We are All Antarctica is a story about my father George W. Gibbs, Jr’s adventures as the first person of African descent to set foot on the continent of Antarctica. He sailed on the famous ship the USS Bear in 1939 to 1941 on Admiral Byrd’s III expedition to the South Pole. It was the first joint venture with the US military and private exploration. Gibbs went on to serve humanity in countless ways, paving the way for not only people of color in the community of Rochester, MN but for all people to become more human, serve their community and appreciate differences.
Through compassion, tenacity, faith and countless hours in the trenches, Gibbs’ life is a model for community service, equality and fun. As the lowest rank on the ship, he was honored for his contribution at a time when people with dark skin were considered less than human.
This story integrates my experiences with natural healing, the arts, the science of the ice, the metaphysics of the South Pole and the history of the expedition and its mystery.
At the start of my video on this blog, I say "Antarctica's melting". At the time, I felt the words were strong. Now I understand we are at a point of no return. So, what are the questions? Who cares if this is 200-500 years out? What does this mean for the next 100 years? What thought patterns can we hold that could make this a positive adventure? What's possible to learn from the knowledge and history the ice holds? What part could human consciousness play in this unfolding research? Even though my focus on Antarctica is more than a hobby, I feel both sadness and curiosity of this current news. Let's continue to stay aware of ourselves, each other and our collective strength for positive outcomes.
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