Letting Our Lives Speak in a Climate-Changing World: A Conversation with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson + Barton Seaver

Friends School of Portland's Parenting for Peace speaker events have brought a wide range of authors, activists, film makers, and speakers to the Portland area. This year, we are excited to partner with the Climate Tech Incubator at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University to bring marine biologist and climate policy expert Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson in conversation with chef, author, and sustainable food systems advocate Barton Seaver for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about raising children in a time of climate change.

Drawing on the Quaker framing of “letting your life speak,” Ayana and Barton will explore how our values, as expressed through the food we serve, the work we choose, the conversations we hold at the dinner table, and the communities we build, shape the world our children inherit. Together, they bring perspectives from science, food systems, ocean stewardship, and parenthood to ask: What does it mean to model courage, hope, and responsibility in uncertain times? This evening will weave together dialogue, reflection, and audience engagement, offering practical inspiration for families seeking to align daily life with planetary well-being.

Doors open at 5:30 pm at the Climate Tech Incubator at The Roux Institute at Northeastern University.

Registration for the event is free. There will be limited seating; make sure to reserve your space soon, before we spread the word more widely!