Dear friends,
This year, towards the end of a tumultuous spring, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in retreat with a small group of women writers in New York’s Hudson Valley. Specifically, we all worked on sharing stories and poetry that gave voice to the many emotions and experiences of the climate crisis. And I myself was full of emotions! As many of you know, we had just learned of the cancellation of our $5 million EPA grant. We were reeling from the federal actions against inclusion and diversity, and like many of you, we were waiting to see how tariffs and federal funding shifts would impact our work. All of this amidst deep concern about issues ranging from the safety of our undocumented neighbors to the safety of our friends and family who are gender nonconforming. It was an overwhelming time, in many ways.
Amidst all of this heartache, I had just returned from our Living Future Conference in Portland, Oregon. We, as a community, shared these emotions with each other, exchanged SO many hugs, and found strength in our collective resolve. I can confidently say, it was a conference week like no other. We were all deep in the churn of societal shift, and that time together was precious.
I think I can speak for our entire staff in saying that we left Portland with the strength of feeling needed in these times. This year, we are especially grateful for our amazing community who showed up to share that they are STILL committed to the Just program, STILL committed to deep climate action work such as our Zero Carbon program, STILL committed to the collaborative work required to shift our industry towards a regenerative future, and more.
In our evolving cultural and political landscape, the logic of Living Future’s tactics has never been stronger or more urgent. As we see federal regulations and funding dissolve, and as some private market forces lean back from their climate goals, the driving forces toward a better world are increasingly the thoughtful, morally-driven individuals, communities, and organizations who understand that another world is possible. Our programs at Living Future are designed to support these kinds of people and organizations. We practice the art of inspiration, we recognize ‘what good looks like’ in real life rather than on paper, and we maintain a stance of long-term thinking towards a truly regenerative economy.
This long-term thinking is what led us to our theme for next year’s conference, Designing the Next 100 Years. We look forward to being back in Seattle, April 14-17, to discuss how
AI is changing our work, how the changing climate impacts our mission and practice as shelterers, and how we can sustain ourselves and our movement during these times.
My biggest takeaway from this year is that our movement is strong because of the bonds between us.
I plan to share more of my reflections then, but I will say that my biggest takeaway from this year is that our movement is strong because of the bonds between us. This year has shown us the power of friendship and even family that underlies our work. Our community is coming together to align systems, share resources, and get creative in our tactics like never before.
Next year will be a special one for us, as we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Living Building Challenge. This brings me back to the retreat I mentioned at the beginning of this letter, because it inspired me to visit an early Living Building, the Omega Institute’s Center for Sustainable Living. I did what I often do – take the standard tour without ‘outing’ myself, because I love to hear how people express the concepts of Living Buildings without being nervous about my presence!
What struck me that day was that humble stewardship is perhaps our most powerful form of climate action. This Living Building is stewarded by people who carry great pride and thoughtfulness in maintaining it. As I sought to find words to express solutions to the polycrisis, the building reminded me that what we seek to achieve is hard to argue against. We want good shelter, we value the practice of designing and maintaining it, and we seek to ensure that everyone has access to it. Despite the many challenges we face, those values keep me grounded, and I hope they can do the same for you. We are proud to share what follows in these pages as the actions we’ve taken over the past year to advance our mission, and we look forward to continuing this critical work with you all next year and in the years to come.
Lindsay Baker
CEO, Living Future
Year In Review
As global support for climate action weakens, progress increasingly depends on thoughtful, values-driven individuals, communities, and organizations who know a better world is possible. Our 2025 Year in Review shows what these changemakers can achieve. Living Future exists to recognize and empower them. Your vital gift supports the long-term vision that turns inspiration into regenerative reality. Explore the report and donate today to maximize our collective impact.
