because they have need for employment and have less political influence. Most poor urban communities are affected by environmental toxicity through issues such as toxic wastes, pesticides, lead poisoning, industrial exploitation, and urban degradation.
The question of why Blacks should become environmentalist is part of the life work of Urban Habitat Program Director, Carl Anthony. As an African American who has been very affected by and vocal in both the Civil Rights and environmental movements, he sees the connection between Blacks and the environment very clearly. Anthony has done incredible work on both awareness of these issues and actions which address them. His work has been a motivation for the author.
In an interview with the author (July 14, 2000), Anthony shared some insights on why and how African Americans should become involved with the environmental movement. Anthony emphasized that African Americans need to understand the lessons of the last 500 years on this continent and become pro-active leaders for the entire urban community. He believes that the environmental movement needs to build a bridge between the earth and humans. When asked what action African Americans should begin to take, Anthony stressed that it is not one or two actions, but every action that should be moving towards healing. He went further stating that Blacks and others embedded in western culture must "transform every arena of human activity so it supports healing", advocating that if one is a writer the work is done through writing, if a musician through music, and so forth. Anthony believes that every profession and every action should be geared to this healing.
 
The larger connection between African Americans and with other groups
 
It is important to acknowledge that although this study focuses upon issues affecting the urban Black communities, the larger issue affects all people embedded in and influenced by western culture. To simply address the problem within the Black community is, again, parts-oriented thinking. It may produce short-term, effective solutions, but it will not address the larger connections. The author has emphasized the belief that all persons embedded within western society are, to some degree, oppressed by it. Poverty, imprisonment, resource depletion, racism, sexism, homophobia and other social and environmental ailments may be clearer documentation of oppression, yet there are issues also confronting mainstream society. Things such as consumerism, loss of family ties, biophobia (fear of nature), and depression within mainstream society are exhibits of these. The person who has achieved the "American Dream" has not necessarily achieved fulfillment and meaning. For example, author, Alan Thein Durning, states "People living in the 1990s are on average four and a half times richer than their great-grandparents were at the turn of the century, but they aren’t four and a half times happier (Roszak, 1995, p. 69)."
Writer, Wendell Berry, gives an important perspective of one way "White" males experience oppression. His book title, The Hidden Wound (1998), reveals Berry’s belief that most American White men suffer from the history of racism and industrialization in this country. He goes beyond both the conscious and subconscious guilt men of his culture experience, and explains that the institution of racism (through the aims and practices of material domination) has brought great sufferance to the lives of White men (and mainstream White American culture), for it went hand in hand with a loss of true relationship with the land (natural environment) and with other humans.
In another work, Berry acknowledges that the early Europeans who came to this country, did not establish a healthy connection with the new landscape:
Having left Europe far behind, they had not yet in any meaningful sense arrived in America, not yet having devoted themselves to any part of it in a way that would produce the intricate knowledge of it necessary to live in it without destroying it. Because they belonged to no place, it was almost inevitable that they should behave violently toward the places they came to. We still have not, in any meaningful way, arrived in America. And in spite of our great reservoir of facts and methods, in comparison to the deep earthly wisdom of established peoples, we still know but little (A Native Hill in Barnhill, 1999, pp. 48-49).
This is an important idea. Much of this paper critiques western culture as it has manifest within this country. The point is not to place blame on individuals and groups, but to illustrate that western culture does not support cultural and biological diversity. Berry acknowledges that the founders of this present western culture did not have roots and identifications with the present landscapes. Western culture never took the time to establish these roots. But it is not too late.
The western culture of the United States is but a baby in comparison with human tradition. As it ages, it must accrue this relationship with the landscape and remodel itself accordingly. People within western culture must take action for this transition to occur. Change is already taking place. For example, the existence of a field called Ecopsychology demonstrates that people within western culture are seeing the connections between the living world and themselves. They recognize that human health is dependent on this living world and that the living world is affected by the human species.
There are numerous groups that are waking up to the oppressions within western culture. These groups are diverse, many speaking to specific parts, while others looking the larger picture. Both are needed. However it is important to recognize that oppressions such as racism, environmental degradation, poverty, sickness, sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance, and many others are connected. The individual groups must come together and acknowledge their similarities. This is extremely important as this country is a democracy and requires a majoritarian rule. If all of the groups dissatisfied with the present western system joined forces at once, things would change.
The recent demonstrations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at Seattle in November 1999, and of the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) at Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2000 (A16) are examples of diverse groups coming together to protest a larger system. These groups comprise a movement called Mobilization for Global Justice that addresses a range of inequities perpetuated by the consumerist model of western culture. The constituencies have diverse backgrounds and interests, but recognize that their individual issues are interconnected and by joining forces, they can enforce change.
This idea also connects with the current presidential election. There is a growing movement to supporting the Green Party candidate, Ralph Nader. The candidate has been involved in the environmental movement and politics for years, but presently is receiving much more vocal support from a range of constituencies. There is no doubt that the coming together of diverse groups is one reason for this growing support.
On another note, Carl Anthony brings up an important point on why African Americans should connect with other groups. While many do not acknowledge it, a large portion of African Americans have both Native and Anglo ancestry. The institution of slavery often resulted in contact between these groups, both positive and negative. As a result, many African Americans can trace ancestry to Native and Anglo groups. Many others are unaware of this heritage. Anthony believes Blacks need to reconnect with their "multicultural roots." It is an important key to ecological healing.
All people embedded in western culture must re-invent their relationships with the living world. The urban Black community is in a good position to model this type of change because they are: dissatisfied with their status as a group, living in concentrated, segregated areas, and descendants of nature-based traditions. However every individual and community will need to do this. Moreover, most cultures have roots within an indigenous, nature-based tradition. These traditions hold keys to how one reforms, but they must now be placed into the present. The key is to cultivate new relationships in the present landscapes.
 
Actions to slow the damage to the Earth and its beings
Johanna Macy (1998) advocates that in order to make the shift to a more sustainable model of living, actions must occur (and are currently happening) in three areas. The first area includes "actions to slow the damage to the Earth and its beings." She describes this as "the political, legislative, and legal work required to slow down the destruction, as well as direct actions — blockades, boycotts, civil disobedience, and other forms of refusal (p. 17)."
The urban Black community has been active in such protests for decades, while the African American community has been involved in such work since enslavement. Clearly, the Civil Rights era illustrated a time of mass movement. The past years and present times are also showing increasing activism. The mid-90's brought a series of protest by African Americans initiated by the Million Man March of October 1995. It was followed by a Million Woman March and Million Youth March (Marable, Winter 1999). Another example is the series of protests in support of Mumia Abu Jamal, an African American wrongly sentenced to death in Philadelphia, and for Amadou Diallo, a Black man who was violently shot to death by New York City police officers.
. Bullard (1993) documents the high level of grassroots activist being led by African, Hispanic, Native, and Asian Americans, other people of color, and those living in poverty. Many communities of color have gotten together to battle this degradation. These groups have fewer resources than mainstream organizations and are targeting issues at the community level. Many of these groups have been formed by concerned parents, farm and urban laborers, and local neighborhoods. Many have been formed by women. These groups are concerned with the issues that are jeopardizing their daily conditions.
The Urban Habitat Program (UHP) directed by Carl Anthony, is a good example of this type of grassroots activism. The organization is "dedicated to building multicultural urban environmental leadership for socially just, ecologically sustainable communities in the San Francisco Bay Area (Urban Habitat newsletter, Spring 2000)." The organization helps communities of color in the greater Bay area protect their neighborhoods from environmental racism.
The Mobilization for Global Justice is an example of how this type of activism is occurring across communities both inside and outside of the United States. The movement’s activities include the demonstration of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle (November 1999 and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, D.C. (April 16, 2000). At present, the movement is protesting the democratic and republican presidential conventions in Philadelphia and Los Angeles at the end of July through mid-August 2000. The Direct Action Network (DAN) is closely affiliated with this movement. The organization’s mission statement and principles of unity are as follows:
We are creating a movement to overcome corporate globalization and all forms of oppression - a movement in a common concern for justice, freedom, peace, and sustainability of all life, and a commitment to take direct action to realize radical visionary change.
DAN adopts the following Principles of Unity inspired by and derived from those of the Peoples’s Global Action.
1. A rejection of neo-liberal politics and institutions which promote socially and environmentally destructive globalization
2. A confrontational attitude toward undemocratic organizations in which capital is the only real policy maker
3. A call to non-violent direct action and civil disobedience and the actions of governments and corporations
4. An organizational philosophy based on decentralization, direct democracy, and local autonomy
5. A rejection of all forms of oppression and exploitation such as patriarchy, white supremacy and imperialism
6. A commitment to working in solidarity locally and internationally to build a popular movement for radical social change and global justice (www.directactionnetwork.org, July 27, 2000).
DAN’s mission and principles show the interconnections between various constituencies and the need for common activism.
Although there are many constituencies of color that recognize issues of social justice and their connection to ecological degradation. There are many that do not. As the "Great Turning" occurs, African Americans will need to see this connection and align with a range of groups in order to make a true shift.
Analysis of structural causes and creation of structural alternatives:
According to Macy, the second area of action needed for the "Great Turning" is an "analysis of structural causes and creation of structural alternatives." This involves both studying and critiquing the present system and creating new models of reform. The work that is currently occurring in this area is endless. People all over are waking up to the realities of consumption, classicism, racism, sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance, centralization, and many other injustices within western system. It is crucial to break down why these things have occurred and then go further by exploring a range of solutions.
Clearly, the author is very influenced by people involved in this type of analysis and creation work. In addition, there is much work she is not aware of, to date. The writings of academics, activists, and others involved in both social and environmental justice have influenced the author greatly. At present, the work being done in these areas is phenomenal. Within the Black community, mainstream writers such as Manning Marable, Alice Walker, bell hooks, Lisa Delpit, Donna Franklin, and infinite others are breaking down the issues and offering a range of possibilities in areas such as economics, education, the family, spirituality, and many more. Publications such as Souls Journal and Race, Poverty & the Environment are connecting a range of issues affecting the Black community. There are also many forms of analysis and envisioning taking place in areas such as art, music, poetry, dance, cinema, spirituality, holistic health, local economies, community building, the church, the list is endless. This connects with Carl Anthony’s contention that every action in every profession should be geared to healing.
One are that must be noted is the Hip Hop movement. Music has always been a powerful force in the African American community. It is a non-linear, more limbic type of communicating. The past two decades have been vocal in creating a music that is quite revolutionary in sound and statement. Hip Hop is an illustration of people waking up to the realities, speaking about them, and suggesting alternatives.
In his book, Am I Black Enough for You?: Popular Culture from the ‘Hood and Beyond (1997), Todd Boyd reveals that the academic thinking of the Black community, unlike mainstream culture, does not necessarily manifest in traditional academic pursuits such as texts:
As a consequence of the limited opportunities for African Americans to participate in the "legitimate" art world in the past, we have often seen a renegotiation of those arenas that were available (p. 113). There are so many people outside the academy who never read our books, attend our conferences, or take our classes...This propensity toward isolation in academia is currently being challenged by a new generation of African American scholars who have internalized the fundamentals of the academy, but have chosen to pitch their ideas to a larger audience. Unfortunately, there are still many in the academy who assume that by being accessible, one is somehow less serious (p. 7).
Western culture tends to validate linear types of thinking. This was addressed through the work of Annabelle Nelson (1993) in the chapter on systems. Many discount the knowledge of the Black community, because it does not manifest in the same ways as mainstream culture. In actuality, many are unaware of where the knowledge comes from. One must remember that African culture was not a written, but oral culture. This employs more subconscious, limbic ways of communication, which tend to manifest in creative pursuits. Nelson contends that this type of knowledge, the unconscious, actually creates the conscious, linear knowledge. Hence, the linear is a function of the circular knowledge, and, thus, the subconscious must be accessed before one can become conscious. Thus to really make a shift, society needs to recognize that academic writing is not the ultimate form of intelligence. Moreover, it often alienates others by being inaccessible and linear.
Returning to Boyd, the author connects the history of Hip Hop and Rap with the conditions of Blacks. Although rap music is often lumped together, Boyd makes a clear and insightful definition between traditional and gangsta rap. Prior to this definition he identifies three distinct periods in more recent African American culture: the race man, the new black aesthetic, and the modern day "nigga". According to him, the race man represents assimilationist figures such as Bill Cosby, who were accepted and embraced by mainstream society because they embraced the ideas of upward mobility through acceptance of and conformity to the dominant culture’s identity. The new black aesthetic represents a group who has not submitted to assimilation, yet has not fully rejected the dominant culture. Lastly, the "nigga" has loudly rejected the identity of the dominant culture, yet suffers from its diseased materialism, and has not yet found a new identity, often employing the sickness of drug culture and gang violence.
The "nigga" is the latter of two rap categories and is identified as coming out of the Reagan and Bush era, where the inner-city communities of color were hardest hit through economics and social policy. This was a time when affirmative action was often removed and called unfair, when welfare recipients were stereotyped as being unwed black mothers. At the same time, the urban economy lost jobs in factories to ones in technological areas located in the suburbs. (It is important to note that the term "nigga" is offensive to many within in and out of the Black community. The author uses it here to reference Boyd, but does not necessarily advocate its use by others). The "nigga" falls under the category of the "truly disadvantaged", where black people are still struggling to find food, shelter, and clothing. However the "nigga" is no longer concerned with accomplishing this through legal means, for he (or she) is thoroughly disenchanted with society and is fighting for survival in the ghetto which often means exposure to guns, drugs, death, and despair. Thus the "nigga" is a hardened individual, recognizing that to survive in this atmosphere one must be tough or perish, or both. The music of the "nigga" is gangsta rap. This is the music must often complained about by mainstream society. It is loud, violent, and often derogatory to women. These complaint are quite valid. But it is important to go beyond the language and one’s own fear and really listen to what gangsta rap artists are expressing. They describe the world they see, a real and valid world. Their descriptions may, at times, be overemphasized, but they are done in such a manner to express the rage and frustration of the lowest forms of urban black life.
The author believes that Hip Hop is music of transcendence. Like Rap, it describes reality, often critiquing present injustice. Yet it goes further, by providing alternatives on how to act both individually and as a group. Artists and groups such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli (Blackstar), The Roots, Dead Prez, and countless others are bringing real issues and solutions out through the music. Moreover, the Hip Hop movement is being heard throughout the country in diverse communities.
For example an article in the UTNE Reader (Aaron, C. April-March 1999 - reprinted from Spin Magazine) discussed the popularity of hip-hop and rap among White suburban youth. This is not a new thing. Younger people have looked to the music of the Black community for decades. Presently, Hip Hop is at the heart of calling for change for urban Black communities, and expresses it in a way that connects with diverse constituencies that are calling for change as well. What used to be isolated marginal groups rebelling individually is transforming into a majority of unhappy people. The possibility for a coalition of these various dissatisfied factions is becoming evident. The most important thing is to get these expressions of dissatisfactions out there so they can help others to uncover their own feelings, and present the opportunity for collective change.
The lyrics of Hip Hop often refer to the earth, spirituality, and activism within the Black community.  They often demonstrate the positive and transformative messages communicated through this faction. For example artist, Speech, from Arrested Development, writes:
I struttle strut through the ghetto, the rain this time I feel is mental. The goal of this rain I feel is spiritual, saw thru the eyes of the inflicted people. Their eyes are hard as a million tombstones, marked with the names of the millions of kin thrown, to the dust that made them their colored skin, fade to black is the scene their embalmed in. The rain many nights have witnessed her receiving the sperm of a brother into a sister. And blessed that life to guaranteed existence, a conscious baby for the for the Black resistence. I feel the rain enhances the revolution, and reminds us of a spiritual solution, and reminds us of a natural, yet unnatural solution (Arrested Development, Raining Revolution, 1992).
These beautiful words speak to the abundance and power of Black consciousness and activism. There are many within the Black community breaking down injustice and offering positive solutions.
There is much analysis and envisioning of solutions outside of the Black community as well. The list is endless. The author cannot present them here. The importance is that every individual and community start looking at present practices on an individual, community, and societal level, question what does not work, and start exploring new models.
 
A fundamental shift in worldview and values
The last area needed to enact Macy’s idea of the "Great Turning" is "a fundamental shift in worldview and values." Macy describes these as a "shift in perceptions of reality, both cognitively and spiritually" and states:
These nascent institutions cannot take root and survive without deeply ingrained values to sustain them. They must mirror what we want and how we relate to them. They must mirror what we want and how we relate to Earth and each other. They require, in other words, a profound shift in our perception of reality — and that shift is happening now, both as cognitive revolution and spiritual awakening (1998, p. 21).
Her definition is very open ended. The author believes that Macy is speaking to the accrual of values and actions that are in line with a greater consciousness. It transcends the human realm, connecting with what Nathan Huggins identifies as the life force. It speaks to coming in line with the living, spiritual world, and patterning the human realm after the larger living world. Before it should "mirror what we want" it must mirror what is truth, otherwise it will mirror another form of human domination, no matter what one’s intentions are.
It is impossible to outline what actions are involved in these steps. This area, once again, involves surrendering to the subconscious knowledge of the universe. It is the unexplainable. Ecopsychologists may call it a shift in perception, while in older traditions it connects to divination. Both speak to letting a non-human, greater form of knowledge pervade the human world. It is the only type of knowledge that can inform humans how to live sustainably with the rest of the world.
In the last chapter, the author presented Malidoma Somé’s (1993) contention about ritual. He believes that the human community must engage in personal, family, and community ritual because it connects the human realm to that of the natural world and the ancestors. Ritual calls forth to other energies within and out of this world to provide insights and wisdom for living a purposeful and sustainable life.
The author believes that these three areas, personal, family, and community are the key to realizing Macy’s three areas of actions, especially this last one. One may connect to reasons for making a shift to a more sustainable society through one of the areas, but unless one is acting along all three areas, the shift will not manifest. The actions needed can range from simple to complex. If one starts with the simplest actions, perhaps the others will follow.
Perhaps the most important act one can engage in, is reforming their own personal habits. The author believes that the most important actions are to develop a sense of spirituality that comes out of the natural world and fueling the body with the most natural sustenance available. "You are what you eat" is a great saying. If you are not putting natural food in your body, you will have a harder time connecting with the living world. Similarly, if you do not engage with a sense of spirituality that does not come out of the living, non-human world, this unexplainable knowledge will not come to you.
The issue of sustenance is difficult for poor, urban communities due to economics and the lack of access to land for growing food. Transportation costs already make food in urban areas, more expensive than in suburban areas, hence the possibility of affording organic food is low. However, this is a major key to healing. The author believes that in order to act, one must have the good fuel.
African American activist, Catherine Sneed makes the connection between sustenance and health. Through her own battle with sickness, she created a "working farm, built and maintained by prisoners" in the San Francisco Bay area (Scott, April 1996). The project not only provided food for the local community, it manifested in the psychological health of the prisoners working with plants. There are numerous prison garden and urban garden projects occurring throughout the country. On an individual level, healing involves getting in touch with the natural world through whatever means are available. Urban residents must spend time in parks, watching the skies, being with plants and animals. The point is to engage in relationship.
Working within the family area involves engaging in positive, supportive relationships both with the immediate and extended family. It involves honoring one’s ancestors, telling family stories, coming together as families, providing support networks for the extended family. This idea can be transformed to the community as well. Engaging in positive relationships that are connected to the living world is the key. What this looks like is harder to communicate.
One strength found within the African American community is the value of extended family. From enslavement to the present, family relationships have extended beyond blood. As descendants of a circular culture, African Americans are often concerned with personal relationships as a measure of success. The positive knowledge and actions that come out of these relationships will be a key to healing.
Another strength is the African American church. Through her studies, the author found countless connections made between African Americans and religion. Often it manifests through established churches, but it also manifests in personal stories. This sense of spirituality is perhaps the most important key to healing.
For example, Long (Fulop & Raboteau, 1997) claims the black church wields a strong influence in African American social movements. Long states that "..one must always remember that there has always been an integral relationship between the hardness of life and the ecstasy of religious worship (p. 28)." African Americans have turned to religious practices because this is one way of having power over one’s existence, religions often gives an acceptable explanation/purpose for the cruelties of this world, and it also taps into an often more livable world, the spiritual world. Often those who suffer most are the ones must susceptible to religion. Within the same text, C. Eric Lincoln recognizes that the nation of Islam has targeted the truly disadvantaged, such as the masses of imprisoned African American men, to recruit its members (p. 285). This idea is powerful for it shows that those who do not benefit from mainstream society, are looking for an alternative vision, often with a religious basis.
More importantly, it reveals that many Blacks feel a spiritual connection. Throughout her research, this idea resurfaced again and again. From Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Alice Walker, and Mos Def — all of them spoke about the spiritual world. One example of how this connects to the living world came through the story of a famous African American, George Washington Carver (Kremer, 1987). Carver became famous for his work in agriculture and science. Few are aware of his spiritual relationship with the natural world.
Carver had a unique childhood, orphaned at a young age and raised by his former slave master. He grew up without much African American influence, living in a White, rural community. Carver was also sickly, being spared from some of the more strenuous labor at his early home. One of his passions as a child was studying flowers. He was also a great artist and eventually went to college to study this, later transferring into an agricultural school. Carver faced many struggles throughout his life, but also received much guidance and assistance from others. Soon after he completed his studies, he went to work at the now famous Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. This collegiate institution was created for Black students and teachers by Booker T. Washington, a well known African American scholar who stressed the need for Blacks to "pull themselves up from their bootstraps" and achieving success within the American culture. While Carver believed in the capabilities of African Americans and subscribed somewhat to his own uniqueness as a succeeder, he was more concerned in making sure his people knew how to utilize the resources around them in order to meet their basic needs. He did not fit in with the bourgeoisie Blacks, nor with the humanitarian Whites. Instead he felt and articulated a closeness that he experienced with "God" through his relationship with the natural world.
The fact that Carver did not belong to any one cultural community that gave him full identity is crucial to seeing how he was able to develop this natural spirituality. He did not have his biological family, nor extended family, nor African American influence in his early life. Instead, he was raised and influenced by White families and individuals who treated him well, yet always as somewhat of an oddity. Carver was frequently told by these people of his specialness in comparison to other Blacks. Carver was continually seen as highly intelligent, artistic, and exceptional. When he later went to Tuskegee he did not fit in with the other intellectual Blacks. He was always an outsider to all groups. From this isolation, he most likely never truly identified with any set of cultural laws. Most customs and beliefs were held by people who were other to him, so he could not truly accept their identities. As a result, Carver had to find other sources for life meanings. As he was drawn to the natural world, he found his answers there. Entering into this type of relationship with nature allowed him to dialogue, gain insight, mimic, and identify with its processes.
"...I love to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so (p. 143)." Carver truly felt that he heard and saw the divine in nature. His experience is an example of the purity and purposefulness of belief one can be found in the natural world. When we allow ourselves to be open to other forces, we become more complete and aware of how to live, and life takes on a new more spiritual type of meaning. Carver was open to these forces because he was searching for a different reality and found one that was more valid than others.
It is important to acknowledge that connecting with the living, spiritual world is something every human can and should do. The difficult part is engaging in this type of relationship. Cultural traditions are one way - ritual passes down cultural traditions for connecting with the unexplainable. Others find this through meditation, experiences in nature, music, art, dance, writing, church, prayer, and other activities which produce altered states of awareness.
 
Conclusion
The author recognizes that she does not have the full answers to the issues presented in this paper. There will not be one solution. It will occur through a range of practices. There are many things to keep in mind. First and foremost, people of western culture must acknowledge that they are in the midst of an ecological and social crisis. They must recognize that the over-emphasis on a linear model of being has resulted in a rift between the identity of humans and the living world. As a result of disconnecting from the natural world, western culture has objectified it, oppressing both human and non-human species. Another result is that Western culture has diminished its ability to perceive more immanent forms of knowledge as it has placed human thought as the most important. Western culture has silenced the natural world, losing the knowledge of how to live sustainably within it. The task now is how to reintegrate into a living world. The answers will be specific to place, the principles of life will mirror the local landscape, and the knowledge will come from engaging in relationships with the natural world.
Cultural Ecopsychology recognizes that reintegrating into the living world is not simply about changing the way western culture thinks. It is about relationships. It is about the human relationship with the local landscape and everything contained within it. This includes everything within the life force, both seen and unseen. The vehicle which supports this relationship is culture. Groups of humans learn how to perceive and interact with the local landscape through a cultural interpretation.
In terms of the issues within the urban Black community, actions need to occur along Macy’s three areas. Black people must protest against the unfair practices occurring in their communities and in greater society. They must address the inequities, breaking them down, telling the truth so others can hear and understand. They must join forces with other constituencies. They must learn about their stories, history, and the stories of their ancestors. They must engage in personal, family, and community relationships that promote health, both physical and spiritual. And finally, they must obtain the knowledge of how to live in congruence with the living world. This may sound like too many things to do. However, one can start with small actions. Recently, the author was exposed to some literature from the 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement in Alabama, a group empowering African American youth. It emphasized the terms "body", "mind", and "spirit." In order to heal, one must attend to these areas on a personal level, move to the family, and connect with the larger community. These ideas are not foreign to the African identity, they are an intrinsic part. As one moves to this path, it will unfold in miraculous ways.