Climate of Emotions Day 2 RADICAL REIMAGINING

We invite you to an interactive session filled with story telling, poetry and visual art to explore the connection between our emotions, nature and social change. Get inspired by four amazing activists from South Africa who will share their experiences in the field of climate change and GBV (gender based violence).

The session is facilitated by four climate activists from different parts of South Africa.

Betty Tjatji (16), a climate activist residing in Cape Town who organized different climate awareness raising events and green schooling projects, incl petitions, protests and community mobilization. Her special interest lies in the connection between GBV and different environmental factors.

Ntsikayethu Nikelo (16), a climate activist from the Western Cape with a keen interest in climate justice. Ntsikayethu is a member of ACA (African Climate Alliance), CRIN Youth Advisory board and a self turned vegetarian (all part of her efforts towards climate action).

Nomfundo Mkhaba (34), an environmental activist from Kwa Zulu-Natal with a keen interest in environmental justice. She has facilitated and developed advovacy and awareness programs around climate change. She also participated in policy review mechanism programs with the intention to shift narratives around youth in policy decision making processes.

Bradley Onverwacht (17), a Human Rights activist from the Western Cape and member of the Youth Against the System (YAS) movement in Cape Town. Bradley has attended many climate change protests and was the president of the Africa Unite School Club at Rosendaal High. 

In the last four years, we have lost men and women of color to cultural adversity, starting with George Floyd to the recent murders of Soon C Park in Atlanta. Part of the problem persists in a lack of awareness and lack of understanding regarding people of color’s experiences. Our session will create an environment where we can adequately identify emotions and provide strategies for coping and overcoming the status quo. We want to encourage people of color to be honest about how they feel; they’re also able to identify their emotions targeted with stereotypes. Dr. Greenberg and I will continue to create strategies for minorities to utilize emotional brilliance in the workplace and personal life.

Facilitators

Ayana Brody Parham’s also known as Coach Ham, is the CEO and founder of Parham & Associates. An executive firm specializing in Emotional Intelligence for aspiring leaders of color. We are committed to providing an educational program that will benefit employees by improving cultural performance and efficiency. As a young black law enforcement professional, Ayana has experienced and practiced emotional intelligence in the face of adversity. Her charisma, communication, and commitment to achieving outstanding results for her clients make her one of the most sought-after executives and leadership coaches in the National Capital Region. 

This Co Lab will highlight the value of Emotional Intelligence in environmental education. With better education about the role and importance of birds, and how improving the lives of birds benefits our lives, we can change our behaviors to better support and live alongside our bird populations. We will explore how our humanity is defined through our connection with what is not human. How true empathy connects us through our emotions with the natural world we are part of. The exploration will use different tools: playful creating, body awareness and drawing. These tools will be presented by a combination of experts from the field and young presenters aged 9-19, who will facilitate a space for the participants to actively learn and have fun.

About the Facilitators

Nan Summers, MBA: specialist in multigenerational, multisector community partnerships. Founder of the ReNewAbility resilient design process. Site host for NexusEQ 2004 conference, originator of Disney’s Epcot Center 18-month Crayola Dreammakers “”Earth, Sea and Sky”” program. Certified in: inaugural American Society of Adaptation Professionals “”Adapting to a Changing Gulf Region””, FWC Flying Wild, Aquatic Wild, Growing Up Wild and Project Wild. Advisory Board member of the National Center for Integrated Coastal Research. University of Florida Sustainable Communities faculty and University of Central Florida Environmental Studies community partner. International WELL Building Institute Health Equity Advisory.

Beth Offenbacker, PhD, certified ICF coach. Experience and expertise working with scientific and technical professionals and organizations to advance sustainability outcomes through talent development and performance management. Beth connects EQ with nature-based experiences as a doorway for clients to access their emotions, develop emotional literacy, and foster self-awareness. Senior VP at MDL Partners, advising senior executives on career management. Partner at Supertrends Institute, focused on the future of “green.” Volunteer Director of Training & Development for the global nonprofit Leaders in Energy. Former faculty member at a top research university. International, national, regional, and local experience.

Christoph Stein, certified ICF coach working with both individuals and teams, trained ontological coach using different tools such as neuro-linguistic programming and emotional intelligence. Keen interest in relationship of Emotions and Nature and certified Shinrin-Yoku coach. He provides coaching, consulting, and training services in the environmental and sustainability sector. Former Director of the WWF Mediterranean Capacity Building Office in Barcelona, with 20+ years of successful collaboration with an extensive range of public institutions, private sector companies, government agencies, local authorities, numerous Civil Society Organisations, and grass-roots community groups. Christoph has lived in several countries and is fluent in five languages.

David Carr, MFA, educator and freelance artist specializing in Digital media. As the son of an English missionary he underwent the rigors of life in poor and politically unstable African countries. From a very early age he encountered disruptions in his personal life having been twice adopted and then sent to boarding school at 4 ½ years of age. These experiences helped develop the resilience, personal confidence and strength that drive his commitment to a healthy planet. He focuses on guiding the next generation to be responsible ambassadors for sustainability and is a strong activist for sustainability across the globe.

The session will give voice to people from very different backgrounds:
▪ Eric Sweetman, professional artist and Walt Disney World Entertainment lead
▪ Hannady Halaby, UCF recent graduate with a B.S in Environmental Studies and Statistics Minor, with experience managing multi-sector, community events. Currently serving on the Florida US Green Building Council Market Leadership Advisory Board.
▪ Shannon Stratman, UCF Environmental Studies senior with curriculum design community engagement focus. Current middle school teaching assistant.
▪ David Carr’s students at the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences, who will share the cards they create (see description below)
▪ Becky and Abby Johnson, parent and Girl Scout troop leader (Becky) and Abby, 9-year old creator of bird hero trading card program
▪ Tai Chi teacher Dr. Jessica Lipham, holistic physician
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In our modern world, we easily lose track of what is important to us and spend our energy pursuing the urgent rather than the valuable. This workshop is your chance to “radically reimagine” what’s possible on your path.

Our time together will be part heart, part art and part “choose your own adventure.” The session’s guiding metaphor will be the Buddhist Oxherding series – a pictorial parable of a seeker in search of their lost bull (enlightenment). Using the Zen paintings as storyboards, you will set out on your own journey. Rather than retrace the steps of the traditional series, you will tap into your core values and arrange the paintings to tell your tale.

In line with the Day 2 theme, you will connect with your heart, your future vision, and other seekers. You will leave with renewed appreciation, inspiration, and motivation to take the next steps on your path.

Facilitators

Peter Hoover is a Certified EQ Practitioner, Assessor, and Educator, as well as a Certified EQ Facilitator. Throughout his 20’s, he traveled the world studying philosophy, literature, and culture, especially in Germany and Japan. At the end of these travels, his interests took a scientific turn and for several years he taught high school biology in Ohio. The empathic, investigative, and teaching skills he learned provide a rich foundation for his current role at Appleseed EQ (www.appleseedeq.com). As Lead Emotional Intelligence Consultant, Peter works with individuals, schools, and organizations to provide EQ tools that transform individuals and uplift communities. His mission is to promote connection, awareness, and empathy in action.

Anisa Zafar was born and lived in Iran for first 17 years of her life, where she attended the painting school for 5 years. At the age of 18, she moved to Italy, where she had the opportunity to benefit painting lessons from great masters, and experienced working with different material and different styles. She started the path of meditation in 2014 in Italy and from that point on, her style changed to Intuition-Spiritual and Expressiveness. For her each painting, has a story and it is an inner journey toward healing. She teaches passionately meditation, Resilience building, and intuitive painting in Treeoflife (www.treeoflifeguru.com), using spiritual teaching and also her knowledge as a coach. In her sessions one can enjoy meditation, relax, connect to her heart and let the life energy and intuition force flow through body. Her purpose is to help women to improve their energy level, to be more joyful and have a balance life and so they can enjoy better relationships and better quality of life. She believes that this process of creation, is one of the best healers and one can enjoy the inner discovery and self healing and let the soul emerge.”

Earth Rhythms is a radical reimagining of what it means to live life connected with the cyclical rhythm of nature.

A space to begin learning what pleasure and generative forces exist beyond the pathology of productivity as we slow down enough to pay attention the beauty of the world around us. A sanctuary of sorts for you to show up exactly how you are; tired, alive, grieving, joyful.

This session will be a combination of embodiment/somatic practices, nature connection, ritual and enquiry to support us explore the practices that help us find deeper connection to the living world around us as we touch on pathways that might lead us towards post-colonial, post-growth and post-capitalist ways of being in relationship with ourselves, each other and the world.

Facilitator

Alana is a facilitator, performance artist, regenerative practitioner and activist creating nourishing spaces that explore what it means to live life deeply connected to the rhythm of the Earth. She’s passionate about the connection between inner led change, systems thinking, nature connection and deep ecology and currently using regenerative cyclical living as a practice to learn and educate about cultural patterns including capitalism, consumerism, extractivism and colonialism that have led us towards climate breakdown, ecosystem collapse and mass extinction. Her work is an exploration of how we can make the radical shifts towards cultural healing and regenerative practices before it’s too late.

The participants will look at narrated nature photos as the presenter asks questions to assist them to gain awareness of what they are thinking and feeling. Take pictures and discuss ways to enhance creative insights. Learn how to find answers to questions in the pictures they see and learn ways to be more creative when taking pictures. Look at the world more closely to find meaning in the images all around and will gain awareness of emotions and a renewed appreciation of nature. Participants will look at their own pictures as a greater means of inspiration, feel inspired to explore the natural world and take pictures from different perspectives and feel more fulfilled on a daily basis by enjoying what they see and feel.

Facilitator

Melissa Miller is the creator of Wild In Sight; a creative and strategic look into photography and the experience of becoming aware of what we see and making the connection to our own wild insight. Melissa completed a Master of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership at Buffalo State College and she is a certified Erickson Professional Coach.

This session will teach participants how to stretch all of their senses to experience nature and how to become intimately aware of the natural world in our own back yards.

• We will learn techniques for ‘seeing’ and enlivening the senses in nature
• We will learn about how to become invisible in nature
• We will find and name species of plants or animals in our own back yards
• We will learn how stories help is learn more about nature than guide books and make up our own

Facilitator

Rhett Godfrey is public speaker, published author, outdoor educator, and thought leader in social impact and coalition building. Rhett has taught wilderness skills to elementary age children in New York’s Central Park for over five years and leads adult outdoor education around the NYC area with a focus on wild edible and medicinal plants.

Originally developed as a powerful resourcing tool for environmental activists, the Work That Reconnects is a system of theory, processes and rituals, which offer the gift of space to develop key insights into how the inhabitants of the beautiful Earth can come together and support a truly life-sustaining shift in our hearts and minds.

In workshops, participants are able to reconnect with their inner wisdom, humanity and innate sense of belonging, with a series of experiential activities like role-play, guided meditations, movement, free writing, and interactive games and processes.

Facilitators

Shayontoni Rhea Ghosh – is a facilitator, theatre-maker, and writer based in India. Lover of oceans, silence, resistance, ritual and love. Living with C-PTSD, and thriving.

Gwyneth Jones hails from rural North Wales, and currently lives in the Czech Republic. She helps people renew their connection to themselves, each other and to nature.

Humanity has always been seeking more. Wanting to live more fully. Hoping to fulfill more needs. Reaching greater heights. Even after achieving so much, we see a void. We see loneliness. We see the need to want more.

What if you reverse the lens? What if you stop seeking growth on the outside? What if you stop seeking more?

In this conversation, through mindfulness practice and a conversation around what we really need, we will propel the thought of Minimalistic Mindful Living to help the earth sustain exponential human growth.

Participants will go away feeling –
1. More connected to their deeper selves and with each other
2. One thing they can do to create more balance
3. Joy and Happiness

Facilitator

Utkarsh Narang, an ICF-certified Executive Coach and Life Skill Facilitator, brings in 15 years of work experience across healthcare, technology and startup world, having led teams in India and the US. He is the founder of IgnitedNeurons and on a mission to inspire & ignite the spark within.

Through the chaos and ups & downs of life, he has figured out that the only way to achieve more is to seek something on the inside. The only way out is within.

Creativity is a natural instinct which in today’s world is underestimated. Creativity thrives on a barrier free imaginative space which gives access to our playful side.

‘Play’ being our natural resource makes human curious and supports our mindset to flex and transcend the stuckedness. The turmoil we feel when we find ourselves in cyclone of emotions. Join us for an immersive, creative and artful experience to explore:

How can we access our playful side to navigate through the turbulence by acknowledging our emotions and using them to feel powerful, resourceful , safe and more in control?

How can these emotions be more meaningful and become a compass for the future of tomorrow?

Facilitators

Ellora Rath: A Diversity and Inclusion enthusiast with the belief that everyone is unique in own ways. Ellora’s interest lies in building an inclusive culture by utilising creative methods to drive behavioural change. Her interest in Positive psychology and mindfulness-based practices inspire her with the idea that open expression of feelings and emotions can have profound impact on the overall well-being. A keen follower of Carl Jung, she is motivated to use it towards healing and transformation. As a student of Intermodal Expressive arts, she wishes to create safe space for communities to explore possibilities, belongingness, meaningful connections and fulfilling way of living.

Adi Raheja: A wanderer and adventurer at heart, Adi is passionate about working with people and his true happiness comes from contributing to growth and development. An inclusion enthusiast, all his interventions are blended with other tools and objective requirements aimed towards inculcating an inclusive mindset. An ardent follower of Jung’s work , creative work motivates him to give his best. He believes in Zen philosophy of oneness and the blended approach of interdisciplinary humanistic philosophies as the core of his work leads to the path of homecoming to own self leading to mental and emotional well-being, compassionate and purposeful culture.