“We shall not be overwhelmed.” ~Britt Wray with Unthinkable
Climate Cafés … reimagined!
This is your invitation to join our Climate Café Gatherings! These events offer a warm and supportive space to explore the feelings surrounding climate change, like grief and anxiety. Drawing on training from the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, we’ll guide inclusive conversations in a nurturing way. We hope you’ll join us! Climate Café Gatherings
Last Monday of the month, 6-7:30 pm Central on Zoom
Hot Times in the Heartland: A New Documentary
Exploring a local response to climate change in Kansas. Read more …
K.C. Area Nature-Connected Events
Embrace Kansas City’s wild side – join our nature-inspired gatherings today and connect with fellow nature enthusiasts. Click for upcoming events.
Four Steps for a Resilient Life
Schedule a private Four Steps for a Resilient Life Workshop for your organization, association, or cause.
Three Important Research Studies
Four Steps for a Resilient Life: Research Results from a Novel 6-Hour Workshop
Mindfulness and Resilience Training for Climate Activists: Pilot Data from a Novel 9-Week Curriculum
Join Us!
- 3rd Tuesdays every month 7:30 pm CT – join in for our JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Book Club!
- KC Area friends, join our upcoming Nature Connected events!
New On the Blog
- Promoting Well-Being and Community Through Action for Happiness by Naomi Latini Wolfe
- Four Steps for a Resilient Life: a simple guide to set intention in your life as an environmental activist by Indigo Gilmore
- Stories of Hope in our Changing Climate, a compilation of our most hopeful and uplifting blog posts
- Climate Activists and Psychological Distress by Sami Aaron
Learn more with our Media Kit
Participate!
We’d love to have you join us at our upcoming events.
Join Climate Action KC for their 4th Annual Climate Summit!
The Resilient Activist will be there on Saturday, April 5, 2025 from 1-5 PM for the Summit at Unity Temple on the Plaza in Kansas City, MOJoin climate leaders from across sectors and across the region. We will celebrate good work, measure progress and recommit ourselves to the work that remains. This fourth CAKC Summit in 2025 presented by Black & Veatch marks a fresh milestone toward our regional goals leading to a Net Zero region by 2050. There is no time more pressing than now to capitalize on local momentum, and line out new strategies for greater collaboration and efficiency.
The Summit is a chance to build resolve, to learn from one another, and to set our collective sights on future progress. Join us!
Keynote Speaker: Molly Kawahata Register and learn more here: Climate Action Summit – Climate Action KC
Bluebell Valley Walk: A Springtime Hike to Reconnect and Renew 💙
Date: Sunday April 13, 2025
12600 E 98 St, Kansas City, MO 64138
Join us for our April Nature-Connected Event, a rejuvenating springtime walk through one of Kansas City’s most beautiful and serene landscapes—Bluebell Valley, located just off the Rock Island Trailhead. This rich, vibrant bottomland along the Little Blue River comes alive each spring, blanketed with the delicate hues of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and other stunning spring ephemerals. It’s a breathtaking celebration of nature’s renewal and the return of warmer days.
This walk offers more than just a scenic route—it’s an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with nature, and restore your own sense of balance and peace. We’ll take our time to enjoy the beauty around us, appreciating the wildflowers, the sounds of the river, and the quiet serenity that this area provides.
Highlights for the Walk
While the trail along the river is mostly flat, there is one short, steeper hill on the way down from the Rock Island Trail. Be prepared with sturdy shoes that can handle a little mud, and leave your worries behind as you engage fully with the natural world around you.
After the walk, take some time to reflect, chat with fellow participants, and absorb the peace of the surroundings. It’s not just a walk—it’s a chance to deepen your connection to nature, cultivate resilience in the face of life’s challenges, and foster a sense of community.
Details:
Location: Rock Island Trailhead, Bluebell Valley
Distance: Short but meaningful (with time to linger and connect)
Footwear: Sturdy shoes suitable for mud and uneven terrain
For more information or any questions, please contact Anna Graether at anna@theresilientactivist.org.
We hope to see you there for a walk that will nourish your spirit and deepen your connection to the natural world.
Why Nature-Connection is Important 🍄🟫
We *are* nature but our culture and lifestyle can separate from our connection with our environment. Re-establishing our sense of awareness and belonging in nature by breaking down barriers and spending more time outdoors helps each of us in different ways. It can reduce anxiety and depression, improve physical health, inspire creativity, improve clarity of thought, facilitate problem-solving, and help us gain perspective.
In a society where loneliness is an epidemic, rediscovering our sense of belonging within nature can help us feel a little less adrift and provide comfort when relationships with others fall short.
Walk Leader
This event is led by Anna Graether, a dedicated The Resilient Activist board member who will guide you through this immersive experience, sharing her knowledge and appreciation of the land, its history, and its healing power. Whether you’re new to the area or a seasoned local, this walk offers a fresh perspective on the beauty of Kansas City’s spring landscape and provides the perfect opportunity to pause, breathe, and simply be present.
Photo Credit: Phoebe Lyn Pinkner
For our April 15th JEDI Book Club, we will be reading The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
To register, click here to email Anne Melia, JEDI Book Club organizer.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world.
As indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most?
Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love.
Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”
Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world.” The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.”
“Hot Times in the Heartland” Showing at K-State
“Hot Times in the Heartland” Showing at K-StateDate: April 17th, 2025
Time: Doors open at 5:45 PM, Film starts at 6:30 PM
Location: K-State Olathe Campus
22201 W. Innovation Dr, Olathe, Kansas 66061
On Thursday, April 17th, bring your friends, family, and fellow conservationists to join us for a viewing of the PBS documentary, “Hot Times in the Heartland,” exploring the effects of climate change in Kansas. This FREE event will be held at the K-State Olathe campus, 22201 W. Innovation Dr, Olathe, Kansas 66061
Doors open at 5:45pm, the film starts at 6:30pm. Afterwards, stay for the Q & A session with panelists who took part in the making of the film, including our founder, Sami Aaron! Hosted by the Johnson County/K-State Research and Extension Master Naturalists. Produced by Prairie Hollow Productions.
Have questions? Email jfouquet76@gmail.com. We hope to see you there!
Grounding in the Garden: Exploring A Deeper Connection to the Natural World 🌎
Date & Time: Sat. April 19th 8-9 am
Location: Sow Wild Natives
6201 Noland Rd
Kansas City, MO 64133
Are you being called to deepen your connection to the vibrant symphony of nature?
This year we’d like to offer you the opportunity to relax outside and connect with nature! Sow Wild Natives will be opening their grounds early the 3rd Saturday, April – October, to give you a chance to explore or just be with nature.
In this April event, founder of The Resilient Activist Sami Aaron will guide you through simple, yet powerful practices to cultivate a lasting bond with nature, fostering resilience and inner calm.
Join her at Sow Wild Natives and discover effortless, transformative ways to amplify your connection to the Earth.
Prepare to awaken your senses and rediscover the wild within.
This event will give you methods and tips to use on your own, in your own garden, in nature, and again at Sow Wild Natives.
- Bring a folding chair or blanket to sit comfortably on the ground, sunscreen or hat
- Arrive a few minutes early to settle in right at 8am
Following the April event, Sow Wild Natives will open their grounds early, at 8:30am every 3rd Saturday, May – October, to give people time to connect to nature before nursery sales operations open at 9am.
If you’re not a morning person, or can’t make it Saturday mornings, you’re always welcome to explore and reflect in our gardens during normal business hours, Friday and Saturday 9am-4pm April – June, and 1st and 3rd Friday and Saturday 9am-4pm July – October.
Join us for this morning of peaceful reflection, hands-on learning, and community-building in the heart of nature. Come ready to reconnect, reawaken, and leave with the knowledge and inspiration to create a deeper, more sustainable relationship with the world around you.
The Resilient Activist supports our friends at Missouri Organic for their fourth annual Compost Fest.
Missouri Organic Recycling & Open Petal Farms are hosting this educational and family fun event at Johnson County Community College.
Stop in to learn how to turn your food scraps into “black gold” for your garden. Music from Stan Slaughter, David Haken, and Eco-Elvis.
See a giant compost pile created during the festival, Johnson Su Bioreactors, Earthworm Composting, Black Soldier Fly Composting, Backyard composting, tour the Johnson County Large Compost tumbler and more! Vendors will be on site to educate and sell garden/compost related items including plant starts.
This event is hosted by Johnson County Community College Sustainability Project and Missouri Organic Recycling. Stop in to learn how to turn your food scraps into “black gold” soils, grow healthy foods, and have FUN! There will be music from Stan Slaughter, David Hakan and Eco Elvis!
The goals of these events are:
- Visit educational booths from cities, counties, regional non-profits and local businesses
- Vendors will be on site to educate and sell garden and compost related items.
- Native plants, vegetable seeds, and starts will be available for purchase.
- Workshops and performances to be announced.
These events are free to all attendees!
Embodied Knowledges at Work: Exercising Indigeneity,
Indigenous Wisdom Essential for Responses to the Climate Crisis
Saturday, April 26 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.
Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, Auditorium,
4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO
Join The Resilient Activist Community and The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council for Kansas City’s Earth Festival workshop, “Embodied Knowledges at Work: Exercising Indigeneity, Indigenous Wisdom Essential for Responses to the Climate Crisis”
The workshop will discuss Indigeneity: Indigenous ingenuity and wisdom derived from millennia of careful mindfulness and attentiveness to place, and the recognition that the land, water, air, and all life on this Mother Earth are relatives not resources. The workshop will explore how this indigenous wisdom is essential for resilient responses to the climate crisis.
The program will include presentations by Dr. Daniel Wildcat, small group discussions, and reports from small groups. Attendees will be able to visit tables with information about ways to be involved with local environmental and climate organizations before and after the workshop.
Dr. Daniel Wildcat (Yuchi, Muscogee) is a faculty member in the Indigenous and American Indian Studies program at Haskell Indian Nations University. He currently leads the NSF- funded Rising Voices, Changing Coasts Hub at Haskell. He is the author and editor of several books, including: Red Alert! Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge and On Indigenuity: Learning the Lessons of Mother Earth.
This workshop is a part of the Climate Council of GKC’s Earth Fest 2025. For all Festival events visit us ONLINE: https://climategkc.org/EF25
We thank the following groups for cosponsoring this workshop:
- MO Department of Conservation’s Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center
- Climate Council of GKC
- The Resilient Activist
- Sustainable Sanctuary
- Heartland Conservation Alliance
- Kansas City Indian Center
- Bridging the Gap
The program will include presentations by Dr. Daniel Wildcat, small group discussions, and reports from small groups.
Dr. Daniel Wildcat (Yuchi, Muscogee) is a distinguished professor at Haskell Indian Nations University and is a faculty member in the American Indian studies program.
He currently leads the NSF- funded Rising Voices, Changing Coasts Hub at Haskell. Dr. Daniel Wildcat is the author and editor of several books, including: Red Alert! Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge and On Indigeneity: Learning the Lessons of Mother Earth.
Overwhelmed by Climate Change?
You’re Not Alone.
Spring brings with it a season of renewal and growth, a time when the earth awakens and we, too, find new energy to rise and reconnect. As the world around us blooms, we come together to nurture our planet and one another. This shared space of community empowers us to cultivate strength, vision, and hope for a more vibrant and equitable future. Together, we transform these simple gatherings into powerful forces for positive change, allowing resilience to grow and flourish in our hearts and the world around us.
The Resilient Activist Climate Café Gatherings offer a valuable opportunity to connect with a community that gets you, fill your cup, and gain resilience insights. Our community is full of folks who are experiencing many of the emotions that climate change has brought out in your heart and mind.
Running for about 90 minutes, our Climate Café Gatherings include an introspective meditation, invitation to the topic of the evening (i.e., burnout, isolation, nature connection, etc.), breakout room conversations, and an ending group discussion.
There is nothing for you to commit to except to gather your favorite beverage, a journal, find a comfortable spot with your Zoom window open, and just be you.
Each session includes facilitators from The Resilient Activist as well as a Climate-Aware Therapist to guide the conversations in ways that are supportive and nurturing.
Register here for our April Climate Café Gathering.
We’re committed to keeping our Climate Café Gatherings free for everyone. If you’re able to contribute, your generous donation to The Resilient Activist will help us ensure this vital program remains accessible to all.
Here are some musings from past participants:
“Each time I attend a Climate Café, I feel more connected to others, knowing that our communal love for Mother Earth is so strong and enduring. I come away more grounded, knowing that in the midst of so much chaos, there is compassion, care, and action for all living creatures.”
“Community support is vital for dealing with anxiety around environmental issues. I’m so happy TRA has facilitated discussions like tonight’s Climate Cafe’ and look forward to future conversations.”
“I faced my problem, now I can work on it. This is huge.”
“If you are looking for like minded people who are working in a positive way toward goals for climate advocacy, this is your group!”
KC Farm School Work Day: A Morning of Gardening & Community 🌻
Date: Saturday May 3, 2025
4223 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS
Join The Resilient Activist and the staff of KC Farm School for this work day event. Depending on weather, we’ll help with planting annuals or work in the greenhouse transplanting seedlings. Wear clothes that can get dirty (layers are recommended), bring some water and get ready to enjoy working as a community!
KC Farm School
“KC Farm School at Gibbs Road, established in 2018, is a 14.5-acre urban farm in southern Wyandotte County bringing the community on-farm, hands-on to connect to land and soil, food community and opportunity. Through educational opportunity and equitable access to local food for all, we create tomorrow better than today in our shared communities across KC. Our food and programming are always Pay What You’re Able. When we all share as we’re able, we all have what we need. The Farm School at Gibbs Road Inc., doing business as KC Farm School at Gibbs Road, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.”
Highlights for the Day
Highlights for the DayDepending on the weather during our work day we could be inside of the Greenhouse or working outside in the sun. Be prepared with sturdy shoes that can handle a little mud, layers are a good idea as the greenhouse can heat up quick.
If it’s your first time at the Farm set aside some time after to take a tour of their beautiful and extensive plot. If you’re lucky enough someone from the Farm School might be able to give you a guided tour with history of the land and their plans for the future.
Why Nature-Connection is Important 🍄🟫
We *are* nature but our culture and lifestyle can separate from our connection with our environment. Re-establishing our sense of awareness and belonging in nature by breaking down barriers and spending more time outdoors helps each of us in different ways. It can reduce anxiety and depression, improve physical health, inspire creativity, improve clarity of thought, facilitate problem-solving, and help us gain perspective.
In a society where loneliness is an epidemic, rediscovering our sense of belonging within nature can help us feel a little less adrift and provide comfort when relationships with others fall short.
Work Day Leader
This event is led by Sarah Mayerhofer, a board member of The Resilient Activist, Sustainability Consultant, and aspiring homesteader. She focuses on addressing climate change through education on food waste and composting, collaborating with nonprofits that are making a difference in the community, and inspiring individuals to make small, impactful changes in their lives for the environment.
Photo Credits: Sarah Mayerhofer
Overwhelmed by Climate Change?
You’re Not Alone.
In times of political instability and uncertainty about the future, our Climate Café Gatherings offer the opportunity to express your emotional experience, connect with a community that gets you, and gain resilience insights to support your activist journey. Our community is full of folks experiencing many of the same emotions that the climate crisis has brought out in your heart and mind.
Together, we cultivate strength as a united community of #ResilientActivists, empowered to create the change we wish to see in our world. Our shared mission transforms these simple gatherings into powerful forces for renewal.
Running for about 90 minutes, our Climate Café Gatherings include an introspective meditation, invitation to the topic of the evening (i.e., burnout, isolation, nature connection, etc.), breakout room conversations, and an ending group discussion.
There is nothing for you to commit to except to gather your favorite beverage, a journal, find a comfortable spot with your Zoom window open, and just be you.
Each session includes facilitators from The Resilient Activist as well as a Climate-Aware Therapist to guide the conversations in ways that are supportive and nurturing.
Want to see our Climate Café Gatherings flourish and expand? Your donation, if you’re able, empowers us to grow and reach even more people. Support The Resilient Activist today!
Register here for our May Climate Café Gathering.
Here are some musings from past participants:
“Each time I attend a Climate Café, I feel more connected to others, knowing that our communal love for Mother Earth is so strong and enduring. I come away more grounded, knowing that in the midst of so much chaos, there is compassion, care, and action for all living creatures.”
“Community support is vital for dealing with anxiety around environmental issues. I’m so happy TRA has facilitated discussions like tonight’s Climate Cafe’ and look forward to future conversations.”
“I faced my problem, now I can work on it. This is huge.”
“If you are looking for like minded people who are working in a positive way toward goals for climate advocacy, this is your group!”
Speakers Bureau Presentations
The Resilient Activist’s Speakers Bureau offers educational and inspiring presentations and workshops designed to help audiences better understand how they can be a part of creating a healthier planet in ways that also support our well-being. Check out our Speakers Bureau Presentations page for a detailed list of topics.
Thich Nhat Hanh, The Sun, My HeartThe best way to take care of the environment is to take care of the environmentalist.
“Activism is the art of taking action to support, nurture, and protect what we hold dear.” ~The Resilient Activist