March 2026 News & Updates

Michael is an award-winning filmmaker whose work spans more than three decades of documentary storytelling designed to inspire awareness and action. As Producer/Director of Prairie Prophecy: The Wes Jackson Documentary, Johnson brings his deep experience in purposeful media to illuminate the legacy of Wes Jackson and The Land Institute’s pioneering vision for perennial agriculture and a sustainable future.

Through his company, Perennial Films, Johnson has produced a wide range of acclaimed media projects that combine cinematic storytelling with educational and social impact. With Prairie Prophecy airing nationally on Public Television, Johnson continues his mission to create films that shift understanding, spark dialogue, and help audiences imagine new ways of living in balance with the planet.

 

Here’s a free link to the trailer (2.47 minutes) of this film. Links for the full film will be provided to all participants at the Forum!

Prairie Prophecy explores the promise of perennial, nature-based agriculture as a response to climate change, soil loss, and the future of food. Drawing on decades of research from The Land Institute, Salina, Kansas, the film offers a thoughtful, hopeful look at how working with nature may help sustain both people and the planet. The film combines science and artistry to power core ideas for Earth-based living. (Photo right shows Michael with Wes Jackson)

Repenting for Theologies That Oppress —Yobel School welcomes Volker Künster and Dorothea Erbele-Künster who are traveling from Mainz, Germany, with the desire to learn about how God is experienced within Mayan culture and ecological environment of San Cristobal. Their interest is intercultural theology so Pedro Robledo Ramirez, director of the Yobel School, has arranged for a two-day workshop on intercultural theology. What is it? Intercultural theology has been called a form of theological repentance of the northern hemisphere in its past superior attitude toward the south. So intercultural theology disrupts and subverts Western academic theological discourses and creates a space for the voices of the poor and oppressed and those who are culturally and religiously different to be heard. Accordingly, Pedro is arranging for Mayans, women voices, Mother Earth, and others to be present in this workshop. He will also share JEM’s participation in signing the Earth Charter in Puebla, and Yobel’s initiative on environmental education. Donations to JEM are contributing $300 to this event.

Isai Robledo, San Cristobal Jubilee Circle, impressively wins art contest — The “Latinoamérica Planner” holds a contest each year for artists to submit artwork for the cover. Isai entered the contest this year and won on his very first try. It’s a commissioned work. The planner is sold in Latin America and other places. Isai also did the artwork on the flyer shown above for the event with the theologian couple from Germany.

San Cristobal Fund for the Future — This fund has been launched with three early, small donations. The vision makes possible many activities for which there is demand, but currently inadequate physical resources and no finances. With the ultimate achievement of this fund, Jubilee will be much better integrated throughout all three branches of the San Cristobal Circle: (1) Alter-Nativas with Isai, Lindsey, and others; (2) Na’Xo-jobal with Gloria and others; (3) Yobel School with Pedro and others. The initial goal for this vision is $90,000. If you want to be part of this vision, we’re happy to tell you more details. Whether you want to give $25 or $25,000, you are welcome. Richard Lawrence, Lindsey Mercer-Robledo, and Lee Van Ham are also coordinating applications to foundations and funders.

Making it possible for a mother to be with her son when he graduates —Gloria, the mother, is part of Jubilee in San Cristobal. Inti, the son, is graduating in Mexico City, a 13-hour bus trip for her. She will soon travel to see Inti defend his thesis. Later, she will return so they can be together for his graduation. Gloria writes, “Inti is graduating from the Autonomous University of Mexico (in Mexico City), and I am deeply grateful to God.” She has requested help financially for these bus trips. Jubilee, because of your donations, is sending her $400 to cover part of her expenses for these really important trips. A personal note: When I (Lee) first met Inti he was 17 and reading liberation theology.

You can read “The Greatness of Being Human amid AI” — OneEarth Connections is my personal (Lee) Substack account where each month I write and post one to three blogs. Each is around 1200 words. In the most recent blog, I write about Jesus’ preferred name for himself, which is “the truly human one.” He was not concerned about his deity, but about his humanity (though he may not have thought in such dualistic ways at all). And how does this intersect with the claims of some AI enthusiasts about not only enhancing our human capacities but replacing us?

Restoring the Earth Gathering every month for one hour via Zoom — Jubilee Economics collaborates with United Religions Initiative (URI). We are one of over a thousand Cooperations Circles URI has globally. Here’s the invitation to the April “Gathering for Earth,” hosted by Lauren Van Ham. Our topic:  Indigenous lifeways, traditional knowledge, & ancestral wisdom are integral to creating cultures of Peace, Justice & Healing. THIS MONTH, Biswadeb Chakraborty, URI’s Indigenous Lead & Regional Coordinator for E. India, will talk about indigenous-led projects across the URI Network.  Please register and join us! Tuesday, the 7^th of April at 7 am, PDT (Your Time Zone)  Register HERE.

Simple Living Works and JEM have collaborated over the past 15 years—especially in producing podcasts with some great guests. We concluded those in 2022 with an interview of Chuck Collins after he wrote, The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions. The podcasts are still available at https://oneearthjubilee.com/podcasts/. Now our collaborations consist primarily of irregular briefings in this newsletter.Spending by the top 10% in the U.S. is not 50% of the economy. Much of it is overconsumption. Among the other 90%, millions fall out of health insurance and do not have enough. Too many are being coerced into simpler living by unjust systems.  Both JEM and SLW work for a different economy along with many other organizations such as the New Economy Coalition and Solidarity Economy Network.

SLW! website, simplelivingworks.org, though older in format, holds a lot of ideas for living more simply. These have been collected and written by now semi-retired director, Jerry” Iversen. SLW! features alternatives to commercial celebrations. Jerry suggests: