Chapter activists spend an afternoon with Paul Loeb

Hope is a hard thing to stoke in these days marred by congressional gridlock and obstructionist politicians, but author Paul Loeb broke through all that.

Loeb travelled from Seattle to meet with Angeles Chapter activists to speak about how we can project hope into the cynical atmosphere surrounding social and political action today.

Sierra Club supporters and friends gathered in Beverly Hills on May 1 to celebrate the Angeles Chapter’s ongoing work. The fund-raising event was hosted by Lauren Steiner, whose dashing home and tasteful décor provided an ideal setting for conversation and networking.

In the midst of ongoing drought, the day's considerable rainfall was a pleasant surprise – and a slight inconvenience. Loeb joked that whenever he travels to Southern California, he brings the rain with him. But Loeb’s message, delivered before the little tempest outside Steiner’s picture windows, was anything but rainy.

Drawing inspiration from his rousing book “Soul of a Citizen,” Loeb expanded on the upbeat theme of his latest publication, titled “The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizens' Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear.” At the core of his message lay the value of persistence. In times of widespread disenchantment, successful activists and change-makers find ways to reinvent inspiration and form newfound coalitions. Despite what we’re told, ordinary citizens can overcome social barriers and live responsibly.

Loeb has spent more than 30 years exploring why many of us choose to live in a socially committed way. His talk resonates with us as we expand the Angeles Chapter’s reach and constituency, remaining true to our longstanding work.

At Sunday’s event, we heard from Judy Anderson, whose activism with the Sierra Club’s desert campaign helped push through the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. In the face of opposition from developers and the extraction industry, activists like Anderson and Jim Dodson achieved victory when President Clinton finally signed the bill into law after an eight-year legislative struggle.

That well-fought effort, calling together allies from diverse backgrounds, benefitted from the support of groups like the Sierra Student Coalition. Today, we’re looking to expand on that work with programs like L.A. Inspiring Connections Outdoors (LA ICO). On Sunday we heard from ICO’s Firoza Jhabvala and Catherine Ronan, who are empowering city youth to explore nature, kindling a passion they can bring to urban sustainability issues.

Stories like these, and Loeb’s inspiring keynote talk, left attendees reinvigorated to take on the challenges confronting our planet. And that made the uncharacteristic L.A. rain a lot easier to bear.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the supporters who attended, and to all those who contributed. Thanks to your generosity and commitment, the Angeles Chapter can expand our exciting outings schedule and continue protecting the places and resources we cherish.

After a successful start to 2015, the Angeles Chapter will host future fundraising events at venues throughout the city. Look for more opportunities to engage with fellow nature-lovers while supporting the Sierra Club.

Philip Rojc is a writer and Angeles Chapter Sierra Club member. You can find him at philiprojc.com or follow him on Twitter at @PhilipRojc.