For more than 50 years, Annabel Slaight has helped young people engage with the world around them through curiosity, creativity and care.
Many Canadians know her as a founder of Owl Magazine, now celebrating 50 years in print. But her work stretches far beyond the page—from protecting Lake Simcoe to building Clearwater Farm and co-creating the Future Chicken animated eco-stories.
Across it all is a consistent thread: when young people get curious, they begin to see they can shape what comes next.
We spoke with Slaight about how that shows up in her work—and why it matters now.
You’re reaching kids through print, digital and in person. Why is that offline and online ecosystem essential in 2026?
“You always need to reach kids where they are and right now that’s online,” Slaight says. But she’s clear that it cannot be the only place they connect.
“Nature is a wonderful coach for kids. To touch nature, to feel inspired by it, sparks curiosity. And that curiosity leads to action if it’s nurtured.”
Slaight says digital platforms can help ideas spread, but those ideas are strongest when they connect kids to real experiences. At Clearwater Farm and through Future Chicken on YouTube and CBC, kids engage with climate solutions, then share what they’ve learned to inspire others.
Young people are feeling anxious about the future and the environment. How have you seen your work mitigate that, and what impact have you seen from your agri-preneur program?
“The best antidote to climate anxiety is action,” she says. “And according to kids an even better antidote is bold kindness.”
She defines bold kindness as, “Connecting compassion and action. It’s letting yourself really care, then using that as fuel to do something.”
When young people are given the chance to take part, build and create, their sense of what is possible begins to shift.
“Kids can do a lot of amazing things. They can also influence their parents and their parents can champion these actions with government, philanthropists and others.”
This continuum is visible in the agri-preneur program at Clearwater Farm. Participants learn regenerative farming and explore new ways of thinking about food systems. Some have gone on to start farms or build careers connected to this work.
You clearly have a track record of being a hand raiser and bringing others along. What advice do you have for people who have an idea but don’t know where to start?
“Let your heart get involved in the thinking,” she says. “Once your heart is connected to an idea, your hands can go to work.”
Looking back on her own path, she also points to the role of imagination. “The combination of out-of-the-box thinking leading to bold ideas can make things happen,” she shares.
She says being a champion is not about having all the answers. It is about having the care and curiosity to begin, taking that first step and making it involving and fun for others to step up and help.
Annabel Slaight has established ClearWater Futures Foundation to lead current activities (www.clearwaterfoundation.com). She has also has the Annabel and Brian Slaight ClearWater Farm Fund - an invested flowthrough fund at Toronto Foundation..