Unleashing What You Already Love for a Hurting Planet
A Workshop with Peterson Toscano

Occurred on Thursday, February 11, 2021

Sometimes when there is a call to action in response to something huge like climate change, we can interpret the urgent plea to mean, “Drop everything you are doing and get on board!” But “everything you are doing” has developed over years — your work, your interests, and your skill set formed out of deeply felt passions and important experience. 

Peterson Toscano has created this workshop to help people better understand their role on our changing planet, while also affirming the passions, interests, and callings they hold dear. In this interactive on-line Zoom workshop, Peterson Toscano, host of Citizens Climate Radio, helped you explore your passions and how they relate to our rapidly changing world. You found your understanding of yourself deepen as you gained clarity and discernment about the road ahead. Through a mind-expanding time-travel exercise, you freed your imagination and considered your role on this changing planet. Participants walked away with fresh ideas, feeling affirmed about what they care about most, and with a new sense of purpose.

College students, who can feel overwhelmed by the world's struggles, have found the workshop grounding and clarifying. Clergy and engaged church members see how they could deepen the work they have already started with a new frame and direction. Climate advocates slogging along with the good work of changing energy policy, have discovered ways to make an immediate impact in their own communities. 

What was included:

  • A mixture of activities: times for individual reflection, extended times in a small group, and large group sharing. 
  • Engaging multimedia presentations about the three sections of the workshop: 
      • Defining our many passions
      • Identifying where our passions are needed today
      • Traveling to the future to discover our past forward  
  • Thought-provoking and heart opening prompts to stir your thinking and imagination
  • A relaxed atmosphere with room to laugh, share, and dream

Since 2016 Peterson has presented his passions workshop in person for universities, faith communities, and climate groups throughout the United States and in Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Norway. During this global pandemic, he has presented his updated Zoom version for Richmond, VA Friends Meeting, Williams College, Citizens Climate Lobby staff retreat, United We Move Virtual Conference, and Watkinson School. 


Testimonies

"Peterson provides a safe environment to imagine the future and explore our passions.  His own stories inspire the event.”
- Workshop participant at United We Move Virtual Conference December 2020 
 
"Peterson Toscano encouraged a group of strangers to reflect, share, and dream. Bravo!” 
- Workshop participant at United We Move Virtual Conference December 2020
 
"Peterson's timing and pace, along with the combination of activity was terrific!!   This is proof of a great presentation...Leave 'em wanting more!”
- Workshop participant at United We Move Virtual Conference December 2020
 
"Peterson’s presentation was extremely engaging and exactly what I needed during this pandemic. He talked about climate change in a way I had never seen before and actually made me laugh."
- Brian, Williams College student. 
 
"Peterson was professional, gracious, and generous with his time and his talent. In the middle of a pandemic with the climate crisis still looming, he helped our community celebrate the good that is going on and look forward, with hope, to the day when we come out on the other side."
- Jane Ellen Nickell, Allegheny College Chaplain
 
"Going into the experience I expected a normal presentation--what I left with was one of the most uplifting nights of this entire pandemic which was far from just another presentation! Peterson was amazing in how uniquely he delivered a message and the Allegheny/Meadville story. My only regret was that we hadn't invited more people to join us!"
- Tiffany, Allegheny College 

Peterson Toscano

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