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How Stories Built My Capacity for Empathy
In 2023, Heidi Cuppari and Summer Gould launched EmpowerGen: Amplifying the Voice of the Future — a collaborative effort designed to spotlight the creativity, insights, and lived experiences of young people. From the beginning, the column was co-authored by Dream Tank founder Heidi Cuppari, with contributions from teens and young adults whose perspectives are too often overlooked. From day one, the purpose of EmpowerGen was clear: shift the narrative about today’s youth away from fear and decline, and toward possibility, agency, and hope.
Rather than echoing the doom-and-gloom messages dominating conversations about the next generation, EmpowerGen explores what happens when we trust young people as creators of meaningful change. As highlighted in articles like Beyond Doom and Gloom: Teaching Climate Change to Foster Empowerment, framing youth through a lens of capability and imagination has real impacts on mental health, motivation, and overall well-being.
Now, as Chief of Staff with Dream Tank, I have been given the exciting opportunity to step into a new role as the editor of Dream Tank’s EmpowerGen column! With my new position, I hope to amplify the voices of youth across Boulder, and globally!
My first article, “How Stories Built My Capacity for Empathy,” examines the role of literature and language in shaping my perspective and connection to humans around the world. I have always credited novels, stories in general, as some of the deepest teachers in my life. In this piece, I reflect on how growing up in a place that felt culturally and socially homogenous left me with a limited window into the wider world — and how literature quietly became that window. Through books, languages, and the characters who lived far beyond the boundaries of my own experience, I learned to feel with people I might never meet. Stories became a way of expanding my imagination, my understanding, and ultimately my capacity for empathy.
The article traces how this early relationship with storytelling shaped both my academic path and my sense of responsibility in the world. Reading does not just help me escape, it helps me connect, question, and soften. The research guiding my article taught me that empathy isn’t an abstract ideal; it’s something we can build through intentional exposure to perspectives different from our own. I hope this reflection encourages others to keep turning toward stories as sources of connection, insight, and transformation.
Read the full piece on About Boulder here. 💛
How the Planet Protectors Stepped Up for Earth
I’m sure I can speak for many people when I say that climate change is scary, especially when you’re young. Personally, I remember my dad speaking about climate change in another room, and I was on the verge of tears, really when anyone brought it up, and I felt an impending sense of doom that no kid should feel.
That’s why I teamed up with Dream Tank to create a program for kids 6-9 years old to turn that climate fear into confidence. With months of hard work, our team came up with a concrete plan, Planet Protectors, and made it a reality.
We had 10 amazingly brilliant young kids attend, who knew little about climate change (apart from it being scary), but they all learned about recycling, changes in weather, and more, and each of them reported being more knowledgeable and more confident about their own abilities to stop climate change by the end of it.
How They Did It
Our plan was to have each kid come up with their own solution to climate change, to build the confidence within themselves that they can make a positive impact on our world.
On day one, we opened up their creative spirits by playing games, learning about some solutions that other young people have done to stop climate change, and brainstorming about their own solutions.
On day two, we started to prototype their solutions. Some kids built lego, some made beautiful art, and some used cardboard and popsicle sticks. That freeform creation really goes to show how creative these kids are, and that the sky’s the limit for them. When they started to finish up, we helped them put their projects on slideshows for them to present on the presentation day.
On day three/the pitch celebration, they made some final touches to their projects and presentations, and we took a nature break by the creek and had some lunch. Then the magic happened! All of the kids had the courage to stand up in front of a group of parents and some members of the community, and give a presentation on their climate solutions. It was spectacular, and I, the Dream Tank mentors, and all of the community members were inspired and learned so much, and were motivated to utilize our creative minds more often.
Overall, everyone had tons of fun, learned a lot, built confidence in themselves, along with making new friends. It was an amazing experience and we would love to run it again in the future, and if you’re a parent, teacher or anyone else who’d like to bring Planet Protectors to your community please reach out!
How You Can Help
In order to make Planet Protectors a reality we rely on donations! We wanted to make this camp accessible to everyone who signed up and we gave every Planet Protector a scholarship to attend. If you would like to help Planet Protectors continue as free for kids who sign up, please consider donating here.
Follow Dream Tank’s socials and be on the lookout for any upcoming events, or to sign up for a future Planet Protectors camp!
Thanks
I want to personally thank the Museum of Boulder for hosting Planet Protectors, Heidi Cuppari for her enthusiasm and massive help, and mentors Anya, Sophie, Pavel, Jenny and Cody for refining the program and being there to witness the wonderful kids and help them along their journeys, and of course thank you to our participants and their families for showing up with enthusiasm and bright ideas.
Co-Creating Systems Change at the Speed of Youth
Something extraordinary is brewing at Dream Tank… and it starts this winter.
In January 2026, a dynamic team of Brown University students will join forces with Dream Tank for an immersive, two-week Systems Change Lab. This isn’t just an internship. It’s not a bootcamp. It’s a winternship—where the mission is to co-create bold new blueprints for a more equitable, sustainable future.
We call it the Systems Change Lab—because we’re not tweaking the edges. We’re redesigning the whole thing.
What Is the Systems Change Lab?
The Systems Change Lab will be a collaborative space where Brown students and Dream Tank’s youth visionaries will prototype new models for tackling global challenges—from youth wellness to climate resilience, education transformation, and digital innovation.
But this is Dream Tank… so expect imagination, art, play, and purpose to collide in ways that traditional systems could never dream of.
Why This Matters Now
The world doesn’t need more top-down solutions. It needs youth-led ecosystems built from the ground up—rooted in wellness, creativity, and regenerative design. This Lab will be a microcosm of what’s possible when academic rigor meets youth imagination and systems thinking becomes joyful, actionable, and fun.
What We’re Building
Throughout the Winternship program, Dream Tank and Brown students will explore:
How to prototype a regenerative, youth-led accelerator from the soil up.
How to design infrastructure for global collaboration between dreamers, mentors, and makers.
How to embed systems change in every Dream Tank program, from local labs to global pitch stages.
This is just the beginning of a new chapter in how we do impact.
🚀 Join the Momentum
This January, we’re setting the foundation for something much bigger: a replicable Systems Change Lab model that can expand globally. Whether you’re a student, mentor, funder, educator, or Dream Tank fan—this is your moment to lean in.
We’re opening the doors for collaborators, mentors, artists, systems thinkers, funders, and youth leaders to plug into the magic of the Dream Tank x Brown Systems Change Lab.
If you’re ready to dream boldly and build bravely, fill out this form to join the movement. Let’s reimagine what’s possible—together.
Because this winter, we don’t just warm hearts—we ignite systems.
THE ORIGIN INITIATIVE: A GLOBAL AWAKENING LAUNCHES NOVEMBER 22, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE ORIGIN INITIATIVE: A GLOBAL AWAKENING LAUNCHES NOVEMBER 22, 2025
A Hybrid Global Broadcast Uniting Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and Cultural Imagination — Anchored by Hubcast International and Partners Worldwide
November 22, 2025 — Global — On November 22nd, a planetary broadcast unlike any before will air across digital and physical locations worldwide: The Origin Initiative: A Global Awakening, a hybrid event designed to reconnect humanity to its shared roots and reimagine our collective future, will launch at COP30 in Brazil.
Anchored by trailblazing web-streaming company Hubcast International, in collaboration with Project Biome and a constellation of global changemakers, including Farmers Footprint, Treegens, PEAC Institute, OMMM, Gaia’s Game, Impact Launchpad, WatershedUnity Networks, We Speak Dance, Be Together, Yumi’s Universe LLC, Dream Tank, and many more. The Origin Initiative will gather visionary thinkers, indigenous elders, frontline and “fenceline” heroes, artists, scientists, and spiritual leaders to activate a new movement for planetary renewal and unity.
A Global Awakening for an Interconnected Age
The Origin Global event, planned for October 17th, 2026, will unite multiple locations across the world, including sacred indigenous territories, city venues, and local community action sites.
The COP30 launch of The Origin Initiative will weave together real-time storytelling, performance, and dialogue direct from Brazil.
From rainforest stewards to frontline farmers, climate artists, faith leaders, and visionary scientists, the broadcast will highlight those who are living examples of humanity’s evolution toward coherence, balance, and love for our living planet.
“Origin marks a pivotal moment for humanity”, says Origin co-founder Dr Zach Bush. “It is a celebration of our return to our role as a keystone species. With the convergence of modern science, technology, and ancestral wisdom, we can now realign human activity with natural systems, restoring health, vitality, and harmony with Earth’s rebirth”.
Bridging Science, Spirituality, and Systems Change
The Origin Launch broadcast from Cop30 features an unprecedented range of participants across disciplines:
- Eric Terena, renowned Indigenous filmmaker, DJ/artist and producer, is weaving indigenous wisdom from the collective tapestry of voices inside & outside the United Nations.
- Dr. Zach Bush, physician and regenerative systems thinker, speaking on the biology of connection.
- Indigenous representatives from the Amazon, Africa, and the Pacific, offering ancestral knowledge for ecological healing.
- TreeGen farmers and land stewards, sharing practical regenerative “green economy” campaigns and reforestation initiatives from the ground up.
- Artists and musicians from every continent, performing songs of unity, resistance, and renewal.
- Visionary philanthropists and impact investors, including Lamara Heartwell, a visionary committed to strategic wealth redirection to fund the world’s most prescient planetary solutions.
Together, they embody the spirit of Origin, a movement built not on ideology, but on the living synthesis of ancient wisdom and contemporary innovation.
Democratizing the UN Experience
The Origin launch seeks to “democratize the UN experience”, decentralizing global decision-making through creative, accessible formats that blend storytelling, data, and collective action.
“I believe in the power of people to come together and create the just, regenerative future we all deserve.” Rebecca Irby (PEAC Institute & UN Representative)
The 3-part broadcast will integrate community-based watch parties, interactive dialogues, and digital participation portals that allow millions of viewers to contribute, learn, and co-create real solutions.
“We’re turning spectators into participants, overwhelm into action, despair into determination, and division into solidarity,” explains Hubcast International CEO, Peter Young. “Every viewer becomes a node in the network of planetary regeneration.”
The Road to 2026: From Cop30 to a Global Movement.
The November 22 launch is the first in a year-long series of Origin events, immersive cross-sector experiences that will unfold across continents, leading to the culminating celebration in October 2026, anchored in South Africa and across the world:
“The Origin Earth Concert & Global Prayer” on October 17th, 2026 is envisioned as the largest synchronized celebration of humanity and the planet in history, blending music, intention, and movement for global coherence.
This pathway of activation, from local communities to global stages, marks the birth of a new kind of cultural infrastructure: planetary edutainment that heals, inspires, and mobilizes.
“This isn’t another conference or festival,” says Chris Deckker, co-founder of the initiative. “It’s a global ceremony, a remembrance of what it means to be human in harmony with all life.”
About The Origin Initiative
The Origin Initiative is a global alliance of artists, scientists, storytellers, and change agents dedicated to bridging the wisdom of the ancients with the technologies of tomorrow. Through broadcast storytelling, cultural activation, and regenerative partnership, Origin serves as a living prayer for the planet, reminding humanity of its shared Source.
Produced by: Hubcast International
Founding Partner: Project Biome
Core Partners: TreeGen, WatershedUnity Networks, Dream Tank, Gaia’s Game, and allied movements worldwide.
Event Details
Event: The Origin Initiative Launch: A Global Awakening
Date: November 22, 2025
Format: Global hybrid broadcast (online + local gatherings)
Featuring: Scientists, Indigenous leaders, artists, activists, and visionaries from over 50 countries
Destination: The road to The Origin Earth Concert & Global Prayer, October 17th 2026.
Watch Online: https://ourorigin.earth/
Learn more & join the movement:
Media Contact:
Hubcast International Ltd.
press@hubcastmedia.com
Adrienne Markey
720 450 6300
