Miriam Penrod - 2024

Artist's Statement

My name is Miriam Penrod and I am a Chinese Major! I find joy in learning Chinese and in challenging myself to improve in my personal language abilities. I believe that words are powerful and should be spoken with thoughtfulness and good intentions, no matter what language we are speaking in.

I have learned many new English words this semester; words like biodiversity, triage, calving, and anthropocene. In connection with these words, I have also learned many new topics, which in turn has given me a greater understanding of what our current situation looks like, when it comes to our dear Earth and her “health.” One way I have learn about these important topics is through a graphic titled “Planetary Boundaries.” After spending several months discussing this graphic, I have come to further understand and deeply care about the issues on which it raises awareness.

So, since I believe that words are powerful, I decided to attempt to expand my language abilities and use my words in Mandarin Chinese to try and simply explain the “Planetary Boundaries” graphic (and its meaning). These topics are not just important for English speakers to learn, but everybody should have an understanding of the Earth and the crisis she is in now. Her crisis affects all of humanity, humanity is a massive part of the problem, but can be a massive part of the solution. Words are powerful! So let us use them to make changes in the right direction, to thoughtfully and with good intentions inform others, and take care of our singular Earth.