The Climate Shift: Action, Optimism & What Matters Now
Season 5: Episode 10
This is an edited version of the live Aug. 5 panel featuring all of the season five guests.
Take a break from your daily grind and join Climify host Eric Benson for an energizing conversation that redefines what it means to be hopeful in the face of the climate crisis. Featuring a dynamic panel of changemakers — Ann Therese Genari, Jenny Morgan, Kate O'Neil, Cate Mingoya-LaFortune, Cynthia Leung, and Dr. Dana Fisher — this event invites you to explore the power of climate optimism not as blind hope, but as a courageous commitment to action.
Together, we’ll unpack what optimism means, why it’s essential to resilience, and how we can move from theory to practice in our personal and collective lives. We'll discuss how to set—and revisit—boundaries to sustain our energy and values, and explore how strength and perseverance can manifest differently depending on our perspective.
Whether you're a seasoned advocate or just starting your climate journey, The Climate Shift offers a space for honest conversation, renewed energy, and a path forward grounded in community, agency, and possibility.
Bring your favorite drink to connect, reflect, and co-create what comes next.
Our Panelists:
Resources from the Episode:
Columbia University's Sustainability Group
Presidio Sustainability Degree
Opportunities Mentioned in the Episode:
Music in this episode
Nature sound effect by bbc.co.uk – ©2023 BBC
Climify Theme Song by Casual Motive
The Season 5 Climify Team
Eric Benson (Host)
Bhavna Bhavanishankar (Experience Researcher and Multisensory Educator)
Adam Dziaba (Researcher)
Jacqui Himmel (Multimedia Journalist and Scriptwriter)
Tyler Mayfield (Designer)
Brianna Regione (Social Media Strategist)
Climate Design Assignments
At the end of each episode, we ask our guests what their ideal climate design project would be. They have four weeks with a class full of design students. We translated their response into a project brief that you can use for your class.
