“Just as no building lacks an architecture, so no choice lacks a context." -- Richard H. Thaler

Three years of attending the Hollywood Climate Summit, and each year I feel like I’m growing right alongside the producers in expanding my stories, knowledge, and community around climate storytelling. Here’s some of that in action within the 3 Step Reciprocity Cycle…

Acknowledge Earth Is Our Home

The second panel of the entire 3 day event brought together storytellers, activists, rebuilders, scientists, and residents affected by January’s LA fires.

The answer to the very last question gives a good demonstration of the diversity and also a send of earth as our home.

To echo Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s book “What if we get it right?” But from this lens — what can we IMAGINE getting right and what story, character, protagonist, etc would each panelist pick to pitch to turn into a movie?

Saket Soni: A story that captures the outpouring of love and support that LA received which lifts the veil on on the unsustainable systems we live in. Yet, this feeling and memory only lasts for 6 weeks to 6 months because of news cycles and inertia and the powers that be having money. So the pitch is for a story that keeps the flame alive for solutions that are lead and influenced by science, indignity, and community. And particularly centered around characters that are fully human and flawed even in the midst of getting it right.

Rafael Agustin: The “Mayor” of a block in NAME OF CITY — 62 yo James. He has the title for the oldest black owned home in the area. And when the fires started, he went in his basement and kept off the flames with his gardening hose. Then when the neighborhood evacuated, he stayed parked in his car with a revolver to ward of looters. And finally hid in his living room while the National Guard cleaned the neighborhood — util James was finally the last to leave.

Alissa Walker: The “Rent Brigade.” During the aftermath of the fires, corporate land owners hiked the prices of rentals to astronomical proportions. So these tenant activists published information about these companies online calling them out — so much so that the owners would contact them to say they changed their practices and would like to be off the list.

Gabrielle Crowe: Nature stories where we as humans are a part of it and not separate. Stories that included deer surviving with burns. Deer in areas they’ve never been before as they escaped.

Discover Your Earth Archetype

This is what is looks like when you fully embrace the skills, resources, and viewpoints of your Earth Archetype.

Metaphor Antonique Smith: A musician making climate connections cool and heart felt.

Weaver/Network Bill McKibben: An organizer and systems thinker calling out fossil fuel misinformation campaigns in a fun and entertaining “mock trial” way.

And together they are working on Sunday.earth coming up on September 21st. Go check it out and draw your sun image.

Work Together in Community

Another potent example of the diversity of different Earth Archetypes working together was another panel on the LA fires that brought together activist and Abbot Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and Climate Resilience Specialist Nina Knierim.

Nina is a friend of mine, and we chatted a bit about her panel the week leading up to the moment. After being an intrigued attendee last year, she wasn’t exactly sure what to say or how to say it with the context of the summit.

In her first share, it was impassioned but also quite informative and straight forward.

Then Sheryl shared her passion for activism in a way that took us all to church.

When Nina had her chance to follow up again, she threw her notecards on the floor and gave us all a reason to CARE about the information she had to share.