This fall, four prominent leaders and thinkers came to Antioch University to speak as part of the Environmental Justice and Democracy Colloquium series, a centerpiece of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Environmental Studies at Antioch. The events, which were open to all Antioch and Coalition for the Common Good students, faculty, and alumni, featured President of Timor Leste and Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta, environmental lawyer Mia Montoya Hammersley, climate activist Jacqui Patterson, and Yale professor Gerald Torres, who spoke on “Agency and Environmental Joy.” The colloquium series was sponsored by the Fund for Democratic Initiatives, part of Antioch Works for Democracy, a multi-month campaign of education and action to build a more just and inclusive democracy.
Through these events and other 50th-anniversary actions—like an upcoming celebration that includes alumni at the Harris Center for Conservation Education, to be held on Saturday, June 28—the Environmental Studies Department has been honoring its legacy of and reiterating its commitment to advancing environmental justice, sustainability, and transformative leadership. These events showcase Antioch’s commitment to interdisciplinary approaches and systemic change while pointing toward an ambitious vision for the future.
“The founding of environmental studies graduate education at Antioch in the early 1970s was at an inspiring time when transformational environmental protection national policies and infrastructure were being established,” says Abigail Abrash Walton, the department chair. The program’s founding followed the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the enactment of landmark environmental legislation, such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.
Antioch Environmental Studies founder Ty Minton spoke to this time of urgency with Antioch faculty emerita Heidi Watts for her history book, Antioch New England: The First Eight Years, which came out in 2000. “All the media was full of the environmental crisis,” said Minton. “The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. Everybody was talking about environmental issues.” Minton, who died in 2024, was himself an Antioch alum, and he and his colleagues’ actions in founding the first Antioch Environmental Studies program came out of a feeling that they had to do something. “We felt that a radical change needed to happen in society or the environment would be destroyed and us along with it.”
Inspired by the energy of broader social movements, including civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQIA+ advocacy, the program has for half a century served as a hub for environmental leadership and innovation, with an emphasis on social justice and systems change.
Today, Environmental Studies at Antioch is positioned to lead in a new era of environmental protection, education, and action—during a time marked by the profound and often disproportionate impacts and challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, plastics, and other forms of pollution, and a faltering global order. “At the end of the day, environmental outcomes are the result of human behavior,” says Abrash Walton. “One single species holds the keys to the solutions—us, homo sapiens. It’s not a question of whether there are solutions, but a question of leadership for bringing them into practice. We need transformational systems-level change and collective action. The engagement of each of us can get us there, and the Environmental Studies Department’s expertise in conservation psychology, environmental science, policy, advocacy, and leadership provides a strong foundation.”
Celebrating with Purpose: Four Cornerstone Events
The 50th-anniversary colloquium series featured four cornerstone events that brought together global thought leaders, activists, and scholars. Each event illuminated a unique aspect of Antioch’s mission and values, from fostering advocacy and resilience to promoting intersectionality and joy in environmental justice.
Kicking off the series was Nobel Peace Prize laureate and 1984 alum of Antioch’s MA in Peace Studies José Ramos-Horta. As President of Timor-Leste, Ramos-Horta shared his journey from advocating for Timor-Leste’s independence to leading his nation through founding and nurturing a democratic system. His address underscored the profound impact of sustained advocacy and the intersection of environmental justice with democracy. (Read our profile of President Ramos-Horta in the Antioch Alumni Magazine.)
“When I first met José in 1991, he was a lone voice advocating for East Timor at the United Nations. His journey exemplifies how one person making common cause with others through consistent efforts can yield systemic transformations,” said Abrash Walton.
Ramos-Horta’s talk emphasized global leadership and resilience, inspiring students to take bold action within their spheres of influence. His appearance was significant, as his journey from spending 15 years in exile during the Indonesian military occupation to serving twice now as his nation’s president demonstrates the transformative power of sustained engagement in advocacy. Ramos-Horta’s presentation bridged the crucial connection between environmental justice and democracy, drawing from his extensive experience as a global leader and peace advocate. His work serves as a powerful reminder that systemic change, while often slow and challenging, is possible through persistent action. (Listen to an edited version of this talk on the Seed Field Podcast or watch the full recording on YouTube.)
The October event featured environmental lawyer Mia Montoya Hammersley, who currently serves as Director of the Environmental Justice Clinic and an Assistant Professor of Law at Vermont Law & Graduate School. Hammersley addressed the importance of preparing future leaders to navigate complex legal and social challenges. She highlighted the growing trend of criminalizing environmental advocacy, from mass arrests at Indigenous-led protests against oil and gas infrastructure to activists facing domestic terrorism charges in Atlanta’s “Cop City” controversy. Hammersley’s insights provided valuable perspective on the evolution of environmental resistance and the need for sophisticated advocacy strategies in an increasingly complex political landscape. (Watch the full recording of this talk on YouTube.)
November brought Jacqui Patterson, who was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 2024 Women of the Year. She shared insights from her groundbreaking work with the Chisholm Legacy Project. The mission of the Chisholm Legacy Project is rooted in a Just Transition Framework, serving as a vehicle to connect Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice with the resources to actualize visions. Patterson has dedicated her career to intersectional approaches to systems change. Prior to the launch of the Chisholm Legacy Project, Patterson served as the Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program for over a decade. Patterson’s presentation emphasized the interconnected nature of environmental justice, showing how climate issues are inextricably linked with civil rights, economic justice, food security, housing access, and transit equity. She offered concrete examples of how to support Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice. Patterson’s work exemplifies the program’s commitment to addressing environmental issues through an intersectional lens, recognizing the complex relationships between social justice and environmental protection. (Watch the full recording of this talk on YouTube.)
The series concluded with a presentation from Gerald Torres, Professor of Environmental Justice and Law at Yale University. His presentation on “Agency and Environmental Joy” celebrated how environmental justice alleviates suffering and enhances well-being within communities. He examined the transformative power of joy in environmental advocacy and its role in sustaining long-term commitment to creating positive change. This emphasis on finding joy in advocacy work resonates deeply with Antioch’s philosophy of sustainable activism and the importance of building resilient communities. (Watch the full recording of this talk on YouTube.)
“There’s no better antidote to despair than taking action—especially if you’re with people whom you enjoy collaborating with,” says Abrash Walton. Torres’s emphasis on collective resilience resonated deeply with Antioch’s philosophy of building engaged, mission-aligned communities to drive systemic change.
Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders
The program’s 50th anniversary comes at a critical moment in environmental history. Climate change impacts are not abstract future threats but present-day challenges affecting all of us and requiring immediate and long-term sustained action and systems changes. The criminalization of environmental activism highlights the growing tension between advocacy to protect cherished natural spaces linked with deeply entwined cultural connections and established power structures that are pursuing an outmoded development paradigm. Yet, as demonstrated by the anniversary speakers, countless opportunities exist for creating positive change through informed, dedicated leadership.
The 50th-anniversary celebrations gave a chance to celebrate that reputation and look towards the future. In the summer of 2025, the program plans to launch innovative initiatives to engage the next generation of environmental leaders. A pilot summer advocacy camp will aim to inspire high school and undergraduate students, instilling values of interconnected systems and environmental stewardship early in their academic careers. The program is also launching a new advocacy and leadership graduate education pathway with CCG partner Otterbein University. These initiatives reflect Antioch’s belief that addressing environmental challenges requires engaging and instilling advocacy and stewardship values in younger generations.
The success of Antioch’s Environmental Studies Program during the past five decades can be measured in its academic achievements and the impact of its alumni, who serve as environmental leaders across the globe. From local grassroots initiatives to international policy-making, program graduates continue to shape environmental discourse and action worldwide. Their work spans diverse areas, including biodiversity conservation, climate change resilience, environmental education, science teaching, resource management, and policy development.
Looking toward the future, Abrash Walton wants to continue building on this impact. As she explains, “We have a great group of dedicated faculty and staff who are leading the department forward as we make good on advancing our mission to educate a critical mass of visionary, effective leaders.” She says that the best thing is when she and her colleagues get to see “graduates out in the world being the leaders we prepare them to be—accomplishing truly impactful, mission-aligned victories within their own spheres of influence.”