How one letter sparked a gift of a lifetime

My father was a scientist and, when I was two, our family moved to the village of Woods Hole in Massachusetts. Although I loved science as a child, I was drawn to the arts and became a theatre director and educator—work which enabled me to experience lifestyles and environments in different parts of the world. At one point in my early adult life, as more was being written about the harmful effects of global warming, I felt the need to create a link between my work in the arts and protecting the environment.

When my daughter, Marina, was 9 years old, she helped to create that important link. Unbeknownst to me, she had written a letter to President Obama, sharing her concerns about global warming. To spur the President to greater action, Marina decided to write a book for him! A chapter book titled The Global Warming Express, was born.

At Marina’s behest, I started a Global Warming Express after-school program at her elementary school, using Marina’s book to introduce students to climate change. Living up to its name, the program gained rapid momentum, and I soon left my job to become Executive Director of a new nonprofit, The Global Warming Express (theglobalwarmingexpress.org). The program teaches 4th-6th graders about science, climate science, performing and visual arts, action and advocacy while also teaching children about inner and outer resilience. They learn about adults all over the world, like the team at Woodwell Climate, who are creating solutions to climate change. In 2017, the Sierra Club adopted the Global Warming Express program, and it has since engaged thousands of children, both virtually and through after-school classes. My goal of creating a link between my work and protecting the planet had been realized.

Five years ago, my now-grown daughter and I moved from Santa Fe to Falmouth, which fostered my reconnection to Woodwell Climate. I first met George Woodwell in 1987, when he allowed me to use a basement room of his fledgling research center for a weekend of play auditions. I continued to follow the Center’s work and have been inspired to see how his vision has endured and thrived at Woodwell Climate.

I had come full circle from my childhood in Woods Hole, and it seemed only natural to create a legacy gift and join the George Perkins Marsh Society to help continue George Woodwell’s lifelong commitment to the protection of the Earth. I also knew that my gift would go to the Center’s endowment and permanently support climate science. This is especially important since I have spent so much of my life educating children about climate change and resilience. They deserve the best future we can give them.

Learn more about the George Perkins Marsh Society.