Brainstorm Week 9- Khani Priest

Million's understanding connects to buen vivir and Mother Earth/Nature because of their shared concepts of respecting nature as an living entity with a right to exist and prosper. From what Million wrote about Indigenous matters in "Place" and "Economic Principles", there is an understanding that the earth and women are deeply interwoven within each other. To respect the earth is respect women and vice versa. Buen vivir in the Ecuadorian context is one interwoven with community and the important of understanding that all living things should be respected which directly correlates with Million's explanation. Priscilla Solis Ybarra's article also brings up a lot of the same beliefs with only slight differences in language. The "goodlife" pertains to the "values, practices, and culture that Mexican Americans cultivated in their relations with one another and with the natural environment..." (Ybarra, p. 5). Mexican American and Indigenous beliefs about nature are very similar in almost all aspects. They both revolve around respect, honor and an understanding that nature is alive and deserves to be recognized as a vital aspect of all life. Both Million and Ybarra also connect to buen vivir through the overwhelming influence of capitalism, neoliberalism, and colonialism has on negatively impacting their beliefs and their relationship with the environment. Overall, buen vivir and Mother Earth/Nature are related to Million and Ybarra's writings through similar beliefs on the environments and recognizing why the problem exists today.