ecological identity
ecological principles for collective action
ecologically-centered design
Human-Nature Relationships
Human-Nature Relationships
Institutional Re-Design and Leadership Development
Institutional Re-Design and Leadership Development
Ecosystem Models
Ecosystem Models
Nothing can be done in the world without creating a new kind of people.
– Aldo Leopold
We believe that natural ecosystems provide the most abundant and diverse models for how complex human systems can and should function. Collective action problems are deep-rooted environmental and social issues that require many people working together to achieve structural change. Ecological principles for collective action™ anchor our methodology that builds the capacity of individuals, organizations, and institutions to re-imagine and re-design themselves to function more like natural ecosystems.
Velvet Frame™’s mission is to realign human aspirations with the evolution of natural systems by helping individuals and organizations to conceptualize and develop an ecological identity.
The purpose of realignment is to step closer to true sustainability by encouraging people to acknowledge themselves as an integral, and equal part of the natural world. The development of an ecological identity™ allows people to identify and position themselves as actors in complex ecosystems.
There are no unsacred place; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.
– Wendell Berry Given
Lauren is an environmental entrepreneur with an eclectic background in green building and sustainable design, film, non-profit management, event planning, mediation, disaster management, gaming, and social impact strategy. She weaves her expertise with natural acuity to unpack and align philosophy, strategy, and practice.
Lauren holds a bachelors degree in international relations and a masters in sociology from Stanford University, a masters in environmental management from Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and a certificate in social impact strategy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Leslye has 20 years of experience as a classically trained photographer specializing in landscape, wildlife, and portrait studies. Her portfolio includes work in Africa and Europe. A visual storyteller, Leslye combines her love of art and communication with professionalism and attentiveness.
Leslye holds a bachelors degree in psychology and photography from Carnegie Mellon University, and is currently evolving her creative education in the fields of art direction and graphic design.
We are not a branding, public relations, or marketing agency. Therefore, we don’t work on the perception, personality, products, or positioning of your company in order to influence existing or potential customers, or distinguish you from its competitors. Furthermore, we only focus on shaping a visual identity to the extent that it supports the alignment of narrative, language, and theory of change. Velvet Frame™ engages in responsive capacity-building by applying an ecosystems methodology to social and environmental problems. Please see our philosophy, why work with us, and who we work with for more details.
Please see who we work with under About.
A cultural narrative is a system of stories that helps a community of people assign meaning to their history and existence. They reinforce societal norms, teach moral values and ethical behavior, and strengthen identity through shared knowledge and experience. Like the adage, “America is a melting pot”, narratives are ultimately the stories we choose to tell about ourselves.
Yes, we are influenced by the principles of biomimicry and believe that the most sustainable solutions to mankind’s problems can be found by studying and emulating nature.
We are expanding the application of that core idea by focusing on leadership, institutional re-design, and collective action.
Organizations and institutions are critical to building the capacity and scale of structural change. They function as pillars of civil society, stewards of culture, and are spaces to negotiate shared values and identities, and foster social trust. Many long-standing institutions are in flux – a great opportunity to re-purpose and re-build them to be more responsive to complex environmental challenges and inclusive to rapidly shifting demographics. An ecosystems approach to their evolution is holistic, strategic, and sustainable.
Thank you for your interest! Although there are no open positions at this time, we are always looking for exceptional talent to expand our team, and are open to requests to intern. We are also in the process of developing a Collective that will explore emerging topics at the intersection of environment and social change, create content, and generate thought leadership. Please contact us and tell us about yourself, your background, and career interests.
We saw a need for a deeper conversation about the intersection of environment and social change, particularly the complexity of human-nature relationships. We wanted to create a space to engage the fundamentals of change – the philosophies and ethics that inform what we value, and how we approach our work. The goal is to take environmentalism “out of the box” by elevating the environmental dimensions of social problems, and demonstrating how an environmental lens contributes a nuanced perspective.
We would love to hear from you! Please use our contact form to share some information about yourself, your needs, and your project. We will be in touch shortly.
Collective action refers to action taken together by a group of people whose goal is to improve their status, the status of others, or achieve a common objective. The challenge arises when there are disincentives to cooperation, or the scope of the problem is so great that coordination of a group’s actions becomes extremely difficult. In many ways, environmental issues are the ultimate collective action problem.
Ecological principles is an umbrella term to refer to the interconnected principles that describe the processes of the natural world – ecological, cosmological, spiritual, biological, and scientific – that exist independent of human objectives.
