I also take with me the resistance of Mushullakta and the members of Puma Wasi, the community I stayed with in the Amazon, as they have asked their message to be spread. Their message is that we must conserve the land and restore the forests, as they give us life, medicine, food and more. We should leave a positive legacy for our communities and the future generations by remembering and practicing lifestyles and cultivation techniques that work together in community as well as with nature rather than against nature. I also take with me the stories of the women of this community. In my final group project in Mushullakta, we made a video interviewing the women of the community. They expressed that they were "chakra mamas", or women that were preserving their land and culture through ancestral gardens/farming practices (chakras) and artisanal goods. In my final days, as I learned more about how many indigenous women were unable to attain the same education as others, I reflected on how the right to education can affect our lives. I am ever grateful to have received an education, as well as the scholarship that has permitted me to embark on this journey with you all. The fight to create a world where all have access to the education they would like continues. However, it is important to know that education, learning and skill building does not lie only in academia, or school. Rather, it can look like and come from many forms, such as talking to your ancestors and learning their stories, or spending time in nature to learn more about yourself and the land. It can look like pushing yourself to try new things, even when it is scary.I am so glad I took the jump to go to a different country and speak a different language, as I learned more than I ever thought I could.
