When I was 11years old, I did a project on Jane Goodall with the girl who would become one of my closest friends (and certainly the most long-lasting of friends) and my college roommate. So, naturally, when Dr. Goodall came to speak at UF, we knew we had to go.
Wednesday night, before Dr. Goodall came on stage, a stuffed monkey and cow were placed on the table next to the podium. They were Mr. H and Cow, two plush toys that Goodall brings wherever she travels. Mr. H in particular has been to over 70 countries.
When Dr. Goodall came out, she was greeted with cheers from the audience and she responded with her own greeting — a chimpanzee call, which she later clarified is a call used by chimps to communicate over long distances.
Dr. Goodall detailed her life’s work, beginning with her early childhood. She thanked her mother, who had encouraged her from the beginning in her curiosity and scientific pursuits.
“She told me that if you want something you have to work very hard, take advantage of opportunities, and never give up,” Goodall said.
She spoke of her field research and working with chimpanzees, the animal most closely related to man. She told of their unique personalities and emotions, their complex community structure and the compassion they show for one another. She spoke about the individual chimps as if they were her dear friends, her eyes growing misty as she recalled some of her old companions and their antics.
Dr. Goodall is not just a researcher. She would’ve been content to continue with her research in the Gombe reserve, but after a conference in Chicago in 1986, her path changed.
“I walked in a scientist,” Goodall said, “and I walked out an activist.”
Since then, she has not been in one place for more than three weeks.
Goodall talked about her goals as an activist, encouraging conservation of the ecosystem and animals, and how empowering people is the first step. She worked with local leaders in Tanzania to help install changes that helped both the people and the environment.
Throughout her lecture, Goodall’s voice was filled with hope. She had an inspiring message for us all. It’s not too late, she said. Despite what others might tell us. She believes in the resilience of human spirit and the resilience of nature.
“Every day we go out into the world, we make a difference,” she said. “You have a choice of what that difference will be.”
Photo Credit: iflscience.com