When Bear Minimum heard the news of Jane Goodall’s passing on October 1, we were deeply saddened. What a force of a human being! Jane’s life reflected the very principles that we strive to uphold personally and in our business mission; knowledge, empowerment, advocacy, and conservationism.
Knowledge is power and Jane was an expert in her field. She was a pioneer in her research techniques, immersing herself directly in the chimpanzees’ habitat in order to gain a better understanding of their world. She not only saw these amazing creatures’ daily lives but became fully engrossed in their environment and was able to see first hand what was happening to their habitat.
Jane Goodall faced a lot of backlash growing up when she decided what she wanted her career path to include. Science and education were not the typical trails that women blazed at that time. She faced adversity with courage, proving time and again that neither gender nor age defines one’s impact.
When faced with the destruction of the chimpanzees’ ecosystem, Jane recognized the urgent need to speak up for those without a voice. She advocated for those that couldn’t do that for themselves, even if it meant taking criticism herself. Jane Goodall showed the world that change can start with just one voice and to be persistent about it.
Lastly, the importance that Jane Goodall placed on conservation of the environment was remarkable. She brought an issue that technology, business and popular culture did not want to shed a light on to the forefront of many industries. She raised hard to answer questions to these areas and demanded change be initiated, otherwise the plight of the chimps (as well as many other species) was at stake.
We can truly aspire to be more like Jane Goodall. She lived her truth. There were hurdles along the way and she navigated and replanned the path. What an inspiration. Rest in peace.
Learn more about Jane Goodall, her lasting impression and how you can help: