Recently our core team participated in the International Climate Change Conference held in Los Angeles, at West Hollywood's Pacific Design Center. It was a powerful day of collaboration, education and discussion between world experts, who had come together, to discus solutions for immediate attention and action that is crucial for our ecological existence. The event was webcasted live and covered by the press. The four of us are pictured here with, vegan activist, Howard Lyman (L to R, Bennett Freed, Randy Olsen, Howard Lyman [center], Chris Hillman, & John Raatz).
I am so glad that we attended and participated in this event! When I first learned of the conference, thanks to friend and keynote speaker Scott Badenoch, I could just feel it was one not to miss. And that clearly proved to be true. (Pictured here and below, L to R, Randy Olsen & John Raatz being interviewed on the Green Carpet)
This powerful exchange of ideas, insights and wisdom resulted in significant inspiration for action and change. I was particularly touched when business partner, friend and music manager, Bennett Freed, called me the following day to say how deeply moved and motivated he was to take action from what he learned at the gathering. This continued as person after person
expressed how impacted they were from the events of the day. You could feel a genuine desire to make a difference, to change the course of things, to wake up to being more in harmony with nature and our world.
The event was well organized and we were treated with warm hospitality. Pamela Millar of the Green Technology Institute, and her caring team, clearly put a great deal of effort and detail into the planning of the conference hosted by Master Ching Hai.
Dr. Gabriel Cousens (seen here being interviewed on the green carpet) decided to accept the speaking invitation, in spite of his strenuous travel schedule, after I shared that I felt this would be rare and timely opportunity for these world experts to be in one place at one time. Gabriel ended up staying at my home, in West Hollywood, and we shared a delightful, uplifting, insightful
conversation on our walk to the conference. It set the tone for an amazing day that would prove to be packed with wonder and enlightenment, concluding with a lovely reception at the nearby Tea Garden on Melrose Avenue where we all had an opportunity for exceptional exchange and socializing.
Dr. Gabriel Cousens is author of the books
Spiritual Nutrition; Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine; Conscious Eating; Depression-Free for Life; Sevenfold Peace; Spiritual Nutrition and the
Rainbow Diet;
Creating Peace by Being Peace, and
There Is a Cure for Diabetes. He is a holistic physician, medical researcher, world-recognized live-food nutritionist, ecological leader, Reiki master, internationally celebrated spiritual teacher, lecturer, culture-bridger, and world peaceworker.
Business partner and friend John Raatz also accepted the keynote invite and shared a panel with Dr. Cousens and Scott Badenoch. Though the day was filled with amazing souls, sharing their insights and wisdom, the panel with John, Gabriel and Scott generated particular enthusiasm from the distinguished audience. (Pictured here, L to R, Scott Badenoch, John Raatz, Gabriel Cousens)
Our own John Raatz has been championing transformational and Enlightened Media longer than just about anyone - having promoted enlightened films like
MindWalk, Baraka, A Brief History of Time, What the BLEEP, the Secret, The Celestine Prophecy, Peaceful Warrior, The 11th hour, and now Eckhart Tolle’s upcoming film, Oprah’s webcast with Eckhart Tolle for
A New Earth and producing the upcoming webcast for Unity with Deepak Chopra themed to new book,
The Third Jesus.Scott Badenoch, dedicated social entrepreneur, business strategist, legal analysis, green community leader, is Chief Executive Officer of Creative Citizen, an online source for sharing creative solutions to achieve global effects.
It was a delight to meet Dr. Gurminder Singh seen in photos here with John Raatz and our other business partner and friend Chris Hillman below. Dr. Singh is Co-Chairman of Green Technology Institute, an initiative of the Tom Bradley Legacy Foundation at
UCLA. It seems clear we will surly collaborate with Dr. Singh on mutual visions yet to come. (L to R, Dr. Singh & John Raatz, then Dr. Singh & Chris Hillman).
Howard Lyman, rancher turned vegan and activist, was sued by the Cattleman's Association along with Oprah Winfrey when he was on her show telling the truth about Mad Cow Disease... they both won the case. His book,
Mad Cowboy, is a bestseller.
Howard appears in the first photo, at the top of this post, with our team of core partners from The Visioneering Group and Celebrity International Entertainment, now merging together in harmony with one mission.
The live broadcast of the
SOS International Climate Change Conference was presided over by anchor woman Jane Velez-Mitchell of CNN & MSNBC, (L to R, below, Jane Velez-Mitchell & Randy Olsen, in a photo by Leslie Goldman - Tea Garden reception photo, above, also by
Leslie Goldman).
It is a joy working with Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Rev. Michael Beckwith, Michael Bedar, Jaia Lee and the Fast teams at both The Tree of Life and Agape International Spiritual Center on this beautiful project educating people about plant based diets!
