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About amplify earth
I dreamt of a space within which I can share stories of the humans giving me hope for humanity. My talented friends, colleagues and peers who are using art as a medium to educate and inspire change. Those giving us hope for the planet, hope for the children, hope for finding a way to live amongst each other in harmony. I hope you enjoy these conversations.
I am so proud to know these people.
They are simply amazing.
chloe. wildflower boom.
When I think of the humans around me that fill me with hope and inspiration, Chloe Norgaard springs instantly to mind. A woman that can be described as creative to the core, she spun into my life like a rainbow tornado back in 2013 in Miami, in the midst of what was then the World Music Conference. She instantly intrigued me, with her technicolour clothes, megawatt smile and palpably open energy. The definition of warmth and kindness... and a whole lot of fun. At that time Chloe was working primarily as a fashion model at the peak of the industry and seeing her face emblazoned on billboards and blasting down catwalks around the world was always a super exciting vision! But away from the high-fashion world, when simply dancing or chatting, sharing music (she has the best playlists), or on our whirlwind Indian adventures, that’s when Chloe really shone her light most.
A passionate advocate for the natural world, for the joyous celebration of the plants and flowers of this Earth, Chloe becomes herself a human-shaped extension of the life that gives our planet colour. Her project, Wildflower Boom, centres on the radical rewilding of urban spaces. Having resided in Bushwick, NYC for years, in her awesomely renovated home The Rainbow House - which needs to be seen to be believed! - Chloe became acutely aware of the need for more colour, more life in stark and overpopulated city spaces. Not only for us humans but also for the birds, insects and of course the precious bees… without which none of us will exist.
Watching Wildflower Boom grow and develop over the years has been as exciting and colourful as continuing my adventures with Chloe herself, a riotous cascade of life and paint and planting and explorations in the education of others around the importance of plant life in urban spaces. From seed bombs to educational workshops, installations to immersive events, Wildflower Boom has really shown its widespread appeal and, more-so, its necessity. We are waking up to what we’ve done to Mother Earth more each day, we are noticing these lifeless grey corners of our planet; the paved parking lots that Joni Mitchell warned us about. We know we need to fix it, and soon. So to me, those that show us how to do so are the medicine we truly need.
Knowing full well what Chloe is capable of, I promise you that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. I caught up with her from her current creative adventure in Africa to share some of her words with you and maybe a little inspiration and a spark of hope for the future.
J - Hi sweet girl! How the heck are you?! I already know where you are right now, and WOW to it all, but please do tell the masses:
C - I am currently in Kenya on my first official art residency. The call to action was to specifically work with non-biodegradable waste and the community. Once here our focus narrowed to the local primary school, we have students come twice a week while on summer break. I get to incorporate the concept of eco-bricks that I learned from my permaculture studies. There is no recycling here except for bigger alcohol companies who collect their glass bottles. Otherwise trash is burned, there isn’t a ton of litter (NYC is honestly an atrocity) they are good at sweeping it together to "dispose" of. We are building a collection bin for plastics at the school, the kids are painting bottles as decor elements for the structure. I also get to work on some living furniture pieces which is exciting. Ugh and I have been painting! I feel like I haven’t painted in years.
J - So, let's talk Wildflower Boom! Your urban reflowering project. I have admired your work and your passion for nature and colour and joy and health for years. You are an explosion of nature, in all the ways. Please can you give a quick lowdown to those who don't know of it:
C - Thank you sweet pea. So WFB started as a guerilla urban rewilding project based on a need that I was witnessing in NYC. There were so many empty tree pits that I felt could be filled with more life - reasons being aesthetics, biodiversity like our pollinators, storm water mitigation and stewardship.
J - How has the idea developed and grown over the years? Has it followed the path you wanted it to?
C - It has since morphed into botanical event design (pre-Covid), group planting events, creative sustainably focused workshops and some exciting brand collaborations. I love crafting up custom seed packets. Now I’m focusing on bigger dream projects, grander budgets, longer timelines and more permenance with a bigger impact. The event industry really felt wasteful.
J - We all know that we are stronger together in these times, with this in mind who could be your dream, well known collaborator? Let's manifest it! (aka I'll tag them and we hope for the best, haha.)
C - Haha hmmm. I adore Tim Walker (I always wished to shoot with him as a model) it could be really rad to get to work on one of his, David LaChapelle’s or Catherine Martin’s sets.
I’m researching grants and locations for some of these dream projects. So FUNDING! One of them deals with mangrove and seagrass planting in Florida.
J - For anyone feeling inspired to go and flowerbomb their local green space, which seeds grow best in urban areas of western cities?
C - Ooh well I would say that depending on where you live look up native plants for that area. They are generally better acclimated to the local climate and its critters. I’m always a fan of pollinator blends so we can continue to create pathways for them to travel, feed and live. Also check the best times to plant!
J - I am certainly someone who can barely water themselves enough, let alone a houseplant I do really want to be that houseplant girl though! What advice do you have for us non-green-fingered folk regarding the best houseplant choices?
C - Start with something that’s hard to kill like a snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, succulents etc. And then as you grow with them I feel that your intuition grows in regards to what they need and you can start adding more.
J - In this super tricky time on Earth, has seedbombing helped you on a spiritual level? I can imagine taking regeneration into your own hands must feel super empowering when it feels there is little we can control for the collective.
C - Plants & nature & colour fuel my soul & heart. So yes.
J - What's your ultimate goal for Wildflower Boom? I mean THE DREAM. Feel free to let loose... tell me your floral fantasy.
C - Oooh give me a nice piece of bare land, let’s say like 20ft x 20ft (smaller & bigger work also) some irrigation (depending), like 20k and a few months. I also want to work more on designing interior spaces. Definitely a maximalist as you know ;) I also really find it fun collaborating on products, giving/providing an eco based & colourful twist.
J - If it resonates with you, please may you share your personal prayer for humanity and Mother Earth?
C - Mmm I immediately think of all the chants and mantras that come from a loved & shared place for us both... India.
J - Thank you angel, I love you very much and I can't wait to keep following your journey.
C - I love you so much babe and hyped to follow your new project and hope to see you next Spring!
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Follow Chloe’s journey with wildflower boom at the following links:
Chloe’s Living Furniture Project
Instagram: @wildflowerboom
Instagram: @chloenorgaard
Spotify Playlist: listen here
Chloe’s Musical Mind
The first CD you bought:
With my allowance: I used to have a kid in elementary buy me Eminem ‘The Marshall Mathers EP’ but it always got taken away.
Once I got a job: Fever To Tell by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I remember seeing the ‘Maps’ video on MTV & asked my dad to drive me to Best Buy to buy it.
A song that makes you happy:
Oh gosh. Maybe I should just share my ‘:)’ playlist?
A song that makes you dance:
Honestly. Reggaeton you can’t not move to.. this one track by Tears for Fears is the song I always dance with my dog Pickles to… ‘Head over Heels.’
A song that makes you cry:
Pff, I’m not a big cryer. But I was going through a rough breakup (almost a decade ago, sheesh - not that I haven't had at least another since!) & Florence & The Machine performing live GOT ME.
The song you’ve played most in your life:
Wooof. Maybe ‘Seaside Rendezvous’ by Queen or ‘Bungle in the Jungle’ by Jethro Tull.
PARAS.
Himachal Pradesh, India, October 2020 by Paras Thakur ❤️
I had to search and delete a bunch of stuff so my phone would stop freaking the F out... And look what I found 😍 I met my dear friend Paras on a mountain outside Manali, in the October of that WILD A$$ year... 2020. Talking about the year leading up to this is trip is something else entirely, so for now I will just talk about my friend.
Paras, who was staying in the same guesthouse as me (shout out @glampeco and my familyyy @akshat_ishere and @shilpirawat - also another post entirely!) became my instant bestie after the most random and unplanned hiking buddy-up. Much silliness and adventure ensued. One of the best guitarists in the world (for real) and just the funniest, coolest dude of all. Part of my favourite Indian band, @thelocaltrain (look them up)... Paras means so much to me. Maybe in another life we were born as twins?! Honestly, I don't know how else to explain it.
Anyway... HIS PHOTOS. My God. The boy tells stories. The Himachali people are so glorious, so inspirational and welcoming. Strong, yet soft, and very funny too. They have a quiet confidence that can only come growing up native to such powerful land - the actual freakin Himalayas. I love how my boy captured them. I am humbled that I spent even the tiniest amount of time amongst these people and my heart yearns to return more often than I can explain.
If he ever gets bored of music (let's hope he won't) then I would see his photography exhibitions all day long. An OUTSTANDING artist to his core. Check his page, marvel at his glory. ❤️ u Paras, always x
TESS.
I could not be more proud to present my next subject to you. My dear, best, most utterly revered friend Tess. (Real name Tess - not a nickname FYI). I lived with this inspirational human and her miniature sausage dog for 8 months in 2022 which changed my life. I have worked remotely for years, it is freeing but isolating. I needed change. I moved into a warehouse with 10 people and 1 bathroom (yes, wow.). Much change ensued!
I worked next to Tess around our dining table every day for one sweet, blissful, Summer. A girl who at the age of 27 was made GLOBAL EDITOR of humanitarian magazine Global Citizen. a company who actively work to change the trajectory of this godforsaken planet. A girl who used to run off to her room in our warehouse to have truthful interviews with the likes of Michaela Coel and come back to make me an iced coffee at 3pm... and me sitting there, caffeine hungry, in full awe of the power of her role.
This girl came to CHANGE THE WORLD. This girl writes stories about evil corporations that try to ruin our humanity. This girl travels to remote countries and works on concerts with the likes of Usher to shine a light on climate change and political discrepancy. This girl - to me - is representative of the hope we need for humanity. This girl walks what she talks. And f*** me, does she inspire my bones. To be a better, stronger, more informed, more proactive human being. To be a part of something bigger than me. I love you Tess, you majestic creature.
Read on to get to know my gorgeous angel a little better.
J: I am very aware of your activism and your role in the global, truthful reporting of political, climate centric and humanitarian issues, but please may you introduce yourself to my friends who don’t know you?
T: I’m Tess, a journalist covering humanitarian issues including climate change, gender inequality, international development and protest movements. I report on things like COP (the world’s largest climate talks), the Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran, how women are fighting back against the Taliban’s ban on education in Afghanistan, indoor air pollution in Kenya, climate activism, environmental successes and, of course, more often than not, environmental fails.
J: Can you recall the turning point in your life that made you want to work primarily on the issues you cover?
T: I used to work in advertising as a Copywriter and then a Strategist for a well-known agency in London. One of their biggest clients was one of the country’s largest FMCG brands. It was coming up to Christmas — which is like the Superbowl in adland — and a large part of the staff had been working on the final touches for this brand’s Christmas advert. I’m working in the office in Soho and we get an email instructing all staff members to head to the screening room. Once there, we get a speech from the CEO about how much hard work had gone into this Christmas ad. There were biscuits and booze and such. The ad was then introduced and played for all 300+ employees. I won’t bore you with the details but it basically involved Santa and a Covid vaccine passport. At the end of the ad, the entire staff erupted into applause. Cries for “play it again” sounded through the auditorium. The CEO obliged. At that moment, I felt totally alone. Within a month I had left, done a self-taught crash course on the Sustainable Development Goals and was working full-time as a writer.
J: I deeply respect your incomprehensibly grounded approach to reporting, I don’t know if I could write about what you write about without getting emotional charged and dare I say it, bias. Is there a secret to staying cool and impartial when you write about subjects that are clearly very difficult to put into words?
T: I always get asked: “How do you stay objective?” Fuck objectivity. There is no such thing. Objectivity in journalism was invented when newsrooms looked and operated more like an episode of Mad Men. This obsession with objectivity prevents truly accurate reporting informed by identities, life experiences, backgrounds and cultural contexts. Not only this, but pursuing objectivity can lead to false balance or “bothsidesism” in covering stories about race, genocide, gender inequality, the climate emergency and many more issues. I am in every story I write. But that’s not to say that every article I write is an outpouring of my outrage or my grief. That’s not useful for anyone.
J: What’s been your career highlight so far, a moment in which you have sat back and thought, “Wow, maybe I can really make a difference here?”
T: It’s very strange to think of career highlights because the issues I cover usually involve tragedy. I regularly write pieces about how people can help in humanitarian crises. My first week at my new job, I wrote one such piece about Ukraine with my wonderful friend and colleague Khanyi Mlaba. It went viral and was shared by The New York Times, Hugh Jackman, Madonna and more. This was of course great that so many people wanted to help and a big moment in my career, but millions of people were being displaced and thousands killed.
One issue I care very deeply about is the Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran. I remember seeing a video of these five brave Iranian girls dancing to a TikTok song in the streets without their hijabs on. They were then arrested and beaten by the morality police — just for dancing in the street. I suggested we make an explainer video about these girls and Selena Gomez shared it. Millions of people saw the bravery of those girls. It’s not much but it comforts me to think that they know we can see their defiance — and we are standing here in solidarity.
J: You are in such a wonderful position of influence, and I am SO grateful to God that you sit in the seat that you sit in. Can you define a goal or outcome for me, and us, that we can support and help you manifest?
T: I’d rather use this opportunity to mention the UN’s Global Goals. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re 17 Sustainable Development Goals that range from climate action to the end of gender inequality. A pretty tall order, right? But these things are actually possible if we fight for them — and I am lucky enough to write about and work with people that fight for them every day.
Some people do it by taking to the streets, some by sending emails, some by signing letters, some by tweeting. For every tragic happening or injustice, there is a grassroots movement fighting for change.
|| J: If it resonates with you, please may you share a prayer for humanity?
T: Free Palestine. ||
A Song That Makes You Cry:
“Baraye” by Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour
It was the anthem for the Mahsa Jina Amini protests in Iran.
The song went viral after Hajipour, 25, shared it on his Instagram page and was viewed 40 million times worldwide last year. The song was inspired by tweets by Iranians after the tragic news that Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, had died after being arrested and allegedly beaten by the so-called morality police in Tehran.
His song won a Grammy for Best Song for Social Change in 2023 but was unable to attend the ceremony as he was arrested on charges of “propaganda against the regime" and "inciting people to violence".
Women in Iran live under gender apartheid. They are forced to wear the veil and face up to 10 years in prison if they do not comply. They are forbidden from dancing in public, riding a bicycle, attending matches in sport stadiums, and becoming judges. Widows only inherit one-eighth of their husbands’ estates. Their murders are covered up. Married women are unable to obtain a passport or travel outside Iran without their husbands’ written permission.