04/09/2026
The Irvington Green Team
Irvington Green is pleased to share the launch of Chaos & Catharsis: Minds, Movement and Music for these Uncertain Times.
Building on past Irvington Green Climate Talks and our broader community resilience work, this new series responds to a time of overlapping challenges: climate disruption, economic uncertainty, democratic strain, technological change, inequality, polarization, and growing loneliness. We are facing interconnected problems that reinforce one another and shape the conditions in which climate action, civic life, and community resilience unfold. This series widens the conversation to reflect the full landscape in which environmental work now takes place.
Each gathering pairs big-picture conversation with practical local pathways for engagement and music that invites participation and strengthens community cohesion. We hope each evening leaves people feeling more informed, grounded, and connected.
Our first event is "Collapse and Renewal" at the Irvington Presbyterian Church, Friday, April 17th, 7–9pm. Tickets are required.
Luke Kemp and Douglas Ruskhoff will discuss Luke’s new book Goliath’s Curse, bringing historical perspective and cultural insight to the intertwined crises of our time. Their conversation will explore what the rise and fall of past societies can teach us about the pressures facing our own moment, while also pointing to pathways forward and the reasons for guarded hope.
This will be followed by a brief overview from Lisa Genn, who serves on the Steering Committee for NYCD16/15 Indivisible, on concrete ways to engage in and support democratic participation, immigrant justice, and other on-the-ground and environmental community efforts. The evening will close with an embodied practice for grounding and connection led by Samantha Sweetwater.
Anyone playing the Rivertowns Earth Month Scavenger Hunt will earn 800 points if documented.
Learn more and get all tickets at ChaosAndCatharsis.com
