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
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Marcia Alesan Dawkins
professor. empowerer. encouragement entrepreneur.
Marcia Alesan Dawkins is an intellectual entrepreneur from New York City. She has written two books, including Eminem: The Real Slim Shady, as well as articles for Huffington Post and Truthdig. [www.marciadawkins.com]
At the age of five, on the way to my grandmother’s house in Connecticut for Mother’s Day, I announced to my parents, “I want to be a teacher.” They looked at each other, and, being teachers themselves, couldn’t help but ask me why. I told them it was because I liked my teacher and I liked watching the way my parents and grandparents connected with their students when they took me to their own classes. I liked hearing about the cool things their students went on to do.
Looking back on it now, I guess that was my five-year-old way of telling my parents I’d inherited their genes for education, encouragement, and empowerment. For me, those three things are connected to each other and most meaningful in my life.
In college, I was asked to write my personal educator’s philosophy. My idea then, as now, was three-pronged:
1) Education hinges as much on identification of important issues and ideas as it does on student interests and talents;
2) identification leads to empowerment and a positive engagement with the world; and
3) education and empowerment are impossible without encouragement.
Fast forward to 2012. As a young communications professor, author, multiracial geek, and politics and news junkie, education remains an epic high in my life, only now I realize why. It’s because of the competitive edge, the encouragement and empowerment I’ve received throughout my own experience. My parents and teachers made me believe that anything is possible.
That belief came with a realization. Many talented people suffer from a profound lack of encouragement that prevents them from feeling empowered and from seeking out the education that’s right for them. That’s why my goal is to encourage every learner and reader I encounter to participate directly in his or her own education and empowerment by stimulating his or her imagination, feelings, sense of fairness, and social responsibility. Working toward this goal allows me to fulfill my purpose by making learning a communal activity where, as the legendary educator James G. March described it so eloquently, “No one comes first; and no one stands alone.”
– Marcia Alesan Dawkins
Explore More Meaning
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actress. book dweller. literature cheerleader.
Lauren is the Founder and Program Director of Reading Opens Minds (ROM), an organization that brings the Book Club experience across Los Angeles. A graduate of Juilliard, Lauren has appeared on numerous stages and television shows. [www.ReadingOpensMinds.org]
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insightful author. curious explorer. obstacle conqueror.
Dennis N.T. Perkins is the author of Into the Storm and Leading at The Edge. He is CEO of The Syncretics Group, a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders and teams thrive under conditions of adversity, uncertainty, and change. [http://www.syncreticsgroup.com]
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author. columnist. creative strategist.
Ayn Carrillo Gailey is a published author and creative strategist who uses words to power ideas, companies, and movements. [www.ayngailey.com]
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father. papa. daddy.
After enduring an incredible tragedy, architectural photographer Scott Sandler started Rachel's Registry to help cancer patients more easily find current and pertinent clinical trials. [www.rachelsregistry.com]
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free spirited mom. life lover. plant-eater.
Sandy Corso created Peaceful Daily as well her book, Peace Salad (100 Tips to Inspire a Peaceful Life), to create a community founded on principles of compassion, well-being, and taking action to make the world a better place. [peacefuldaily.com]
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Producer. Leader. Shifter.
Kenneth Schwenker, has produced over 20 feature films. He founded Leaders Causing Leaders and produced the LeaderShift Conference, a groundbreaking experience that awakens the leader within. [www.leaderscausingleaders.com]
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producer. life embracer. forward facing divorcee.
Betsy is the Co-Creator of the film What The Bleep Do We Know?! She is the author of three books including the “BLEEP” book, Metanoia, and Tipping Sacred Cows and blogs for Intentblog.com. [www.betsychasse.net]
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author. spiritual transformer. teacher.
Jonathan Parker is an author and spiritual counselor with more than 30 years of experience teaching energy healing and enlightenment. He founded Quantum Quests International, Inc. [www.JonathanParker.org]
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