Profiles in Regeneration: Claire, 29, UK
Everything I want to do comes from a personal need to work towards humanitarianism and collective progress.
People all around the world are working to build a regenerative future. At 29, Claire Yurika is one of them. She is the co-founder of CogDis, a studio which guides brands, non-profits, talent and agencies towards solutions in communicating ethics and impact across the fashion industry. She also works with Tarot & Astrology through her project The High Priestxss, guiding people on a journey of growth on a personal level.
Regenerative Futures: How are you feeling right now?
CY:Energised!!
RF: What’s a secret your search history can tell us about you?
CY: Well my last search was ‘foraging in Ibiza’, I suppose I’m getting ready for survivalist/self-sufficient life off grid! Also organic life forever.
RF: What are you reading/learning about at the moment?
CY: Currently I’m reading The Power of the Subconscious Mind and Egyptian Yoga. Light reading! Haha but I cannot stress enough how fabulous and necessary both these books are. Also ‘Yoga’ refers not only to the physical yoga we are familiar with in the West but the process of connecting to our spiritual power through varied means. I’ve also just finished African Cosmology of the Bântu‑Kôngo and omg this is a truly essential read for anyone wanting to rethink and remake our societal structures.
RF: Who is your favorite human and why?
CY: My mother of course! Because she is my creator, and angel, resilient, and nurturing, even though I took her for granted for a large portion of my life.
RF: What inspired you to start the work you do now?
CY: Everything I want to do I do comes from a personal need to work towards humanitarianism and collective progress (my true node is in Aquarius for those knowing), and I suppose what inspired me was recognising my true abilities, seeing the needs we have as people, and seeing how I can be of service to those needs! The work I do with Cogdis addresses this on an industry/brand level where we educate and creatively guide our clients to be better through sustainability & ethics, and my work through Tarot & Astrology with The High Priestxss guides people on their journey of growth on a deeper personal level.
RF: What does success mean to you?
CY: Harmony, peace, fun, love! Doing what I do because I’m great at it, enjoy it, and am uplifting my community.
RF: If you could focus a large percentage of government funding on one industry or project for the next five to ten years, which would you choose and why?
CY: Re-writing our education system! I’d be happy to do it myself if needs be. The power and necessity of education is the most overlooked part of society in the UK in my opinion. We are literally educating our future generations in a way suitable for the post-war era, wtf is that?! It’s 2021! I think the need for this is frankly urgent, people are still relying on the younger generations for new ideas when we educate them in completely obsolete and linear ways, it’s pitiful!
RF: What are the best and the worst things about the education system in your country?
CY: HM. The best I would say is that we have free education, and that it exists?! The worst I could go on forever, but to sum it up I’d say: 1. It doesn’t educate you on anything you actually NEED TO KNOW 2. Where is the fun and excitement? Learning is supposed to be engaging 3. The current testing system, scares kids and tells us that certain people are great at memorising/cramming and not much else. 4. We are all taught in ONE style of learning, if you are a logical/verbal learner this is catered for but anyone with other styles of learning are largely ignored. 5. Vocational learning can be looked down on or dismissed as career paths for the ‘working class’ *rolls eyes into infinitum*
RF: Do you have a message for anyone your age living in the year 2040?
CY: Wow um, I hope we did enough so that you’re not drowning under 10ft of water right now? I just hope you’re living in the regenerative future you deserve!
RF: What inspires or frightens you most about the future?
CY: The potential for change! Even though it’s easy to feel quite Doom about everything, I’m also very hopeful, and I’m excited for things to get worse as they absolutely need to before they can get radically better.
RF: What is one story that represents or tells Regeneration to you and why? This can be a song, a book, a film, a folk tale, a personal story, etc. Anything.
CY: Laputa — Castle in the Sky! In the end the all the structure, regalia and beautiful technology are destroyed in able to preserve the core. What you think is going to be a sad ‘nooooo everything’s gone’ ending is actually an ‘oh wait this is how we bring it back to what really matters and start a fresh! ‘ type ending. Lovely :D
To learn more about Claire Yurika, click here.
