by Randall Morton, Founder, The Progressive Forum
Originally published October 3, 2025
It was easy to be fond of Jane Goodall. The Progressive Forum hosted Jane at the Wortham in March of 2011 for a program entitled “Gombe and Beyond: The Next 50 Years.” Enjoy an inspiring Q&A on our Goodall page, featuring her cuddly stuffed doll she placed on the edge of the Q&A table facing the audience. Jane introduced her doll, saying, “This is Mr. H.” It was a soft, brown and tan monkey with an outsized grin anticipating the banana he held.
“Thank you. That felt good.”
"You’re inspired now!” Jane declared.
“I am!” as I bolted straight in my chair.
Jane was dedicated to inspiring people. In the green room, pre-program reception, she spent a special moment with a seven year old girl at a table, just the two of them. Jane signed her book and chatted, not minding people waiting in line, even as the show would start late. Her mother from Tennessee had called weeks before, saying her daughter at the public pool sat next to the water with Jane’s open book. Her mother said she’d like to bring her daughter to Houston and requested a moment.
Towards the end of the Q&A, Jane spotted our stage tree with green palms and asked, “The palm tree behind us, is it real? It’s important not to waste water. What’s going to happen to (our glasses of water) if we don’t drink it?”
At the end, we stood, lifted our glasses in a toast, and watered the palm.
Thank you, Jane Goodall.