College Center Crozier-Williams, Susan E. Lynch 1962 Room West

Join us for the launch of Seeding Change, a new collaboration between the Office of Sustainability and the Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement at Connecticut College. Our inaugural event scheduled on October 14th, 2025, will bring guest speaker Dr. Sarah Jaquette Ray to Connecticut College. Dr. Ray is professor and chair of the Environmental Studies Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety and co-editor of The Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators.As an environmental humanist with a BA in Religious Studies from Swarthmore College, an M.A. in American Studies from UT-Austin, and a PhD in Environmental Sciences, Studies and Policy from the University of Oregon, Dr. Ray draws on an eclectic range of disciplines and epistemologies in service of climate justice and healing. Working at the intersection of social justice and climate emotions, particularly among youth activists and in higher education, Ray offers critical insight into how we can navigate the emotional terrain of the climate crisis with clarity, justice, and collective strength.Seeding Change is funded by the Diane Miller Bessell '59 Endowment for International Cooperation & Sustainable Development, and presented by the Office of Sustainability and the Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement, dedicated to advancing dialogue around sustainability, social justice, climate action, and global connection — through diverse formats including performance, conversation, and collective inquiry.Author Talk and Reception: From Eco-Anxiety to Empowerment: Cultivating Hope and Action for Climate Justice. Facing a future of compounding climate change disasters, many young people are organizing for action on climate change. Yet, it can be hard to deal with the feelings of powerlessness and despair that can accompany the hard work of social movements, especially when the adults in the room– parents, climate experts, and politicians– don't seem to be doing enough to protect the planet for future generations. We have the technological tools to address the climate crisis, but what are the emotional resources young people will need to put those tools into action, combat burnout, and even find purpose in building a world they desire? What will it take for all of us to bring our best selves to the long haul of climate justice work, in the face of so much degradation and suffering? Drawing on her book, A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet, Dr. Sarah Jaquette Ray will talk about the role of emotions in the youth climate movement.

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