Spirit in Action

Dan Terry did things that are unbelievable in many Western eyes - being welcomed among diverse peoples of Afghanistan, including some among the Taliban. After a life of aid, friendship, and living on the edge in the region, Dan was killed in 2010, and his story and stories are captured in Making Friends Among the Taliban: A Peacemaker's Journey in Afghanistan, written by Jonathan P. Larson.

Judy Wicks is author of Good Morning, Beautiful Business: The Unexpected Journey of an Activist Entrepreneur and Local-Economy Pioneer and was owner of the White Dog Cafe in Philly for almost 30 years, pioneering business that was engaged, transformational, community-building, fun, and successful. On the cutting edge of local food, organic, humane, politically-involved, food & business.

Business can sometimes seem mostly exploitation and evil (though counter-examples abound, both current and historical). But how does one do good through business, instead of just doing well? Robert Pierson is an engineer who has seen small business from the inside, thoroughly. After years of diverse job positions, and rising to become a systems engineer, the spiritual side of that work led Rob to get a Master of Ministry degree from Earlham School of Religion.

Improvisational humor is an awesome tool used by The Theater of Public Policy (t2p2.net) to find new ways forward in public discourse. Co-founded by Tane Danger & Brandon Boat in 2011, they've tackled a surprisingly wide variety of issues with their creative and disarming approach, including farm policy, robotics, clean water, and religion. Back on Feb 15th they performed for the Love Your Planet Comedy Night sponsored by Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light.

The effective struggle to protect us against the destruction and desecration of the Earth draws on the powers of both mind and heart, and little can capture our hearts and open us to realities like a powerful song. We draw on the music and messages of Sarah Pirtle, David Rovics, Brian Bethke, Sara Thomsen, & Bryce Black to shine a light exposing the wrongs of fracking, mining for frac sands and copper, piping tar sands, and more.

Susan Silberstein is author of Kitchen Chemotherapy and a number of other books & publications, and she is the founder & educational director of the Center for Advancement in Cancer Education (beatcancer.org).

Ben Grosscup serves as director of People's Music Network. Ben initiated the PMN Song of the Month, a project to integrate inspiring new songs of freedom and struggle in today’s progressive movements.

Jacqui Dunne & Bernard Lietaer are co-authors of Rethinking Money: How New Currencies Turn Scarcity into Prosperity, a book that will open your eyes and transform your thoughts about money and economics. With a view toward rescuing the world from economic and ecological collapse, Jacqui & Bernard write of complementary currencies and the potential they hold - and changes they are making - to transform our communities, nations, and world.

Mary Amel is a facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) through FNVW/AVP Minnesota. AVP happens in 6 prisons in Minnesota and a few dozen states around the USA, and widely internationally.

Ursula Ruedenberg became Affiliate Network Manager of Pacifica at a critical time, when we were on the edge of loosing Pacifica's voice and witness. Though we're not out of the woods yet, Ursula has followed this path and done this work in faithfulness to the great tradition of peace, truth, and community which is central to Pacifica, and she is a sign of hope and inspiration for the power and future of community radio.