Finding Beauty in the Gray: Lessons from the Oregon Coast
Details
Building Closure — Sunday, March 22
Due to record-breaking heat and our cooling system not yet being operational, the Ethical Society building will be closed this Sunday, March 22, for everyone’s safety and comfort.
All in-person programming is cancelled.
Our Platform talk will still be shared online at 11 a.m. on YouTube.
Please stay cool and take care of yourselves.
We live in a time of deep uncertainty. Global instability, climate anxiety, political polarization, economic stress. It all feels like a heavy fog hanging over us. And yet, on a June morning along the northern Oregon coast, Ethical Culture Leader Louise Jett witnessed something quietly profound that rose above all the noise. And in that moment (and many moments along the coast), Louise found not only beauty, but meaning.
Not every beautiful place is warm and sunny. Sometimes the most powerful landscapes are draped in gray. This talk will explore what it means to live (and lead) with presence during murky times. Let’s reflect on the courage it takes to move forward, even when we can’t yet see the way.
Louise Jett (she/her) is an Ethical Humanist Leader, educator, and creative strategist committed to building communities rooted in dignity, belonging, and ethical action. She advances Humanist values through leadership development, community programming, and public storytelling. Louise serves as creative director for the Ethical Society of St. Louis and as Illinois statewide branding manager, leading initiatives that connect public service with purpose. A former community college professor, she specializes in connection, ethical reflection, and helping communities move toward shared understanding and collective flourishing.