Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Kimberly Latrice Jones. Kimberly is an activist, writer, and director. It was Kimberly's recent impassioned video that powerfully moved me and inspired me to reach out to her. Both Trevor Noah and John Oliver highlighted Kim's video, where she provides a poignant history lesson (all too often left out of our formal education), outlines the broken social contracts between whites and blacks in this country, and pleads for people to not superficially focus on the WHAT (looting and rioting), but dig into the WHY. Kim challenges us to look at the causes of the issues, the conditions that create outrage, desperation and violence. Kim shares the context in how this viral video came to be and why the world needs to hear her message now. Kim acknowledges that the root of the problem is economics so in order to make this movement sustainable, we need to invest in black communities. Or simply said: "white allies have black receipts". Kimberly is a published Young Adult author, director of film and web series, but her primary focus now is being 'boots on the ground' for all that is happening in the racial equality movement. I'm grateful that while keeping boots on the ground, Kim's inspiring, empowering, truth-speaking voice is rising! Check out the show notes for links to Kim's viral speech as well as her website, kimjoneswrites.com. Please follow and support the initiatives she rolls out, buy her book "I'm Not Dying With You Tonight" (co-authored with Gilly Segal), and purchase her great merch. I love her tee shirts: "Equality Not Revenge" & "Hood Girls Can Be Heroes, Too". Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.kimjoneswrites.com Kim's Video Kim's Book IG: @kimberlylatricejones IG: @really.gilly (Gilly Segal) Trevor Noah/The Daily Show John Oliver/Last Week Tonight

I want to acknowledge and address the traumatic, heartbreaking reality of our country's anti-black socialization, systemic racism and the internalized racist worldview that is ingrained in being white. I am reaching out, retreating, asking others, asking myself, learning, unlearning, doing, undoing, reflecting, listening, making mistakes, and striving for growth. I truly want to be as present to the discomfort, awkwardness and pain as I can be, of the racial inequality of our shared American history. I've been so moved by the younger generation, particularly my adult children, nieces and nephews as they continue to challenge, stimulate and expand my understanding of racial injustice and what it means to be white. My guests today are 2 of my nieces, Siri Carr and Kirsti Carr. Siri is a teacher of 8th grade writing in a Boston charter school. She cares deeply about making the world a better place, trusting that with love, we are capable of so much more. Kirsti is an environmental biologist, who has studied raptors in California and Nevada and is currently working on a red-headed woodpecker project in Minnesota. She is uplifted by the collective action that is happening across the country and around the world, hundreds of thousands of people standing together, demanding equal justice. Both Siri and Kirsti invited our extended family into a family Zoom meeting to discuss white privilege. So even though the family Zoom hasn't yet occurred, I wanted to highlight the initiative they took. As I hear so many white people ask what can I do, I hope Siri and Kirsti's efforts might be a tangible thing you could try with your own families. Siri and Kirsti help challenge me to think about how we can openly practice anti-racism in our lives. I know there is a lot of individual and collective work before us and I hope we can inspire each other on the journey. Check out the show notes for links to resources we discuss. Enjoy the podcast! Programming Note: Next Monday, June 22, my guest will be author, director & activist Kimberly Jones. You may have seen her viral video that Joel Cross, Trevor Noah, and others have shared. I'm eager to shine light on Kimberly and the truth she speaks. Links: Teens In Print Storyteller Carolyn Finney "Black Faces in White Places" by Randal Pinkett "America, This is Your Chance" by Michelle Alexander, NY Times

My guest today is Jamie Surya. Jamie is a yoga instructor, owner of her own yoga studio and a revered community builder. Jamie was drawn to yoga at a very vulnerable time in her life, when she was struggling with anxiety and depression. Yoga shifted and profoundly transformed Jamie's life so she is devoted to sharing the practice with others. Rooted in a reverence for the ancient philosophy and practice of yoga, Jamie adds her modern twist. After completing her yoga teacher training in 2011, Jamie channeled a fearless determination she didn't know she had. A year later, at the age of 20, Jamie opened her own yoga studio, with the loving support of her family and the new family she created in the community. Jamie advocates for human rights, animal rights, and takes a stand against injustice in many forms. Her passion, purity and purpose penetrate through her being; you can feel her love for teaching yoga in her presence and in the stories she shares. Please check out the show notes for links to Jamie's website: www.jamiesuryayoga.com and social media presence, as well as the organizations she partners with and supports. Enjoy the podcast! Links: jamie surya yoga studio Love Your Brain Foundation Center For Safety & Change Rockland County Pride Center Hi-Tor Animal Shelter Instagram

I didn't plan for, nor expect the flood of tears that came over me, and in between my sobs, I realized it took a pandemic for me to feel the raw emotions of our country's intensified racism. It took a pandemic for me to weep in a new way for all the people of color who have been terrorized by police brutality and white supremacy. It took a pandemic for me to feel simultaneously outraged and helpless at the violent hatred Trump has unleashed, while feeling inspired and deeply grateful for the tireless work of Shaun King and Lee Merritt. It took a pandemic for me to know that my tsunami of tears needed to be released, my unspeakable sadness and rage needed to be felt. I was grateful that my family held space for me, my tears, my overwhelm. There was nothing to apologize for, simply the courage to be present to the rawness, be present to the anguish, be present to the longing to be engaged in a meaningful, healing way. And my tears keep flowing: Ahmaud Arbery Breonna Taylor George Floyd and countless others I don't yet know by name. I am disgusted, heartbroken, enraged and searching for ways to feel the fullness of these raw emotions, while wanting to respond in a constructive, spiritually grounded way. I understand the overwhelm, I understand the despair, I understand the eruption of outrage, I understand the induction into violence, and yet, I trust that we as individuals and a country will be changed. I need to look within. White people need to look within, take a moral inventory, speak out, take a stand, hold other white people accountable! We must take responsibility in small and large ways to help dismantle racism. We must learn from this, heal from this, transform from this. Join me in repeating over and over in your heart and mind the Ho'oponopono prayer for healing: I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you. With this intention, it helps tremendously to take action. Follow Shaun King on Instagram Follow Lee Merritt on Instagram Sign petitions and call 612-324-4499 Shaun King will walk you through what to say. Instagram Links: @shaunking @leemerritesq @grassrootsLaw @keedronbryant #IJustWantToLive @vonettaetaylor @maharosenyc

My guest today is Suzanne. Suzanne had been a TV Producer, Videographer and Film Director, before her near fatal injury 3 1/2 years ago that created an opportunity for Suzanne to reset everything in her life. Suzanne has slowed down tremendously and is now living a more natural life, more in touch with the earth, animals, and people. She even says that her long road to recovery served as a warm up, preparing her well to face the Covid-19 pandemic. All our variations of lock down, quarantine, and shelter-at-home have collectively caught up to what Suzanne has been experiencing for 3 plus years. Before her brain injury, Suzanne acknowledges that she had a rich, full life: loved her job, her friends, her home, and she even loved dating. After the injury, Suzanne initially geared her herself up to return to her previous life, but as her recovery took so long, Suzanne had an epiphany that there was no need to go back. She embraces this second chance of life and optimistically provides wisdom that stretches beyond her specific circumstances. Wisdom for all of us as we rethink not just what is essential to get through this pandemic, but what might be released from our lives, so we can embrace clarity of meaning and purpose when we come out on the other side. Honoring Suzanne's request to be identified by just her first name, we joked that she was in good company with Cher, Prince, Sting, and Madonna! Enjoy the podcast!

My guest today is Jason Tomlinson. Jason is a career skills advocate, community builder, and master barber. Jason's official title at Rockland Community College (RCC) is "Confidential Assistant to the President", which entails (other than being able to keep a good secret), coordinating scheduling and logistics for the president; representing the college in the community by building/collaborating/maintaining purposeful community relationships; and thirdly, addressing student challenges as a liaison for the president. Jason proudly captures RCC's motto "Are we ready for you?" as opposed to what most colleges ask students "are you college ready?" RCC adapts and develops programs to meet the needs of a wide range of prospective students. Experience Jason's authenticity, compassion and visionary energy, for he sees endless possibilities in people, situations, and in life! He acknowledges that he knows what failure is like, while also knowing the profound power of loving support and feeling believed in by others, reminding him that so much of this life journey is bigger than any one of us. Check out the links below for Jason and all the programs at RCC. Enjoy the podcast! Links: RCC Email Jason Career Skills Academy Spring Valley Collaborative Point in Time Count Guided Pathways at RCC @princethebarber1 on Instagram

In the past 2 months, during our shelter-at-home precautions for the coronavirus, I've done three separate 1,000 piece puzzles. So it won't come as a surprise that I've been reflecting on puzzles, the metaphors they hold, and what it means to me to be puzzling through this pandemic. So instead of a guest today, I want to share with you some of my puzzle thoughts and the insights they have provided me. I know I'm not alone in puzzling through this pandemic. Those of you who are fellow puzzlers, those of you who are lukewarm about doing puzzles and even those brand new to puzzles, have opened a box and at least attempted to sort through those little fragmented puzzle pieces. Now more than ever, I have been struck with the metaphors of doing a puzzle. Like the coronavirus, a puzzle causes us to feel confusion, as we try to understand and make sense out of it. By definition a "puzzle is a game, toy or problem designed to test our ingenuity and knowledge." Certainly Covid-19 has tested our ingenuity and knowledge. And in the face of this puzzling virus, that confuses us and throws us off from relying on what we once knew, we've had to tap into our ingenuity, as well as the ingenuity of health professionals, scientists, researchers, political leaders, and humanitarians. We've also been invited to delve beyond factual knowledge and explore spiritual wisdom to make sense of this pandemic. Blessings for all the forms of puzzles you intentionally and unintentionally engage in. By all means enjoy the activity of doing some puzzles. And know that your own actions can serve as an important jigsaw piece to the mystery of solving some of life's unfinished puzzles. Let's trust that resilience, going out of our way for others, hope and a belief in the power of goodness will be important puzzles pieces that will continue to guide us through this pandemic. Enjoy the podcast!

My guest today is Dr. Lauren Dulberg. Lauren is a doctor of Chinese Medicine, an acupuncturist and devotee of ancient traditions. Having studied anthropology and ethno-botany, Lauren developed a reverence for southwest plant medicine. She then studied and personally experienced the ancient wisdom and effectiveness of Chinese medicine, with its healing powers in herbal formulas. She became motivated to teach others that they have the power and ability to advocate for their health. Lauren is especially passionate about women's health, for too often, women are not listened to and she feels it is her mission to empower women around their health. Chinese Medicine has been around for 5,000 years, so these ancient teachings incorporate what is helpful for epidemics and pandemics. Honoring that history, Lauren is treating patients who are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms and shares some practical wisdom to boost our immune system. As heartbreaking as it is now to suspend seeing patients from her dream practice, Dr. Dulberg is determined to be available to her patients through phone and Zoom consultations. She is also exploring how to offer free consults to the front line medical workers. Lauren's beloved husband, Marcelo Sturgeon, is a healer in his own right and his connection to Spirit deeply inspires her, along with the insights and joy embodied in her 2 sons. Check out the show notes for links to Dr. Lauren Dulberg's website, tworiversacupuncture.com as well as her email, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Enjoy the podcast! Links: tworiversacupuncture.com FaceBook Instagram Email

Even though the precautions we need to take as we do whatever we can to flatten the curve of Covid-19, prevent us from meeting in person, I am grateful that Zoom allows me to record conversations with guests near and far. My guest today is Elizabeth Van Meter. Elizabeth is an actor, filmmaker and devoted humanitarian and one of the most authentic, inspiring humans I know! From her one-woman show, called The Purpose Project, to her deeply moving, award-winning documentary film, Thao's Library, to her advocacy work with special needs orphans, to her production company called Filmmaking with Heart, to her courageous travels that led her to Mount Everest, Elizabeth lives life with passion and purpose. Fighting a crippling depression after the tragic death of her younger sister, Vicki in 2008, a simple black and white photograph of Thao, a Vietnamese woman, in a wheelchair, sparked a choice in Elizabeth. She realized that she could choose to see the world, her trauma, and pain in a different way. Elizabeth chose not to let her pain destroy her, but instead to transform her. She admits that her sister's death broke her heart AND broke her heart wide open! Her friendship with Thao ignited Elizabeth's emotional, financial, professional, and spiritual investment in meaningful projects, that not only reflect her genuine care and commitment to humanity, Elizabeth's work inspires people into action. Check out the show notes to see links to contacting Elizabeth directly and her websites: thaoslibrary.com & filmmakingwithheart.com. I truly would love to get a DVD of Thao's Library into the hands of everyone of my listeners and perhaps you have ideas of how we can share it on a larger scale!! Please email me at [email protected] so we can make arrangements to send you a DVD! Enjoy the podcast!! Links: Thao's Library Filmmaking With Heart St. George (Utah) News EVM on Facebook Thao's Library on Facebook Helping Orphans Worldwide

I truly hope this finds you healthy and safe, taking the necessary precautions we all need to be taking during this Covid-19 pandemic. And if you or anyone you love is ill or on the front line, please know that there is a circle of compassionate light beings holding you and those you care about in their loving embrace. I personally hold each of you in my daily meditations and want you to remember how dear you are to me, you are part of my extended energetic family. I've noticed, and perhaps you have too, that as the external world we have known has dramatically shifted, there has been a surge of online activity. I have been feeling a bit inundated with all these offerings. And just as we need to discern what news to watch or read, we need to screen how much of that online world we want to get pulled into. I do believe that part of our spiritual lesson in this pandemic is to not simply recreate the frenzied external world into our frenzied internal world within our home. We are now being asked, instead, to be still, be silent, dare to drop into the deeper internal world of our mind, our heart and our soul. I read a clever anonymous poem, suggesting that perhaps the coronavirus is challenging us to "unlearn everything that capitalism has taught us: that we are nothing if not productive, that consumption equals happiness, that the most important unit is the single self, that you are at your best when you resemble an efficient machine." Wow!!! Wouldn't that be incredible to unlearn! Let's explore who we are and how we treat ourselves when we are not productive, consuming, self-absorbed, or an efficient machine. Can we resist the internal judgment, inadequacy and shame if we are less productive, if we switch from doing into being? Many of my friends, clients and podcast listeners have asked me to share some meditations that will help guide them in stillness, silence and peace, so that they can be more present to their the depth of emotions, to compassion, healing and to their own inner divinity. In this episode, I will guide you in some meditations that are a part of my daily practice. I invite you to return to your inner wisdom, rest in the Spirit that lives within you as we honor the power of silence and stillness. You can listen to these all at once or listen in sections. Please make this work for YOU! Enjoy the Podcast!