The mural may be best viewed from the sidewalk on the northern side of Willow. Watch out for traffic and pedestrians!

One of these things is not like the other. The fourth of the four sisters, she is not the same as the other three. Can you spot the differences?

This wall space was provided by Trevor Parsons, a longstanding EAC member and EAC Sustainability Ally with his business Innovative Real Estate.

Respect the Sun The piece shown is to remind us to respect and honour the sun. The sun holds a connection to everything on earth, it gives life and it can be a threat, a powerful element. I am concerned that we are not leaving a healthy planet for our next 7 generations. The eagle is very important to my people as it represents love and flies high in the sky and has a connection to the Heavens. This eagle is flying towards the sun with one wing reaching out towards the sun for healing and to show respect, while the other is pointing down towards the earth to honour the connection. The image also represents us as people having one hand on earth and our other hand reaching towards the Heavens. We need to be reminded to respect all our relations in order to start healing. Msit no'kmaq

Lorne Alexander Julien is a proud Mi’kmaw artist and member of Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia. He specializes in contemporary Indigenous acrylic paintings and murals. Although known primarily as a painter, he has diversified to other mediums such as stained glass and photography. His Mi’kmaw name is “Warrior on the Hill” (Sma'knis). This name was given to him in his youth when he learned about the spiritual way of his people.

He is a self-taught artist, beginning as a young child. He specializes in rich, vibrant colours and believes simplicity is beautiful. Lorne wants to share his artwork, lifting people’s spirits, with ideas taken from his visions and dreams.

Lorne creates murals in schools, institutions and in public spaces in an effort to Indigenize and create safe spaces that are inclusive and respectful, while honouring Canada’s Indigenous People. He believes that incorporating Indigenous art in public spaces is a simple act in reconciliation and moving forward in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding.

His artwork is a form of prayer: it provides healing for himself and he would like to bring healing to the world. His intention is to inspire hope and balance within the universe.

Photo credit - Angelika Waldow

What is environmentalism? What do we mean when we talk about “the environment” here on unceded Mi'kmaq territory? Who defines what's included in that meaning, and what's left out?

For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples around the world have engaged in active environmental stewardship and have protected their land and water. Black communities across Turtle Island have organized against pollution and degradation of their environments for many decades. And yet, the mainstream environmental movement is still predominantly led and defined by white people, and generally fails to recognize the environmental leadership of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC).

The Ecology Action Centre is not an exception here. EAC recognizes that Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities are still underrepresented in our work and our community partnerships, despite years of diversity and inclusion initiatives. As the largest environmental charity in Atlantic Canada, we are uniquely positioned and privileged within the climate justice movement. We have a responsibility to use that position and privilege to lift up front-line voices who have experienced first-hand environmental and social injustices for hundreds of years, and who are also often at the forefront of positive environmental change. It’s long past time to listen, share our platform, and make space for the leadership of BIPOC communities within our environmental movements. The diversity within our communities is a source of strength as we build a united movement for a just and sustainable future.

As a part of this project, and EAC’s ongoing commitment to centering BIPOC perspectives, we created exclusive BIPOC artist commissions where the artists were free to conceive and create on any topic related to environmentalism, climate, conservation, climate justice, etc. that they wanted to address. Lorne received one of them.