CONNECT WITH A GLOBAL CREW OF ADVENTUROUS MINDS
Garden Island, VERMONT 9.12
Burlington, Vermont 9.13–14
Online Worldwide 9.13–14
“The feeling & impact reverberating throughout are really unlike any other conference. I'm coming away with many new, deep connections.”
BIG thinkers that go against the grain and live to innovate. They believe in doing what it takes to collaborate and solve big problems. The magic comes from the diversity of the lived experiences, cultures & skills of our community. No matter the industry, political lean, or academic degree, these people get s#*t done, as long as it improves our world.
Join the crew below in person this September 12-14, 2023
See Change Sessions is a life changing experience — incredibly enriching, thought provoking, and passion filled.
This is not a conference. It’s not a retreat, festival, summit, concert, or even the dreaded “un-conference.” It’s a unique experience that nestles gently in between all of these things, designed to marry work and play, and to help you drop out & tune in to what matters.
We bring the companies. You bring the ideas. We’re gathering six leading organizations with innovative solutions for global communications, food systems, mental health, inequality, pollution, and new energy. Jam with the founders and an incredible crew of adventurous minds to find new solutions for the challenges they’re facing. In the process, learn about the topic, the world, and yourself.
Share outdoor experiences, culture-melding conversations (and maybe a few arguments), locally-sourced community dinners, and more meaningful moments designed to break down walls and build connections. Go wild (or mild) with polar plunges → sauna → hot sake → yoga and more. Snowkiting anyone? Optionally, gear up for a backcountry adventure day in Bolton Valley’s 5,000 acres of pristine high forest.
Currently, registration is only available privately to our existing members. In the meantime, tell us about yourself & we’ll let you know if a pass becomes available. Registration for the public opens July 12, 2023.
Start off your time at See Change Sessions with your toes in the sand and Hakim Tafari leading you in a centering Tai Chi session infused with intent.
Sustainable Kitchen fuels our bodies and souls for the day of adventure ahead. Join us for healthful, local, filling, and downright delicious breakfast eats, and coffee (thermoses welcome!).
Take to the lake with Frank Solomon, and Kholofelo Sethebe and enjoy a tame exploration paddle of Garden Island and its far side rocky beaches + neighboring islands.
Connect with fellow See Changers in our very own network-focused, super casual version of the famed "ask me anything" forums. We’ll go around the horn to hear what other crewmates are interested in or experts on. There’s no obligation to share, just come with a curious mind and an open heart!
Sustainable Kitchen keeps our palates and appetites happy with another round of delicious, mostly organic eats that are deeply reflective of both time and place.
See Change : memorialized through the optic nerves of the big wave, Danny Devito, and detail obsessed Josh Pellerin.
Who says electricity + water don't mix? ((Gravity, shmavity!)) Come try your hand(s and feet) at e-foiling : the love child of paddleboarding and remote control cars and discover a new form of super zippy water adventure. Batteries included.
Dani Reyes-Acosta takes the wheel (& mic) and hosts our inaugural Garden Island storytelling gathering. She's "good trouble" personified.
Rock dock, anyone? Join us for easy breezy drinks ranging from no proof to full tilt and little bites.
Paul Trombly of Mister Food's Fancy helms the wood fired grill for a standout, end of summer meal. Find yourself somewhere at the intersection of Mediterranean, tacos, and farm fresh.
Close out our first night together with a TBA musical guest playing fireside tunes. Island bar? Yes (don’t worry NA folks, we got you too!). Great music and snacks? Also, a big yes. And, maybe s'mores too! Chat amongst your new crew as you settle into and unpack your first day together.
Nia is an hour long dance fitness class. This playful, invigorating class consists of easy to follow patterns of steps and stances, derived from martial arts, dance arts, and the healing arts. The music playlist is chosen and self choreographed by certified Nia black belt Roxanne Scully to inspire the body, to enliven and connect to music through movement, as well as clear your mind and uplift your spirit. Step into your body, reactivate the dancer within, and experience group movement in this beautiful setting along the lake. No experience necessary, just the willingness to be playful and energized.
Munch a delicious brekkie by Kamuy + Sustainable Kitchen + Brio coffee while getting to know folks. This is your first chance to get to know your crew and it’s sure to set the tone for the rest of your time here!
Thinking in cycles is the future of how we design our products & systems and we’re looking back to nature for inspiration. Biological Metabolism is the cycle of nature in which there is no waste. Hear from Brandi Parker as she walks us through what biological nutrients are, introduces us to innovators in the space, and joins us together in delightfully unexpected ways.
With more sound scientific research in place than ever before, the outdoors are proving to be an incredible way to heal our minds. Hear from Ben Davis as he discusses the benefits of outdoor adjunct therapy for veterans and how improving access will be a huge part to its success.
Join a TBA guest as they walk us through the complicated (yet important!) parts of regenerative farming.
Enjoy lunch options by a trio of women-owned businesses whose menus all reflect and celebrate the time and place. Vegan options? Yes. Gluten free options? Yes. Gluten free vegan options. Also, yes!
Connect with fellow See Changers in our very own network-focused, super casual version of the famed "ask me anything" forums. We’ll go around the horn to hear what other crewmates are interested in or experts on. There’s no obligation to share, just come with a curious mind and an open heart!
What? Studio presents the See Change Sessions Book Shop + Lending Library. Stop by and peruse new, apropos, old, big, funny, salient, used, and signed books. A selection of books will be for sale at Hula - with most others being orderable.
Bombastic advocate Abby Wren brings the art party in the form of a big community-driven art piece that creates a dialogue about beauty standards, facing adversity, and the relationship we have with inner and outer beauty in our society and she wants YOU to be the one holding the paintbrush.
Take a moment to drop out of the mind & into experiences designed to create meaningful connections with your fellow See Changers including: Sauna & cold plunges; guided sound healing; live painting and art-making workshops; open paddle boarding, e-foiling, & kayaking excursions; and a glass craft worry stones workshop.
Experience the process of upcycling textiles in screen printing, sewing, and weaving using simple materials that you can find at home. Bring your own items to have screen printed (limit 2) or to affix your woven art piece to.
High time to accessibilt-orize trail running to folks of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Dani Reyes Acosta is working hard to make sure that the message is heard far and wide. Join Dani for a structured and mindful run / movement session that will be custom cut to those in tow. This skill-building group run expands how we connect with each other and the land. Return to an Athletic Brewing Michelada bar and fuel up with regeneratively-grown arepas from Moon & Stars and La Catrina as they host a locavore-fuelled moment all in celebration of Latinx history month, and of course, your run.
Implementing sustainable packaging solutions is lagging and one impediment to progress is a simple lack of connection. The people that need to be talking & working together (i.e. innovative packaging suppliers & buyers and some other key yet underutilized players—NPOs, designers, marketers, and other creative thinkers) just don't have enough opportunity to connect. We're stuck in a linear system that creates and distributes much of the packaging that shows up in the world today, and it’s time to branch out into new systems and solutions that break these silos. In this lab, we're mashing together the leaders of some of the most innovative (and effective!) materials companies as they connect with the procurement, R&D, and marketing departments of many influential brands as they seek to connect the dots, find new solutions, and build relationships along the way.
Read: What is Circular Design? ↗
Watch: Watch: Cradle to Cradle ↗
Listen: Fixing Plastics Can Fix So Much Else ↗
With rising populations and ever increasing food consumption, food and ag experts are turning to new ways to nourish the masses. Today's practices for food production, particularly meat and dairy, are depleting and polluting the earth's resources. We’re at a point where we have an opportunity for more than one food production system to meet the world’s demand while also drastically reducing carbon emissions. How might breakthrough approaches in agriculture contribute to a more sustainable blend of food production methods to help solve the climate crisis? Regenerative agriculture and cellular agriculture are two food systems that are able to contribute to a more sustainable blend of food production methods, but there is currently a high level of polarization between these two communities. Join this lab session to understand the missions, messages and mindsets behind some of the leading thinkers and companies in diverse approaches to sustainable food systems such as cellular and regenerative agriculture and then explore how those passionate about the future of sustainable food can make that shared vision a reality together.
Read: Why cellular agriculture could be the future of farming ↗ & What is Regenerative Agriculture? ↗
Watch: What is cellular agriculture? ↗ & A Regenerative Secret ↗
Listen: Animal-free animal products with cellular agriculture ↗
Being in nature enhances our quality of life. Incredible NPOs and other leaders from around the world are working hard to create more access to the outdoors for underserved communities who are nature-deprived. Hear from the lived experiences of others as we co-create a reframed narrative that combines both quantitative and qualitative data for tangible solutions for better access to nature for all.
Read: The Wellness Benefits of Being Outside
Watch: How Being Outside Improves Your Mental Health
Listen: Mental Health and Nature
With better-than-before NA options, demand for non-boozy varieties is on the rise. Hear from Bill Shufelt, co-founder of Athletic Brewing in conversation with Virgina Heffernen, a journalist, cultural critic & author and called one of the “best living writers of English prose” as they discuss the cultural trends informing the booming NA beverage industry, and the role Athletic's playing in it.
It is our responsibility to share knowledge. For thousands of years indigenous people have been passing their unique knowledge and connections with the land to younger generations through a variety of mediums, such as storytelling, music, art and language. The transfer of knowledge is not always linear (or prompt) and requires a level of active listening in even the most organic conversations. Join a conversation with Connor Ryan (Proud Hunkpapa Lakota & Passionate Skier) and Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Founder, Host and Executive Producer of “First Voices Radio”) as they navigate indigenous knowledge, discuss how we all can best honor it, and ensure the transfer continues for generations to come.
Creating something new and radical is often extremely uncomfortable. Leaning into that discomfort is an essential part of creating breakthroughs. In this session, Jen Allum will share how teams at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory, explore the edges of innovation and create an environment where people feel safe enough to try the near impossible. Using music as a playground, Jen will share some of the frameworks that teams at X use as they create moonshot technologies and businesses. You'll also get to witness a musical experiment between worldwide composer and musician, Zoë Keating, and Jen. This will be a participatory workshop where you’ll be encouraged to embrace discomfort and trust the process. It might feel a bit weird…and that’s a good thing.
Take a beat. Have a drink. Stare at the lake for a little bit. Enjoy eats from local food trucks, delicious drinks, and everything that Mother Nature has to offer up in the “mountain sunset over a lake” department.
Hear from the executive producers of Dumb Money, Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum, in an interview with Adam Davidson. Rebecca & Lauren tell propulsive, high-energy stories deeply rooted in time and place but with urgent contemporary resonance and Adam Davidson is a widely-respected economic guru making him the perfect match to interview these two power houses. They'll kick off the movie with an introduction to the film and follow up with a Q&A.
Watch Watch the trailer ↗
To kick off each day, ground yourself in our unique crew in an intention setting Tai Chi session led by Hakim Tafari along the sands of Lake Champlain.
Now that you’ve had time to settle into the sessions, it’s time to find your people! Connect with subject matter experts and others working in (or simply curious about) one of the three guiding themes of this event: food systems, plastic pollution, and mental health.
What if there were more ways to feed the masses? And, maybe in untraditional ways? Isha Datar will walk us through the world of cellular agriculture, a new and innovative approach to sustainable food production using cells to produce food.
Who said waste is all for the landfills? Waste has value. Technical Metabolism challenges what we consider as waste by processing it into inputs for the next cycle. Join Brandi Parker as she walks us through how linear systems are a means to an end that are no longer serving us and how we can incorporate a more holistic and circular approach to waste.
What if nature can provide more than just a beautiful backdrop? What if it had the power to heal our minds, bodies, and hearts? Join Dr. Nooshin Razani (Director, Center for Nature and Health at University of California, San Francisco) as she explains that nature can (and should!) be prescribed to treat health conditions and is essential to a healthy life.
What? Studio presents the See Change Sessions Book Shop + Lending Library. Stop by and peruse new, apropos, old, big, funny, salient, used, and signed books. A selection of books will be for sale at Hula - with most others being orderable.
How do great stories get made & how can you build yours? "Breaking story" is shorthand for the moment when theme, character and what's at stake become clear. Get an inside look at how Oscar-winning journeys are created and why breaking story is crucial for companies tackling complicated sustainability challenges. We'll walk through strategies to break our barriers to climate action by strengthening our own narratives.
Bombastic advocate Abby Wren brings the art party in the form of a big community-driven art piece that creates a dialogue about beauty standards, facing adversity, and the relationship we have with inner and outer beauty in our society and she wants YOU to be the one holding the paintbrush.
Take a moment to drop out of the mind & into experiences designed to create meaningful connections with your fellow See Changers including: Sauna & cold plunges; guided sound healing; live painting and art-making workshops; open paddle boarding, e-foiling, & kayaking excursions; and a glass craft worry stones workshop.
Experience the process of upcycling textiles in screen printing, sewing, and weaving using simple materials that you can find at home. Bring your own items to have screen printed (limit 2) or to affix your woven art piece to.
Implementing sustainable packaging solutions is lagging and one impediment to progress is a simple lack of connection. The people that need to be talking & working together (i.e. innovative packaging suppliers & buyers and some other key yet underutilized players—NPOs, designers, marketers, and other creative thinkers) just don't have enough opportunity to connect. We're stuck in a linear system that creates and distributes much of the packaging that shows up in the world today, and it’s time to branch out into new systems and solutions that break these silos. In this lab, we're mashing together the leaders of some of the most innovative (and effective!) materials companies as they connect with the procurement, R&D, and marketing departments of many influential brands as they seek to connect the dots, find new solutions, and build relationships along the way.
Read: What is Circular Design?
Watch: Watch: Cradle to Cradle
Listen: Fixing Plastics Can Fix So Much Else
With rising populations and ever increasing food consumption, food and ag experts are turning to new ways to nourish the masses. Today's practices for food production, particularly meat and dairy, are depleting and polluting the earth's resources. We’re at a point where we have an opportunity for more than one food production system to meet the world’s demand while also drastically reducing carbon emissions. How might breakthrough approaches in agriculture contribute to a more sustainable blend of food production methods to help solve the climate crisis? Regenerative agriculture and cellular agriculture are two food systems that are able to contribute to a more sustainable blend of food production methods, but there is currently a high level of polarization between these two communities. Join this lab session to understand the missions, messages and mindsets behind some of the leading thinkers and companies in diverse approaches to sustainable food systems such as cellular and regenerative agriculture and then explore how those passionate about the future of sustainable food can make that shared vision a reality together. Ali Khademhosseini (Founder & CEO, Omeat) kicks things off by sharing how Omeat’s innovative process for cultivating meat can bridge the gap between competing industries.
Read: Why cellular agriculture could be the future of farming ↗ & What is Regenerative Agriculture? ↗
Watch: What is cellular agriculture? ↗ & A Regenerative Secret ↗
Listen: Animal-free animal products with cellular agriculture ↗
Being in nature enhances our quality of life. Incredible NPOs and other leaders from around the world are working hard to create more access to the outdoors for underserved communities who are nature-deprived. Hear from the lived experiences of others as we co-create a reframed narrative that combines both quantitative and qualitative data for tangible solutions for better access to nature for all.
Modern media needs to meet people where they are to encourage action and sometimes that means deviating away from the “norm.” Hear from Ronald Young Jr. (critically acclaimed audio producer, host, & storyteller) as he interviews Abby Wren (Creative Makeup Artist) & Wade Holland (Creative Director) on how they reach their audience in unconventional ways. Both native digital creators and seasoned creatives, they root so much of their content creation in a celebration of originality. Together they have a strong appreciation for seeking out unique perspectives, experiences, and a vivacious passion for original storytelling.
Is the modern media tearing us apart? Is it serving our democracy? What about our relationships with each other? What will it take to unravel the modern media for it to support our differences in a healthy and constructive manner? Join this conversation between Virginia Heffernan (journalist, critic and author), named one of "America's preeminent critics," and John Wood Jr. (National Ambassador, Braver Angels) as they identify issues within modern media and discuss solutions and hopes for the future.
What happens when we allow curiosity to guide us? Hear from Hanna Rosin, new host of The Atlantic’s flagship podcast, Radio Atlantic in conversation with New York Times bestselling author, Amanda Ripley, as they reimagine conflict that turns people against each other and blocks collective progress.
op it all off with a great, breezy, fire-cooked meal by Paul Toussaint of Kamuy in Montreal. Allow the Haitian food to teleport you to Haiti and then boogie into the night with your new crew to the sounds of Lakou Mizik.
