My world is fuelled by music and my desire to work toward a purpose that is greater than myself.  As a curator, composer, producer, DJ and innovator, I consistently collaborate with passionate, creative young people and have witnessed the profound impact of community engagement in driving positive change. It was with this insight that I launched the Cloud 9 Electronic Music and Eco-Art Festival, an immersive and multisensory celebration of a sustainable future, alongside an incredible team of peers. Soon after that first event in September 2022, the Cloud 9 Youth Curatorial Committee recognized that our annual festival could be an ideal platform to foster a sense of togetherness pivotal for propelling us toward the right path. That realization led us to partner with Harrowsmith for the next logical step: identifying sustainability changemakers who had already initiated cultivating their communities and networks.

When I think of the Changemaker Awards, I think of mycelium, the intricate underground network of fungal threads, and it offers a meaningful analogy for me: interconnectedness and spreadability. Mycelium exemplifies interconnectedness as it weaves through the soil, connecting trees, plants, and organisms in a symbiotic relationship. Similarly, the Changemaker Awards aim to connect diverse individuals and communities, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration. It recognizes that as mycelium connects ecosystems, people can unite to address environmental challenges. Mycelium can transport nutrients and information over long distances efficiently. Similarly, the Changemaker Awards facilitate the spread of innovative sustainability solutions and ideas, helping them reach a broader and more receptive audience.

The Changemaker Awards are an opportunity to celebrate young individuals who are spearheading initiatives that drive change. These people are not doing the same things hoping for different results; they are innovating and leading the new pathways for the future of our world.

Rupert