March 2019 Recommended Events Calendar Wednesday, March 6 • Evolution of the Louisville Sustainability Forum Saturday, March 9 • Mindful Hiking at Iroquois Park with Jordan Dye Monday, March 11 • Intro to Non-Violent Communication Monday, March 11 • Kentuckians for the Commonwealth Chapter Meeting Tuesday, March 12 • Environmental Justice: Prayer in Action Day Thursday, March 14 • Support for the 100% Clean Energy Resolution Thursday, March 14 • Louisville Grows presents: Urban Roots Saturday, March 16 • ECO Kids Discovery Day: Spring Lookout Monday, March 18 • Nature-based Learning: Why Our Children Need It Now Tuesday, March 19 • Sierra Club Program: Reducing Green House Gases Saturday, March 23 • LSURJ presents Beyond Ramps and Rights Saturday, March 23 • The Way of Grief led by Renee Ananda & Aim Me Smiley Saturday, March 30 • Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice Potluck Social Registration is Open for the 3rd Annual Louisville Earth Walk Saturday, April 20 at Iroquois Park September: Exploring Ancestral Lineage Thru Landscape and Deep Imagination Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is hiring a Community Organizer

 Wednesday, March 6, 12 pm Evolution of the Louisville Sustainability Forum Passionist Earth and Spirit Center Undercroft, 1924 Newburg Rd, 40205

Please join the Louisville Sustainability Forum each month for interesting and informative presentation, dialogue and networking about sustainability issues. At each meeting there is one featured presentation and one or two shorter presentations, discussion, announcements, and opportunity for networking and community building. Featured Presentation Evolution of the Louisville Sustainability Forum with Phyllis Fitzgerald, LSF and Kyle Kramer, Executive Director, Passionist Earth & Spirit Center We are considering some significant evolution for the Louisville Sustainability Forum. Phyllis and Howard met with Kyle to discuss a closer relationship between the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center and LSF. The discussion was very encouraging with several interesting possibilities emerging, including being able to move back to the Barn for our meetings. Phyllis and Kyle will summarize our discussions and host a conversation on moving forward together. Shorter Presentations A Place on Earth, Carden Willis Sustainability at UofL Dining, Ellen Trahan Directions to the Undercroft: The meeting will be held in the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center's Undercroft Conference Room located in the lower level of the Passionist Monastery. Access to the Undercroft is down the steps located to the right of the front porch of the monastery. Parking is available in the Sacred Heart Retreat parking lot, just south of the Passionist Retreat House, or in the St. Agnes parking lot, north of the church.

Saturday, March 9, 9 - 11 am Mindful Hiking at Iroquois Park with Jordan Dye Iroquois Park, 5216 New Cut Road, 40214

Would you like to feel more relaxed and in touch without taking a vacation or missing work? Are you curious to try mindfulness practices in nature? This mindful hiking experience can help you recharge and recenter. Research shows that even two hours in nature can decrease stress and blood pressure levels while increasing feelings of calm. We’ll meet in Iroquois Park, the “Yellowstone” of Louisville’s Olmsted parks. During this two-hour hike, we’ll pause for Forest Bathing practices and gentle Qi Gong. In this guided hike we'll draw upon mindfulness meditation practices to deepen our connection with nature. If the ground is wet, we’ll hike on the paved pedestrian road under a canopy of trees. Current Offering: 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16, March 9 and April 6. Choose one or more dates. Registration is required by emailing Jordan at  JordanDyeMSW@gmail.com . (I’ll respond with an email with directions and details.) Limited to 8 adults. These hikes are offered on a donation basis ($5 to $15 suggested, though not required).

Monday, March 11, 6 pm Intro to Non-Violent Communication Oxybaric, 414 Baxter Ave, 40204

This workshop, facilitated by Cory Lockhart, offers an overview of Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a communication tool for cultivating empathy and understanding for self and others. The workshop includes an introduction to the four elements of NVC (observation, feelings, needs, and requests) and an opportunity for participants to practice applying NVC to their own lives. This approach to communication emphasizes compassion as the motivation for action rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion, threat or justification for punishment. In other words, it is about getting what you want for reasons you will not regret later. NVC is NOT about getting people to do what we want. It is about creating a quality of connection that gets everyone’s needs met through compassionate giving. The process of NVC encourages us to focus on what we and others are observing separate from our interpretations and judgments, to connect our thoughts and feelings to underlying human needs/values (e.g. protection, support, love), and to be clear about what we would like towards meeting those needs. These skills give the ability to translate from a language of criticism, blame, and demand into a language of human needs -- a language of life that consciously connects us to the universal qualities “alive in us” that sustain and enrich our well being, and focuses our attention on what actions we could take to manifest these qualities. Nonviolent Communication skills will assist you in dealing with major blocks to communication such as demands, diagnoses and blaming. These skills are useful with family, friends, students, subordinates, supervisors, co-workers and clients, as well as with your own internal dialogues. Registration details here .

Monday, March 11, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Kentuckians For The Commonwealth Chapter Meeting First Unitarian Church, 809 S. 4th Street, 40203

This month's meeting will focus on the US Census and efforts for redistricting reform. We welcome Michelle Ellison, Kentucky's US Census Partnership Specialist, to discuss efforts to have a successful count in 2020, hard to count populations, and upcoming job openings with the US Census. Then, we'll hear from Taylor Bright, with the Kentucky Citizen's Redistricting Committee, about how folks can get involved in combatting gerrymandering through redistricting. Food will be provided, and we welcome you to bring a dish to share. Children & young people are welcome to attend and participate in the meeting, and we'll have some games and supplies on hand to keep younger kids busy. First Unitarian Church is wheelchair accessible and has gender neutral bathrooms. If there is anything else that would make this meeting more accessible for you, please reach out to molly@kftc.org !

Tuesday, March 12, 9:30 am Environmental Justice: Prayer in Action Day Capital Annex Building, Frankfort, Ky

Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light invites us to join in The Kentucky Council of Churches’ Prayer in Action Day focused on Environmental Justice at the State Capitol. The event will include visits to lawmakers, prayer, education on issues, and a call to action. “We want to engage religious leaders and their congregants in direct justice advocacy.” “The Prayer in Action events were very successful last year, and people have requested that we continue them in 2019,” said Rev. Dr. Don Gillett, Executive Director of the Council. “We will pray for our governor and legislators, and call them to a higher moral agenda that puts the well-being of Kentucky’s people first.” All Prayer in Action events are interfaith and open to the public and media. For more information contact the Kentucky Council of Churches at KCC@kycouncilofchurches.org  or call 859-269-7715.

 Thursday, March 14, 3 pm Metro Louisville 100% Renewable Energy Resolution! 3rd Floor, 601 W. Jefferson St. 40202

Please try to come to this hearing (click here to R.S.V.P). It is likely to be the last time the issue is discussed prior to a vote, so the more folks, the better. We’ll have signs for you to hold up during the discussion. If you have not signed the petition, please do so here. More ways to advocate: Read the resolution , and these talking points . 2. Write, email, call (574-1100) or visit a Parks and Sustainability Committee member to share why their support for the resolution matters to you. The membership of the committee has changed since last year. The members now are: Chair Cindi Fowler (D-14), James Peden (R-23), Kevin Triplett (D-15), Marilyn Parker (R-18), Mark H. Fox (D-13), Nicole George (D-21), and Pat Mulvihill (D-10). 3. Do the same with your own Councilperson if not on that committee. (Identify your Metro Council person here .) If you’d like someone to go with you to visit your councilperson, contact bdrewf@yahoo.com . 4. Submit a letter to the Courier Journal editor ( cjletter@courier-journal.com ). 5. Attend the first hour of regular Metro Council meetings (6 p.m., alternate Thursdays, generally) to support those speaking for the resolution. There will be at least one speaker at each meeting until a vote is taken. Signs provided. 6. Speak for three minutes in support of the resolution at any regular Metro Council meeting. If you’d like to do this, there is a process, so please contact samuelavery@gmail.com first. All Council (and Committee) meetings are held on the 3rd floor of 601 W. Jefferson St. (enter from 6th St.). Get more info on Metro Council meetings here . 

Thursday, March 14, 6 pm Louisville Grows presents a screening of Urban Roots Healthy House, 1641 Portland Ave, 40203

URBAN ROOTS follows the urban farming phenomenon in Detroit. A timely, moving and inspiring film that speaks to a nation grappling with collapsed industrial towns and the need to forge a sustainable and prosperous future. RSVP on Eventbrite Sponsored by Ale-8-One.

Saturday, March 16, 9 am - 4:30 pm ECO Kids Discovery Day: Spring Lookout Bernheim Forest, Clermont, Kentucky

Be on the lookout for the signs of spring as nature awakens all around us. Kids and their families will have fun investigating springtime clues, and then exploring Discovery Stations and the Hike of the Day during the afternoon. On Your Own Challenge 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Discovery Stations 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Hike of the Day 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Visitor Center This is a free event though a $5 per car environmental impact fee applies to non-members.

Monday, March 18, 7 pm Nature-based Learning: Why Our Children Need It Now Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Avenue, 40213

Dr. Jean Lomino, a former classroom teacher and nature center director and co-founder of the Wauhatchie School, the first forest kindergarten in Tennessee, will discuss the growth of forest kindergartens and nature preschools in the U.S. and the importance of nature-based learning for children’s healthy development. Dr. Lomino is also working to bring nature immersion experiences to children in other educational settings, including public schools and childcare centers. Dr. Lomino also will share her new soon-to-be published research into Character Development in Forest Kindergarten. Co-hosted by the Children at Play Network. This event is free and open to the public. 

Tuesday, February 19, 7 pm Greater Louisville Sierra Club presents A Discussion on Reducing Green House Gases by 80% United Crescent Hill Ministries Building, 150 S. State St. 40206

Please join us as we welcome representatives from Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability, discussing the 80% by 2050 greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiative. In May 2016, Mayor Greg Fischer signed the Global Covenant of Mayors, an agreement signed by over 9,000 cities across the world, which commits us to inventory and develop a strategy to reduce Louisville’s greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, cities play a major role in these efforts as 70% of greenhouse gas emissions come from cities. The city’s reduction commitment is a three step process: Conducting a greenhouse gas inventory. Setting a reduction target: A reduction target of 80% by 2050 has been set. Creating a strategy to meet that target: Determining a strategy will be the focus in 2019. Mayor Greg Fischer formed the Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability in 2012 with a mission of promoting environmental conservation, the health, wellness and prosperity of our citizens, and embedding sustainability into the culture of the Louisville community. The Office works to create a culture of sustainability through broad-based education and awareness efforts as well as implementation of projects and initiatives to influence behavior change. Maria Koetter is the Director. We hope you’ll attend and provide input to help determine a strategy for moving forward on this initiative. Our programs are always free and open to the public. 

Saturday, March 23, 9 am -1 pm Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice presents Beyond Ramps and Rights: Disability Justice and Racial Justice Organizing La Casita Center, 223 E Magnolia Ave, 40208

SURJ centers the practice of ‘calling in’ as many white people as we can into this work. This is grounded in the belief that while we all have a responsibility to dismantle white supremacy, significant privilege dynamics exist within white communities that need to be acknowledged and addressed in order to build an inclusive, sustainable and effective movement. To anchor disability politics deep within racial justice work is to implicitly center the critical importance of the perspectives, mutual interest and leadership of: the poverty and working classes, non traditional families, rural communities, elders, veterans, all people with dependents, formerly incarcerated and homeless communities, people without higher education/ formal training and all of us who lack the resources, or the privilege needed to access ‘political’ spaces. Disabled and ill people remain isolated and marginalized within most communities and most racial and social justice movements. It's time to include an anti-ableism frame and analysis into our agendas, political thinking and actions. This training explores what disability means across lines of race, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and citizenship. Grounded in an understanding of the necessity for racial, gender and economic justice, this anti-oppression training seeks to embed anti – ableism deep into the mix of our work and lives. Ramps, racial profiling, sterilizations, sovereignty, sexual/domestic violence, immigration, hate crimes, anti-poor city ordinances, restroom policing and incarceration--whether it be in prisons, nursing homes or psychiatric facilities--are locations were ableism intertwines with other supremacy-based systems to consolidate and amplify white supremacy, misogyny and imperialism Want to know more? Come join us for conversation and strategy ☺ Co-facilitated by national SURJ trainer and leader Sebastian Margaret and Independence Seekers leader and LSURJ member Amanda Stahl Attendance is free but you must register here . 

Saturday, March 23, 11:30 am - 4:30 pm CDT The Way of Grief led by Renee Ananda & Aim Me Smiley Way of the Heart Woods, Indiana

Comfort for your grieving heart: A safe place to feel, reveal and heal your heart as we walk the way of grief on the path from heartbreak to healing. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, a beloved pet, a friendship, grieving the state of our country or the plight of our planet, we will journey through the way that shows grief as a holy experience. We will be with grief as a sacred wound where the light can enter. -Sitting with Grief and letting it surface -Holding, Feeling and Recognizing Grief -Releasing all of the feelings that arise without judgement or fear -Moving through your grief allowing joy and gratitude to accompany your pain -Asking for what you need from loved ones -No judgement or timelines on grief -Building a Grief Altar- a holy space to bring your pain and release it -Surrendering, Embracing , Trusting the Circle of Life and Divine Destiny - Gratitude, your healer and guide Limit of 20 registrations $50 (sliding scales available) https://www.wayoftheheartwoods.org/events/the-way-of-grief Renee & Aim Me are Troubadours of Divine Bliss, a musical duo that sing of the joy of sublime Love who have traveled internationally for 2 decades as musicians, ministers, inspirational speakers and soul guides offering life coaching to countless people across the globe. We found our purpose is to inspire courage of the heart, to encourage soul fulfillment and the development of each person's sacred way.

Saturday, March 30, 5 - 7 pm Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice Potluck Social Celebrating Women's History Month Central Presbyterian Church, 318 West Kentucky, 40203

Part of anti-racist work is learning to know and trust each other, and what better way to do so than by breaking bread and sharing our stories? Join Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice for our bimonthly Pot Luck Dinner and Social. Bring a dish and we will share in food, fun and conversation. All are welcome! Building is accessible via back entrance. While the focus is on good food, community, and conversation we will feature short readings and share about women who have moved us or impacted us. In addition everyone is encouraged to bring photos or other items representing women who were/are important to us for a make shift altar. Note: you will take these items home at the end of the night. Bring your awesome self, friends and family as well as dish to share and your own plate and flatware. Don’t have the time or resources to bring something- no problem. Just show up. We’ve got you covered. Childcare, ride assists and ASL interpretation available upon request - send us an email or message us on Facebook so we can plan accordingly. - contact us at louisvillesurj@gmail.com . 

The Louisville Earth Walk returns to Iroquois Park for its third year on Saturday, April 20, 2019. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration as we walk in support of a vision of a city where everyone, in every neighborhood, has safe and clean water, air and soil. This family friendly event will celebrate our beautiful planet while raising both awareness and funds for the wonderful organizations in our city that work day in and day out to protect and improve the quality of life for all our citizens. This will be a morning of fun outdoor activities designed to engage and educate the public on the steps they can take to promote a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. The feature event is a 5k walk and fundraiser. Proceeds will be distributed among 13 partner organizations each of which will be on site to provide ideas and inspiration that you can take back to your home, office, group or community!  Please help us make Earth Walk 2019 a huge success! Invite your family, friends, businesses and co-workers to participate and get them to register to walk. Becoming involved in fundraising is easy when you use the MightyCause peer to peer fundraising tool , too! 

Exploring Ancestral Lineage Through Landscape and  the Deep Imagination A 5-day experiential intensive

DEEP IN OUR BONES we carry the DNA of ancestral stories that have been passed down to us over many generations. Woven in the shadows of time and the family narrative, with all the migrations, celebrations, tragedies, gifts and wounds, the ancestral energies have influenced our emotions, our life decisions, and how we think of ourselves. This influence is often unknown to us consciously. These hidden histories also haunt us with a longing for what we do not know, or are in the process of discovering about our unique personal soul stories. Exploration of the ancestral stories can bring a greater sense of belonging to the world and enhance the ever-evolving journey toward the embodiment of the unique soul qualities that each of us brings as gifts to the world. Details here ! 

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) is hiring! We are seeking a Community Organizer

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KFTC) is hiring! We are seeking a Community Organizer in Jefferson County who will work with KFTC’s grassroots leaders and staff to help strengthen our membership and local chapter. The Community Organizer will implement outreach strategies to engage thousands of people around key issues, voting, and opportunities to take action. To learn more about this position visit http://kftc.org/jobs/jefferson-county-community-organize or email us at hiring@kftc.org .

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