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SUMMER RAYNE OAKES

John LeKay: Can you please tell me about your interest in Native American culture and how this came about?

Summer Rayne Oakes: When I was about 9 years old, my best friend, Anna and I would take off to the woods behind my house, pretend that we were lost, and "live" off the land. We started tracing back our family history and I found out that I had Cherokee on my mother's side. Anna introduced me to an old book on American Indian medicinal plants and within a few days, I became so engrossed in the cultures.

My early artwork was inspired by the striking portraits of Edward S. Curtis. Over the course of a few years, I probably had purchased 50 or 60 books on American Indian culture. When I went to college, I took some amazing classes with what some may call a "radical" professor. Then in 2004, I worked on a project mapping invasive species throughout the Akwesasne Reservation and river delta.

I haven't worked on specific programs since then, but I’d love to revisit some more indigenous issues as my work matures.

Edward S Curtis

John LeKay: How did you first become interested in environmental issues like sewage treatment?

Summer Rayne Oakes: When I was about 16 I went to a meeting at Cornell that dealt with sewage sludge. It must have been some crazy synchronicity because I took an internship with my local conservation district and worked on their "biosolids" program. I conversed back and forth with the Director of Waste Management and then later took a work-study job with them. The work combined investigative environmental research, human health, social justice and politics. The multi-faceted approach made it very stimulating.

I didn't make the connection between the fashion work and sludge research until my second project, which involved compiling lists of the organic contaminants trapped in sewage sludges. Many of the substances originated from pesticides, textile manufacturing, and simple laundering in the home. Once I had this knowledge, it was very easy to see how the simple practices we do in our homes and on the job can affect our health in the long run. Think about it: sixty percent of the sludge and all those organic contaminants are reapplied back onto our land. It would be naïve to think it didn’t affect us.

Raw sewage running into a river in China

JL: What do you believe is one of the most serious environmental issues we face today in the US and what do you believe we can do to solve this problem?

Summer Rayne Oakes: I'd be quick to say "global warming," but I really think its human engagement, which is the foundation for change. What is the inflection point when awareness turns into hardcore action? There are a number of psychological and personal challenges that need to be overcome to reach that point. Open your mind. Consider other tactics, viewpoints, lifestyles, and personal struggles; that’s a start in influencing change.

JL: Can you please tell me about your artwork and poetry and are you working on any new at the moment?

Summer Rayen Oakes: I don't write and draw the way I used to, but I’ve recently started penning some dark and witty poems and also illustrated the book that I am working on, which is the first in a series of "Hip Girl’s Guides to Green Living," specifically designed for young women who are not particularly aware or engaged in eco stuff.

Summer Rayne Oakes

JL: Can you please tell me about your interests in eco fashion and why this is so
important to you?

Summer Rayne Oakes: Fashion – clothing – is the ultimate communication tool. I always look for commonalities in culture, like clothes, because they transcend any language barrier. We can use them to talk and connect with one another on a deeper level.

It's interesting to see how much textiles and clothing have become ingrained in our cultures – how important it is for country's economies. I'm fascinated with how clothing – and really any business – can be used as a sustainable development tool and sustainability can be used as a source of innovation in the industry.

JL; What are your thoughts on alternative energies?

Summer Rayne Oakes: I'm becoming more and more vocal in this area as my work unfolds. I've written letters to my state Senators urging them to stop the $50 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear energy and voiced my concerns on coal. We need individuals, communities and the federal government behind clean renewables. The amount of subsidies and loan guarantees still supporting dirty energy is absolutely mind-boggling!

On the clean energy front, I like to put most of own energies into positive movements. Over the last few months, I've been working with a number of young leaders on PowerShift 2007, which is the first national youth Climate Summit headed by Energy Action and the Campus Climate Challenge. The organizations have really been the backbone of much of the climate change actions, like Step it Up, Focus the Nation, and the President’s Climate Commitment. I feel invigorated when the youth take the lead in getting their campuses and communities to start taking progressive steps in reducing their carbon footprint.

JL: Green fashion and all these environmental issues seem to becoming very trendy these days. What do you believe has brought this about and where do you see this heading in the future?

Summer Rayne Oakes: An echo chamber has been created on environmental issues. Many people are beginning to realize they have a choice. Entrepreneurs have found out that sustainable, solution-based business can be good for the bottom-line. This will continue to evolve, investments in sustainable solutions will grow, and as consumers and citizens, we will have more opportunities to be a part of the solution.

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www.summerrayne.net

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