Event
Seeing Ourselves in Nature

little boy crouched down looking at plants through a magnifying glass

Date

-

Event Type

Webinar

Topic

  • Curriculum and Teaching
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Program Design and Management
  • Research

The lived experiences and cultural knowledge of Indigenous, Black, and other educators and families of the Global Majority are not always well represented in nature-based education. In a webinar that took place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, author and educator Jessica Fong introduced her newly published book, Seeing Ourselves in Nature, a powerful collection of stories that reframe outdoor learning through the lens of equity, identity, and belonging. 

Contributing authors Lotus Chaney and Flor Villanueva-Winter, joined Jessica to share how they are reframing nature-based education to reflect their lived experiences with land, community, and healing. Drawing from real-world experiences in early childhood settings, this webinar recording explores: 

  • How educators of color are reclaiming nature as a space for liberation and joy
  • Ways to center cultural identity and ancestral knowledge in outdoor learning
  • Strategies for creating inclusive, affirming nature-based experiences for all children

Whether you're an educator, caregiver, or advocate, this webinar recording offers inspiration for making nature education more inclusive, relational, and rooted in justice.

Watch the recording. 

Resources

Speakers

  • Jessica Fong headshot

    Jessica Fong

    Jessica Fong is the Director of Education at Openlands, where she leads nature-based programming for educators, students, and families across Chicago. A Latina educator and child of Guatemalan immigrants, Jessica began teaching in Guatemala in 2007 and has since become a national advocate for dual language and nature-based early childhood education. She holds two master’s degrees and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Sustainability. Her work centers equity, cultural identity, and community stewardship, with a focus on ensuring BIPOC children and families feel safe, seen, and celebrated in outdoor learning spaces. Jessica also serves on multiple boards and leads the McKinley Community Play Garden, a grassroots nature play initiative.

  • Lotus Chaney Headshot

    Lotus Chaney

    Lotus Chaney describes herself as “a nature woman, a global citizen, and a habitual eater of food.” She is mama to her son Ren and wife and best friend to her partner, Jophyel. An environmental researcher with more than twelve years of experience in the field and a lifetime of experience playing outside, Lotus is also a farmer, food science educator, Master Gardener, sustainable finance enthusiast, agroecologist, outdoor classroom specialist, food literacy educator, conference speaker, and homeschooler. Her personal projects include using action research to explore the concept of epigenetics through immersion in nature and healthy relationships with nutritious food  
     
  • Flor Villanueva-Winter

    Flor Villanueva-Winter

    A native of Colombia, Flor Villanueva-Winter is an early childhood educator at Belmont Cragin Elementary, a dual language (Spanish and English) Chicago Public School. She has been teaching preschoolers following the Reggio Emilia approach for more than nineteen years. Flor is a recipient of the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award for her work with developmentally disabled infants and families. She has also conducted seminars for the Chicago Metro Association for the Education of Young Children. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from Erikson Institute