A November 21 Futures Literacy Workshop brought together faculty, students, and online participants—about 30 people in total—for an afternoon of imagining the futures we want to build. Guided by Dr. Joni Adamson and Dr. Sreya Ann Oommen, the group explored Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s ideas about climate action, agency, and storytelling as tools for shaping more just worlds.
Through discussion, shared reflection, and collaborative exercises, participants practiced “storying” futures that work—futures rooted in care, sustainability, justice, and possibility. Even with the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives in the room, everyone contributed their own hopes and insights, creating a space where imagination felt like a collective skill.
A central insight from the workshop was the power of imagining futures collectively. By co-creating visions of “futures that work,” participants were able to backcast—working backward from those desired futures to identify the concrete steps, strategies, and collaborations needed to overcome today’s challenges. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s environmental-justice–centered “Venn Diagram for Climate Action” played a key role in this process. It helped participants pinpoint where their skills, values, and spheres of influence intersect, making it easier to see where they can take meaningful action. Together, these tools showed that collective imagination isn’t just inspiring—it’s a practical framework for building more just and sustainable futures.
