My goals are to construct inspiring narratives, share under-told stories, co-create resilience, reconnect people to natural systems, motivate people to action, and to place issues within a broader context, linking the local with the global.

I write and act on a wide range of topics including sustainable food & food justice, sustainable cities, re-localization, climate change, the green economy, anti-militarism, and positive alternative projects and ideas. My work appears in Oakland Local, Truthout, Ecolocalizer, Huffington Post, Terrain: Northern California’s Environmental Magazine, MatadorChange, Planetsave, Food First, and Ethical Travel. I also have significant experience as a social change organizer, ranging from door-to-door canvassing for GOTV and anti-war campaigns to transit and urban ag work. Last year I organized an anti-war “plant-in” and helped to organize a food justice bike tour for 10/10/10.

My previous career was as an instructor in Philosophy and Religious Studies. I taught in the Humanities Department (Philosophy, Critical Thinking, Environmental Ethics, Comparative Religions, World History courses) at Sinclair Community College in Ohio. In addition to teaching, I also developed curriculum, interviewed and scheduled part-time faculty, maintained websites, co-edited the departmental student journal, and was faculty adviser to the philosophy student club.

For comments or writing assignments please contact me at: vanlenning@hotmail.com