PEOPLE YOU NEED TO KNOW…

I have so many people I respect and look up to, people like; Louise L. Hay, Roseanne Barr (the writer, actress and more importantly – politician), Jesse Ventura, Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marianne Williamson, and Eckhart Tolle just to name a few.  Here are other individuals in the public eye that I admire and why I admire them:

Ingrid Newkirk

You may know her as the animal rights activist and PETA president but what you may not have known is that Ingrid has a passion for Formula One racing and sumo-wrestling.  Ingrid wasn’t always a vegetarian and did enjoy meat until she began her work in the ethical treatment of animals.  Ingrid’s mother volunteered for Mother Teresa in a leper colony.    You can see the Matthew Galkin directed movie called, ‘I Am Animal’, which is about Ingrid’s life.  Ingrid Newkirk is the president and co-founder of PETA (Peta for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

To make donations or to further educate yourself on what PETA accomplishes, please visit: www.peta.org

David Suzuki

David Suzuki is recognized as a world leader in sustainable ecology.  He is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist, broadcaster and author.  Host of the CBC television program, The Nature of Things.  He has written more thank 52 books, 19 of them for children.   David Suzuki’s daughter, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, In 1992, at age 12, raised money with members of the Environmental Children’s Organization (ECO )to attend the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  Along with group members Michelle Quigg, Vanessa Suttie, and Morgan Geisler, Cullis-Suzuki presented environmental issues from a youth perspective at the summit, where she was applauded for a speech to the delegates.  The video has since become a viral hit, popularly known as “The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 Minutes” on YouTube.

For more information about David Suzuki and the David Suzuki Foundation, please visit:  www.davidsuzuki.org

Bob Geldof

Much more than lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof is a humanitarian.  In 1984, he organized Band Aid with Midge Ure, lead singer of Ultravox.  The single “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, became the fastest selling single in U.K. history and raised over £8 million worldwide in funds for emergency aid to Ethiopia.  In 1985, and building on the momentum of Band Aid, the dual Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia were held on July 13.  Over a billion and a half people worldwide watched the 16 hour event on television, in which over 60 of the biggest stars in rock music performed, and over £100 million was raised for African famine relief.  Musical and political history was made. 

July 2005, Bob Geldof organized Live 8 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid – the show was to help pressure world leaders to drop the debt of the world’s poorest nations, increase and improve aid and negotiate fairer trade rules in interest of poorer countries.

Band Aid Thirty’s and the new version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” purpose as pointed out by Bob Geldof was and is to maximize pressure on politicians, raise awareness and raise money to fight Ebola in Africa.

For more information about Bob Geldof, Band Aid, Live Aid and Band Aid Thirty, please visit the following sites:  www.bobgeldof.com and www.bandaid30.com

Jane Goodall

At the age of 26, Jane travelled from England to Tanzania  and began her amazing work and research on chimpanzees.  She was equipped with nothing more than a notebook and a pair of binoculars.  Today, Jane Goodall continues to inspire action on behalf of chimpanzees, and to encourage people to do their part in making our world a better place for people, animals and the environment.  The Jane Goodall Institute works to protect the famous chimpanzees of Gombe National Park in Tanzania.

To donate to the Jane Goodall Institute or for further information about Jane Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute, please visit:  www.janegoodall.org

Ellie Laks

Animals provide so much  for so many people – comfort, unconditional love and a means to relieve stress in a very hostile and aggressive world.  For Ellie Laks, her love for animals became her passion.  She founded the Gentle Barn in Tarzana in 1999 to help teach children kindness, compassion and empathy for all living beings.  The Gentle Barn has rescued over 170 animals and their ultimate goal is to open Gentle Barn’s across the country so that every animal and child can have a place of healing and safety and where they can be seen for the perfect beings that they are.

To donate to the gentle barn and to read their further successes, please visit:  www.gentlebarn.org

Lizzie Velasquez

Imagine how difficult a life we would have if we didn’t have the same facial features as the majority.  We are bullied, harassed and made fun of….that was the case for beautiful Lizzie Velasquez.  Lizzie was born with a very rare condition (only 2 other known people have).  Despite her condition and being called ‘World’s Ugliest Woman’, Lizzie rose above and became an amazing motivation speaker and author.  Lizzie provides inspiration to so many through unconditional love, perseverance and determination.

You can find out more about Lizze at:  www.aboutlizzie.com

Elizabeth Warren

We have all dreamed of politicians who hold big corporations and banks accountable for their lack of action to help the consumer and the working class.  That has changed in US politics with Elizabeth Warren.  Elected in 2012 as the first-ever female senator from Massachusetts defeating incumbent Scott Brown.  She taught law at Rutgers School of Law, the Universities of Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School.  She introduced the ‘Bank on Student Loans Fairness Act’, which would allow students to take out government education loans at the same rate that banks such as Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Chase pay to borrow from the federal government.  Suggesting that students should get “the same great deal that banks get”, Warren proposed that new student borrowers be able to take out a federally subsidized loan at 0.75%, the rate paid by banks, compared with the current 3.4% student loan rate.

Follow Elizabeth Warren via:  www.warren.senate.gov

David Miller

David Miller was elected the 63rd mayor of Canada’s largest city (Toronto, Ontario) in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term.  He became the 2nd mayor of the newly amalgamated Greater Toronto Area.  In 2013, he was appointed as president and CEO of WWF Canada, the Canadian division of the international World Wildlife Fund.

For more information about WWF Canada or to donate, please visit:  www.wwf.ca

Think about those who inspire you and share their stories with your friends, family or anyone who you feel would like to create positive change in our world.  Let your role models inspire you to create positive change no matter how big or small.  It only takes one story to make a significant difference in the world.  What is your story?

Together we can make the world a more positive one!

 

 

 

BAND AID – AGAIN??

How do you make a difference in the world to invoke positive change?  I like to share knowledge and stories of people and animals overcoming great challenges.  I pledge to share this information in hope to educate others on climate change, social injustice, human rights issues and the inhumane treatment of animals, to say the least.  We are entering the holiday season and so many of us don’t even give a second thought to those who are less fortunate than we are – we are too caught up in the consumer game and helping corporations with their bottom line and huge profits.  Just imagine if we refocused our thoughts and actually did something for the greater good of the planet, environment, animals and those who are much less fortunate than we are.  IMAGINE THE IMPACT.

It was 30 years ago of the release of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” – Written by Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure (Ultravox).  It was released to raise money for famine that plagued much of Ethiopia in 1983 – 1985.  Some of the biggest names in the British Music (and a few Americans) participated with no intention of receiving anything in return.  Those that participated included Bono and Adam Clayton of U2, Wham!, Duran Duran, Paul Young, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Sting,  Phil Collins, Paul Weller, Bananarama, Kool and the Gang and Jody Watley – just to name a few.  Here is the original clip:

“Do They Know It’s Christmas was re-recorded in 1989  as Band Aid II and again in 2004 to raise awareness and benefit the troubled are of Darfur in Sudan.  The 1989 version included Kylie Minogue, Chris Rea, Jimmy Somerville, Matt Goss, Cliff Richard, Jason Donovan, Sonia, Lisa Stansfield, Bananarama, Marti Pellow and Big Fun.  Here is the clip for that version:

The 2004 version – Band Aid 20 “Do They Know It’s Christmas” was released to raise awareness and benefit the troubled area of Darfur in Sudan.  This version included the artists:  Daniel and Natasha Bedingfield, Bono (U2), Chris Martin of Coldplay, Dido, Robbie Williams, Busted, Ms Dynamite, Skye Edwards of Morcheeba, Estelle, Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, Justin Hawkins of Darkness, Jamelia, Tom Chaplin of Keane, Beverly Knight, Lemar, Shaznay Lewis of All Saints, Katie Melua and Roisin Murphy.  Here is that version:

And finally here is the current version.  This version was put together to raise money to fight Ebola in Africa.  Band Aid 30 features Bono, Sinead O’Connor, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora, Paloma Faith, One Direction, Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran.  Here is that clip:

Despite what you believe about these charity recordings – whether you believe that the artist is getting free publicity or that you heard funds were being misappropriated, just remember the key goal for all of these benefits – to raise your awareness of what is happening in the world.  Never believe that you can’t be part of the solution – you do not have to be a huge star to make a difference.  These celebrities are using their well-know names to bring awareness to an issue that affects us all and they came together to do something about it.  Isn’t that enough to celebrate these forces for good?  You don’t have to enjoy the artists – all you need is compassion and empathy and you too, can make a difference.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!