“Embodying Indigenous Spirituality” Sihler Lecture

As we care for Mother Earth and vice versa, the feminine energy guides us to stewardship and spirituality with all our non-human relatives; embracing this energy will unlock for us a new way to engage with climate action decisively. This collaboration will invite students, faculty, and community members to explore how belief systems/cosmology, cultural traditions, and personal values shape our collective response to the climate crisis.

We will also highlight the vital role of Indigenous sovereignty, examining how Indigenous spiritual worldviews, land-based practices, music as a sacred conduit between worlds, and movements for self-determination offer essential guidance for climate justice and ecological restoration. By bringing together scientific understanding with deep moral, cultural, and spiritual reflections, the event aims to cultivate a sense of shared responsibility and interconnection during a moment of global social, ecological, and spiritual degradation.

This keynote is featuring one of our nationally recognized Earth Guardians Speakers, Tony Perez Soto, whose activism, lived experience, and spiritual grounding illuminate new pathways for climate engagement.