Terry Clayton

I come from an immigrant family with roots in England. They migrated to Canada and over the course of the next few generations eventually settled in California. I was born in Los Angeles during the Great Depression. In 1945, my family moved to Port Angeles, Washington where I spent my formative years.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Western Washington University and my teaching degree at the University of Washington, earning my Master’s in Education and specializing in American history. I earned my second Master’s degree from Antioch University in Whole Systems, specializing in Cultural Evolution and the Dynamics of Social Change.

I taught high school in the Seattle area for seven years before moving to Bogota, Colombia in 1973 where I taught at Colegio Nueva Granada International High School. Upon returning to the United States, I resumed teaching high school for Shoreline School District in addition to Shoreline Community College (American History) and Everett Community College (Environmental Studies) respectively. I retired professionally in 2004, but have continued to teach community classes near my home on Whidbey Island in Washington State.

Throughout my life, I have traveled twice around the world, visiting more than 147 countries, colonies, territories and city states. I've lived on a kibbutz in Israel and served as Co-Director for a United Nations project, The Planetary Initiative. I am a curious adventurer and a historian. I credit my travels, as well as my formal education, for opening my eyes and teaching me about humanity's struggle to survive and manage change in an ever-evolving world. As a result, I am an advocate for civil rights, environmental preservation and animal rights. This book is a culmination of what I've learned.