Queer Quaker Responses to Climate Change

In this episode of Quakers Today, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore how queer Quakers respond to climate change with joy, creativity, and radical inclusion. The episode features Damon Motz-Storey and Lina Blount, who delve into the intersection of queerness, spirituality, and climate activism. Miche and Peterson also review two books that provide fresh perspectives on environmentalism and queer ecology.

Featured Segments:

Queer Quaker Responses to Climate Change with Damon Motz-Storey and Lina Blount

Damon Motz-Storey (they/them), a genderqueer Quaker, discusses the importance of radical joy, play, and community in climate work:
“We’re going to save the earth, and we’re going to do it in six-inch heels and full makeup.”

Damon Motz-Storey became the Chapter Director of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club in 2023. They have a wealth of experience leading environmental and climate justice campaigns in the Pacific Northwest. Their achievements include blocking major new coal, oil, and gas expansions, pioneering the Portland Clean Energy Fund initiative, and contributing to Oregon's 2021 state legislation for low-income utility bill discounts, home energy retrofits, and a commitment to 100% clean electricity by 2040. Damon also worked with the Coalition of Communities of Color, managing communications for Portland's successful 2022 city government reform measure and organizing record-breaking fundraising events to support racial justice efforts. They live in East Portland near Powell Butte and enjoys hiking, cycling, weightlifting, cooking, and performing in drag.

Lina Blount highlights the role of interconnectedness and reciprocity in climate justice:
“Our liberation is bound up in each other's, especially in climate work, because it’s how ecosystems work.”

Lina Blount is an organizer, trainer, and nonviolent action strategist who has been involved in environmental justice campaigns in the Philadelphia area for over fifteen years. She currently serves as the Director of Strategy and Partnerships with the Earth Quaker Action Team. Lina has previously worked with the Divestment Student Network and has extensive experience as a canvas director and anti-fracking organizer in Pennsylvania. She identifies as a Quaker and considers the Earth Quaker Action Team, her primary spiritual community.

Book Review: Queer Ecologies and Sustainable Futures
Books Reviewed:

• Deviant Hollers: Queering Appalachian Ecologies for a Sustainable Future
  Peterson and Miche review this collection of essays edited by Zane McNeil and Rebecca Scott, which critiques environmental exploitation and maps alternative futures through queer perspectives.
• Smarter Planet or Wiser Earth? by Gray Cox
  Miche introduces this book, published by the Quaker Institute for the Future, which examines the ethical implications of smart technology and its role in building a sustainable global community. Read Brad Gibson's Friends Journal review.

Quotes:

• "It is our superpower to insist upon joy, even in a world insistent on pushing us back into the closet." – Damon Motz-Storey
• "Chosen family and ecosystems both offer models of connection that are life-giving and generative." – Lina Blount
• "We can laugh and dance through climate action because that’s how we’ll keep going." – Damon Motz-Storey
• "Ecosystems don’t just work locally. There’s this incredible web of interconnection." – Lina Blount

Announcing Season Four:

After a short break, Quakers Today will return to producing regular programs on November 12, 2024. Look out for extra features and announcements in October that will appear in your podcast feed. 

Question of the Month: We want to hear from you!

Here is a question for you: What novel, film, or television series changed your relationship with the world? The world of fiction can alter the way we see ourselves, each other, the natural world, the political order, history, and society. What work of fiction shifted your perspective or altered your worldview? 

Leave a voice memo or text with your name and the town where you live. The Quakers Today number is 317-QUAKERS. +1 if calling from outside the U.S. You can also answer on any of our social media pages: Instagram, X, or TikTok. 

Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation (FPC) content online. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.

Season Three of Quakers Today is sponsored by American Friends Service Committee. 

Do you want to challenge unjust systems and promote lasting peace? The American Friends Service Committee, or AFSC, works with communities worldwide to drive social change. Their website features meaningful steps you can take to make a difference. Through their Friends Liaison Program, you can connect your meeting or church with AFSC and their justice campaigns. Find out how you can become part of AFSC’s global community of changemakers. Visit AFSC dot ORG. 

Feel free to send comments, questions, and requests for our new show. Email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org. You can also call or text our listener voicemail line at 317-QUAKERS.

This episode’s music comes from Epidemic Sound.