The Great Listening
Honoring the Voices of All
Indigenous People and Earth Herself
Welcome Everyone
Kathleen Brigidina and Hallie Sanclemente Morrison are honored you are here
Our movement is called “The Great Listening,” and our intention is to honor the voices of All Indigenous peoples, Earth guardians, and Earth herself.
We are listening and organizing an educational opportunity for Elgin, our surrounding communities, and beyond. We have been developing partnerships with Elevating Equity Elgin, Elgin Community College, and Friends of the Fox River.
Our vision with The Great Listening is to welcome everyone to experience communal sharing, listening sessions, ceremonies, and community gatherings centered on healing, transformation, restoration, reciprocity by reconnecting and listening to the wisdom of Mother Earth and those Indigenous peoples who carry the wisdom and original care and teachings of our precious lands.
Intentional Listening Manifesto
The Great Listening recognizes the wisdom, stories, voices, and visions of Native and Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of Earth. We acknowledge we are Nature and hold ourselves accountable for our actions as we learn to be in reciprocity with all that is. We vow to value, honor, and protect Earth and her caretakers. Our intentions are to cultivate a movement of humble listening that restores our connection with Nature, our ecosystem, and all our relations.
Please register below to receive a program schedule and updates as they become available, and please spread the word with friends and colleagues.
Founding Story and Vision
In 2022, young, first-generation Colombian-American artist and filmmaker Hallie Sanclemente Morrison set out on a meaningful path to produce programs that bring forth the voices and wisdom of Earth and Indigenous protectors, teachers, and Elders, after being awarded a grant from Elevating Equity Elgin.
At the start of her journey, Hallie reached out to partner with Kathleen Brigidina, a fellow artist, teacher, and longtime environmental community gatherer and Earth activist. Kathleen was eager to collaborate on the project and connect Hallie to Indigenous people with whom Kathleen had previously developed deep connections both locally and globally over the course of many years. As they began Kathleen reached out to a long time supporter of her environmental efforts Dr. David Sam, President of Elgin Community College, who was already busy with a plan for a land acknowledgement for the college, and very happy to join forces in collaboration.
Together, their intention is to create safe spaces for voices to rise and to be heard. They are humbly and deeply committed to listening, learning/unlearning, transforming, and envisioning the most sacred and reverent ways to co-create fully inclusive gatherings where invaluable Earth messages, spiritual lessons, and cultural truths can be honored and shared--with local Elginites, surrounding community members, and beyond.
The Great Listening Sculpture
The name of The Great Listening was inspired by a large “Listening Sculpture" (sketch on left) designed by Kathleen who modeled it after the iconic Talking Stick, a small branch used to pass in circles and practice peaceful communication by many cultures in the world. The sculpture is designed to be placed in the center of a walking labyrinth that is dedicated to listening to Earth and documenting all her sacred messages. This Listening Stick sculpture is part of a global connecting project, with the first of many around the world proposed to be erected at ECC next spring.
You can learn more about Hallie on her website here: https://halliemorrison.myportfolio.com/film-1
You can learn more about Kathleen on her website here: https://brigidina.com