Name: Back to the earth: a climate death salon
Start: 2025-07-23T18:30:00
End: 2025-07-23T20:00:00
Location: Apathy is Boring

<h1>In the end, we will all die.</h1>Death is a natural, inevitable outcome for all living beings, but for humans, death and how we approach dying are shaped by social, cultural, and environmental factors. Feelings of loss, grief, and change are thus intrinsic to the experience of living.The climate crisis entails death in many forms: biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate disasters. Even more, the climate crisis demands that we face death, grief, and change… grieving old systems and cultural values that no longer serve us.This project aims to discuss death openly within the context of climate and social issues. As young people, we the organizers want to promote open dialogue about death, dying, and ultimately transformation. Death requires us to grapple with what we used to have, what we still have to lose, and what we can gain in the process.Note: although the facilitators are bilingual, this event and its facilitation will occur largely in English.&nbsp;<h1>Facilitators</h1>Victor Yin (he/they) is a queer Chinese Canadian climate educator and writer passionate about fostering community resilience through dialogue and emotional literacy. Victor holds a B.A. in Human Geography with a certificate in Urban Studies and a Master’s Certificate in Environmental Education and Communication. He has also completed Simon Fraser University’s Semester in Dialogue program and received facilitation training, equipping him with skills to guide meaningful conversations around complex topics.As co-lead of Sword Fern Collective, a grassroots community organization, Victor works to advance collective action through emotional literacy, believing that our capacity to process feelings is essential for effective social change. His work bridges the personal and political, exploring how we can navigate grief, transformation, and hope in the face of the climate crisis. Victor’s core values include love and growth. Victor speaks both English and French.Christina Joy: (any pronouns) is an artist, writer, and bureaucrat living in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal, QC) but born and raised on Treaty 6 Territory (Saskatoon, SK), with ancestry from both the rural prairies and Southeast Asia. Christina holds a B.A. (Hons) in International Studies with a minor in Economics, and in her studies, focused primarily on anti-imperial sustainable development &amp; community self-sufficiency, sustainability &amp; climate policy, alternative economies, and decolonization. Christina is a practiced facilitator, with experience leading community development focus groups, strategic planning meetings at a local community organizing centre, and climate coalitions.Christina is passionate about socioeconomic and broader systems transformation. Her political work is rooted in somatics, polyvagal theory, and a trauma-informed approach to a better world being possible. Christina’s core values include transformative justice, nuance, interdependence, and leading with love. Beyond all these, she can be found throwing pottery, practicing yoga, or reading a good poem. <h1>What to Expect</h1>This will be a facilitated dialogue exploring death, grief, and transformation in the context of climate change. This gathering will bring together up to 10 participants in a circle format.We will begin with grounding and introductions, then move into facilitated discussion where we explore questions like: How do we process climate grief? What are we mourning as systems change? How can facing death help us live more fully? The session concludes with reflection and gentle closure. Light snacks will be provided. No prior experience with death cafés is required: just an open heart and willingness to engage and listen. <h2>Practical Details</h2>Duration: about 90 minutesCapacity: Maximum 12 total&nbsp;&nbsp;Format: Circle discussion with facilitation&nbsp;&nbsp;Refreshments: Light snacks provided&nbsp;&nbsp;Cost: Sliding scale, recommended $5, nobody turned away for lack of funds.&nbsp;&nbsp;Location: Apathy is Boring headquarters, Montréal, 5310 St Laurent BlvdTime: Doors open at 6pm. Session will start at 6:30 sharp and will finish by 8pm.