We welcomed Willow Defebaugh, cofounder and editor-in-chief of the biannual magazine and digital platform Atmos, for a conversation on her new book The Overview: Meditations on Nature for a World in Transition. Defebaugh’s work has also been featured in Vogue, BBC, The Guardian, them, New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. 

The Overview is a collection of essays adapted from Defebaugh’s newsletter of the same name that draws attention to the lessons nature teaches us about how we can create a better world for ourselves and others. The book explores four main themes: healing, evolution, balance, and reverence. Alongside thoughtful essays, The Overview is supported by immersive imagery of ecosystems from around the world by award-winning photographers. The book also interweaves the story of Willow’s gender transition and the ways she looked to nature for guidance, illuminating how nature affirms queer identity.

In conversation with Climate Museum Youth and Public Programs Coordinator Prisca Dognon, Defebaugh discussed her new book, deep ecology (a philosophy that Defebaugh understands as bridging science and spirituality through reverence), what we can learn from nature about queer and trans identities, how we relate to our work and each other within the climate struggle, and the role that artwork and storytelling play in helping us to move forward.

Refreshments were served. Following the conversation, books were available for purchase and signing.