Inspiration in the City of Angels
Excerpts from articles I’ve written about a few of the compelling stories I’ve encountered here in Los Angeles: ‘Gifted’ Musician Rocks ‘Social Harmony’ He boasts a four-octave vocal range and has written more than 300 original songs. In just one year, he has led his band through nearly 60 performances in more than 30 venues. [...]
Jeremy Rifkin: Empathic Sociability
Just discovered Jeremy Rifkin today. His ideas and wisdom speak to my own heart. Watch the video below! “Empathic sociability… rethink the institutions of society and prepare the groundwork for empathic civilization.” Never has the world seemed so completely united-in the form of communication, commerce, and culture-and so savagely torn apart-in the form of war, [...]
Trail Yoga by Deborah Bezanis
My friend Deborah, whom I met at the 2010 Copper Canyon Ultra-marathon in Urique, Mexico has just recently published a brief commentary that answers a common question about running… Congrats Deborah! Trail Yoga One runner’s answer to the age-old question: what are you running from? By Deborah Bezanis One of the last things a runner [...]
RIP: Human Rights Defender Bety Cariño
Tragic news like the murder of two human rights workers in Oaxaca, MX leaves me feeling frustrated, exasperated… yet more determined to believe that this world can change. Thanks to La Cebollita who forwarded this info on to me: Human rights defenders in Mexico paying with their lives, warn UN experts Human rights defenders in [...]
More Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon Photos
Ended up with a whopping 367 photos of the 2010 Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon. Several photos from the race have been published along with an article at HalogenTV.com: The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon. Several photos will also be published soon in UltraRunning Magazine. Here are a few more examples:
Copper Canyon Ultra Article Published on HalogenTV.com
An article I wrote about the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon in Chihuahua, MX was just published at HalogenTV.com: The deep recesses of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Northwestern Mexico form a gnarly maze of twisting gorges known as the Barrancas del Cobre, or Copper Canyon. This vast labyrinth stretches for 28,000 square miles in an [...]
Barefoot for a Cause
Since I’ve been kickin’ it with the Rarámuri (Tarahumara), an indigenous culture that lives in deep recesses of the Sierra Madre’s Copper Canyon (Northwestern Mexico), I thought it most fitting to spread the word about going barefoot for a good cause. The Rarámuri culture sparked a barefoot running craze after athletes learned this talented running [...]
Raw Enough to Feel Mexico
After listening to more than 25 interviews, I’ve finally submitted what was originally a 2,400 word article that I then slashed to 990 words about the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon to an online client. The client wanted no more than 600 words. Ack! We’ll see if they slash it even more. I feel it’s already [...]
Invisible Children Determined to Make a Difference
Amidst all the corruption, injustice and profound disappointment in politicians and leaders around the world, I draw much hope and inspiration from organizations like the Invisible Children Movement. The IC is one example that proves there are still masses of people ready to dedicate themselves to justice and peace with a determination that will stop [...]
Whistleblower for Peace
Falling Whistles an excerpt I had heard.known.cared. I had even reacted and raged. But when these boys told me of the whistle blowers, the horror grew feet and walked within me… Captured by Nkunda’s rebel army, the boys not big enough to hold a gun are given merely a whistle and put on the front [...]
Can You Spare a Quarter?
The latest campaign to raise awareness about global hunger from the World Food Program announces that the global population is setting a new record: For the first time in the history of mankind there will be more than one billion people facing chronic starvation at any given moment. Yay us. Becoming a part of the [...]
Hunger Bytes! Winners go to Guatemala
This years winners of the 2010 Hunger Bites! World Food Program video contest are heading to Guatemala to raise awareness about the country’s underfed population. A recent drought has exacerbated the Guatemalan hunger crisis… Two aspiring filmmakers from Mexico, the grand prize winners of an annual video competition held by the United Nations World Food [...]
Beyond Nat Geo: Tales of the Tarahumara
In the recesses of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Northwestern Mexico lies the Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon), a natural wonder considered to be yet more spectacular and raw than the Grand Canyon. It is in the gorges, twists and bends of the Barranca del Cobre that the Tarahumara keep their ancient customs and rituals [...]
Mind Scraps: Finally Film
Exciting news! The man featured in the documentary “Being the Diablo” has invited me to collaborate on another documentary film – this time, one that features the Copper Canyon Ultramarathon. I’ve been itching to get more involved in documentary and film making for too long now. Finally… I am! **** Helped film two most interesting [...]
What Makes a Rarámuri a Rarámuri?
They observe the ceremonies. They protect the forest. They run. “At the heart of who they are is running,” Will Harlan. “Where we see giving as something extra or something that you should get praise for, to the Rarámuri, giving is just so ingrained in who they are that it’s not something that you have [...]
Mind Scraps: Bound for Mexico
Bob came by for lunch. He has treated me several times so this time I cooked him a veggie stir-fry with my infamous salad. Of course, I’ve learned yet more about Bob and his most interesting life pursuits. Looking forward to kicking it with him this weekend before I go. *** Had an invigorating swim [...]
Mind Scraps: The Legendary Tarahumara
It’s been all about delving deep into the rabbit hole today. I’ve been investigating a visit to the Chihuahua region of Mexico. I knew next to nothing about Mexico’s largest state/department before this morning. Now, I am pretty darn stoked about the region’s highlights: 1. Home to Mexico’s two largest waterfalls – one of which [...]
Mommy Advocate
I stumbled upon the website of a most inspiring and spirited mom through her post about child slavery used on cacao farms. I am keeping a blog about all things chocolate as part of a bigger project I’m currently working on developing. Below is a portion of what I posted at The Cocoa Project. Convinced [...]
The Reporter and Nicholas Kristof
A new film about roving reporter Nicholas Kristof will be released soon. Looks exciting. This man does exactly what I aspire to do… and have already begun doing on a smaller-scale. View the trailer: The Reporter Learn more about Kristof by clicking here. Visit his NYTimes blog by clicking here.
More than 700 Guatemalan Women Murdered in 2009
Low-income women are targets for an alarming rate of violence in Guatemala. The Interior Ministry of Guatemala reports that more than 700 women were murdered in Guatemala last year. Below the news brief published by the Latin American Herald Tribune: GUATEMALA CITY – Some 708 women were killed in Guatemala in 2009, based on Interior [...]
Energy Buzz…
Right now, I feel like the energizer bunny jacked up on Kaffee Fernando‘s infamous Black Fernando: strong black coffee with a shot of espresso. So much to share… so let’s roll! On the first of October, I was struck with a “most brilliant idea” to start a project that fully delves into the local art [...]
Massacre Survivor of the Rio Negro Fights to Memorialize, Not Forget, Victims
Global Voices Online has highlighted the unsettling testimony, yet inspiring work of Maya Achí activist Jesús Tecú Osorio. Tecú is one of the few survivors of the Río Negro Massacre, considered “one of the most horrific massacres of Guatemala’s armed conflict” and his recount of what happened is disturbing and graphic: “The military and paramilitary [...]
Zelaya a Cavalier for the Poor?
Was ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya a cavalier for the poor? Reports are conflicting about which side really is the side to back. But if Zelaya really was a champion for the poor as suggested by the Washington Post then I’m willing to consider his politics. Still, he acted illegally within the framework of his [...]
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