Based on the 2021 Book series Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations, Atmosphere ’25 will delve into the profound subject of Kinship, illuminating and exploring our intertwined relations with each other and the complex world of which we are a part. Rooted in perspectives of empathy, responsibility, and accountability, this gathering will explore kinship beyond our individual and siloed worldviews to explore how we are part of a much larger shared story.
 
Kinship in Indigenous cultures is a foundational principle that underscores the interconnectedness of all life forms—human and more-than-human. This worldview teaches us that our thoughts and actions are deeply entwined with other beings and encourages us to see our relationships as reciprocal, long-standing, and cosmically joined. By embracing this holistic perspective, we root our understanding in the fact that all histories, identities, and knowledge systems are place-based, offering us a unique way to discover regional perspectives of a multifaceted worldview.

In this conference, we will explore Kinship through the five book themes of this series:

• Planet: What are the sources of our deepest evolutionary and planetary connections and of our profound longing for kinship?
• Place: To what extent does crafting a deeper connection with Earth’s bioregions reinvigorate a sense of kinship with place-based beings, systems, and communities that mutually shape one another?
• Partners: How do relations between and among different species foster a sense of responsibility and belonging in us?
• Persons: Which experiences expand our understanding of being human in relation to other-than-human beings?
• Practice: What are the practical, every day, and lifelong ways we become kin?

Through engaging presentations and discussions, this gathering will provide an opportunity to cultivate a sense of awareness and empathy, encouraging participants to reimagine how their own practices and visions can contribute to a broader effort to incite meaningful change in the world. Speakers from a wide range of inspiring and diverse disciplines will share their practices of place-making, truth-telling, cultural preservation, land stewardship, and activism.

This gathering will provide an important platform for discussing how kinship can inform our understanding of place, help us create lasting relationships with non-human beings, and remain connected to each other as we work towards a collective effort to promote mutual flourishing for Earth and Earthlings.