“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.
Becoming A Resilient Activist: Self Care in the Polycrisis 🐛
Date & Time: March 28, 7 PM
Location: First Presbyterian Church
2415 Clinton Parkway, Lawrence Kansas
In a time when the world seems to be unraveling under the weight of multiple overlapping crises, it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves. Join Sami Aaron, Founder and Executive Director of The Resilient Activist, for an evening focused on self-care and resilience during the age of the Polycrisis. Sami will explore the emotional and mental toll of living through interconnected crises, such as climate change, social justice issues, and environmental degradation—and how we can maintain our well-being and sense of hope despite the overwhelming challenges.
This event, hosted by the Sustainability Action Network, is a unique opportunity to learn strategies for self-care, mindfulness, and emotional resilience in these turbulent times. Whether you are an activist, concerned citizen, or simply someone feeling the weight of global challenges, this presentation will offer you practical tools to stay grounded and resilient.
The evening will kick off with a potluck dinner at 6:00 PM, where we invite you to join our community for food, conversation, and connection. Bring a dish to share, and come prepared for a relaxed, informal time to meet fellow attendees and engage in thoughtful dialogue about sustainability and resilience. The presentation will begin at approximately 7:00 PM, where Sami will dive into how we can build emotional resilience while facing the stresses of the world today.
In preparation for the event, Michael has recommended reading the first two chapters of “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate” by Naomi Klein. This will provide insight into the concept of selective degrowth, a potential solution to the ecological overshoot we are facing. However, as The Resilient Activist emphasizes, addressing these systemic issues requires more than just structural change—it also calls for a psychological reevaluation of our role in society. Through TRA’s programs and community, we support this deep, necessary shift in mindset, encouraging us to care for ourselves so we can continue to care for the planet.
Don’t miss this chance to learn how to care for yourself in a time of crisis, connect with like-minded individuals, and build resilience together!
Liminal Spaces: Finding Your Footing in Today’s World 👣
Grab Your Tickets Here! (Registration Deadline March 26)
In this pivotal moment, many of us working at the intersection of climate change and environmental justice are facing an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. The security of our jobs, the sustainability of our funding, and the future of our work all seem increasingly precarious. Some have already felt the sharp sting of layoffs and program cuts, and the ripple effects of these losses reverberate throughout our communities. These challenges are particularly hard on lower-income families, immigrant communities, and marginalized groups, where policies and economic pressures hit hardest.
If you’ve been feeling like you’ve lost your footing, you are not alone. The weight of these ongoing struggles is felt deeply by so many, and it’s easy to feel isolated or uncertain about the path forward. That’s why it is more important than ever to connect with others who understand the complexity of these emotions and experiences.
To provide a space for healing, reflection, and community, The Resilient Activist is partnering with MARC and the Greater Kansas City Area Environmental Justice Community to host a transformative, day-long retreat.
This retreat is designed to be a sanctuary—a place where you can step away from the chaos and pressures of daily life and come together with like-minded individuals who share your commitment to environmental justice.
During this retreat, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in restorative practices, mindfulness exercises, and open discussions that will help you navigate the emotional and professional uncertainties that many of us are facing. Together, we’ll explore how to ground ourselves in times of upheaval and rediscover our sense of purpose and direction in the work we do.
We invite you to join us and find the strength, solidarity, and clarity we all need to keep moving forward. Together, we can weather this storm and continue the fight for a more just and sustainable world.
About The Resilient Activist ✨
The Resilient Activist is built on the belief that a sustainable planet begins with empowered, resilient activists. By addressing the emotional toll of eco-anxiety, environmental grief, and burnout, The Resilient Activist equips individuals with tools to find joy, hope, and connection through community-building, nature-based practices, and mindfulness.
What We Do
We offer uplifting and nurturing community-building activities, articles, stories, and programs to reduce the immense overwhelm and burnout many experience in these unprecedented times.
For our presentations, workshops, and community gatherings, view our list of Services.
Resilience grows from community.
As spring draws near, we cultivate strength and direction, nurturing our planet and each other. Our shared mission transforms these simple gatherings into powerful forces for renewal.
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, topic introduction (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 March 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!”
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, MO
To support the work of Regional Climate Action, CAKC hosts an annual Climate Summit to celebrate successes, vision towards the future, and prioritize regional opportunities with the Kansas City metro area community. This is one of the cities biggest climate conferences, with multiple workshops, speakers, and opportunities to connect with other
Join 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!
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
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 8:00.
Have you ever felt like you’re living on mute, disconnected from the vibrant symphony of the wild? In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose touch with the natural beauty that surrounds us. Join Sami Aaron, founder of The Resilient Activist, for an immersive experience in reconnecting with the Earth, fostering resilience, and finding inner calm. Sami will guide you through simple, yet powerful practices to cultivate a deeper bond with nature.
In collaboration with Sow Wild Natives, we are embracing the power of native plants as part of this transformative journey. Native plants are not just beautiful—they are vital to creating healthy ecosystems, supporting local wildlife, and enhancing biodiversity. By planting and nurturing native species, we are contributing to the restoration of the natural balance and fostering resilience in our environment. This shared mission aligns perfectly with The Resilient Activist’s commitment to building both personal and collective resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
At the enchanting Sow Wild Natives site, you’ll discover the incredible value of incorporating native plants into your environment and learn how they play a crucial role in combating climate change and preserving our natural heritage. Together, we’ll explore effortless, transformative ways to amplify your connection to the Earth, awakening your senses, and rediscovering the wild within.
Why are native plants so important to our planet and biodiversity? Sow Native Wilds can help explain their important through numerous resources and workshops. They are a fantastic resource for everything native plants.
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!
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