ONE OF 8 BILLION

Summary
As a choir director, songwriter, musician and vocal coach, Mo Field is driven to use the power of music to change people’s lives. She believes music can be a tool to help people shine, while also bringing them together. 

Guest
Mo Field

Highlights

• As a child, Mo Field’s family moved a lot, but the constant that kept them connected and helped them connect with others was music.
• Mo had numerous jobs after high school ranging from being a sharpshooting instructor in the Air Force reserve to driving a truck, but her passion for music always lured her back.
• ADHD and autism made formal educational pursuits difficult for Mo growing up, but she was able to find alternative ways of educating herself, finding rich experiences to help her grow.
• As artistic director of the Great Northern Union chorus, Mo is focused on creating opportunities for people to come together and express themselves through singing.

Summary
Growing up, Lynn Fellman was fascinated by art, color and science. Today she combines those passions creating art and writing stories that inspire and educate people about the human genome. 

Guest
Lynn Fellman

Highlights

• An early fascination with color, and the emotional responses colors can bring about, compelled Lynn Fellman to pursue a career in art.
• After building a career as an artist and designer, she realized she needed to follow another passion as well, her love and fascination with science, particularly the genome.
• Lynn says we’re just starting to understand the potential of genomics to impact human health and even our impact on the planet. 
• At the same time, Lynn says we need to be intentional about increasing diversity in this research, so the benefits can be equitably shared.

Summary
After years working as a journalist focused mainly on politics, Kyle Potter decided to use his talents in a different way. Now, as Executive Editor at Thrifty Traveler, he’s writing articles that help people explore, connect, and find meaning with others around the world.

Guest
Kyle Potter

Highlights

• For Kyle Potter, success has always been about pursuing passions, whether it was playing soccer, being in a band, or finding his path as a journalist.
• In the age of social media, when everyone has a voice, Kyle says true journalism is perhaps more important than ever as a way to break through our echo chambers.
• When he joined Thrifty Traveler, Kyle says he was excited to use journalism in a new way, to educate and help people explore the world and come together.
• Kyle says one of the biggest challenges for the future will be creating more climate-friendly transportation, including sustainable methods of air travel.

Summary
Whether he’s helping people understand what “Inbox Zero” really means, or he’s pondering our impact on the globe, writer and podcaster Merlin Mann has dedicated himself to uncovering and sharing nuggets of wisdom. 

Guest
Merlin Mann

Highlights

• Merlin Mann started a website called the Wisdom Project where he shares short “life lessons” that he has picked up along the way.
• One of Merlin’s best-known articles is on the idea of “Inbox Zero,” but he says the real lesson of the article has been lost by many.
• Merlin says life gets much simpler when we distill our priorities down to what’s really important. 
• Living in San Francisco has helped Merlin change his perspective on cars, walking, and biking, and how our choices impact the planet.

Summary
For Dr. PZ Myers, spiders offer a way to unlock truth, meaning, and an appreciation for the diversity of life. Dr. Myers is a biologist at the University of Minnesota - Morris, where he studies spiders and inspires students to consider the wonders and questions that surround us. 

Guest
Dr. PZ Myers

Highlights

• Dr. PZ Myers started out studying zebrafish, but switched to spiders because they’re easy to collect and care for.
• As a young child his mother bought him a toy microscope and it spurred an obsession with nature that continues today. 
• While he sees hope in the way more people are accepting evolution today, Dr. Myers is concerned about efforts to use religion to distort or discredit science.
• Considering the brief time each of us is alive on earth, Dr. Myers is convinced the only way we can make a lasting difference is by doing good in the world.

Summary
Growing up in India, Kamlika Chandla never considered the possibility that art could be both a passion and her career. After moving to America, her perspective changed as she found the courage to shift away from the corporate world to a life of creativity and creation.

Guest
Kamlika Chandla

Highlights

• When she was growing up in India, Kamlika never harbored a desire to move west, but on a visit to Chicago she met the man she would marry and decided to give America a chance.
• Kamlika studied psychology and worked in the corporate world in leadership training and organization development before deciding to follow her passion for art. 
• Moving to America opened Kamlika’s eyes to possibilities and the freedom to choose her own path, so she took the plunge to pursue a career as an artist.
• Today she is grateful for the opportunity to share a part of herself through her art, fostering connection with those around her.

Summary
Growing up, Ashley Krohn never considered a career as a librarian, but the more she explored the world the more she realized her passion was to educate and inspire others. Now, as a school librarian, Ashley helps young people explore the universe to find their place in the world..

Guest
Ashley Krohn

Highlights

• After college, Ashley Krohn spent time traveling the world, which helped her discover her passion for education and helping kids explore.
• She sees libraries as a key resource to inspire kids while also helping them break out of their echo chambers to see other perspectives.
• Rather than asking kids what careers interest them, Ashley asks kids what problems they want to solve, or what role they want to play in the community. 
• Ashley’s personal experiences with depression and anxiety have compelled her to speak out about the need for better mental health access in the United States.

Summary
Nearly two decades ago, Amy Berman read an article that changed her life. A story about child abuse and HIV in Africa prompted her to start the Mother Bear Project. Today she has distributed nearly 200,000 handmade bears to kids in emerging nations affected by HIV/AIDS.

Guest
Amy Berman

Highlights

• Amy grew up wanting to write children’s books and she went to journalism school before she was inspired to go another direction.
• An article about child abuse and the ravages of HIV/AIDS in Africa prompted Amy to find some way to help. 
• Amy’s non-profit, the Mother Bear Project, has distributed nearly 200,000 handmade bears to kids in developing countries impacted by HIV/AIDS.
• A core principle of Amy’s effort is that the distribution of bears is unconditional, she wants the children to simply feel they are loved.

Summary
For Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, science is a way to open doors to the future. As a physicist and Vice Chancellor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Prof. Vilikazi is working to enhance our understanding of the universe and create a better future.

Guest
Zeblon Vilakazi

Highlights

• Professor Vilakazi started out studying mechanical engineering but quickly transferred to physics, where he was more inspired by the potential for discovery.
• For Prof. Vilakazi, recent images from the James Webb telescope are a concrete example of the triumph of human ingenuity and our ability to solve complex problems.
• As Climate Change impacts the world, Prof. Vilakazi says we are challenged to make choices and changes to adapt and protect the future.  
• While our window on earth may be small, Prof. Vilakazi says we need to think beyond our own horizons to make the world a better place for generations to come.

Summary
As a singer/songwriter, Jeremy Messersmith has taken a winding road to success. From working in tech support, to performing in coffee shops, to becoming a nationally acclaimed recording artist, Jeremy has forged his own path by being open to possibilities. 

Guest
Jeremy Messersmith

Highlights

• Jeremy started out as a self described “nerd” doing tech support, and he says that computer interest still comes in handy as a musician.
• After moving to Minnesota to study music, his dreams of playing lead guitar in a rock band gave way to an interest in songwriting.
• In 2017, Jeremy did a form of open source music making by releasing an album as a songbook, encouraging others to sing and record the songs themselves.
• When he needs an artistic spark, Jeremy turns to boredom, cutting himself off from the world to force his mind to tap into creative ideas.