
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]

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

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]

Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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
community

What’s most meaningful to me is devoting the time I have on the planet to building what was described by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others as the Beloved Community. Contributing to the creation of a mindful, enlightened society where the needs of all beings are met is an active practice of the science of love and compassion and a fulfillment of spiritual practice which is deeply meaningful to me.
When I founded the Agape International Spiritual Center in 1986, I envisioned it as a bridge between the inner work we do in meditation and prayer and the outer transformation of society through selfless service. It’s both spiritually and socially meaningful to me that Agape is a distribution center through which individuals can deliver their unique talents, gifts, and skills in growing the Beloved Community. We can all appreciate how technology has turned our planet into a neighborhood. What would be significantly more meaningful is to now transform our world into a sister-and-brotherhood in recognition of the cosmic citizenship we share.
I stay engaged firstly through my inner spiritual practices of meditation, affirmative prayer, and visioning, and secondly through my responsibilities as Agape’s spiritual director. There’s nothing like staff and students to mirror back whether or not you’re walking your talk. Thirdly, I consider myself a student and servant of Spirit, which I relate to as the loving evolutionary impulse governing the universe. So staying engaged in a meaningful way through that relationship means making a difference on the planet before I leave it. I endeavor to fulfill my commitment through ongoing humanitarian work for Haiti and Sri Lanka, as co-founder of the Season for Nonviolence and the Synthesis Dialogues, and however else I feel guided to contribute my energies and resources.
The words of wisdom I’d like to share are: Stay out of fear! While world events appear to be in great flux, with global economic systems in a downward cycle, environmental influences being somewhat aberrant, malice in politics filling the airwaves, and wars and rumors of wars – this is a time of significant challenge and change. During such times, the possibility is present for great transformation, which can happen if – both individually and collectively – we stay out of fear, worry, and doubt and instead hold a vision for humanity that wakes us up and pulls us into constructive, compassionate action.
– Michael Beckwith


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appreciative son. moment cogitator. lesson learner.
Jeff Semigran is a senior at UC Berkeley studying environmental and civil engineering. He is an alumnus of the Teen Insight Seminars and Leadership series. This piece is part of the Insight University and Life By Me week of giving back. www.givingtuesday.org/insight-university
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