Curiosity Invited: Recent Episodes

David Bryan

A video podcast driven by curiosity, inviting open minded conversations. Tune in & learn something new with your host, David Bryan💡 #curiosityinvited

In this conversation, Dr. Greta Uehling discusses her work on the Crimean Tatars and the broader implications of indigenous rights in Ukraine. She emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in anthropology and shares insights into the resilience of the Crimean Tatars despite historical oppression. The discussion explores Ukraine's evolving national identity, the impact of Russian occupation, and the significance of cultural continuity for the survival of indigenous peoples. Dr. Uehling highlights the need for understanding history to foster social cohesion and the role of indigenous peoples in conflict resolution.

Dr. Greta Uehling emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in anthropology.The Crimean Tatars have a rich history of resilience despite oppression. Ukraine's national identity is evolving to include indigenous rights.The 2014 occupation of Crimea by Russia significantly impacted the Crimean Tatars.Cultural continuity is vital for the survival of the Crimean Tatars. Ukrainians are beginning to recognize their historical mistreatment of the Crimean Tatars. The relationship between the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians is complex but evolving positively. Indigenous peoples provide valuable lessons in conflict resolution and cultural responsibility.
The Crimean Tatars view their land as a responsibility, not a resource.
Understanding history is crucial for building social cohesion in Ukraine.

Greta Uehling is an anthropologist who specializes in the study of war, conflict, and population displacement. A Professor at the University of Michigan, she teaches seminars on human rights and humanitarianism for the Program in International and Comparative Studies.

Her new book, Decolonizing Ukraine (2025) shows readers how understanding Crimea is essential for understanding Ukraine – and the war with Russia – today.

In 2023, she published Everyday War with Cornell University Press. The book challenges conventional ideas about the role of civilians in contemporary wars and was awarded Harvard University’s Davis Book Prize.

Uehling has consulted with a number of international organizations including UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

https://gretauehling.com/

In this conversation, Jeff Schoep speaks about his recently published memoire, American Nazi - the story of his transformative journey from leading the National Socialist Movement to founding Beyond Barriers, an organization dedicated to helping individuals exit extremist groups. He discusses the challenges of writing his memoir, the psychological factors that contribute to radicalization, and the importance of human connections in overcoming hate. Schoep emphasizes the need for dialogue and understanding in combating extremism and shares insights from his current work in educating youth about the dangers of hate and the value of compassion.

For over 2 decades, Schoep led America’s largest neo-Nazi organization, the National Socialist Movement (NSM), overseeing its growth to a nationwide movement. Beginning in 2016, through interactions with a black musician, Daryl Davis, and a Muslim film maker, Deeyah Khan, Jeff began to question not only his work, but his entire life. Experiencing relational dialogue and interpersonal relationships with those he once vilified changed Jeff’s life forever.

In 2019, he left the the NSM and publicly denounced the ideology. Jeff Schoep transitioned from mastering propaganda that promoted hatred and fear dedication to speaking about our shared humanity. He provides unique insights into the inner workings of far-right extremism from first hand knowledge and personal experience. Jeff has spoken nationally and internationally, from synagogues to universities, from broadcasts to speaking at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway with Deeyah Khan.

In 2020, Jeff founded Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to a world devoid of extremism, radicalized organizations, hate, violence, coercive and violent ideologies. In addition to working alongside both community and government agencies, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice Department (OJJDP), Jeff and his organization, Beyond Barriers, have worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, RAND Corporation, International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), mental health professionals, academic research and development teams, as well as religious and educational institutions across the United States and abroad.

In this conversation, Dr. Wylin D. Wilson discusses the concept of womanist bioethics, its historical context, and the need for a more inclusive approach to bioethics that addresses the experiences of marginalized populations, particularly women of color. The discussion highlights the shortcomings of mainstream bioethics and the importance of expanding narratives to include diverse voices in healthcare and ethical considerations. In this conversation, Wylin D. Wilson and David Bryan explore the complex intersections of race, genetics, healthcare, and faith. They discuss the role of public health in addressing racism as a social determinant of health, the historical significance of the Black church in public health activism, and the broader implications of womanist bioethics. The conversation emphasizes the importance of awareness, advocacy, and the interconnectedness of all individuals in addressing health disparities and fostering community well-being.

Dr. Wylin D. Wilson is Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School, where she teaches within the Theology, Medicine and Culture Initiative. Her teaching and research are at the intersection of Bioethics, Gender, and Theology. She is former Teaching Faculty at Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, she served as a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Divinity School Center for the Study of World Religions, and Visiting Lecturer in Harvard Divinity School Women’s Studies in Religion Program. She is also former Associate Director of Education for the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care and former faculty member of the Tuskegee University College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences. She is currently Principle Investigator for the Bioethics and Black Church: Addressing Racial Inequalities and Black Women’s Health in North Carolina research project which examines the potential of the Black Church as a resource in addressing the Black maternal health crisis in the U.S.

Dr. Wilson earned her Ph.D. in Religion, Ethics and Society from Emory University; her M.S. in Agricultural, Resource, and Managerial Economics from Cornell University; and her M.Div. from the Interdenominational Theological Center. She is a member of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, the American Academy of Religion, and the Center for Reconciliation Advisory Board at Duke Divinity School. Dr. Wilson’s publications include: “‘This is My Body’: Faith Communities as Sites of Transfiguring Vulnerability” in Bioenhancement and the Vulnerable Body: A Theological Engagement (Baylor University Press, 2023); her first book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) and her second book, Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality and Black Women’s Health (New York University Press).

https://wylindwilson.com/
linkedin.com/in/wylin-dassie-wilson-55bb7a47

In this engaging conversation, David Bryan and Tom Lutz explore the significance of the year 1925 in American literature, discussing its remarkable contributions and the evolution of literary publishing.

Lutz shares insights into the founding of the Los Angeles Review of Books, reflecting on the cultural perceptions of literature and the ongoing presence of extraordinary talent in the arts. In their conversation, Tom Lutz and David Bryan explore various themes related to entrepreneurship, cultural perspectives on publishing, the role of nonprofits in literature, and the surprises of the 1920s.

They discuss the evolution of gardening and sustainability, the creative process of writing, and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in literature. The conversation culminates in reflections on the lessons from the 1920s that can inform contemporary society, particularly in the context of rising nationalism and the need for resistance against regressive movements.

Tom Lutz (born March 21, 1953) is an American writer, literary critic, and academic, renowned for his contributions to literature and publishing. He is the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of the Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB), which he launched in 2011 to provide a platform for literary criticism and cultural commentary.

After working in various trades, Lutz pursued higher education, earning a B.A. in English and Journalism from the University of Massachusetts. He then obtained a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University.

Lutz served as a Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside). He retired in 2024 and now holds the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Throughout his academic tenure, he taught at various institutions, including Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Copenhagen.

Lutz is the author of numerous books spanning cultural history, travel writing, and fiction. His notable works include:

• American Nervousness, 1903: An Anecdotal History (1991)

• Crying: The Natural and Cultural History of Tears (1999)

• Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers, and Bums in America (2007), which received the American Book Award in 2008

• Born Slippy: A Novel (2020)

• Aimlessness (2021)

• The Kindness of Strangers (2021)

• Portraits: Moments of Intimacy on the Road (2022)

His forthcoming works include Still Slippy: A Novel and 1925: A Literary Encyclopedia, both slated for release in 2025

Freeman's Challenge: The Murder That Shook America's Original Prison for Profit.

Robin Bernstein is a cultural historian who specializes in race and racism from the nineteenth century to the present. She teaches at Harvard, where she is the Dillon Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality. She also chairs Harvard’s doctoral program in American Studies. Bernstein wrote Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder that Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit with fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Her previous book, Racial Innocence: Performing American Childhood from Slavery to Civil Rights, won five awards. Other publications include a Jewish feminist children’s book, many prize-winning articles, and op-eds and essays in the New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and other venues. She recently received the Everett Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Award.

https://www.robinbernsteinphd.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Freemans-Challenge-Murder-Americas-Original/dp/022674423X

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo213968137.html

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Dr. Daut graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in English and French in 2002 and went on to teach in Rouen, France as an Assistante d’Anglais before enrolling at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2009. Since graduating, she has taught Haitian and French colonial history and culture at the University of Miami, the Claremont Graduate University, and the University of Virginia, where she also became series editor of New World Studies at UVA Press. In July 2022, she was appointed as Professor of French and African American Studies at Yale University.

In this conversation, host David Bryan speaks with Dr. Tracie Canada about her recent book, which explores the intersection of race, gender, and college football. They discuss the unique experiences of Black college football players, the implications of a Black feminist perspective, and the importance of community and care among players. The conversation highlights the exploitation faced by student-athletes and the broader societal issues impacting their lives. Canada discusses the intricate dynamics of college athletics, focusing on the bonds formed among players, the challenges they face in balancing education and sports, and the systemic issues within the NCAA. She emphasizes the importance of brotherhood among athletes, the complexities of their educational experiences, and potential solutions to improve their circumstances, including unionization and cost-sharing. The conversation also critiques the term 'student-athlete' and advocates for a more honest representation of their roles within the collegiate sports system.

Big-time college football promises prestige, drama, media attention, and money. Yet most athletes in this unpaid, amateur system encounter a different reality, facing dangerous injuries, few pro-career opportunities, a free but devalued college education, and future financial instability. In one of the first ethnographies about Black college football players, anthropologist Tracie Canada reveals the ways young athletes strategically resist the exploitative systems that structure their everyday lives.

Tackling the Everyday shows how college football particularly harms the young Black men who are overrepresented on gridirons across the country. Although coaches and universities constantly invoke the misleading "football family" narrative, this book describes how a brotherhood among Black players operates alongside their caring mothers, who support them on and off the field. With a Black feminist approach—one that highlights often-overlooked voices—Canada exposes how race, gender, kinship, and care shape the lives of the young athletes who shoulder America's favorite game

In this conversation, David Bryan speaks with Shang Saavedra about the connection between mindset and financial health. Shang shares her personal journey from a frugal upbringing to achieving financial independence and starting her company, Save My Sense. They discuss the importance of mental health in managing finances, the impact of upbringing on money habits, and practical strategies for improving financial decision-making. The conversation emphasizes the need for a positive mindset, the role of risk-taking in financial growth, and the significance of self-forgiveness in the journey towards financial well-being.

https://savemycents.com/
/ savemycents
/ @savemycents
/ shangsaavedra

In this conversation, David Bryan interviews Hilary Braseth, the executive director of OpenSecrets, discussing the organization's mission to promote transparency in political funding. They explore the implications of money in politics, the impact of the Citizens United ruling, the rise of dark money, and the importance of transparency for democracy. Hilary shares insights on how OpenSecrets collects and presents data, the public's interest in political information, and the challenges of measuring the organization's impact. In this conversation, Hilary from OpenSecrets discusses the organization's impact on political transparency, the investigative techniques used to uncover dark money in politics, and the future developments aimed at enhancing data accessibility. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of continuous political engagement and the challenges faced by organizations like OpenSecrets in navigating the political landscape.

Open Secrets is nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, organization whose mission is to serve as the trusted authority on money in American politics.They pursue their mission by providing comprehensive and reliable data, analysis, and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens. Their vision is for Americans to use data on money in politics to create a more vibrant, representative and responsive democracy.

Hilary Braseth is executive director of OpenSecrets. Her background spans the nexus of emerging technology and social change, spending several years at IDEO in Silicon Valley and more recently, serving as a Public Service Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Together with her experience as a Technology Policy Design Fellow at the Aspen Institute, Hilary has demonstrated a commitment to safeguarding the integrity and accessibility of elections. Hilary is co-founder of two organizations: Dare to Innovate, a youth entrepreneurship incubator in West Africa and Oze, Africa’s first mobile business insights platform. Hilary received her Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University, her Bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Marquette University, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea (2011-2014).

Asha Wolf calls herself an animal communicator, a pet psychic, a healer, who works with vibrations and energy. Whether you are or are not a believer, Asha has a track record of having successfully worked with animal owners, animal sanctuaries, and individuals with concerns about their animals and themselves.

In this conversation, David and Asha Wolf explore the fascinating world of animal communication. Asha, an animal communicator, shares her insights on how she connects with animals, the significance of intuition, and the messages animals convey to humans. The discussion delves into Asha's journey from being a sensitive soul to a professional communicator, her experiences with various animals, and the integration of her background in physical therapy with her current work. Asha emphasizes the importance of understanding the bond between humans and animals and how this connection can lead to healing and personal growth. In this conversation, Asha Wolf discusses her journey into energetic healing for animals, emphasizing the effectiveness of remote healing and the importance of understanding animal behavior. She shares insights on developing intuitive abilities, the role of family in her spiritual exploration, and how her background in dance has influenced her approach to healing. Asha highlights the significance of deepening connections with animals and the transformative power of communication, both with living and deceased pets.

This was new territory for me. It turns out that so many of the things that so many of the things taught in business school and sales workshops throughout that industry had their origins in the innovations that Mike brought to the industry. Before Mike's work, sales was always seen as "pitching products." Mike simple yet profound innovation flipped that approach onto its head - successful sellers don't move products, they solve industry problems by helping workers find solutions.

Mike Bosworth is well known throughout the business sales world as a trainer, speaker, and the author of best selling sales books Solution Selling: Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets (McGraw-Hill, 1993), What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story (McGraw-Hill, 2011) and co-author of CustomerCentric Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2003).

Mike founded and grew one of the most successful virtual businesses in the B2B arena. After 10 years with Xerox Computer Services and one year with a software start-up, he founded Solution Selling® in 1983, began adding licensing his intellectual property to affiliates in 1988 and by the time he sold it in 1999, over 50 affiliates were contributing royalty income in excess of $2.8M annually. Mike began building Story Leaders™ as a framework for building emotional connection in 2008 and published a new book, What Great Salespeople Do, the Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story in January, 2012. In January 2013, Mike founded Mike Bosworth Leadership. MBL currently has eight affiliates who sell and deliver his Story Seekers™ workshops.

Bosworth has a degree in Business Management and Marketing from California State Polytechnic University. In addition to his keynote speaking for professional associations and major corporations, he has been a featured lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, The Stanford Program on Market Strategy for Technology-Based Companies, The American Marketing Association Customer Message Management Forums, The Anderson School Of Management At UCLA, the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine, The University of Connecticut and Rollins College to name a few. He is certified (CMC) by the Institute of Management Consultants. Michael T. Bosworth is a cofounder of CustomerCentric Systems®, LLC. He has assisted clients in improving sales effectiveness and shaping customer experience since 1983

In this conversation, Mayor Karen Bass discusses the challenges faced by Los Angeles in the wake of recent wildfires, addressing misinformation, grief, and the city's recovery efforts. She highlights the importance of communication and community support in rebuilding, while also touching on the political landscape and upcoming events in the city.

https://lacity.gov/
https://lacity.gov/residents
https://emergency.lacity.gov/recovery

Anne Abel is an author and storyteller. Her first memoir, published in 2024 , “Mattie, Milo, and Me,” about unwittingly rescuing an aggressive dog, was inspired by her Moth StorySLAM win in New York City.

Her second memoir, “High Hopes Bruce Springsteen and Me,” about fighting depression by following Bruce Springsteen’s Australia tour, at the age of 60, even though she hates to travel and hates to be alone, won a Moth StorySLAM in Chicago. It will be published September 23, 2025, Bruce Springsteen’s 76th birthday.

Her credentials include an MFA from The New School for Social Research, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a BS in chemical engineering from Tufts University. She has published on topics ranging from dogs lovable and difficult, to coping with depression, family dysfunction, generational trauma, overcoming writer’s block and being a FaceTime grandmother.

She has freelanced for Lilith; Philadelphia Daily News; The Jewish Exponent; Philadelphia Weekly, Main Line Life and Main Line Today, and formerly wrote a weekly column, “The Homefront,” for Main Line Welcomat. She taught English and creative writing at the Community College of Philadelphia. Anne lives in New York City with her husband, Andy, their 15-year-old rescue bischon, Chase, and Wendell, a three-month old cavapoo. (They make their appearance in the background)

(Moth GrandSlam) Growing up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBfXJ-c-LW8

(Moth StorySlam) Milo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1Z6bvwrZI

(Moth StorySlam) Love Hurts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osLo5JWfinw

(Moth StorySlam) Bruce Springsteen: Australia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1BZPQuXvho

Jeff Schoep, a former leader of the National Socialist Movement, returns to Curiosity Invited to speak about his latest work and tireless effort to dismantle to seeds of extremism and undo the harm of his past. Jeff shares his experiences of being involved in hate groups for 27 years, the process of leaving that life behind, and the work he does now to help others escape similar paths.

He emphasizes the importance of education in preventing radicalization and discusses the challenges faced by individuals trying to leave extremist groups. Jeff's story is one of transformation, highlighting the potential for change and the power of understanding and compassion in addressing hate. David and Jeff explore the complexities of youth engagement with social media, the impact of political polarization on society, and the dangers of dehumanizing rhetoric in political discourse. They discuss the importance of fostering understanding and dialogue, especially in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and reflect on the journey from hate to understanding, emphasizing the need for empathy and human connection in a divided world.

Who is Jeff Schoep?From leading America’s largest neo-Nazi group to becoming a beacon of hope, Jeff Schoep’s journey is a seismic shift that ignites conversations and reshapes lives. His voice, once a weapon of hate, now resounds with redemption, echoing in powerful keynote talks, workshops, and encounters that leave indelible marks.

For two decades, darkness consumed Jeff Schoep as he steered the National Socialist Movement. Yet beneath the shadows, a spark of doubt flickered, ignited by the unexpected kindness of a Black musician and the unwavering compassion of a Muslim filmmaker. Today, Jeff wields empathy and understanding, peeling back the layers of extremism he once championed. His firsthand journey exposes the nefarious underworld of hate, offering a chilling yet crucial glimpse into the extremist mindset.

David speaks with Carole Bell, a therapist from Northwestern Wyoming, about her unique background growing up on a ranch, the romanticized notions of ranch life, and the realities of community interdependence.

They delve into the cowboy culture's emphasis on independence and the stigma surrounding mental health, which often prevents individuals from seeking help. Carol shares her journey to becoming a therapist, influenced by her personal experiences with mental illness in her family, particularly the loss of her son, Luke Bell.

Carol shares her journey through grief after losing her husband and the importance of therapy in navigating her emotions. She discusses the establishment of the Luke Bell Memorial Affordable Counseling Program, aimed at providing affordable counseling to those in need. The conversation emphasizes the significance of community support and the necessity of professional help in dealing with grief and mental health challenges.

In this conversation, David Bryan speaks with author and scholar Omar Imady, who shares his insights on the complex history of Syria, the impact of the Assad regime, and the effects of the Arab Spring. Imady discusses the shift in power dynamics during the Syrian civil war, the rise of rebel groups, and their governance. He expresses cautious optimism about Syria's future, highlighting the need for economic recovery and the importance of international relations. The conversation concludes with Imady's personal reflections and aspirations for returning to Syria.

Omar Imady is an uncommon collection of many things – Syrian, American, exile, javaphile, gastronome, and aerophobe – all of which find expression in his growing repertoire of eclectic fiction. He is the author of multiple books, including Erasures (Literary Titan Gold Award), Catfishing Caitlyn, The Celeste Experiment (both recipients of the Literary Titan Silver Award), Transference (nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Litro Magazine), When Her Hand Moves, a collection of three controversial, thought-provoking novellas, and The Gospel of Damascus, a 2012 Book of the Year Award finalist. His forthcoming novels dig ever deeper into the human experience of alienation and the quest for meaning in a world increasingly hostile to answers.

Born in Damascus to an American mother and Syrian father, Omar grew up in a world of constant and vibrant contrasts. Omar has lived in America, the Middle East, and now resides in the UK in the company of his cat, Sabrina. He loves to walk in remote and unexplored places, traveling by trains and boats (he does everything he can to avoid planes!), and is addicted to genealogy research. He writes daily as he listens to jazz and overdoses on coffee.

Pippa Jarvis serves as the Managing Director of TLC and Embrace Village, nestled in the vibrant community of Walkerville, Southern Johannesburg. For the past thirty years, she has been privileged to walk alongside the noble mission of TLC, a haven for abandoned babies and children in need.

Pippa holds a bachelor's degree in education and has a heart brimming with compassion. Her journey has been guided by a simple desire to ensure that every child finds a place to call home. Her role at TLC has been a labor of love, advocating tirelessly for the placement of over 900 children into loving families, a cause that resonates deeply with her. Fun fact: Pippa has adopted 14 children, four of whom have HIV and some with complex learning difficulties.

In 2010, Pippa was recognized as one of the top 200 young South Africans by the Mail and Guardian. Her commitment to continuous learning has been a cornerstone of her journey, reflected in programs like the Common Purpose Navigator and a Certificate in SocialEntrepreneurship from the Gordon School of Business.

Pippa's latest endeavor, Embrace Village, is a testament to her belief in the power of community and support. With a heart full of hope, she is working to create a space where families can find solace and resilience in times of need. Embrace Village currently operates as a community center for the children of Walkerville. Every weekend, she hosts 30+ kids at her home for activities, food, and fun. She also leads parenting workshops and other classes for families at risk.

As the founder of Blink Consulting, Alison Park has partnered with over 100 independent schools, as well as public districts, community-based organizations and nonprofits to advance their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to her work with clients, Alison has facilitated and keynoted at numerous conferences, including the Asian Educators’ Alliance, Bay Area Directors of Admission Symposium, California Association of Independent Schools, East Bay Independent Schools Association, National Association of Independent Schools’ Annual and POCC, Northwest Association of Independent Schools’ Fall Educators and Institutional Leadership and the White Privilege Conferences. Alison has also served on Park Day School's Board of Trustees and the Advisory Board of the Mosaic Project, and currently serves on the SMART program's Board of Directors. Before Blink, Alison taught for thirteen years in the public, non-profit and private sectors, including Marin Academy and Head-Royce Middle School. Alison earned her B.A. in African Studies at Yale University and two Master's degrees at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Alison has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area over 25 years.
https://www.rethinkingdiversity.com/

Chris Thinnes, Ed.D., is a veteran independent school leader, an experienced educational consultant and facilitator, a skilled DEI practitioner, and a seasoned collaborator with education leaders from the public and private sectors. Throughout his service in schools, he has promoted a fuller understanding of the fact that deeper learning in our classrooms is dependent on diversity, equity, and social justice in our schools. He has also promoted a wide range of initiatives to transform teaching and learning by integrating technology and research-based practice, systematizing professional learning and collaboration, enriching school partnerships with other educational organizations, and engaging student, teacher, and parent voices in strategic institutional decision making—actively collaborating, all the while, with national education thought leaders, researchers, and activists from the public and private sectors to promote the transformation of teaching and learning for all our nation's children.
Thinnes has regular presented workshops and facilitated sessions at national conferences such as the NAIS People of Color Conference, the NAIS Annual Conference, the Progressive Education Network national conference, and the EdLeader21 national conference. His writing about education issues has appeared in Independent School Magazine, GOOD, Living in Dialogue (Education Week), and a variety of other publications and blogs. Thinnes currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Progressive Education Network and EduColor. He received his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from LMU.

In this conversation, David speaks with Lindsey Marie Greeley about her life-journey in bodybuilding and fitness. Lindsey speaks about the impact of drug use on competitors as well as the toll the sport takes on competitors: the pressures of competition, and the distortions those pressures can put on ordinary habits of eating, sleeping, and relationships. Lindsey is very candid about the mental health challenges that can arise within bodybuilding culture.

In addition, Lindsey Marie discusses the profound effects of social media on body image, particularly in the fitness and bodybuilding communities. She shares her personal journey of overcoming insecurities through fitness, emphasizing the importance of discipline and accountability. Lindsey also addresses misconceptions about women in bodybuilding and critiques the body positivity movement, advocating for a balanced approach to health and fitness.

Ultimately, despite its many pressures and resulting distortions, Lindsey is grateful to have gone through her bodybuilding experiences that led her to a life of health, wholeness, and wellbeing.

In Lindsey's own words:
"I did my first show and I LOVED it and decided to keep going and growing more with the sport. As years went on, my love for competing declined. I realized it wasn’t for me because of personal reasons, but what I DID realize was for me, was impacting hundreds of people and showing people that it’s okay to be you."

"I’m fun, I’m loud, I probably talk too much and I LOVE being a goof ball. If you follow me on social media, you know I’m notorious for my big ol’ pineapple bun, picking my favorite song, sipping my coffee, using a snap chat filter and singing like an idiot to start my day. It's important to love who you are and that’s what I’ve learned over the years: loving yourself, no matter what, no matter what happens. Fitness changed my life emotionally, mentally, and physically. It was the best thing that could have ever happened in my life and that’s the message I want to spread. I want to make a difference in this world."

"I was always afraid to show my true self. It wasn’t until 2017 that I really decided to let those walls down and get more personal. When I was first public about my body dysmorphia, which a LOT of people in the fitness industry have but are scared to talk about, the messages I got were so touching It showed me not to care what others think and say, but to care about the people I COULD help and change. It’s not an easy process to go through but knowing that I’m helping and impacting other men and women, really gave me my calling. Having people message me on social media saying thank you and that I give them hope, really changed my mindset to be better, to do better and to be better at helping people."

"Being a trainer, I get personal with my clients. I think it’s important to get to know people and WHY they are how they are and HOW I can help them change their life. Once you can figure out what got you to this place, you can change. It’s all about your mindset, and once I can get inside people’s heads and motivate them, their lives go uphill from there. What also motivates me, is me. I don’t like to settle. I always want to better myself as a person. It took me a whole year to go from a miserable insecure girl, to a bad ass, independent, strong woman. And I couldn’t have done any of that without the people that motivate me."

Over the past several years, fear and anger have become the dominant forces in American politics. For Japanese elders, who were unjustly imprisoned during World War II because of their race, this political climate feels all too familiar. To satisfy their mission, the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation is committed to not only educate about the past, but also help shape the kind of leaders we need for the future.

The Mineta-Simpson Institute is a dedicated retreat space at the center, a home for workshops and programming specifically designed to foster empathy, courage, and cooperation in the next generation of leaders. The Institute has expanded the Foundation’s capacity for digital outreach, allowing us to carry the message of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation's message all over the world.

Aura Sunada Newlin is a fourth-generation Wyomingite, fourth-generation Japanese American, and Executive Director for the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (HMWF). Her heritage involves intertwined stories of imprisonment at Heart Mountain and Tule Lake; segregated military service; and hardships suffered by railroaders who were fired because of their Japanese ancestry. Aura was elected to the HMWF board of directors in 2013 and served as board secretary for eight years. She is also on the board of directors for the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts and was a founding member of the National Steering Committee for Tsuru for Solidarity. She previously taught Asian American Studies courses at the University of Wyoming and was a tenured faculty member in sociology and anthropology at Wyoming’s Northwest College.

Aura earned a BA in ethnomusicology from the University of Wyoming and an MA in medical anthropology from Case Western Reserve University. Now focusing on the anthropology of law, she is a PhD candidate at Case Western Reserve University. Aura’s work has been profiled by the Women in Wyoming podcast and gallery exhibit; the University of Wyoming’s Featured Alumni series; and Wyoming PBS. She was named statewide Faculty Member of the Year by the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees in 2018 and received the Community Member Award of the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice in 2021.

Roy S. Whitehurst is a former CIA analyst and instructor. He spent 30+ years evaluating written information, photos, videos, and other media collected by the CIA and then taught media literacy skills to new CIA analysts. He is the author of the new book, “Teaching Media Literacy with Social Media News: Practical Techniques for Middle and High School Classrooms.” The book, which shows middle and high school educators in civics, English language arts, and social studies how to teach the skills to their students, can in fact teach all of us.

In this conversation, David interviews Roy Whitehurst, a former CIA analyst and author of 'Teaching Media Literacy with Social Media News.' They discuss the importance of media literacy in today's digital age, the role of disinformation and misinformation, and how skills learned in intelligence analysis can be applied to social media. Whitehurst emphasizes the need for critical thinking, understanding cognitive biases, and the importance of teaching young people how to navigate the complexities of information in a polarized world.

• Media literacy is essential for understanding today's information
landscape.
• CIA analysts focus on foreign media and require extensive training.
• Disinformation campaigns are prevalent and often intentional.
• Social media has changed the way we consume and share information.
• Critical thinking skills are crucial for analyzing media content.
• Young people are often more adept at accessing media than analyzing
it.
• Cognitive biases can cloud our judgment and understanding of
information.
• Emotional responses can influence how we perceive media.
• Evidence is key in discerning truth from misinformation.
• Teaching media literacy can empower individuals to engage responsibly.

Book:
Teaching Media Literacy With Social Media News - Practical Techniques for Middle and High School Classrooms.
Available at https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-Me...
or
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Media...

Roy's Website www.medialiteracysleuth.com/

John Brantingham and Jane Edberg published a unique and delightful book entitled MYDEAD. John's beautiful poetry is accompanied by Jane's vivid art. Neither an illustration nor and illumination, Jane's art adds additional meaning - perhaps even another perspective - to John's words. Their unique collaboration provided the ground for this spirited conversation.

John Brantingham is currently and always thinking about radical wonder. He was Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ first poet laureate. His work has appeared in hundreds of magazines including Writer’s Almanac, The North America Review, The Journal, Tears in the Fence, and Confrontation. He has been nominated for ten Pushcart Prizes and won a spot in The Best Small Fictions 2016 and 2022 and was a semifinalist in The Best Small Fictions 2018. He has written twenty-two books of poetry and fiction including The L.A. Fiction Anthology(Red Hen Press), Crossing the High
Sierra (https://www.chollaneedles.com/), and California Continuum: Migrations and Amalgamations (http://www.pelekinesis.com/catalog.html) co-written with Grant Hier. His newest work is My Dead, created with the artist Jane Edberg. He lives with his wife and dog in a little house in Jamestown, New York where he spends most of his time in the basement where he’s set up a writing studio next to a washing machine. He teaches all
around the country at festivals and workshops and at Collins Correctional Facility.

Find out more about him and buy his books at https://www.johnbrantingham.com/
Chief Editor at The Journal of Radical Wonder: https://medium.com/the-journal-of-radical-wonder.

Jane Bio:
Jane Edberg holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Davis with an emphasis on photography and performance art. She teaches writing at California State University at Monterey Bay. She is a writing coach and offers writing workshops. She serves as the arts editor and a contributing editor at The Journal of Radical Wonder. Her writing is featured in the books, Death, and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: Field Notes from The Death Dialogues Project; My Dead; BAM 42 Stories (to be released in 2024); and in many journals, including Cholla Needles, and Gyroscope Review. She is a Community of Writers alumna (Squaw Valley).
Jane has an illustrated memoir titled The Fine Art of Grieving to be published in 2024 by Linen Press
https://www.janeedberg.com/

https://www.thefineartofgrieving.com/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thefineartofgrieving/

Chris Thinnes, career educator and education consultant speaks at length about public versus private education, progressive education, when and why schools fail or succeed in meeting the needs of children and society.
‬
‭ Chris‬‭ Thinnes,‬‭ Ed.D.‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ veteran‬‭ independent‬‭ school‬‭ division‬‭ head,‬‭ experienced‬‭ DEI‬‭ consultant‬‭ and‬‭ facilitator,‬‭ former‬‭ English‬‭ teacher,‬‭ and‬‭ long-term‬‭ collaborator‬‭ with‬‭ education‬‭ leaders‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‭ public‬‭ and‬‭ private‬‭ sectors.‬‭ He‬‭ has‬‭ served‬ ‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ Head‬‭ of‬‭ Lower‬‭ School‬‭ (K-5),‬‭ Academic‬‭ Dean‬‭ (K-6),‬‭ Head‬‭ of‬‭ Upper‬‭ Elementary‬‭ School‬‭ (3-6),‬‭ Head‬‭ of‬‭ Upper‬‭ School‬‭ (7-8),‬‭ and‬‭ Dean‬‭ of‬‭ Upper‬‭ School‬‭ (7-8)‬‭ in‬‭ Los‬‭ Angeles-area‬‭ independent‬‭ schools.‬‭ In‬‭ all‬‭ of‬‭ these‬‭ settings,‬‭ as‬‭ in‬‭ his‬‭ consultation‬‭ and‬‭ facilitation,‬‭ he‬‭ has‬‭ championed‬‭ systemic‬‭ DEI‬‭ work,‬‭ progressive‬‭ pedagogy,‬‭ student‬‭ agency‬‭ and‬‭ voice,‬‭ faculty‬‭ collaboration,‬‭ home-school‬‭ communication,‬‭ and‬‭ public-private‬‭ partnerships.‬‭ He‬‭ has‬‭ been‬‭ affiliated‬‭ with‬‭ EduColor‬‭ since‬‭ 2015,‬‭ and‬‭ has‬‭ co-chaired‬‭ its‬‭ board‬‭ since‬‭ 2020.‬‭ Chris‬‭ also‬‭ serves‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ board‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ Progressive‬
‭ Education‬‭ Network,‬‭ and‬‭ has‬‭ been‬‭ a‬‭ member‬‭ of‬‭ NAIS‘s‬‭ DEI‬‭ advisory‬‭ council‬‭ (“Call‬‭ to‬‭ Action”),‬‭ EdLeader21's‬‭ Advisory‬‭ Group,‬‭ and‬‭ a‬‭ variety‬‭ of‬‭ local‬‭ school‬‭ boards‬‭ and‬‭ advisory‬‭ groups.‬‭ He‬‭ has‬‭ facilitated‬‭ workshops‬‭ at‬‭ national‬‭ conferences‬‭ for‬‭ NAIS‬‭ (PoCC‬‭ and‬‭ Annual),‬‭ ASCD,‬‭ the‬‭ Progressive‬‭ Education‬‭ Network,‬‭ and‬‭ EdLeader21,‬‭ and‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ founding‬‭ member‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ design‬‭ and‬‭ facilitation‬‭ team‬‭ of‬‭ The‬‭ Equity‬‭ Exchange,‬‭ a‬‭ week-long‬‭ annual‬‭ institute‬‭ for‬‭ DEI‬‭ practitioners‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ public‬‭ and‬‭ private‬‭ school‬‭ sectors.‬‭ He‬‭ has‬‭ been‬‭ honored‬‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ Fellow‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ Martin‬‭ Institute‬‭ for‬‭ Teaching‬‭ Excellence,‬‭ named‬
‭ one‬‭ of‬‭ Carney‬‭ Sandoe’s‬‭“8‬‭ Thought‬‭ Leaders‬‭ to‬‭ Follow‬‭ Now,”‬‭ and‬‭ featured‬‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ panelist‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ ASCD‬‭ Whole‬‭ Child‬‭ Town‬‭ Hall.‬‭ Chris‬‭ has‬‭ been‬‭ a‬‭ Senior‬‭ DEI‬‭ Consultant‬‭ with‬‭ Blink‬‭ Strategic‬‭ Consulting‬‭ since‬‭ 2021,‬‭ and‬‭ he‬‭ completed‬‭ his‬‭ doctorate‬‭ in‬‭ Educational‬‭ Leadership‬‭ for‬‭ Social‬‭ Justice‬‭ at‬‭ LMU‬‭ in‬‭ 2022.‬‭ His‬‭ writing‬‭ about‬‭ education‬‭ issues‬‭ has‬‭ appeared‬‭ in‬‭ Education‬‭ Week‬‭ ,‬‭ Inndependent‬‭ School‬‭ Magazine‬‭ ,‬‭ GOOD‬‭ ,‬‭ and‬‭ a‬‭ variety‬‭ of‬‭ other‬‭ blogs‬‭ and‬‭ publications.‬‭ Throughout‬‭ his‬‭ service‬‭ in‬‭ schools,‬‭ Thinnes‬‭ has‬‭ promoted‬‭ an‬‭ understanding‬‭ that‬‭“deeper‬‭ learning”‬‭ for‬‭ our‬‭ students‬‭ depends‬‭ on‬‭ diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in our schools.‬
‭

David speaks with George Nickle, a candidate for City Council in West Hollywood, CA.

A West Hollywood Public Safety Commissioner George fought for the rehiring of Sworn Deputies, who had previously been cut by Council majority, at his very first commission meeting. He continues to push for a fully funded and fully staffed West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station to meet the city's growing public safety needs.

George’s goal is to make West Hollywood more Affordable, to get us Back to the Basics, and redirect our focus on Community Livability and Safety. He understands that the issues we face are complex and that simple black and white thinking does not solve problems — it usually makes them worse, while dividing the community.

A 19-year resident of West Hollywood, George is originally from a small town in rural Pennsylvania (near Gettysburg). He has a BFA in Filmmaking from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the first public arts conservatory in America.

George trained as a talent agent, has been a manager for actors and Japanese visual artists, worked in home video distribution, and is now Director of Sales & Business Development for an Over-The-Counter pharmaceuticals company specializing in international distribution. His extensive professional experience working with governments and regulatory agencies around the world has given him a deep understanding of how government works and how to get the necessary done.

Public safety and resilience are important to George. In addition George started a neighborhood watch group on the east side of West Hollywood

George is building a true grassroots campaign, and he is not taking money from big developers. He is running to serve on the West Hollywood City Council, not as a steppingstone to higher office, or to impose his personal ideology on anyone. George simply loves West Hollywood.

Author. poet, intellectual, Omar Imady is an uncommon collection of many things – poet, historian, novelist, Syrian, American, exile, Sufi, ‘Alan Wattsian’, cat lover, avid coffee drinker, insatiable gastronome – all of which find expression in his growing repertoire of eclectic fiction. He is the author of multiple books, including The Gospel of Damascus, a 2012 Book of the Year Award finalist, and When Her Hand Moves, a collection of three controversial, thought-provoking novellas. His forthcoming novels dig ever deeper into the human experience of alienation and the quest for meaning in a world increasingly hostile to answers.

His recent book, Divine Pronouns, grows out of a 40 year personal journal to reconcile his love for the Moslem faith, the Islamic sacred book, the Quran, and his and other Moslems struggle with some of the Quran's verses. The cover notes describe the work thusly:
Despite centuries of scholarly contributions on the Quran, unprecedented numbers of Muslims find the Quran to be unrelatable in both its wording and in how it has been explained. Existing approaches to interpretation offer little to fall upon when they encounter a verse which appears to go against their deeply held ethical sensibilities, often leaving them with little choice other than to suffer in silence, leave in protest, or master the art of spiritual disassociation.

"In response to these challenges, this work attempts to arrive at new approach to reading and understanding the Quran. It presents a hermeneutical framework, derived from the wording of the Quran itself, through which verses are categorised according to the presence and absence of pronouns used to refer to God and to specific audiences. In this work, first in its series, this new framework is used to identify verses containing principles which can be described as definitive; timeless, universal, and applicable regardless of context."

A prolific writer, Imady is the author of Erasures (2024), winner of the Literary Titan Gold Award, Catfishing Caitlyn (2023) and The Celest Experiment (2022), both recipients of the Literary Titan Silver Award, Transference (2022), a Pushcart Prize nominee (Litro Magazine), When Her Hand Moves (2022), a collection of three novellas, and The Gospel of Damascus, a Book of the Year Award (BOTYA) finalist (2012), published in three English editions, and subsequently translated into Arabic, French and Spanish. The novel weaves Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions to tell the story of a Damascene man who becomes totally consumed with the idea that Damascus is the site of the Second Coming of Jesus.

Imady is also the author, and coauthor, of several works on Syria and Sufism, including: An Inside Story of Modern Syria: The Unauthorized Biography of a Damascene Reformer (2023), Historical Dictionary of Syria Fourth Edition (2021), Syria at War, Eight Years On (2020), Sufism and the Preservation of Syrian Spiritual Identity (2020), The Weaponization of Syria's Reconstruction (2019), The Syrian Uprising Domestic Origins and Early Trajectory (2018), Syria’s Reconciliation Agreements (2017), Organisationally Secular: Damascene Islamist Movements and the Syrian Uprising (2016), Syria at War, Five Years On (2016), Civil Resistance in the Syrian Uprising: From Democratic Transition to Sectarian Civil War (2016), How a microfinance network could have preempted the Syrian uprising (2014), When You're Shoved from the Right, Look to Your Left: Metaphors of Islamic Humanism (2005), The Rise and Fall of Muslim Civil Society (2005), and Sanduq: A Microfinance Innovation in Jabal Al-Hoss, Syria (2003).

Claire wrote “How Much Is Enough? Getting More By Living With Less” as an interactive memoir, to give voice to the ever present conversation we’re all having in our heads. How Much Is Enough… Exercise? Religion? Health? Shoes? Family? Food? Claire tackles an array of topics in twenty-two chapters that can be adapted into an entertaining, interactive keynote that will engage audiences in every age and stage of life.

For over four decades, Claire Berger has been earning a living as a comedian, improv actor, speaker and writer. She began her career in Chicago with The Second City and found big laughs in Los Angeles, earning acclaim as a warm-up comedian on over sixty five of your favorite sitcoms, including Seinfeld. Claire was also the first comedian HGTV hired to host a series on their network (Fantasy Open House).

Pivoting from television to corporate boardrooms, Claire helped businesses have fun while getting the job done with her memorable bespoke events.

Claire has always found humor in unlikely places, including Italian kitchens, where she served as resident writer, ambassador and cookbook contributor for two popular culinary immersion programs, Tuscan Women Cook and Italian Culinary Adventures.

https://claireberger.com/

Jeff Clements, CEO of American Promise, discusses the organization's mission to amend the United States Constitution and limit the influence of money in politics. He explains that American Promise is nonpartisan and aims to give power back to the people by addressing the role of money in the political system.

Clements shares the backstory of his involvement in the fight against corruption and the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case, emphasizing the need for Americans to come together and pass a constitutional amendment to protect the integrity of elections and ensure a level playing field for all citizens.

The conversation discusses the need for a constitutional amendment to address the influence of money in politics. It highlights the negative impact of unlimited money on elections and the divisive nature of negative campaign ads. American Promise is working towards getting a two-thirds vote in Congress to pass the "For Our Freedom Amendment," which aims to limit the influence of money in elections. The conversation concludes with a call to action for listeners to get involved and support the movement.

Jeff Clements serves as CEO of American Promise. He has practiced law for three decades in public service and private practice, and is the author of Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy From Big Money & Global Corporations. He is also the founder of Whaleback Partners LLC, which provides sustainable financing to businesses in the local agriculture economy. Previously, Jeff has been a partner in a major Boston law firm and served as Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the public law enforcement bureau in the Attorney General’s Office in Massachusetts. Jeff has helped to start and been a board member of many non-profit organizations and businesses.

In Our New World of ADULT BULLIES: How to Spot The, How to Stop Them, author Bill Eddy - lawyer, therapist, educator, and Co-Counder of High Conflict Institute - writes with authority that comes from 40+ years of working with bullies and other high conflict personality individuals. Bullies may always have been a feature of human society. Eddy suggests that between 5 and 10% of people have personalities that do not allow them to put the reins on the abusive behaviors of bullies. Rich with examples the Eddy tells us how to spot bullying behavior/s as well as techniques to contain, channel and stop the abuse that bullies visit on their victims.

Eddy's work - in his book and his conversation - avoids a simplistic understanding: bullies are bad. Rather he speaks about how bullying behavior can, when channeled, can push us to be better, push society into new frontiers that may not otherwise be accessible.

Bill Eddy is a lawyer, therapist, mediator and the Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of the High Conflict Institute. He is the author of over 20 books and manuals about managing relationships and situations with high conflict people and bullies. He trains lawyers, judges, mediators, and therapists worldwide in managing high conflict situations. Now he is writing books for everyone including his latest: Our New World of Adult Bullies: How to Spot Them - How to Stop Them.

Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. is the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer. While pioneering High Conflict Personality Theory (HCP), he was the National Conflict Resolution Center’s Senior Family Mediator for 15 years, a Certified Family Law Specialist for 15 years, and a licensed clinical social worker therapist for over 12 years.
Bill serves on the faculty of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law and is a Conjoint Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle Law School in Australia. He has been a speaker and trainer in over 35 U.S. states and 13 countries.
The author or co-author of over 20 books, manuals, and workbooks, he also has a popular blog on the Psychology Today website with millions of views. He co-hosts the podcast, It’s All Your Fault! with HCI co-founder, Megan Hunter

https://highconflictinstitute.com/

Dr. Greg Chasson, clinical psychologist and researcher, speaks broadly about his work helping people and organizations who manage perfectionists. Dr. Chasson's book - Flawed : Why Perfectionism is a Challenge for Management - is a highly regarded contribution to the fields of psychology and business management.

Dr. Gregory S. Chasson, a distinguished licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist, Associate Professor, and the Director of Behavioral Interventions of the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders Clinic within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago.

With a rich academic background, Dr. Chasson earned his BA in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and later obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. His professional journey led him through three transformative years at Harvard Medical School, including a prestigious internship at McLean Hospital and postdoctoral Clinical and Research Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Before joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, Dr. Chasson made significant contributions as an Assistant Professor at Towson University and later as an Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. For the latter, his impactful leadership extended to a four-year tenure as the Director of Clinical Training for the accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program.

Dr. Chasson’s expertise lies in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, encompassing conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and tics/Tourettes, alongside anxiety disorders. His commitment to evidence-based treatment is exemplified by his ownership and operation of two specialized practices—CBT Solutions of Baltimore (2010-2016) and Obsessive-Compulsive Solutions of Chicago (2016-2022).

An accomplished and award-winning educator, Dr. Chasson has accumulated thousands of hours of teaching experience, leaving an indelible mark on students at various academic levels. His international reputation as a sought-after professional trainer is evidenced by workshops delivered in China on the nature and treatment of OCD for the Chinese Psychology Society and the China Mental Health Association. The International OCD Foundation recognizes his expertise, inviting him to lead trainings and serve as an expert consultant.

As a prolific scholar, Dr. Chasson has authored over 70 scientific publications (Google Scholar Profile) and spearheaded grant-funded research projects in the field of OCD and related disorders. His commitment to advancing the field is reflected in his recent co-authorship of a book on cognitive-behavioral therapy for hoarding. Dr. Chasson’s editorial contributions extend to multiple journal boards, and he has notably served as the Program Chair for the 2021 annual conference for the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Currently, he is the editor of the Behavior Therapist, solidifying his status as a leading authority in the field.

Dr. Chasson's wealth of clinical experience, a dedication to education, and prolific research portfolio, enables him to offer unparalleled insights and expertise to those seeking speaking engagements, media involvement, and a deeper understanding of OCD and related disorders.

Mayor Karen Bass returns to Curiosity Invited for a third time a little more than 1 and 1/2 years since assuming the position. In this conversation Karen takes a deeper dive into the challenges of moving unhoused citizens from the streets to appropriate housing within their communities. The mayor explains that evaluating the scope of the problem and the cost of solutions requires looking more carefully at the true cost of the homeless crisis, which includes the costs of all of the ancillary services that must be marshalled when large groups of people are forced to live on the streets. These include - but aere not limited to -support from the fire department, the police, sanitation, in addition to the loss of business income merchants incur when customers are frightened off by homeless encampments.

And despite the many challenges of addressing this problem - cost, public opinion, providing infrastructure and social support, etc. etc. - Bass and her team are making enormous progress. significantly reducing the numbers of unhoused living on the streets of LA.

In addition, Mayor Bass tells us that the problem is widespread throughout the United States, and that housing the unhoused does nothing to prevent people from falling into homelessness. It is estimated that in Los Angeles, for every 200 people who come off the streets, another 215 fall into homelessness. Bass and her team are actively working of implementing strategies to address this little talked about but enormously important fact of our social reality. (Currently there are no models anywhere in the US addressing this challenge.)

Peter Tilden well known radio personality, writer, producer, and co-host with Jason Alexander of the popular podcast, "Really? no REALLY?" speaks about his work and what he has learned about life from his nearly 40 years in the business. One of the funniest people I know.

Michael and David speak of many things ... part of the reason they always seem to have so much fun. Among other things Michael speaks of how he manages to invite "the muses" and keeps his art both open and discreet at the same time. He also speaks of his work as musical composer for the brand new Disney series, Star Wars: The Acolyte. I always have speaking with Michael: our times always feel rich and multi-dimensional.

2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning and Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer Michael Abels is best known for his genre-defying scores for the Jordan Peele films GET OUT, US and NOPE. The score for US won a World Soundtrack Award, the Jerry Goldsmith Award, a Critics Choice nomination, multiple critics awards, and was named “Score of the Decade” by The Wrap. Both US and NOPE were shortlisted for the Oscar for Best Original Score. In 2022, Abels’ music was honored by the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Middleburg Film Festival, and the Museum of the Moving Image. NOPE was awarded Best Score for a Studio Film by the Society of Composers & Lyricists. Other recent projects include the films BAD EDUCATION, NIGHTBOOKS, and the docu-series ALLEN v. FARROW. Current releases include CHEVALIER (Toronto Intl Film Festival) and LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND (Sundance 2022), his second collaboration with director Cory Finley. Upcoming projects include THE BURIAL (Amazon), and a series for Disney Plus.

Abels’ creative output also includes many concert works, including the choral song cycle AT WAR WITH OURSELVES for the Kronos Quartet, the Grammy-nominated ISOLATION VARIATION for Hilary Hahn, and OMAR, an opera co-composed with Grammy-winning recording artist Rhiannon Giddens. The New York Times named OMAR one of the 10 Best Classical Performances of 2022 and said, “What Giddens and Abels created is an ideal of American sound, an inheritor of the Gershwins’ “Porgy and Bess” but more honest to its subject matter, conjuring folk music, spirituals, Islamic prayer and more, woven together with a compelling true story that transcends documentary.”

Abels other concert works have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Master Chorale and many others. Some of these pieces are available on the Cedille label, including DELIGHTS & DANCES, GLOBAL WARMING and WINGED CREATURES. Recent commissions include EMERGE for the National Symphony and Detroit Symphony, and a guitar concerto BORDERS for Grammy-nominated artist Mak Grgic.

Abels is co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, an advocacy group to increase visibility of composers of color in film, gaming and streaming media.

https://michaelabels.com/

Emergency room physician, Onur Yenigun, seems too young to have accomplished what he has by the young age of 37. From a young life growing up in California, raised by his mother and grandmother, the boy with dreams of becoming a doctor seemed destined to fail. Poor grades and a lack of the discipline and dedication he would need, he joined the US Marines. That decision put him on a path hard work, self assessment, community spirit, and the realization that discipline and dedication were choices he could make. And make them he did.

After his stint in the Marines, Onur returned to the community college at which he had done so poorly, achieving exemplary grades and an acceptance to undergraduate and ultimately medical studies at UC San Francisco, and ultimately to completing a residency in Emergency Medicine from Stanford.

Ever a young man to want to give even more to his community, the newly hooded doctor worked at the front lines of medical efforts combatting Covid-19. Currently based at the California Hospital Medical Center as an Emergency Physician, Dr. Yenigun continues to volunteer, to teach, and give back to his family and community in whatever ways he can.

Onur is convinced that we are all capable of so much more than we imagine, when we are armed with a desire to learn, to help and to push ourselves past what makes us comfortable. Hearing his story in his own words will convince you as well.

Pat McCabe is a social worker who works with transitional age (18-24) foster, homeless, undocumented, and first generation youth, most of whom are in four year universities, predominantly in California. Pat's journey from Corporate Executive representing some of the largest franchises and individuals in the sports world, in corner offices and board rooms, to educator and educational administrator, to working with some of the least served people in society is truly inspiring. As the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Ready to Succeed, Pat works with and on behalf of young people who are often the most overlooked by a society consumed with financial success and public notoriety. Pat's is a story of compassion, responsibility and commitment to helping to create a better and more inclusive community. Listen in and hear the inspiring story of a man who chose to step off of the corporate ladder for a life of purpose and hope.

Rod Morrison is a 4th generation Wyoming Farmer with deep roots in the organic food movement. Rod speaks powerfully and convincingly about moving farming from its current corporate and industrial approach toward a more local and sustainable approach.

His experience with the political and financial forces that have pushed the planet's food policies toward an unsustainable future, has turned Rod into a powerful advocate for an approach to an economic system that centers value around the value of food calories, perhaps the most important value for all life on the planet. Rod's thinking evokes comparisons to Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson voice luminaries in the effort to think deeply and coherently about sustainable life on earth.

Susan Harper is a heart-soul-counselor, creative instigator, and inspired teacher of perceptual and movement inquiry. Susan joined Emilie Conrad, founder, in 1975 to study, and eventually became a partner in developing the organization and work of Continuum.
Susan has the ability through personal demonstration of sounds, breaths and movement to transmit a primal and spiritual fluidity that inspires participation resulting in embodied innovative discoveries. Her students call her a moving storyteller, a dream weaver, one who opens portals into the vast space of creativity, which is available in all human beings.

Emilie and Susan developed teacher training programs, and co-founded Continuum Teacher Organization in 2000. She continues to mentor many of the authorized Continuum teachers. In the early 90's Susan brought Continuum for the first time to Japan, Finland, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. In 1992, as a part of the 18th Street Arts Complex, Susan designed and built Continuum Studio, providing a creative gathering place for community.

Susan teaches a wide range of skills, and inquiry in the fields of movement, emotions, dreams, perception, meditation and relationship. In addition to Emilie Conrad, Susan Harper has taught Hubert Godard, Pilar Martin, Kevin Frank, Caryn McHose; Perceptual/Movement, Chris Price; Gestalt Awareness Practice, Wendy Palmer; Intuitive Body, Gary David; Epistemics, Reggie Ray; Meditating With the Body, Peter Levine; Somatic Experiencing, Steven Harper; Wilderness Awareness, and currently teaches with Lama Drimed - Dzogchen, and Michael Molin Skelton.

https://continuummontage.com/about-su...
https://www.continuumteachers.com/tea...
https://www.watermarkarts.org/susan-h...

Marcie Gilbert, the Executive Director of Calibrate, sits down with David for an engaging conversation about this unique program largely facilitated by young people who were exposed to this unique Social Emotional Learning program as youth .

Calibrate is a not for profit (501 c3) organization centered in Los Angeles, CA that delivers it's program, CONNECTIONS, to groups throughout Los Angeles. It's mission is to transform and elevate the lives of tomorrow’s leaders from under-resourced communities, particularly the descendants of American slavery, by providing spaces where they experience their best selves, feel valued for the potential they bring to the world, and prepare to reinvest their time and talents back into their communities.

Having grown out of educational groups and institutions, Much of its initial work has been with young people in schools and community groups. Calibrate hopes to expand its program to groups of all sorts and throughout the country.

CONNECTIONS, Calibrate's primary program, is a data-driven, social-emotional learning (SEL) program. It is a structured process designed to create a protective space, so that participants can listen and speak from their hearts. For Indigenous, Black, and People of Color (IBPOC), who are in survival mode day-to-day, Connections provides a safe place to cultivate intra-personal growth and interpersonal bonds. Connections normalizes the sharing of personal stories and conveys to participants that all voices are important and that each individual is appreciated for their authentic self. Connections is not psychotherapy, but it has a therapeutic effect. Participants are guided by prompts that elicit imagination, reflection, and critical thinking. During Connections sessions, participants are exposed to healthy coping mechanisms and practice aspects of productive/constructive listening and communication. All of these qualities are essential for healing, advocacy, sharing values, and establishing narrative.

Shepard Fairey was drawn to making art since he was young. A curious mind, a strong work ethic, an inspired creative spirit, a growing compassion for the situations of others, and a deepening understanding of the intricacies of how our world works (and yes, more than a touch of a 'rebel spirit' nurtured by skateboard culture and punk rock) has shaped the work of that young artist into some of the most powerful, most well known, and most consequential art of our time. Art that matters!

Do you know his work? Yes, absolutely you do, although you may not know it, because for Fairey - pronounced as you would the "tooth-_____" (no relation) - the goal has never been acclaim or notoriety. His effort always leans - and more often, strides - toward problem solving, commentary, action, and urging, more often pushing us to think and care about others, to care about democracy, and justice, to care about the growing privilege of some often at the expense of others.

Is there more to say? Yes, of course! Here's what Wikipedia begins with
"Frank Shepard Fairey (born February 15, 1970) is an American contemporary artist, activist and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. In 1989 he designed the "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" (...OBEY...) sticker campaign while attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)."

"Fairey designed the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, has described him as one of the best known and most influential street artists. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego; the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London."

But that barely scratches the surface.

I had a wonderful conversation with Shepard. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

https://obeygiant.com/
https://obeyclothing.com/

Dr. Zack Bein is a psychologist in the Dan Brown/David Elliott lineage of clinicians who believe strongly in the “3 pillar” approach to healing relational difficulty in adults. I also have clinical experience with substance abuse/dependence, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, psychotic disorders, and several personality disorders. His research is in mindfulness treatments for addiction and posttraumatic symptoms. At the University of California, Berkeley, Zack worked in the schizophrenia lab, examining the relationship between memory, emotions, and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

His approach to therapy is integrative, considering elements from a variety of theories and modalities, as well as evidence-based practices. Some of these include Attachment Theory, mindfulness-based interventions, Humanistic/Existential Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Three Pillars Therapy and the Ideal Parent Figure (IPF) Protocol.

He is trained in administering and scoring the Adult Attachment Interview by Howard and Miriam Steele at the New School in Manhattan. The AAI is the gold standard assessment of attachment styles in adults.

Dr. Bein also works closely with David Elliott, Ph,D, the co-creator of the model, to teach the 3 Pillar Model to clinicians, therapists, coaches, who wish to incorporate healing of attachment disturbances in their work. Zack is authored of an upcoming chapter in “Clinical Applications of the AAI, Part 2,” in which he details how the Three Pillars therapist uses the AAI in an ethically minded way to inform the work.

Michael Ashford - Podcaster, Author, Journalist, Speaker - has spent years researching communication, conflict, trust, and the reasons why people change. Through his work Michael wants to equip people to become better thinkers, communicators, and conversationalists.

His podcast ,"The Follow Up Question, his upcoming book, and his two TED talks" offer tools to help people understand the motivations and conditions that bring about transformation.

In Michael's own words, " I don’t believe we are as divided as we appear to be on many issues. But we are fighting against forces that benefit when we are at odds with each other on top of the fact that our education system failed most of us when it comes to understanding how to communicate well."

michaelashford #communication #followupquestion

https://www.michaelashford.com
linkedin.com/in/michaeldashford
thereceptionist.com
michaelashford.com

Twitter MichaelDAshford

Matt Van Horn is an American entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of June, maker of the June Intelligent Oven. Previously he co-founded Zimride, now called the ride-sharing service Lyft, was Vice President of Business at Path, and ran partnerships at Digg. He also worked at Apple while attending college. Matt speak with David about his childhood inclination to create interesting things. A long term "resident" of the Silicon Valley startup world Matt insights offer an insiders view into the industry that has changed the world for so many.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattvanhorn/
https://juneoven.com/

In 1990 after graduating from college, Steven Griffith - already an accomplished athlete in high school, D1 football, nd Golden Gloves boxing - stepped into a new role as a coach, driven by a profound realization of his ability to impact lives positively. This calling led him to establish his high-performance coaching company in 2000, which he later rebranded as A-Game Coaching in 2020.

His approach involves identifying the root causes of poor performance, understanding your purpose, aligning personal values, and restructuring time to achieve success. This method has been honed over 25,000 hours of coaching executives, entrepreneurs, organizations and athletes from high school to the professional ranks of the NBA, MLB, NHL, and over 40 current NFL players, Olympic medalists, and Hall of Fame athletes.

His acclaimed book, "The Time Cleanse," along with his highly effective coaching techniques helps athletes, executives, and anyone who will bring their attention to his approach perform at their highest levels.

www.stevengriffith.com
www.agamecoach.com
@stevengriffithauthor

Tune in to listen to some of the highlights of the past year conversations between David and his guests. Karen Bass, Marianne Williamson, Michael Abels, Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep, Professor Larry Birnbaum, Aura Sunada Newlin, Chrysta Bilton, Leila Steinberg

Andy Norman, PhD, is the award-winning author of Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think. His work has appeared in Scientific American, Psychology Today, Skeptic, Free Inquiry, and The Humanist. He has appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, public radio, The BBC’s Naked Scientist, and The Young Turks. His research illuminates the evolutionary origins of human reasoning, the norms that make dialogue fruitful, and the workings of the mind’s immune system. He champions the emerging science of mental immunity as the antidote to disinformation, propaganda, hate, and division. He likes to help people develop immunity to bad ideas.

Andy directs the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University and is the founder of CIRCE, the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative.

About the Mental Immunity Project mentalimmunityproject.org

About the Science of Cognitive Immunology cognitiveimmunology.net

cognitiveimmunology, #mentalimmunity, #AndyNorman

Drs. Peter Schnall and Marnie Dobson speak about the ways in which work can have long-term disastrous consequences on the immediate and long term wellbeing of workers, organizations, and our economic system. Their research shows the scientifically verified effects of many work environments and what can be done about it.

Marnie Dobson, Ph.D. is currently the Director of the Healthy Work Campaign and the Associate Director of the Center for Social Epidemiology, a non-profit organization and sponsor of the HWC. The Healthy Work Campaign is a public health campaign focused on raising awareness in the U.S. about the impacts of work stress on mental and physical health. For over 17 years she has been a researcher in occupational health and work stress research and was an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Irvine, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. She developed the Healthy Work Survey in collaboration with a team of university researchers, as well as intervention tools to guide organizations in preventing occupational diseases caused by stress and designing healthier work.

Peter Schnall, MD, MPH has been studying the effects work environments can have on the wellbeing of workers as well as the quality of work for nearly 50 years. The Founder and Director of the Center of Epidemiology, Peter's work is widely respected for his understanding of the effects of our modern way of life on individual and community wellbeing.

https://healthywork.org
https://unhealthywork.org/
https://unhealthywork.org/healthy-wor...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-sch...
https://twitter.com/pschnall

A Message From the Elders - Wisdom Weavers of the World

It all began with a vision.

In 2017, as the Earth's temperature continued to rise, Ilarion Merculieff, “Kuuyux,” Alaskan Unangan traditional and environmental leader, received a message from spirit to gather 13 Elders from all four directions around the world to council on two questions: "How do you see the current state of the Earth...and what do we need to do?"

Through four sacred days and nights on the fertile island of Kauai, diverse ancient teachings collided. Daily councils, ceremonies, and discussions revealed the presence of outstanding overlapping themes amongst every cultural heritage… and yet, profoundly, each Elder held a different piece of the puzzle.

And like the emergence of light after a long, dark night of the soul, a unified message for humanity was born….Drop into your heart.

This is the message of the Wisdom Weavers of the World. Journey with us to uncover the meaning for yourself and add your voice to our ever-evolving collective story.

Ilarion “Larry” Kuuyux Merculieff is the visionary behind Wisdom Weavers, the project founder, and ongoing key speaker. Raised in a traditional Unangan (Aleut) way and received his Unangan name “Kuuyux” at age 4. The name is given to one person in each lifetime amongst his people. Kuuyux means an arm extending out from the body, a carrier of ancient knowledge into modern times, a messenger. Today he is living the legacy of his name.

George Pletnikoff, Unangan elder, has a degree in biology and a deep connection to spirit in both Indigenous and Christian ways. (George was an active orthodox priest for 12 years.

Shay Sloan Clarke - Executive Director, Global Center for Indigenous Leadership & Lifeways (GCILL) - has many years of experience in Indigenous Cultures, both from her training in Rites of Passage work and years of experience doing cultural conservation work. A community steward committed to nurturing communities and communities of practice, Shay is practitioner of rites of passage, circle practices, inquiry/emergence, and a fierce advocate for cultural reclamation and renewal for collective liberation. A life-long learner, Shay has especially learned from Indigenous Peoples, people of color and white people committed to healing and reimagining social fields. She is co-editor of the book Protecting Wild Nature on Native Lands and co-author of the report “Cross-Cultural Protocols in Rites of Passage: Guiding Principles, Themes and Inquiry.” Most recently, she served as co-director of The Ojai Foundation, stewarding the organization through fire recovery, evolving communal practices and reimagining its future. After hours, Shay can be found enjoying wild waters or playing with her son, Kian.

--
Shay Sloan Clarke
Executive Director, Global Center for Indigenous Leadership & Lifeways (GCILL)Shay was invited to serve as the Interim Executive Director of Wisdom Weavers of the World. Shay is a community steward committed to nurturing communities and communities of practice.

https://www.wisdomweavers.world/

wisdomweavers #IlarionMerculieff #Indigenous culture

Lina Acosta Sandaal, MA, LMFT is a psychotherapist, development expert, writer, and founder of Stop Parenting Alone, a parenting education and consulting program in Miami, FL. She is a writer on social emotional learning for Macmillan Education, a human development expert for Telemundo’s national broadcasts and consultant for MomsRising an advocacy group for family rights in our nation’s capital. Her mission is for all parents to fall in love with their parenting journey!

https://stopparentingalone.com/
https://twitter.com/parentingrelief?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.instagram.com/parentingexpert/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lina-acosta-sandaal-9680a684/
https://www.facebook.com/Stop-Parenting-Alone-411686985524693

Paul Irving is a corporate and nonprofit director and advisor to leaders in business, investment, philanthropy, and academia. Author/editor of “The Upside of Aging: How Long Life Is Changing the World of Health, Work, Innovation, Policy, and Purpose,” Wall Street Journal expert panelist, and a contributor to the Harvard Business Review, PBS NextAvenue, and Forbes Pau l speaks and writes about health, finance, and the future of retirement; innovation in the longevity economy; and the changing culture of aging in America and the world.

Irving is a distinguished scholar-in-residence at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and senior advisor at the Milken Institute. He previously served as the Institute’s president and founding chair of its Center for the Future of Aging, an advanced leadership fellow at Harvard University, and chair, CEO, and head of the financial services group of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a national law and consulting firm.

Irving is a director and chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of East West Bancorp, Inc. and a member of the International Strategic Committee of the Quadrivio Group Silver Economy Fund. Chair emeritus and a member of the board of CoGenerate (previously, Encore.org), Irving serves on the Global Advisory Council of the Stanford University Distinguished Careers Institute, the Board of Councilors of the USC Leonard Davis School, and the Advisory Board of WorkingNation. Irving has served on the National Academy of Medicine Global Commission on Healthy Longevity, the Bipartisan Policy Center Senior Health and Housing Task Force, and as a participant in the 2015 White House Conference on Aging.

Named an “Influencer” by PBS NextAvenue, Irving was recognized with the Affordable Living for the Aging Janet L. Witkin Humanitarian Award, the Stanford University Distinguished Careers Institute Life Journey Inspiration Award, the Center for Workforce Inclusion Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Board of Governors Award.

In three decades as a corporate lawyer, Irving represented public and private companies and prominent investors in complex merger, acquisition, and capital markets transactions, and in a wide range of business, governance, and regulatory matters. Throughout his legal career, Irving was actively involved in pro bono services and charitable leadership in organizations including Operation Hope, Human Rights First, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Center Theater Group, and New Roads School.

Dr. Sofia Vergara has been a Spanish teacher at New Roads School for the last 17 years and served as Curriculum Coordinator and now Chair for the Spanish division of her department. She is an alumnus of the school and decided to go back and work there after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and minors in both Spanish and Disability Studies. She also earned a Masters degree in Secondary Education and Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice both from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.

In 2017, Dr. Vergara was asked to join LMU’s School of Education as a lecturer where she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses focusing on disability and multiculturalism in special education, specifically in the areas of educational supports for students with disabilities (FBAs, IEPs 504 plans), IDEA, Universal Design for Learning, and transitional planning. Sofia also served as a member and chair of the Board of Directors of the Westside Regional Center, whose mission it is to empower people with developmental disabilities and their families to choose and access community services. These educational and professional experiences, as well as her passion for advocacy and inclusion of individuals with disabilities, are also the essential driving forces behind why, in 2020, Dr Vergara and a colleague co-founded Bridges to Inclusion, a company that provides training and support to educational institutions, organizations, families, and individuals with disabilities.

https://www.bridgestoinclusion.org/
https://linkedin.com/in/sofia-vergara...
sofiamvergara@gmail.com

I so enjoyed my conversation with author, lawyer, legislator, minister, Rodger McDaniel about his latest book - Profiles in Courage: Standing Against the Wyoming Wind.

McDaniel was a Wyoming state legislator from 1971-1981 and the Democratic Party nominee for the United States Senate in 1982. He received a law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1980. After practicing law for 20 years, he received a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver and was ordained in 1999.

He was a 2000 Fellow at the College of Preachers, National Cathedral, Washington, DC, now Cathedral College of Faith and Culture. While there he studied what it means for Christians to worship God on land stolen from Indigenous Peoples.

He was Director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services and headed the state’s mental health and substance abuse programs from 2003-2011. He is currently the pastor at Highlands Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne.

Rodger has written five books. His most recent - Profiles in Courage: Standing Against the Wyoming Wind - is a collection of stories of 13 individuals and groups who are either marginalized people or their advocates who stood against the prevailing culture.

Rodger’s first book - Dying for Joe McCarthy’s Sins-The Suicide of Wyoming Senator Lester Hunt - was named the best nonfiction book of 2013 by the Wyoming State Historical Society. The Sagebrush Gospel was published in 2014. A fourth book is entitled “Howard Zinn and Lois Mottonen Fistfight in the Equality State.”

“The Man in the Arena-The Life and Times of US Senator Gale McGee,” was published in September 2018 by Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press and was named the Wyoming State Historical Society best nonfiction book of 2013. In his review of the book, Don Ritchie, the Historian Emeritus of the United States Senate, wrote “Rodger McDaniel is a fine writer and a thorough researcher. His account of the U.S. Senate in the 1960s and 1970s is solid and convincing. He has produced a study that should appeal to anyone interested in Congress's role in American foreign policy, the Vietnam War, and twentieth-century American politics."

What a delightful time I had speaking with Aura Sunada Newlin of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation. And my visit to The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center was deeply moving and inspiring. My time at the Center and spent in conversation with Aura left me feeling quite certain that we are living at a time when lessons that were unlearned in the 1940's remain some of the most pressing lessons needed in our time.

Aura Sunada Newlin is a fourth-generation Wyomingite, fourth-generation Japanese American, and Executive Director for the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (HMWF). Her heritage involves intertwined stories of imprisonment at Heart Mountain and Tule Lake; segregated military service; and hardships suffered by railroaders who were fired because of their Japanese ancestry. Aura was elected to the HMWF board of directors in 2013 and served as board secretary for eight years. She is also on the board of directors for the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts and was a founding member of the National Steering Committee for Tsuru for Solidarity. She previously taught Asian American Studies courses at the University of Wyoming and was a tenured faculty member in sociology and anthropology at Wyoming’s Northwest College.

Aura earned a BA in ethnomusicology from the University of Wyoming and an MA in medical anthropology from Case Western Reserve University. Now focusing on the anthropology of law, she is a PhD candidate at Case Western Reserve University. Aura’s work has been profiled by the Women in Wyoming podcast and gallery exhibit; the University of Wyoming’s Featured Alumni series; and Wyoming PBS. She was named statewide Faculty Member of the Year by the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees in 2018 and received the Community Member Award of the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice in 2021.

Website: www.HeartMountain.org
Facebook: facebook.com/HeartMountainWY
Twitter: twitter.com/HeartMountainWY
YouTube: youtube.com/HeartMountainWyomingFoundation

Listeners can contact HMWF at info@heartmountain.org
You can support HMWF by becoming a member: https://www.heartmountain.org/join-and-give/become-a-member/

Robert Ochs, MS, LCSW, has worked in the criminal justice system since 1979, at the local, state, and federal levels

For many years, his work was predominantly in forensic mental health. He trained at an LA County Probation Camp, worked in juvenile delinquency at the California Youth Authority, became a licensed clinician in 1983, and began a private practice. Bob’s forensic mental health work also included evaluating insanity acquitees, mentally-disordered offenders, and sex-offenders for appropriateness of hospital release, and directing programs for these offenders. Bob also directed the Adult Division of a large Community Mental Health Center in Los Angeles (Didi Hirsch) Bob transitioned into the world of County Probation and served as Sonoma County’s chief probation officer from 2005 to 2016, following 4 years as deputy chief. After retiring from Sonoma County, he served as the Mendocino County interim Chief probation officer for several months in 2017/2018. Bob was a Chief Justice appointment to the Judicial Council’s “Task Force on Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues”. He has served on other similar panels, e.g., describing “Best Practices in Competency Restoration”, and “Mental Health in the Juvenile Justice System". In 2017, Bob received the Christine M. West Award from the Forensic Mental Health Association of California for significant contributions to the field of forensic mental health. Bob currently consults and speaks on issues at the intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems. Finally, more than 20 years in Sonoma County can’t overcome a lifetime in Southern California – Bob remains a proud Dodger fan.

An athlete and trainer, and trainers trainer, Simon Gowen has spent a lifetime developing pathways to improves peoples' wellbeing. A certified Wim Hof Breathing instructor. Drawing from his years of experience with cold exposure, breath work, and movement, Simon developed what he calls the SG Way to greater wellbeing.

simongowen# #wimhofmethod #sgway

thesgway.net

linkedin.com/in/simon-gowen-0a06788

Erin Whalen seems young to have accomplished as much as he has... but he has, and he is just getting started. Erin and Da Vinci RISE High School's co-founder Kari Croft designed their school for those who are least served by traditional education in conventional settings. With profound insight into the needs of the homeless, the transient, and foster children populations, the RISE model is quickly becoming a model that can be replicated appropriately.

Listening to this young school and community leader will give you hope for a tomorrow that can so often be difficult to find.

Erin Whalen, born and raised in Santa Monica, California is co-founder and Executive Director of Da Vinci RISE High School. At a young age, Erin found himself enticed by education’s power to provide people with a sense of self that could be leveraged as a powerful force in the world. After graduating from New Roads High School, Erin moved away to study Anthropology at Grinnell College in Iowa and at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Throughout the years Erin and Kari Croft, co-founder, worked together with students, families and partners to develop concepts for RISE High. In 2016, Whalen and Kari Croft applied for and won a highly competitive $10 million grant from XQ: The Super School Project, funded by Laurene Powell Jobs and Russlynn Ali. Opening in 2017, RISE now has three locations around Los Angeles County serving upwards of 210 students. Erin received his master’s degree at the LMU School of Education’s Institute of School Leadership and Administration (ISLA) in 2020 and an honorary doctorate from Grinnell College in 2022.

Erin Whalen M.Ed, D.S.Sc
Ewhalen@Davincischools.org

Erin Whalen #education #podcast #DaVinci RISE #davincischools

Mario Johonson is an expansive thinker and master educator: a teacher, counselor, consultant, and administrator with Masters degrees in Philosophy, Spanish Language, and Urban Education. Always learning, always thinking and rethinking how to help others see the world as it is. His experience as a Black, Puerto Rican man raised by a brilliant activist mother and a white stepfather, and his years of experience as a teacher and administrator at a unique and authentically diverse independent school in Los Angeles allow Mario to bring a unique perspective to the current and historic climate of education and social movements in the United States.

I so enjoyed my conversation with Mario. His perspective offer a penetrating understanding of some of the most challenging issues facing educators, facing all of us during these highly divided and divisive times.

Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass has been in her role for six months. The mayor agreed to sit down with David on the six month anniversary of her position as LA's mayor.

Two-time Emmy nominated composer Michael Abels returns to Curiosity Invited for another lively and incredibly interesting conversation about his work generally and in particular, the opera - OMAR - which he cowrote with Rhiannon Giddens. Michael and Rhiannon won the 2023 PULITZER PRIZE FOR MUSIC for that piece of work. Abels brings his unique combination of artistic mastery, business acumen, and enormous intelligence. As always listening to Michael will deepen your understanding of music ... and it's a whole lot of fun.

Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep are two of the most inspirational gentlemen I've ever met. Both work at the forefront of a hands-on social movement aimed at building bridges of understanding and friendship ordinarily thought to be impossible. Having had the opportunity to sit down with each of them individually (Davis Episode 24; Schoep Episode 29) they agreed to sit down with me at the same time to speak about what it will take to overcome the growing factionalism in our society.

Daryl Davis has worked to improve race relations by seeking out, engaging in dialogue with, and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1983, he was playing country western music in a "white" bar in Frederick, Maryland, when a patron came up to him and said it was the first time he had "heard a black man play as well as Jerry Lee Lewis". Davis explained to the man that "Jerry Lee learned to play from black blues and boogie-woogie piano players and he's a friend of mine". The white patron was skeptical and over a drink admitted he was a member of the KKK. The two became friends and eventually the man gave Davis contact information on KKK leaders.
A few years later, Davis decided that he wanted to interview Klan members and write a book on the subject, to answer a "question in my head from the age of 10: 'Why do you hate me when you know nothing about me?' That question had never been answered from my youth".

Davis eventually went on to befriend over twenty members of the KKK, and claims to have been directly responsible for between forty and sixty, and indirectly over two hundred people leaving the Klan.Over the course of his activities, Davis found that Klansmen have many misconceptions about black people, stemming mostly from intense brainwashing in their youth. When they got to know him, Davis claims, it was more difficult to maintain their prejudices. The artist has recounted his experiences in his 1998 book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan.

Davis is not on a mission to "convert" bigots, white supremacists, Klansmen, or Nazis. Rather because of the earnest respect he offers all human beings and his core beliefs in the power of love, respect, fairness and his willingness to listen and find the heart of "the other," people are moved and transformed. Over 200 Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and others who belong to organizations that preach hate have chosen to leave those organizations and give Daryl their robes, flags, insignia, and other symbols of hate.

https://www.daryldavis.com/
https://twitter.com/RealDarylDavis

Jeff Schoep, once America’s most notorious neo-Nazi, now a consultant for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and an inspirational speaker for Conscious Campus, tirelessly holds keynote talks, lectures, and workshops from his unique vantage point.

For over 2 decades, Schoep led America’s largest neo-Nazi organization, the National Socialist Movement (NSM), overseeing its growth to a nationwide movement. Beginning in 2016, through interactions with a black musician, Daryl Davis, and a Muslim film maker, Deeyah Khan, Jeff began to question not only his work, but his entire life. Experiencing relational dialogue and interpersonal relationships with th

I was so pleased to be able to sit down for a great conversation with Marianne Williamson. In addition to being a prolific author, and known to many for her work in spiritual thought, Marianne has been a progressive activist for decades. Contrary to the way she was portrayed by mainstream media when she ran for the same office in 2020, Marianne is a thoughtful, careful, and circumspect political thinker. You can find out more about her positions and policy approaches to many issues at www.Marianne2024.com.

Her Bio:
Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist, and spiritual thought leader.For over three decades, she has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She is the author of 15 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Williamson founded Project Angel Food, a non-profit organization that has delivered more than 14 million
meals to ill and dying home-bound patients since 1989. The group was created to help people suffering from the ravages of HIV/AIDS.

She has also worked throughout her career on poverty, anti-hunger and racial reconciliation issues. In 2004, she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supports the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Williamson ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020.

https://marianne2024.com/
Twitter @MarWilliamson
Instagram: MarianneWilliamson

Los Angeles based Michael Farhat - a.k.a. ArtMobb - is a pioneer in hyper-realistic spray painting on plexiglass, accomplished through an exacting reverse painting and stripping technique. Farhat's witty take on sports, music, and celebrity has made him a superstar on social media, and a beloved figure of players, fans and collectors alike

Pamela Rosin, MFT helps clients move toward a sense of belonging, grounding, freedom, and comfort in their own skin. As a Certified Hakomi Therapist, Pamela utilizes experience based modalities and a synergy of Buddhist and Somatic psychologies to cultivate healing. As a therapist, Pamela integrates her professional acting background, a decade as a bodyworker, and many years of teaching Shakespeare in prison.

As a teacher and group leader, Pamela draws from a multitude of experience in various educational and therapeutic arenas. She embodies the precepts of 'Reparentive' Therapy; bringing relational, loving presence to support learning. Pamela’s creativity, ability to personalize the material, and emphasis on nervous system regulation, supports students’ access and integration of this sensitive and challenging topic.

A graduate of the Integral Counseling Psychology program at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Pamela’s therapeutic orientation has been influenced by the Eastern/Western blend provided at CIIS, traditional Freudian, psychodynamic, and transpersonal approaches, and by the many wise mentors and guides with whom she has traveled.

Pamela is a seasoned guide, dedicated to healing this wounding in herself and others. She has led Growing Ourselves Whole numerous times over the past few years.

https://www.reparentivetherapy.com/
info@reparentivetherapy.com

https://www.pamelarosintherapy.com/
therapist@pamelarosin.com

Chrysta Bilton is an American writer and memoirist. Her first book, the memoir Normal Family: On Truth, Love, and How I Met My 35 Siblings, was published in July 2022 by Little, Brown in the US and Octopus in the UK. The book was listed among Kirkus's Best Nonfiction Books of 2022 and named a 'best' or 'must-read' book of Summer 2022 by The Washington Post, The LA Times, Vanity Fair, People Magazine, Amazon, and many others. The Sunday Times called Normal Family "a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour" and People Magazine called it "a riveting debut." The Atlantic wrote that "Normal Family will, in the very best way, leave you wondering what [family] actually means." Chrysta lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Chrysta's 'family' is spread widely across the country. Please tune into our delightful, humorous and enormously touching conversation.

Davis has worked to improve race relations by seeking out, engaging in dialogue with, and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1983, he was playing country western music in a "white" bar in Frederick, Maryland, when a patron came up to him and said it was the first time he had "heard a black man play as well as Jerry Lee Lewis". Davis explained to the man that "Jerry Lee learned to play from black blues and boogie-woogie piano players and he's a friend of mine". The white patron was skeptical and over a drink admitted he was a member of the KKK. The two became friends and eventually the man gave Davis contact information on KKK leaders.
A few years later, Davis decided that he wanted to interview Klan members and write a book on the subject, to answer a "question in my head from the age of 10: 'Why do you hate me when you know nothing about me?' That question had never been answered from my youth".

Davis eventually went on to befriend over twenty members of the KKK, and claims to have been directly responsible for between forty and sixty, and indirectly over two hundred people leaving the Klan.Over the course of his activities, Davis found that Klansmen have many misconceptions about black people, stemming mostly from intense brainwashing in their youth. When they got to know him, Davis claims, it was more difficult to maintain their prejudices. The artist has recounted his experiences in his 1998 book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan.

Daryl Davis is not on a mission to "convert" bigots, white supremacists, Klansmen, or Nazis. Rather because of the earnest respect he offers all human beings and his core beliefs in the power of love, respect, fairness and his willingness to listen and find the heart of "the other" that people are moved and transformed. Over 200 Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and others who belong to organizations that preach hate have chosen to leave those organizations and give Daryl their robes, flags, insignia and other symbols of hate.

As a musician, Davis absorbed the style of blues musicians from the Mississippi Delta who had migrated north. In 1980, he earned a bachelor of music degree from Howard University, where he was a member of the Howard University Choir and Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Davis "was mentored by legendary pianists Pinetop Perkins and Johnnie Johnson, who both claimed him as their godson and praised his ability to master a piano style that was popular long before he was born", according to his Kennedy Center profile.
Davis has frequently played backup for Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. He was a friend of Muddy Waters and played piano in The Legendary Blues Band.Davis has also performed with blues icon B. B. King, Elvis Presley's Jordanaires, The Platters, The Drifters, The Coasters, Bo Diddley] Percy Sledge, and Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave).

In 2009 Davis was awarded "Best Traditional Blues/R&B Instrumentalist" at the Washington Area Music Awards. For several years, Davis served as artistic director of the Centrum Acoustic Blues Festival.

For over 60 years Michael Stearns has been discovering and exploring the world of and through sound. He is an ambient music composer and performer, film composer, sound designer and soundtrack producer for theatrical films, documentaries, large format films, commercials and themed attractions. His award winning scores to Ron Fricke’s non-verbal global film masterpieces “Chronos”, “Baraka” and “Samsara” have played to audiences around the world.

Michael’s music has been used by Laserium, NASA, and choreographed by the Berkshire Ballet. Through his soundtrack production company, Michael Stearns Productions, he has created the soundtracks to Universal’s “Back To The Future, The Ride” and Paramount’s “Star Trek, The Experience.”

David and Michael look back ... and forward ... over Michael's expansive career.

Leila Steinberg speaks frankly about her work as a dedicated educator, artist, and business woman that has spanned over four decades. Perhaps most widely known for being an early mentor and manager of rap legend Tupac Shakur and more recently Earl Sweatshirt (Thebe Kgositsile),. Leila Steinberg has is a business woman, educator, writer, poet, and founder of Aim 4 The Heart a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk youth find their voice using an emotional literacy curriculum and writing workshops.

Leila met Tupac when he was an unknown student in her writing workshop and remain connected with him until his tragic and still unsolved murder in 1996. They met when he was a student in her writing workshop, The Microphone Sessions, in the Oakland Bay area. Today Ms. Steinberg manages the rapper Earl Sweatshirt.

Her nonprofit project, Aim 4 The Heart (aim4theheart.org) is dedicated to making emotional intelligence and literacy central in our society, especially in the education of youth. Combining art, activism, education and law has been at the core of Leila Steinberg's work for her entire career.

Andrew Carter did not grow up dreaming of being a mushroom farmer ...although you might not guess that when you speak with the dynamic and creative Co-Founder and CEO of Smallhold.

“Smallhold wants people to eat more mushrooms. We are mainly just trying to get mushrooms on people's plates in any sort of way possible. We want them to be grown locally, so they're fresh and enjoyable.”

Smallhold, Carter and the Smallhold team is upending the food industry by growing their mushrooms in Michelin-star rated restaurants, grocery stores, and through their network of onsite and macro farms. Smallhold is inverting the way food is traditionally grown and distributed. Today, 68% of all mushrooms consumed in the United States come from a single town in Pennsylvania called Kenneth Square. 400 million pounds worth of mushrooms per year, to be exact. Carter and the Smallhold team are changing that.

I hope you enjoy this very fun conversation. I know I did! In fact my Smallhold Blue Oyster mushroom kit is fruiting as I post this video.

https://www.Smallhold.com

Omar Imady & Noel Hagman - Author and Editor: Creative Symbiosis

Author. poet, intellectual, Omar Imady is an uncommon collection of many things – poet, historian, novelist, Syrian, American, exile, Sufi, ‘Alan Wattsian’, cat lover, avid coffee drinker, insatiable gastronome – all of which find expression in his growing repertoire of eclectic fiction. He is the author of multiple books, including The Gospel of Damascus, a 2012 Book of the Year Award finalist, and When Her Hand Moves, a collection of three controversial, thought-provoking novellas. His forthcoming novels dig ever deeper into the human experience of alienation and the quest for meaning in a world increasingly hostile to answers.

Noel Hagman-Kiziltan is Hagman is a partner, Editor-in-Chief, and Chief Creative Officer of Villa Magna Publishing. Joining an independent publishing company was the perfect opportunity for Noel to combine her passions – an addiction to reading, all (media) forms of storytelling, and her love for creative design.
Born in Los Angeles, CA, into a celebrity family, she grew up with a unique perspective of the entertainment industry, and had the luxury of being exposed to a truly dynamic creative world, surrounded by artistic legends, prolific pioneers and lots of the craziness in between. Several years after her education, Noel met her soul-mate, followed her heart, moved to Istanbul. A mother of three Noel still nevertheless makes time as a founder of Villa Magna publishing.

Determined to help others in the community avoid the pain and loss he felt, Josiah Citrin speaks candidly about what the loss of his son Augie about the painful loss of his son, Augie as a result of fentanyl poisoning. Like so many who believe they are using a familiar substance, Augie died tragically when he was poisoned by the counterfeit narcotic.

Josiah Citin Background:

Josiah Citrin is a culinary expert and veteran of Los Angeles’s gourmet dining scene, with more than 25 years of experience. He is a two-star Michelin chef and owner of Santa Monica's highly-acclaimed Mélisse, Charcoal Venice, and Dave’s Doghouse at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles and Indian Wells Tennis Garden. His culinary philosophy, “In Pursuit of Excellence” sets the standard for all of his concepts, whether fine-dining or casual.

Citrin discovered his passion for food through his family at an early age, growing up in Santa Monica and Venice with a mother who was a caterer, and a French grandmother who cooked family meals. Their knowledge, combined with his excitement for cooking and business, led him to pursue a culinary career. Citrin moved to Paris to explore his French heritage after graduating from Santa Monica High School, and worked for three years at fine Parisian restaurants Vivarois and La Poste, gaining an understanding of and respect for the rules of traditional French cooking.

This invaluable experience taught him both the art and discipline of cooking and fine dining, and formed the definitive basis of his training. He returned to the United States in 1990 and began applying his skills at Los Angeles’ finest restaurants—notably Wolfgang Puck’s celebrated Chinois on Main and then at Granita. After two years, Josiah moved on to join Patina and Pinot Bistro and cooked alongside famed chef and savvy restaurateur Joachim Splichal. Citrin subsequently became chef at Capri restaurant in Venice and Jackson’s in West Hollywood. With a heightened interest in French gastronomy and a spirit for entrepreneurship, Citrin launched JiRaffe in 1996 alongside childhood friend and fellow chef Raphael Lunetta. Selling his interest to JiRaffe to Lunetta in 1999, Citrin pursued his lifelong dream of opening his own fine dining establishment by debuting Mélisse which opened to critical acclaim and has been impressing the culinary world ever since.

Citrin’s honors include: Two Stars from Michelin Guide (2007, 2008, 2021), #1 for Top Food in Los Angeles and #1 American-French Restaurant for Food in Los Angeles by Zagat (2013, 2014), “Best Wine List” by LA Weekly (2015), “Top 100 Restaurants in the World” by Elite Traveler (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), Five Stars by Forbes Travel Guide (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), “Top Ten New Chefs” by Food & Wine magazine (1997), and “Best Chefs of the Year” by Los Angeles magazine (2012).

In this episode, the microphones turn as Katalin Hanappi asks questions to help us get to know our very own host, David Bryan, a bit more!

From David Bryan:

I first met Katalin Hanappi when she was in the 5th grade, when I went to dinner with her parents who were considering placing Katalin in the school I started in California. She was thrilled at the possibility of being at a school where she would be encouraged to explore and be excited about discovering the world and expressing herself.

Fast forward 24 years, and Katalin is a celebrated documentary film maker, an artist, and explorer, and perhaps just as thrilled when I first met her. A month or so ago, she agreed to appear on Curiosity Invited. We had a lovely conversation/reunion, in the middle of which she said, "Someone should interview you on a podcast." Half in jest I responded that I think she should interview me. The results are here.

Katalin Hanappi is a Vienna based documentary filmmaker, but likes to refer to herself as an escape artist. She was born in Vienna, Austria into an artistic and rather nomadic family, that is changing its patchwork patterns until this day. Katalin grew up in Austria, Canada, England and the United States, learning soon to adapt to new surroundings and witnessing many forms of education and lifestyles. What was a constant in her life was always storytelling- being the oldest of first one, then two, later three and now a few more siblings, she liked to write stories and books for them. And she used them as actors in homemade plays and films. (note: They later became actors and music composers) As a thirteen year old she stumbled into being a news anchor for a children's' news program on the Austrian National television which she presented every weekend for four years until her family moved away again to England. There Katalin discovered her passion for theater and screenplay-writing.
In her early twenties she wrote plays for theaters in Vienna but then decided to enroll to film school and soon started working as a documentary filmmaker. Now over ten years later Katalin has directed more than 3 dozen documentaries for broadcast and cinema, most of them in the genre of wildlife, adventure, science and nature. Her aim is to get everyone excited about this one gorgeous planet. In order to inspire others she feels she needs to keep inspiring herself and spends most of the year traveling. Together with her partner who runs a design studio she shares a secret double life on a sailboat. Together they recently started the production company “Sailing Studio productions” that produces little fun short films with big meanings.

Katalin Hanappi is known for her exceptionally sensitive and intuitive approach to challenging stories.

In 2015 she received the Austrian „Best 30 under 30“ journalism award.

https://katalinhanappi.com/
https://offf.media/index/studio-elastik-katalin-hanappi

Katalin Hanappi is a Vienna based documentary filmmaker, but likes to refer to herself as an escape artist. She was born in Vienna, Austria into an artistic and rather nomadic family, that is changing its patchwork patterns until this day. Katalin grew up in Austria, Canada, England and the United States, learning soon to adapt to new surroundings and witnessing many forms of education and lifestyles. What was a constant in her life was always storytelling- being the oldest of first one, then two, later three and now a few more siblings, she liked to write stories and books for them. And she used them as actors in homemade plays and films. (note: They later became actors and music composers) As a thirteen year old she stumbled into being a news anchor for a children's' news program on the Austrian National television which she presented every weekend for four years until her family moved away again to England. There Katalin discovered her passion for theater and screenplay-writing.
In her early twenties she wrote plays for theaters in Vienna but then decided to enroll to film school and soon started working as a documentary filmmaker. Now over ten years later Katalin has directed more than 3 dozen documentaries for broadcast and cinema, most of them in the genre of wildlife, adventure, science and nature. Her aim is to get everyone excited about this one gorgeous planet. In order to inspire others she feels she needs to keep inspiring herself and spends most of the year traveling. Together with her partner who runs a design studio she shares a secret double life on a sailboat. Together they recently started the production company “Sailing Studio productions” that produces little fun short films with big meanings.

Katalin Hanappi is known for her exceptionally sensitive and intuitive approach to challenging stories.

In 2015 she received the Austrian „Best 30 under 30“ journalism award.

https://katalinhanappi.com/
https://offf.media/index/studio-elastik-katalin-hanappi

Stephen James Taylor - Musician & Explorer : Trans-tonal Music - Transcendent Thinking

Stephen James Taylor has a unique musical identity. His style has often been called “Afro-futuristic) as it represents a blend of classical, rock, blues, gospel, world music, homemade instruments, and avante garde. His past projects include scoring Richard Tanne’s 2020 Amazon film Chemical Hearts, music for the Star Wars Cantina at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge (2019) {the first microtonal music ever in rotation at Disneyland), the PBS documentary by Charles Burnett entitled Power To Heal (2018), Maya Angelou-And Still I Rise (2016), Richard Tanne’s theatrical release, Southside With You (2016), Tom Bradley: Bridging the Divide (2015), People Are The Sky, (2015), Marvel’s TV Series The Black Panther, music for theme parks such as Disney World and The Red Sea Astrarium, Universal's The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, Disney’s Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (for which he won Best Original Score at the 2004 DVDX Awards), Teachers Pet, a Disney animated feature with wide theatrical release in 2003, and most of the films directed by Academy Award winner, Charles Burnett including To Sleep With Anger and the blues documentary, Warming By the Devil’s Fire produced by Martin Scorsese. He has composed scores for many of Robert Townsend’s films such as The Making of the Five Heartbeats (2017) Of Boys and Men (2008), Carmen, A HipHopera (2004) and Holiday Heart (2000). In 2001 he wrote underscore and produced some of the songs for Clark Johnson’s Boycott (HBO films) as well as his 2018 Netflix film, Juanita (2017). In 1996 he was commissioned to write an orchestral suite for the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics and was one of the conductors of the Atlanta Symphony for that occasion. In 1993, Stephen received an Emmy nomination for an R&B song he wrote for I’ll Fly Away as well as a Daytime Emmy nomination for his classical orchestral score for an episode of the animated series, The Lion King’s Timon and Pumbaa. Other Emmy nominations have been for the PBS movie Brother Future (1991), and Raw Toonage an animated series for Disney. In 1999 and 2000 he has received Annie nominations for his work on Disney’s Mickey Mouseworks. He has also done string arrangements for James Taylor and for Crosby, Stills, and Nash. He is currently working on a cartoon series for Netflix.

After graduating from Stanford University in 1976 with a B.A. in music, he studied composition for four years with Henri Lazarof, professor of music at UCLA. He studied microtonality with Erv Wilson for 20 years with whom he helped develop a new 810 key microtonal keyboard used in many of the above scores.

Taylor’s second chamber symphony was commissioned and premiered by the Pasadena Chamber Orchestra in 1983. The Detroit Symphony later performed it in 1990. His various chamber works have been performed throughout the country. He has done a great deal of composing in surround sound. His 2001 “COME ALIVE” premiered at the El Paso Microhoot and has been presented many times since. More recently his 55 minute surround suite, “MUSIC FROM THE OTHER WAKANDA”, was selected by the composition faculty at Virgina Tech to be presented as part of its 2022 Afrofuturist themed “Cubefest”. Other projects include a trans-tonal pop album entitled Embrace It All (now available on itunes). A filmmaker as well, he has also completed some short films of his own: the award winning documentary, SURFING THE SONIC SKY, the science fiction short, I AM HERE. as well a research documentary about the micro- geometry of subatomic matter with co-director Jesus Trevino called “Gurule Shells, A Quantum Metaphor”.

A few samples:
"Red Sun Blue Highway" (fretless acoustic blues guitar} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBIf...

“The Bradley Variations” (31 tone guitar solo)

Kelly Rigg has been an environmental activist for over 40 years. As a senior advisor to, and later Executive Director (2009-2014) of the Global Call for Climate Action, she led a major international alliance campaigning for a fair, ambitious and binding global climate agreement. She also coordinated (2004 – 2009) the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, made up of more than 60 NGOs worldwide, campaigning to achieve a UN General Assembly moratorium on high seas bottom trawling.

She worked for Greenpeace off and on for 20 years. She led Greenpeace International’s campaign on the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, with a focus on climate change and renewable energy. She also led Greenpeace’s successful international campaign to save Antarctica (1986-1990), combining a political campaign with field expeditions and the establishment of a scientific base on the ice. During this time she represented Greenpeace at the UN.

Kelly began campaigning for the environment in 1982, working for Greenpeace USA against offshore oil drilling when the Reagan Administration planned to open virtually the entire US continental shelf to oil development. In 1984 she became the organization’s wildlife campaign director.

Founded in 2003, The Varda Group has vast experience across a wide range of issues, including climate change, marine biodiversity, fisheries conservation, the Arctic and Antarctic, maritime policy, nuclear safety, security, and arms control, toxic pollution and clean production, fresh water management and sanitation, sustainable consumption, tobacco control, international governance, international trade, access to information and transparency.

https://www.vardagroup.org/
https://twitter.com/kellyrigg

Artist, author, teacher, Jane Edberg speaks candidly and profoundly about the practices that carried her through deep sadness and grief over the loss of her son toward joy, wellbeing, and insight into metabolizing life's most profound challenges. Due to be published in 2022, The Fine Art of Grieving promises to be an intimate and insightful look into the relationship of vulnerability and strength.

https://www.facebook.com/thefineartofgrieving
https://www.thefineartofgrieving.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thefineartofgrieving/?hl=en

David Bryan, Co-Founder and Founding Head of New Roads School speaks with Luthern Williams current Head of New Roads School about this unique independent school in Santa Monica, CA.

Unique among independent schools, New Roads is a K-12 school that has, since its inception in 1995, offered unprecedented amounts of need-based support to its students to ensure that students whose families might not be able to afford the full tuition amount can receive the rich educational experience New Roads offers.

Luthern Williams, a visionary educational leader, is the Head of School at New Roads School in Santa Monica, California. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an Ed.M. in School Leadership from Harvard University. Previously, Luthern was the Assistant Head of School for Program and Middle School Director at New Roads School. Luthern has over twenty- five years of experience as an administrator and English teacher in independent schools in New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles. He served as the Director of College Preparation and College Admissions at College Launch, an educational consulting company; the Director of Studies at the Oakwood School in North Hollywood, California; the Upper School Director at Beaver Country Day School in Boston, Massachusetts; and the Director of Diversity at the Winsor School in Boston, Massachusetts.Throughout his career, he has drawn on his extensive knowledge of education to align schools’ programs with their missions and to build educational models where all children thrive; learn love, respect, empathy, and compassion; and develop the tools to create a world based on the inherent dignity and worth of each individual. To prepare teachers to educate for this “New World,” Luthern has contributed to the design, redesign, and development of one of the premier teacher induction and professional development programs for independent schools in the nation as well as created professional development processes in many independent schools. In addition, Luthern has trained teachers to devise strategies and assessments for students with various learning styles as well as culturally sensitive teaching methods and curricula.He has done talks, interviews, presentations and workshops about education on the local, state, national, and international level, including speaking on a panel for the United States Department of Education, Office of Nonpublic Education. He has consulted nationally on education, and he has written articles in this field. In addition, he has served as Board Chair and Board member on nonprofit boards.Currently, he sits on the Board of Directors of California Association of Independent Schools, Private School Axis, Los Encinos School, and the Advisory Board of the National Diversity Coalition. Luthern is deeply committed to democratizing meaningful access to high quality education for socio-economically disadvantaged students and developing schools, built on wellbeing, that are catalysts for societal transformation.

https://newroads.org/

Congresswoman Karen Bass is a leading candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles, California (2022). Ms. Bass has represented the 37th Congressional District of CA in the United States Congress since 2010. Her complete bio is a testament to what a life dedicated to assisting others can do.

Congresswoman Bass' complete bio can be found here.
https://bass.house.gov/about/biography

Information on her campaign for Mayor is here:
https://karenbass.com/

William Ayers, Distinguished Professor of Education and Senior University Scholar at the University of Illinois at Chicago (retired) has written extensively about social justice and democracy, education and the cultural contexts of schooling, and teaching as an essentially intellectual, ethical, and political enterprise. His books include A Kind and Just Parent; Teaching toward Freedom; Fugitive Days: A Memoir; Public Enemy: Confessions of an American Dissident; On the Side of the Child; To Teach: The Journey, in Comics; and Demand the Impossible!

Bill first entered the public for his 1960s radical activism. During the 1960s, Ayers was a leader of the Weather Underground militant group, described by the FBI as a terrorist group. He is known for his 1960s radical activism and his later work in education reform, curriculum and instruction.

Danny Goldberg, author, journalist, entertainment business professional, and political activist discusses his new book - "Bloody Crossroads 2020: Art, Entertainment and Resistance to Trump." Drawing on over 50 years of experience working in the arts and attending to American politics, Goldberg offers illuminating insights into the long history of the overlap of politics and the entertainment industry.

Brent Green is a Los Angeles based horticulturalist and landscape architect, with a lifelong love or plants, trees, gardens and greenscape. In addition to his extraordinarily beautiful residential and commercial landscape projects, Brent has transformed his neighborhood and other communities by planting and caring for trees in what would otherwise be concrete and blacktop streets. Brent's work has been recognized by Sunset Magazine, Architectural Digest, The Los Angeles Time, CBS Sunday Morning, and other media outlets. Tune in and be inspired by this extraordinary change maker!

https://www.greenartlandscape.com/
https://www.instagram.com/greenartlan...
@greenartlandscapela
https://bit.ly/39forH6

Drawing on his nearly 50 years in medicine and research, world renowned physician and epidemiologist, Peter Schnall speaks broadly on the subject of workplace produced illness. Dr. Schnall recounts some of the early history of medicine's role in advancing progressive social changes during the years of the American civil rights and anti-war movements of the 60's and beyond. Still highly active in his field, Dr. Schnall offers a clear and insightful of how work itself can damage our individual and collective wellbeing and the sorts of things that can be done to change that.

The Center for Social Epidemiology offers (at no charge) individuals and groups a tool to determine what sort of work place stressors they are subject to in their work environments. They also offer a resources for the sorts of things a person or group can do to address the specific challenges they are facing.

https://healthywork.org
https://unhealthywork.org/
https://unhealthywork.org/healthy-wor...
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-sch...
https://twitter.com/pschnall

President of Learning Stewards and Director of the Children of the Code Project, David Boulton is a learning-activist, technologist, public speaker, documentary producer, and author. Boulton's insights into how people learn come from his keen observation of both his own and his children's intersection with educational institutions. Boulton's work offers the theoretical insights, strategies and tools to radically transform our antiquated and wildly unsuccessful approach to education in a direction that reignites peoples' natural and innate urge toward learning that lies at the core of what it means to be a human being.

Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, psychotherapist, author, and Co-Founder of WeConcile speaks expansively on how her deep work has taken her on a journey from rural Pennsylvania to an exploration of depth psychology, a career in psychotherapy, and a passion to create a world filled with connection rather than conflict. Whether discussing therapy, alternative healing modes, creating and nurturing relationship, or her own personal journey, Lehr demonstrates a deep trust in courageous exploration of the parts that cannot easily be seen. Jennifer's writing can be found on her two blogs: WeConcile's Blog, and Jennifer's Blog. Her soon to be published memoir, I Am Witch – The Art of Becoming will be published in 2022.

Two-time Emmy nominated composer Michael Abels brings his artistry and intelligence to our lively conversation about what he loves, music. Whether scoring films for the likes of film maker Jordan Peele - GET OUT, US, NOPE - co-composing an opera - OMAR - with Grammy and MacArthur Award winning Rhiannon Giddens, or founding Los Angeles based Composers Diversity Collective, Abels brings his unique combination of artistic mastery, business acumen, and enormous intelligence to create magic in everything he creates. No wonder his work is showing up seemingly everywhere. Treat yourself by spending time with this gifted and committed artist.

Epistemic counselor, philosopher, musician, educator, Gary David speaks about his 50+ years of exploration into how people make meaning. Careful analysis of the relationship between mind, biology, affect and emotions creates the possibility of more coherent thinking, surely something we need during these days of radical almost tribal division.

Acclaimed film director and producer, Robert Greenwald, founded Brave New Films. Robert speaks about his and Brave New Film's effort to use media, education, and grass roots activism to create work that inspires, empowers, motivates and teaches civic participation and make real impact. Brave New Films illuminates issues of social and systemic justice using both relevant facts and the intimate stories of individuals affected by those issues. This combination makes their work uniquely powerful, engaging, and highly watchable.

https://www.bravenewfilms.org/

Jasmine Anouna, self described intersectional feminist and Founder of "The Bloom," a newsletter for impact opportunities around the world, speaks about her the path that led her from doing important policy work at the UN to the creation of the unique newsletter/platform that connects those concerned with creating a better world and offers a view into a more hopeful and just future that is already here. Jasmine and her many collaborators point pathways toward a more hopeful future.

https://www.readtobloom.com/

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