Presented in partnership with Programs in Earth Literacies and the Living Language Institute
Environmental movements and struggles for social justice are converging, as we recognize the interrelated nature of our problems and the need for creative solutions. Also, we are beginning to grasp the significance of cosmology—our worldview or 'cultural story'—and the role our worldview plays, both in creating the current crisis and inspiring a new direction. A new planetary movement is unfolding at the confluence where ecology, social justice and cosmology meet. At the heart of this emerging global movement is a vision of the world as sacred and connected.
In this workshop, Drew Dellinger will identify some core values common to ecology, social justice and cosmology, such as "personhood," which acknowledges the sacredness of every individual being, and community, which emphasizes the primacy of relationship. He will also describe strategies for change common to ecology, social justice and cosmology, such as utilizing the power of story, the power of dream and the power of action.
Based on his years of study with prominent environmental thinker Thomas Berry, and his in-depth survey of the writings and sermons of Martin Luther King Jr., Dellinger will elucidate the underlying principles connecting ecology, cosmology and justice. Humanity's path into a sustainable future will be found at the crossroads of ecology and justice, and in stories that connect us to each other and the planet.
Who Should Attend?
- Citizens, students, teachers, parents
- Poets and artists
- Environmentalists and ecologists
- Those involved with social justice
- Anyone who loves this planet!
Facilitator: Drew Dellinger is a spoken word poet, teacher, writer, activist and founder of Poets for Global Justice. He has inspired many people through his poetry performances and keynote talks on justice, ecology, cosmology, activism, democracy and compassion. He has spoken at conferences--including Bioneers, the Green Festival and The Dream Reborn--as well as colleges, poetry venues, protests and places of worship. Dellinger has shared the stage with luminaries such as Alice Walker, Cornel West, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Danny Glover, Ani Difranco, Billy Bragg, Eve Ensler, Chuck D, Paul Hawken, Van Jones and many others.
Dellinger's work has appeared on radio, in film, books, and in magazines, from
The New York Times magazine to
YES! magazine. His collection of poems,
love letter to the milky way has sold thousands of copies to readers in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia. Dellinger has studied cosmology and ecological thought with Thomas Berry since 1990 and is finishing his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is currently writing his dissertation on Martin Luther King Jr. and the connections between cosmology, ecology and social justice. Dellinger lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.drewdellinger.org