Living the Future First: Community Strategies for Climate Readiness

Host: Institute for the Future (IFTF)What: Join us for a foresight research preview & PBS Docu-series screening Life Unearthed with the host and IFTF Future for Good Fellow Ariel WaldmanWhen: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 6:00-7:45pm (PT)Where: 290 S. California Ste. 200 Palo Alto, CA 94306

Climate change’s future is already here for many Californians.Join us for an evening designed to bridge the gap between policy and people.

Leaders, policy makers, and funders are drowning in a sea of climate impact technical reports, meanwhile the lived, human experience can get lost in the mix. IFTF community-based foresight flips this script. It ensures long-term thinking as a vital civic resource—one that belongs to the real people living in areas of shifting risk, not just the institutions planning from a distance.Join IFTF to hear about new research from forthcoming work for California’s Fifth Climate Assessment featuring three different regions in California that centers the lived experiences of those facing climate change first. Learn about 9 climate-readiness strategies people are already using in the face of constant change,  and how investing in local practical visionaries can help us get there early.

Event Overview:

Interactive art installation on water futures, “The Resolution of Water” by Toshi Anders Hoo and Liza Bender of Possibility Spaces Design Strategy. Community-based foresight research on climate with IFTF researchers Rod Falcon, Rachel Hatch, Ben Hamamoto and Ayça GuralpReflections on the climate + Afrofuturism nexus from Dr. Lonny Brooks, Community Futures School, Museum of Children’s Art in OaklandScreening of newly released PBS series, “Life Unearthed with Ariel Waldman” with brief Q&A with the Director & IFTF Fellow, Ariel WaldmanMix and mingle: Beverage and snacks included

What you’ll gain:

A shift in perspective to move beyond the numbers and understand the lived experiencesLearn the 9 actionable strategies communities are already using to build resilience and future-readinessTake in visually-stunning scenes of Earth’s ecosystems in a way that reminds us why we care so deeply about climate futures in the first placeNetwork with an intimate group of community-minded colleagues who care about climate futures

#health #social #climate #community #future4good #ecosystems #futurereadinessBy registering for this event, you agree to share your registration information with the organizers of SF Climate Week.

SF Climate Week is a decentralized climate gathering organized by and for the community. It facilitates a week full of diverse, multidisciplinary events where organizers and supporters can connect, exchange ideas, and foster climate solutions.