Cosmic #16 – Priscilla Villa

Facing Denial & Jumping to the Other Side of Oil & Gas

Priscilla wanted to work with people. When she took a job at an environmental engineering firm in San Antonio, Texas, she thought she was part of the do-gooders, helping clean up after oil spills and making the industry greener. Until she got this one phone call…

Denial. A big nut to crack for change makers. Its omnipresence in society and what it does to the world. How to deal with it? Those are cosmic questions we are just starting to address. Priscilla’s story is a great illustration of what it’s like to jump to the other side and start doing good from the petrochemical capital of the world: Houston, Texas.

We talk about her role at Earthworks in helping communities face and oppose big oil & gas infrastructure projects, deal with health impacts, build legal actions and streamline knowledge across affected regions. If you are not in denial, the social injustice, environmental racism and industry practices commonly deployed in oil & gas hotspots will make you angry – possibly depressed. It’s a lot to take on. But Priscilla’s energy and the powerful music we listened to help us escape and cool it off, before it’s time to get back to work.

Send me your thoughts and questions at hello@becosmic.org

Dance, do more, be cosmic.
Camile.

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