“Nice job! Great way to get the day started.” - Carra Sahler, Director and Staff Attorney at Green Energy Institute

This week, I had the honor of opening up the Youth Climate Summit at Lewis & Clark Law School.

Carra Sahler and I talked about how to create an engaging day for up to 30 youth on a summer day.

And I kicked it off by helping them identify their Earth Archetypes and practiced exploring "5 Ways to Change the Climate Question."

Lots more details below!

Acknowledge Earth Is Our Home

After the World Culture Film Festival, I wanted to explore what it would be like to emphasize...

"5 Ways to Change the Climate Question."

So as I prepared my presentation for the Youth Climate Summit, I was so thrilled to find some research from Yale's Climate Communications that I hadn't seen before.

"If you could ask a scientist one question, what would it be?"

The study was intended to identify knowledge gaps people have about climate change, so respondents were provided a list of 13 potential questions to choose ONE from. Each of these 13 questions were categorized into four areas: solutions, causes, impacts, and evidence.

"What can I do?" (categorized under solutions) was the main question that the Alarmed and Concerned folks wanted to know.

Tying this into Earth Archetypes, a level of "Earth is our Home" certainly exists in this solution based question.

Yet the EAs also acknowledge the frozen state that this question can be stuck in.

Thus, I guide people to start with the quiz.

So after this intro to my presentation, we moved onto...

Discover Your Earth Archetype

...taking the Earth Archetype quiz. What a gift to have 30 youth focus on each question and discover their results all at one time.

I felt a mix of excitement and anticipation as the room went silent for 5 or so minutes. As I walked around the room, each person truly was engaging with the content from questions to results to reports.

Then we got to see who was in the room.

Considering that they day was focused on youth working with community leaders, it was not a surprise that Weavers made up the biggest group. After all, I also refer to this group as facilitators and organizers.

In fact, all 3 of the youth that presented about the incredible work they are doing with Rough Climate all got Weaver.

What was a fun surprise at the time (but actually makes total sense as I think about it)...

Is that both Network and Molecule had good sized groups. These science minded folks could dive into the data and be inspired to take legal action based on it.

In contrast, only 2 Metaphors and 4 Embodiments emerged from the group. With a theater and festival background, I know that many of us come together to organize.

And now I wonder how to encourage more to participate in such actions. After all, we need the beauty and emotions right alongside the legalize and science.

I give huge credit to Carra for including my artistry at the beginning and a chance for the youth to express with by painting a banner with 350PDX at the end.

Group of 9-10 Weavers coming up with an idea to answer a specific climate question.

Work Together in Community

At the end of my presentation, I used two pages from my How on Earth? reality tv show pitch deck to lead an exercise with the youth.

Inside the deck, I have two examples of episodes to help producers, investors, execs, and the like visualize the story arch of each episode.

These pages worked great to help the youth imagine a wide range of potential solutions we can come up with when we tap into our various skill sets.

Starting with the first episode example, I introduced a protagonist, their type, and their question.

Then I shared the way I've imagined the 5 Earth Archetype Hosts offering solutions.

With the idea more clear in everyone's head, I introduced the second episode.

Then I asked each Earth Archetype group to brainstorm an idea representing their place in the spectrum.

What was super interesting to me is that 4 of the 5 centered their answers on holding some kind of community gathering.

Some key differences emerged -- like the Weavers mentioned making it a party with a potluck and such.

But it served as a good reminder for both me and the youth that our biases are strong even across the spectrum.

So when I showed them the examples I have the pitch deck, my hope is that it opened them up a bit more to think outside the box by leaning into their Earth Archetype.

In fact, the final slide I used to transition them into the remainder of the day was....

Wanna see the deck I used at the Youth Climate Summit?

Contact me to discuss what's possible!