Some friends of the Interfaith Climate Group asked me to spell out everything that is happening in Alachua County, and what role the other organizations play in the community-wide climate conversation-to-action program.
LOCAL ACTION – Alachua County, Florida
– Interfaith Climate Group – I’m organizing the monthly interfaith devotional and climate conversation that provides the spiritual foundation for the Florida Climate Conversation-to-Action Program. We have had people of other faiths participate. A goal is to include people of other faiths on the planning team.
– Former City Commissioner Helen Warren (United Church of Gainesville) and I have registered Team Interfaith Climate Group in a 90-Day Climate Action Challenge to plan the local action. In addition to the monthly Zoom devotional, we are planning live events at City and County Parks for the International Day of Peace in September, MLK month in Jan-Feb, and Earth Month in Mar-April.
– UF/IFAS – Jennison Kipp is the state coordinator of the Sustainable Floridians Program, which is currently active in three counties. In 2020-21 she adapted the award-winning program as a climate conversation-to-action program, incorporating my collaborative storytelling adventure. – Here is the course description. (Click View Details) – 40 people participated, about half of whom are in Alachua County. – Jennison asked me to invite the Baha’is of Florida to participate “because they seem to understand what this is about.”
– Here is the year-end Welcome to WE! Program in which participants told their own climate stories.
– Alachua County Public Schools
– I’m planning “Climate Collaboratory: The Musical” with the music and movement teacher at Caring and Sharing Charter School and director of Star Center Theatre. Harriet Stafford is on this committee, which meets every two weeks to plan activities for MLK World House in Jan-Feb and Earth Day in April
– I’m talking with district-level coordinators of technology teachers and media specialists about developing the children’s story and games, based on fully-developed programs such as Pacha’s Pajamas, Global Warming Express, Young Voices for the Planet and many more.
GLOBAL NETWORKS OF SUPPORT for the Climate Collaboratory
It takes people from local and global organizations working together to create the synergy for the collaborative storytelling adventure to come to life in Alachua County, as a demonstration center.
– We the World – lead organization, “unifying and amplifying the efforts of people, organizations and global movements working for the common good.”
- based in New York City, a UN NGO, working closely with people and programs at the UN.
- I’ve been volunteering with them for 3 years, and get a small monthly stipend.
- I co-host the monthly Welcome to WE! Show — which asks, What can WE do together that we can’t do on our own?
- They provide fiscal sponsorship for the Climate Collaboratory, a pilot project of We, the World and UF/IFAS.
- They provide technical support for social media and live stream broadcasts.
- They publish a quarterly magazine, TRENDS in Grassroots Organizing.
- Each year, We, the World hosts 11 Days of Global Unity from September 11 to the International Day of Peace on September 21
- I coordinate their Campaign for Environment and have a full day of activities for Sept 13 during 11 Days of Global Unity.
- On Thursday 9/9 at 6:00 I’ll be talking briefly about the Climate Collaboratory. Register Here
- On Monday 9/13 at 1:00 I’ll co-host a panel discussion on Educating for a Climate of Peace. Zoom Link
- On Monday 9/13 at 6:00 I’ll co-host an intergenerational storytelling adventure in the Gardens of Global Unity, where all things are possible. Zoom Link
– Tomorrow’s Dreamers – I lead this group of youth and elders who are developing the collaborative storytelling adventure, with games and activities for all ages. I met the Alvarez family on the global call for Earth Charter International’s 20th Anniversary last year. Adrian, Rebecca and Victoria (ages 13, 11 and 9) are leading the collaborative storytelling adventure on We, the World’s monthly live stream shows. Adrian was invited to ask a question of the UN Secretary-General for the International Day of Peace.
– Elders Action Network (EAN) – I have a speaker on a Sept 13 live stream broadcast, Educating for a Climate of Peace, talking about EAN programs to engage seniors in education and action for a sustainable future.
– Elders Climate Network – (a branch of EAN) – I’m co-leader of the Florida Chapter, with a team that meets weekly to support climate storytelling (individual true stories and collective fictional stories)
– MLK World House – I have talked with composer James Oliverio at UF about using his World House trumpet concerto and choral music in our community-wide program in Alachua County.
– In 2016 Jennison and I made a presentation to the MLK Commission of Florida (Rodney Long, President) to do the World House Climate Justice Conversation. The Interfaith Climate Group at that time (mainly me and a friend from the UU Fellowship) hosted three events. That was the foundation of the current program.
Other faith-based organizations
– I’ve had people from these organizations on We, the World’s live stream shows. They know what we’re doing and are willing to collaborate on future projects.
– Wilmette Institute –
– In 2020 the Interfaith Climate Group hosted a series of three devotional and climate conversations about the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
– WI has included several articles about the Climate Collaboratory in its newsletters.
– Baha’i Chair for World Peace
– GreenFaith – Amy Brooks, US Organizer, will be on the Sept 13 show on Educating for a Climate of Peace.
– Parliament of World’s Religions / Climate
A goal of the Climate Collaboratory is to offer webinars and courses (some for credit) from these organizations.
Spelling everything out like this helps me to see that the Interfaith Climate Group may need to be its own official organization to hire a project director — or two or three. Next step is to put all this into an organizational chart.