author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
story
James Lecesne
narrative multitasker. life saver. creative activist.
James Lecesne has been telling stories for over 25 years, though acting, writing, and teaching. He's one of the creators of The Trevor Project, an organization focused on suicide prevention among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. [www.thetrevorproject.org]
One of the things I’ve seen in my life is the value and power of story. I do all kinds of different things and sometimes I feel a like I’m bobbing from one thing to the next. What connects all the different areas of my life is that I really care about story. The greatest example of story’s success in my life is The Trevor Project.
In the early 1990s, I was doing a show in New York that I wrote and performed. One of the stories I told was about a 13-year-old boy, Trevor, who realizes he’s gay and has a crush on his best friend. That causes problems with his family and his other friends, so he decides he’s going to commit suicide. Fortunately, he doesn’t succeed. He sees the value of his own life. We created a short film based on this story of Trevor.
When HBO bought the film, things were just beginning to change in the TV world in terms of gay and lesbian visibility. We thought it would be a good idea if there was a telephone number at the end of the film for kids out there going through a similar experience, but we discovered that there was no 24-hour suicide helpline specifically for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) teens. So we thought we’d create one.
That first night the film Trevor aired, we got about 1500 telephone calls. We’d had no idea the need would be so great. Nowadays, we get about 30,000 calls a year. Not all of them are rescue calls, but each one is essential in creating life-to-life bonds with kids out there who have no place else to turn.
Trevor made me understand how powerful a story can be. It can change lives. It can save lives. When I meet a young person whose life has been saved because they called The Trevor Project hotline, I feel no greater joy.
Though it’s amazing, life as a storyteller and artist can be a challenge. The way you learn how to tell a story is to actually tell the story. Just write down your story, figure it out, and tell it to people who will listen.
– James Lecesne
Explore More Meaning
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akashic reader. empathic writer. soul nurturer.
Erika Harris has sacred one-on-one conversations that illuminate the wisdom, patterns, lessons, gifts, and resources of one's own soul. She also writes on behalf of sanity on her website, Empathic Writer. [www.empathicwriter.com]
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writer. speaker. empowerer.
Chris Cade is a spiritual author, speaker, impassioned parent, entrepreneur, and professional empowerment artist enabling people to discover their innate joy, peace, and abundance. [www.chriscade.com]
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non-conformist. courageous author. extraordinary seeker.
Janet Poole is the award-winning author of How to Get Anything You Want Just Like That!, a book that dares people to live an extraordinary life that matters. [www.janetpoole.com]
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new media publisher. social media strategist. mythic storyteller.
Kelly Holtzclaw is a writer, racer, and wine lover. He's the founder of Facetious VSS, an interactive agency. He writes about marketing, mythic story, and film. [www.kellyholtzclaw.com]
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unique individual. differences encourager. life magician.
Katie McClain coaches moms and their boys to dispel thought-fueled angst and create radical self-acceptance. She finds home with her family and dogs, by creating magic with clients, and on visits to Paris. [www.katiemcclain.com]
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empowering dad. motivating coach. difference maker.
Gordon Myers is a Namibian life strategist living in Los Angeles. He teaches teenagers how to create their own luck regardless of their current personal circumstances. [www.streetsmartkids.com]
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inner discoverer. gentle challenger. growth inspirer.
Co-creator of The Bounce Collective, Kelly Lewis inspires her clients to ask their own questions and find their own answers, developing a more compassionate understanding of themselves, others, and the world they impact. [www.wecanbounce.com]
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holistic creator. moment reflector. paint alchemist.
Nazim is a practicing fine artist making art within the quantum holistic paradigm. He and his wife, Celeste, have formed the Art of Wellness Collection. [www.NazimArtist.com]
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