“Beauty is our origin and our anchor." -- Cole Arthur Riley

As I continue to integrate my experience at Hollywood Climate Summit and as LA erupts again and as I dive into the logistics of important activations coming up this fall, I wasn't quite sure where the connection point would be to this blog beyond HCS part 2 :). Then a colleague at the Oregon Humanities reminded me of the value of my "Science and Story of Awe" conversation project through the words of Cole. Read how it weaves through all 3 steps of the Reciprocity Cycle...

Acknowledge Earth Is Our Home

Los Angeles. What a city. Home to many ethnicities and neighborhoods. Home to 1 remaining wetland and urban sprawl. Home to community support and huge disparities. Home to Hollywood and Skid Row.

Home to fire damage being cleaned up in different ways. Altadena being cleared one house at a time with signs stating the crew and site. But perhaps more importantly signs that proudly claim that the neighborhood is not for sale -- even as corporate interests try to gobble up residential property. Pacific Palisades being guarded by police check points on many streets leading into the neighborhood. Evidence of the fire still plainly visible -- perhaps waiting for insurance claims to go through.

Home to beaches to sit and play on. And when I say that I got to chill on one for a couple hours on my day off between conferences, many instinctively ask which one and make a judgement of it's "worth." While my experience of it was a reminder of presence. How the softness of the sand, chill of the water, and constant roll of the waves beckoned me out of my head and into my body.

And then, unknown to me at the time, held an ICE raid on the day I flew out which has sparked protests, heavy militarization, and a divisive battle. As I write this, the issue of the protest has been lost. The brute force, untrustworthy images, and incendiary president all focus on escalation. Having lived in Portland during the George Floyd protests, I now the peaceful energy the community often shows up with. I know the militarized response. I know the exaggeration on the news.

How do we take a breath? How do we call this home?

From Cole Arthur Riley's "Black Liturgies" series.

Discover Your Earth Archetype

I love that one of the "panels" during Hollywood Climate Summit was a comedic mock trial. And as all the participants flooded the stage and edutained us for well over an hour, I found myself imagining each as their Earth Archetypes.

First we had the 4 experts. Networks and Molecules sharing the science of climate change -- in particular the effects of burning fossil fuels.

The "judge" weaved us together as a focal point and story summary at the judgement's end.

The 6 lawyers/comedians from opening remarks to Twinkies based evidence waffled between the Metaphors they are and the Networks they portrayed.

The court reporter/stage manager/HCS co-founder perfectly sat next to the ASL interpreters. All 4 of them dutifully capturing each word to translate to readers. Not quite sure what Earth Archetype matches these shared skills. What do you think?

And finally the audience! In theater, they play an essential role. In fact, we say that theater doesn't exist without them. So even though individually, we are a mix of all 5 types, in that role and for that moment, we sat, laughed, watched, and listened as an Embodied group.

I'm so excited to bring "How on Earth?" LIVE to the stage like this. Improvising our way through an outlined makeover story to bring life to a specific community's climate question.

"A reminder that we contain more than tragedy."

Want to bring it to your community? Reach out!

Work Together in Community

Of the many notes I took, pictures I snapped, and videos I shot, this one sticks out the most in my mind. The lessons in it. The progress made. The isolation. The building blocks. The societal forces. All compressed by Ad Net Zero and shared by Bill Wescott.

Ok. So I admit the details on the slide are hard to read, so let me help you. Basically, it's a summary of different angles we have tried over the decades to understand and act on climate change.

1970's to present -- Science

1980's to present -- Government

1990's to present -- Finance

2000's to present -- Technology

Now -- Behavior Change -- and who's good at that? Advertisers and Entertainers.

I love that this showcases the importance of us working together across different sectors. But even more, with the addition of the storytellers, the list finally starts including more of the full community of Earth Archetypes.

Science, Government, Finance, and Technology are all very heavy on the Molecule and Network side of the spectrum.

Advertisers and Entertainers bring in the Metaphors. Excited for us to also see more of the value that Embodiment and Weavers bring to the climate.

"Wonder is a liberation practice."