CHILANGA BANDA
“I think in terms of sustainability there cannot be any hierarchies regarding what is more necessary or urgent. We need comprehensive solutions, otherwise we are left with palliative measures for issues that run deep into the systemic,” said Ana Laura Lozano in an interview with The News.
Lozano works to promote social entrepreneurship in Mexico. Which means that she fosters the connections and communications of excellent individuals whose main business objective are to focus and find solutions to the most pressing issues of society — health, environment or education — in order to generate revenue that my be reinvested to keep the project going with a wider scope and a greater social impact. Yes, this exists, thankfully.
Ana Laura gave us a couple examples of social enterprises to familiarize ourselves with the concept. She mentioned Cerrando el Ciclo (Closing the Cycle) a non-profit civil association dedicated the creation of projects for waste management through the reuse and transformation of waste material into useful or decorative objects. Cerrando el Ciclo also promotes work inclusion through the employment of people in vulnerable conditions, who receive both adequate training and access to equipment.
According to statistics, Mexico produces 22 million tons of glass a year of which only 20 percent is recycled.
“Solutions must be holistic, they cannot exclude each other,” she said.
That’s why social entrepreneurship is so important, despite its recent nomenclature, its M.O and final objective have always been part of the social fabric. In order to make it stronger by creating places for interaction between and enterprises, people, ideas, and projects; Mexico City will be hosting the third edition of SenseCamp, an “un-conference” focused sustainable cities organized by MakeSense Mexico, which Ana Laura is a proud part of.
“SenseCamp is aimed at celebrating social entrepreneurship and creating a platform for collaboration and interaction with environmental actors as well as citizens,” she said. “This space is achieved through several formats such as conferences, workshops, and work groups; we believe that bringing skills, ideas, and experiences together will enable the appropriation of the issues we face as city-dwellers and thus we can find solutions.”
SenseCamp MX 2016 #SustainableCities will take place on Dec. 2, 3, and 4 in Mexico City. Other cities that have hosted SenseCamps in the past three years include Paris, Madrid, Dakar, Berlin, Brussels and Lisbon.
Ana Laura’s vast work experience — spanning philosophy, human rights, and activism — has allowed her to broaden her perspectives. She prizes the transformative value of field work over books any day, however, these two aren’t mutually exclusive either. When asked about some thoughts regarding the current plight Earth is facing with carbon emissions, her answer is is both generous and wise: she provides a reading list. “This Changes Everything: Capitalism v the Climate” by Naomi Klein, “Politics of Climate Justice” by Patrick Bond, “Contours of Climate Justice” by Ulrich Brand and others, “Looking Behind the Label” by Tim Bartley and others; and “Green Giants” by E. Freya Williams. Time to update your book wishlist, people.
Ana Laura is also currently working on her relationship to Netflix as well as on several other activism and political projects. With out a doubt, this Sinaloa-born lady is one fine addition to the Chilanga Banda that roams the city.
