From seeds to systems: Bright Spots and the road to 2050

In this special edition of the Futuring Podcast, Alisha Bhagat is joined by leading futurists Cat Tully, Radha Mistry, and Madeline Ashby for a powerful conversation from the year 2050.

Together, they imagine what a just and regenerative future could look like—through the lenses of future generations, the built environment, and everyday life. Set against a speculative 2050 backdrop, this episode is both a message and a warning, drawing on real-world "Bright Spots"—critical interventions already underway that offer blueprints for transformation. 

Tune in for a deeply imaginative yet grounded look at the future, shaped by the actions we take—or fail to take—today.

About the guests: 

• Cat Zuzarte Tully is the founder of the School of International Futures (SOIF), where she works with governments, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen long-term decision-making and intergenerational fairness.  Explore the Implementation Handbook for the UN Declaration on Future Generations and sign up to the Playing with Time substack to explore a foresight practice to build hopeful futures through transformative stewardship.
  
  
• Radha Mistry is a foresight strategist and educator with a background in architecture and narrative environments; who has worked at the intersection of speculative design and strategic foresight in the built environment at organizations like Steelcase, Autodesk, and Arup. Explore her previous podcasts: Future Feelings podcast series with Deem Audio and Madame Architect interview
  
  
• Madeline Ashby is a science fiction writer and strategic foresight consultant whose work blends storytelling with systems thinking to explore the implications of emerging technologies and societal change. Explore her book, Glass Houses

All opinions expressed by the interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Forum for the Future.

This audio features the song "Boulevard" by Yung Kartz available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.