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
myself
Emily Montez
writer. free mama. weirdness embracer.
Emily Montez is a mama, creator, writer, and the founder of MamaFusion: Merging Mom & Me. She believes in following God with purpose, embracing her own weirdness, and becoming the Foxy Mama she was created to be. [www.mamafusion.com]
When I became a mother, I thought my life would be full of meaning. I now had someone, a beautiful, precious, amazing someone to live my life for. Instead, I felt overloaded with chores, errands, and trying desperately to live up to the image of the mother I thought I was supposed to be.
I was such a great parent before I had kids. I’d always said that I wasn’t going to be “just a mom,” that I’d never be that woman who brought nothing to the table except spit-up and dirty diapers, that I’d remember who I was pre-kid. After I had kids, though, things didn’t turn out quite the way I expected.
I constantly felt like I was failing – not because there was anything wrong with my children, who were healthy and happy, but because I was working so hard to be something I was never meant to be. I looked around and felt surrounded by women with perfect makeup, perfect houses, and seemingly perfect lives, whereas I was happy just to be out of my pajamas and having relative peace in my life. I was stuck in a bubble. I got so caught up in what I thought my life should be that I forgot to live it.
Finally, I realized that being a good mother isn’t about having a clean house. It’s not about the bows in my girl’s hair, or matching socks. Being a good mother is about loving my girls, having fun with them, making magical memories with them. I realized that I was already the perfect mama for my girls, just by being myself. And my eyes opened to a whole new sense of meaning.
I realized that my life truly is dedicated to being the best version of myself, so that I can be the best example to my girls. I want them to be free, to feel good about who they are, to not bend to pressure. And if I want that for them, I also need it for myself.
Life is about embracing weirdness. It’s about understanding the unique gifts we bring to the table – and loving them. It’s about standing back up when we fall, and turning around when we realize we’ve spent the last year and half trying to live someone else’s life. Stand tall, dream big, fall often, and always stand back up. That’s what life means to this mama.
– Emily Montez
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fear whisperer. life coach. individuality embracer.
Kate Swoboda, a.k.a. Kate Courageous, is a life coach, speaker, and writer who helps clients lead unconventional and revolutionary lives by practicing courage. She created the Courageous Play and Create Stillness retreats. [www.yourcourageouslife.com]
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emoter. now chaser. crisis averter.
BJ Panda Bear is the natural blonde bombshell with the heart of gold entertaining through DJing, hosting events, and producing visual and audio works that shines light on the ups and downs of futurity. [www.BJPandaBear.com]
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infant vocalist. continuous learner. light shiner.
Chandrika Tandon is a Grammy-nominated singer & composer who has received praise from NY Times for her "limpid, serene voice.” Her new album “Soul March” reinterprets “Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram,” a song sung by Gandhi and his followers during the 1930 Salt March.
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human rights activist. writer. justice seeker.
Kenneth Roth is the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. He's investigated and written extensively on a wide range of human rights issues. [www.hrw.org]
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spiritual psychologist. philanthropist. happiness harvester.
Lisa Cypers Kamen is a happiness expert whose blend of positive and spiritual psychology coaching, workshops, and philanthropic projects cultivates well-being in private and public audiences around the world. [www.HarvestingHappiness.com]
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millennial generation changemaker. supporter. collaborator.
Author David Hopkins is committed to supporting and inspiring millennial generation changemakers to do well and do good in their careers. [www.DavidHopkins.org]
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artist. blogger. superfreak.
Leah Miller is an 18-year old unschooler following her dreams in LA, NY, Chicago, and Paris. Right now, her passion is the entertainment business and she is following that passion as far and as fast as she can. [leahmiller.typepad.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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