As a teenager, Dr. Scott Morris became deeply interested in two things: his religion and the practice of medicine. He's spent his entire life creating a way to connect the two to serve humanity. Now 70, Morris is the founder and chief executive officer of Church Health in Memphis, TN. A leading voice in the field of faith and health and a passionate advocate for the poor in U.S. society, Morris opened Church health in 1987 to provide quality, affordable health care for working, uninsured people and their families. It has now grown to become the largest faith-based, privately funded primary care clinic in the country w over 60,000 patient visits per yr. Morris holds a Masters in Divinity from Yale Divinity School and an MD from Emory. The current issue of Fortune Magazine did a stunning  feature on his incredible journey. And, Stuart had the privilege to join Morris on his inspiring Mystic Podcast episode on a recent visit to the Church Health facility in Memphis. We are honored to welcome this righteous champion of "doing well by doing good" to Swan Dive.

"Fine & Blessed" - Short video clip from Swan Dive interview with Dr. Morris

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Chris Jenkins is Head of Production in University of California, Santa Barbara’s Film & Media Studies Department. He has been behind the lens of many notable and award-winning documentaries. His work has aired on Netflix, PBS, Discovery, The History Channel, Sundance Channel and on and on. Prior to receiving his Masters in Documentary Film & Video from Stanford, Chris was in East Africa as a United Nations Volunteer working with and capturing on film tribal cultures, animals, the plight of refugees and much more. Before that he bicycled to southern Chile on assignment for National Geographic en route to a year as an Ambassadorial Scholar. His harrowing adventures and riveting stories are endless!

http://cjpictures.com

Check out “Vera Cruz” from CJ on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/121515049

Photo by Steve Glass

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Hollywood Creative Director and Graphic Artist, Gary Adler, has a blackbelt in branding on a global scale.  He moved to LA in 1986 to chase his dream and, after  decades designing for the film industry’s best, from Disney to Dreamworks, Warner Bros,  Sony and Fox, he’s seen it all. If you watched Nightmare Before Christmas, you’ve seen Gary's work. He sold a wonderful screenplay to Harold Ramis but, like so many Hollywood dreams, bad timing kept it on the shelf. Still, Gary lived well off his creative chops in the take-no-prisoners world of movie making. And is now exploring new avenues on his creative journey. 

Contact
- https://vimeo.com/163206699
http://linkedin.com/in/gary-adler-3852579

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We are always looking for Swan Dive Stories to share so hit us up, send an e mail to Ron: [email protected] or Stu: [email protected]

Taylor Keen has an astonishing resume: Golden Gloves boxer, Dartmouth undergrad, Harvard MBA and Masters in Public Administration. Business man. Indigenous leader, Strategy consultant and full-time instructor in Corporate Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Creighton University. But at his core, Taylor is a storyteller. And the stories he tells are those of his tribal people. Harvard did a magnificent feature on Taylor last Dec titled, Singing To the Corn, where they wrote: “Corn thrives when sung to and spoken to—something Taylor Keen does in the language of his mother’s Omaha Tribe, where he is known as Bison Mane. Keen is also an active member of the Cherokee Nation, his father’s people, where his tribal name is Blackberry. He grew up between Omaha and the Cherokee reservation in northeastern Oklahoma ..." IN 2014, Taylor founded Sacred Seed whose goal is preserving Native American heritage in history through collecting, growing and spreading the seeds of corn and other traditional Native American foods. This incredible polymath has seen a great deal and gained much wisdom, which he generously shares on Swan Dive.

Watch Sacred Seed video

Recommended books on Indigenous Culture:

• Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
• Custer Died for Your Sins
• God is Red
• Corn Among the Indians of the Upper Missouri
• Braiding Sweetgrass

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We are always looking for Swan Dive Stories to share so hit us up, send an e mail to Ron: [email protected] or Stu: [email protected]

In 2019, Miami New Times tweeted “Does anyone know Miami music better than Lolo Reskin?” Music is in this woman’s blood. Lauren Reskin, better known as Lolo, is founder of Miami’s iconic, Sweat Records. Lolo’s father is a Julliard graduate, professional trumpet player, and composer. Her grandmother, a concert violinist. Even her great uncle, Alan Freed, was the (in)famous 1950’s radio DJ who coined the phrase “rock and roll.” In 2005 Lolo opened Sweat Records, a must visit destination for vinyl lovers in Miami. She’s a sought-after DJ and leading music tastemaker, who is in it for the love of culture and community. As a native Miamians, we can say that this woman is a bona fide local hero.

Find awesome new music right now at SweatRecords.com

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Katie Hathaway's swan dive moment came as her 7-yr-old son got in the car at school pickup and said, "Mom, I know it. We’re gonna be the first classroom shot up. We’re closest to the front of the school." Katie's heart sank. That any child would have such a thought, let alone when they’re supposed to be safe at school, made her sick. She knew she had to do some thing. Katie started by scheduling a meeting with her state representative who referred to himself as the Florida Gun Lawyer. As a former business woman, she knew she needed to bring the facts, not just sheer emotion, into that meeting. It was a tough conversation. Now, Katie is a leading volunteer with Moms Demand Action, devoting her life to righting the wrongs of gun violence, school censorship and other hot-button issues. She's been quoted by President Biden and is as fearless as she is emotional about the rightness of her efforts. Katie's motto is, “This work isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Twitter @khathaway1

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In the mid-1990s, Andy Peay and his brother, Nick, set out to find land for the vineyard they dreamt of creating. Eventually, they settled on a property in California’s West Sonoma Coast, an old sheep farm and apple orchard. Here, the brothers, along with star winemaker and Nick’s wife, Vanessa Wong, built Peay Vineyards, 53 acres of vines with six different grapes, where they make elegant, refined wines that are an expression of the land on which they are grown, land which, according to the NYT, “offers distinctive qualities shown transparently in their wines, primarily complex, polished pinot noirs; savory syrahs; fresh, intense chardonnays; and smaller amounts of vibrant Rhône whites.” Peay won SF Chronicle’s 2010 Winery of The Year, and for good reason. Andy’s wines are now poured in the finest restaurants in America, and are objectively sublime. Drink this wine and enjoy Andy’s inspiring journey.

Learn more about Peay Vineyards here.

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“Crazy is a prerequisite in this shit." -- George Clinton

Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective is considered one of the foremost innovators of funk …  and his music made asses shake worldwide, including ours. With over 40 hit singles and three at #1, Clinton has been sampled by everyone from Dr. Dre to Tupac and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2019, George and Parliament-Funkadelic were given Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards. Wiz Khalifa stars as George in the brand new film, "Spinning Gold," about his time on Casablanca Records with such mega-acts as Kiss, Donna Summer and the Village People. Multi-talented, this Renaissance man also paints (though he's colorblind) and recently had an exhibition at the illustrious Deitch Gallery in LA. At his essence, George is a  philosopher who gave us all the secret to living well when he sang, “Put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip … And come on up to the Mothership.” We are so honored and delighted to welcome this fine, legendary soul to Swan Dive!

Follow his intergalactic journey @YoLikeGeorge

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David William Carson's heart lives among the tall trees and endless oceans. This environmental scientist, entrepreneur and artist was raised in the forests of upstate New York. He earned a Master's degree in Environment and Resource Management in Amsterdam after pivoting from a rocky career in tech and finance. Now 31, David  recently started his dream job as executive director of the Rogers Center, a 600-acre nature sanctuary and environmental education facility in upstate New York whose historic lands have been cherished by four generations of his family. David is elated to be living and working close to family, back in his hometown as a steward of the forest he grew up in. 

Learn more at www.friendsofrogers.org

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In 1984, Keith Pariani and eight fellow enthusiasts left San Francisco on antique "high-wheeled" Columbia bicycles, following the path across the USA taken 100 years earlier by pioneer Thomas Stephens. They rode these awkward contraptions which have no brakes and only one gear across the entire country, through sun and rain, over the Rockies and vast stretches of emptiness, finishing 61 days later in Boston. The classic bike Keith rode, along with his extraordinary collection of antique bikes, is currently on display in the "Ride On" exhibit at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, FL, housed in the former Hotel Alcazar, built in 1888, when these bikes were all the rage. ollected over a lifetime, Keith’s bikes represent the intersection of engineering and art from the "Gilded Age." But, they also represent the culmination of his Swan Dive, the first time this shy yet passionate enthusiast and successful entrepreneur received the recognition he deserves for honoring a lifelong obsession. Keith reminds us all that we can chase our dreams and let our "freak flags fly," no matter how eclectic, alongside our our day jobs

Learn More about "Ride On" at the Lightner Museum

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We are always looking for Swan Dive Stories to share so hit us up, send an e mail to Ron: [email protected] or Stu: [email protected]