What We Do
We are the Groundswell Climate Collective
As a collective, we’re committed to accountability and providing information that is transparent, accessible and answers any questions you might have about our work. We also want to ensure that we are flexible to the needs of those that interact with our projects and contests, especially youth & young people who wish to engage in our work.
What is a Collective?
Collectives involve a group of individuals, ranging from 2 - 20 (or more!), who come together for a common goal or collaborative project. Collectives are common in areas like the arts, activism, communities of practice, and much more. Most importantly, we prioritize a working culture that is non-hierarchical and is focused on relationality with our community and with the Indigenous lands upon which we operate.
Our Commitments
To center our work around the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) youth and young people
To ground our work in relationality with the communities we work with and on the Indigenous lands we operate
To prioritize accessibility to our projects, our materials, and our platforms
To create space to share resources, dialogue, ideas, imaginings on combating the climate crisis and all the relating issues that contribute to it
To create transparent and equitable documents, processes, and communications about our work
To be humble, open, responsive, and accountable to the communities we work with
Who is a part of our community?
Our community includes educators, artists, climate change activists, and more. For questions or inquiries regarding joining our projects, please connect with us at info@groundswellclimatecollective.com
The Groundswell Collective Team
Joe Neidhardt
Joe Neidhardt received his medical degree from the University of Alberta. He did research on stress management through a Canadian government grant and incorporated environmental awareness into his preventive practices. He taught behavioral medicine at the University of British Columbia. He later trained at the University of New Mexico in psychiatry and has worked within Indian Health Service in the US and spent one year on Vancouver Island as a psychiatrist. He worked with Navajo medicine people to develop training for mental health professionals together with his wife, Dr. Mary Roessel. He is board certified in psychiatry and holistic integrative medicine, certified in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and provides trauma-based treatments in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Nicole Neidhardt
Nicole Neidhardt is Diné (Navajo) of Kiiyaa'áanii clan on her mother’s side and a blend of European ancestry on her father’s side and is from Santa Fe, NM. She has a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Victoria, with a BCom Minor and is currently working on her Master of Fine Art at OCAD University in Toronto, ON. Nicole’s Diné identity is the heart of her practice which encompasses mylar stencilling, installation, digital art, painting, illustration, and large-scale murals. She has been involved in many youth initiatives and community engaged art projects. She is a co-founder of the Innovative Young Indigenous Leaders Symposium, a gathering led by and for Indigenous young leaders in BC. She is passionate about community work, uplifting Indigenous voices and perspectives, and working with youth to envision better futures for us all.
Kaitlyn Corlett
Kaitlyn Corlett has a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Victoria with a BCom Minor and a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Adult Education and Community Development. Currently, Kaitlyn resides in Toronto, Ontario, but is from Vancouver, British Columbia. She works at the Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto, supporting student-led teams with community based projects through communications and accessible design. From her work in the arts and nonprofit sector, she has developed a passion for being a part of collective and collaborative learning environments that support artists, creatives, and communities alike. Through ally ship, the arts, and knowledge sharing, she is committed to continuing to contribute to her community and design-focused practice.
