Autumn

What does the good work feel like in Nashville in October 2026?

It is currently 85 degrees in mid-October. I hear a man ask the barista if he’s from here. Is this weather normal? The swings, sure, but not the extremes. He responded. I held my tongue as my stomach turned. For here or to go? Doesn’t matter. Another woman says. My heart race quickens. It’s climate change, I want to scream. It’s how we use the resources available to us, I want to plead. It does matter. We do have a say.

Instead I sit and breathe.

Is my silence valiant or cowardly? Should I be forcing the conversation? Butting in. Forcing the topic. Or do I trust the changing tide I’ve been riding for over a decade. Careening from tree huggers and zero waste social media stars to casual conversations about this not feeling right. I have watched as a predominantly white, educated, moneyed majority of voices has blossomed into a meadow of youth, Global South, and indigenous principles entering the lexicon. Every day folks speak of wanting clean water as they denounce new data centers in their neighborhoods, clean air as they close down polluting industries in their zip codes, and clean soil to grow food closer to home.

The conversation has changed. And it’s not just in coffee shops, I have seen this in my Human Eyes Media engagements as well. In a talk at Julia Martin Gallery we discussed the need to crosspollinate to solve today’s problems. To have a celebration of here. At CreativeMornings we talked abou shade. Yes, trees that provide shade to human bodies but also shade for the soul-weary. The ones pushing to create good in our community and need a moment to catch their breath. People want local businesses to have a chance, they want places to walk, they want time away from screens. Our wants have changed. In my 1:1s I heard over and over how tired folks are. How sitting and talking about what’s going on provided a lightness that felt vital.

And that’s where I see my role. Less in the evangelizing of my youth as a sustainability educator and more so on providing places to hear from each other, creatively think through our challenges, and practically take steps towards the good of people and place. It’s a sustaining service propelled by the change already underway back towards life.

As we grow through this season and beyond, we hope you’ll follow along and add your voice. We want to see what good work efforts need to keep going. Change is happening, let’s use it for good, together.