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Elders Action Network – Grady McGonagill

Action researcher Grady McGonagill founded the Massachusetts Chapter of Elders Climate Action. In his 15 mins. interview with Michael Sales who now co-leads the organization, Grady explains why he did what he did. And importantly for ARTists he explains how. 

Grady opened to his new identity as climate activist from reading a short piece in the local news about the disappearance of the horned toed toads of his childhood. The effect on him of reading this was grief. From his grief came a real desire to act. Not knowing quite how to move to action, he felt his way to the basic steps of social mobilization with others.

Grady’s story is one of an ordinary leader (he refuses the term “courageous”) who reached out to people close by and followed the energy, making space for ever more collaboration, sharing data. 

Grady uses the metaphor of a Sequoia forest with its mycelial web to describe how things grew.  He also mentions the support he felt from his meditation practice and the “ecosattva” path that many are now also awakening to as we realize that making real our sense of connection with all beings also means acting on their behalf. And yay for the significant climate laws that Grady also helped pass by linking with voter campaigns.

And in case you think you have to be a wise elder to take action, checkout a companion piece from teenagers taking action in their world 

I share these as examples of ART of the ordinary. We see the transformative agency of ordinary coLABorators among us and, I hope, get inspired and take action!

Grady’s video interview here: