It’s All About Food – Liz Ross and Keith Mullin – 10.13.15

Part I: Liz Ross, Coalition of Vegan Activists of ColorLiz Ross is the founder of Coalition of Vegan Activists of Color (COVAC), which collaborates with individuals and community organizations to mobilize vegans of color to initiate vegan outreach and animal rights initiatives. COVAC also promotes veganism while collaborating with other social justice organizations. Liz serves on the advisory board of Food Empowerment Project, a vegan food justice organization that encourages healthy food choices that reflect a more compassionate society. Liz also serves on the board of Black Skeptics Los Angeles, which is committed to building and promoting education and social justice work through a secular humanist perspective. As a former police officer, Elizabeth also raises awareness about the history and problem of mass-incarceration through presentations and group discussions, and volunteering for organizations that are working to counter its negative impact.Part II: Keith Mullin, Zippy’sDeveloping trendsetting products for over 20 years, Keith Mullin has developed unique, crave worthy, consumer packaged goods including the award winning Gamer Grub®, a snack formulated for videogame enthusiasts. As a serial entrepreneur, his innovative items in the marketplace also include children’s toys, electronics, and pet products. Mullin has successfully developed products for the undiscovered ‘white space’ within multiple industries. Mullin’s most recent brand, Zippy’s Veggie Bites offer a hearty amount of vegetables and whole foods in crunchy salad snacks. In January of this year, Riverside Capital acquired Bionic®, one of Mullin’s pet brands. Currently, Mullin holds four patents with twelve additional patents pending.

It’s All About Food – Joel Bourne, The End of Plenty – 10.06.15

Part I: Joel Bourne, The End of PlentyJoel Bourne is an award-winning journalist and former Senior Editor for the Environment at National Geographic. He’s covered major environmental issues for the magazine, including the global food crisis of 2008, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and California’s recurrent water woes. With a degree in agronomy, Bourne frequently reports on the global food system. Most recently he contributed two articles to National Geographic‘s ground-breaking eight-part series, “The Future of Food,” reporting on the agricultural land rush in Africa, as well as new sustainable methods of aquaculture being practiced around the world. His first book, The End of Plenty: the Race to Feed a Crowded World, will be published by W.W. Norton in June 2015.Bourne has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including CNN’s American Morning, CNN International, the National Geographic Channel, and the Diane Rehm Show. He has been a keynote speaker and moderator at major conferences in Washington, D.C., Denver, Chicago, London, Beijing, Moscow, and Bahrain, among other venues. Prior to his tenure atNational Geographic, Bourne’s work appeared in National Geographic Adventure, National Geographic Traveler, Audubon, Science, Outside, and many other publications. He lives with his wife and three children in Wilmington, North Carolina.

It’s All About Food – James Aspey, Voiceless365 – 09.22.15

James Aspey is a 28-year-old vegan, animal rights activist from Sydney, Australia. In 2014, he embarked on an unprecedented and life changing challenge. James took a 365 day VOW OF SILENCE to raise awareness for animals and promote peace over violence. He did this while traveling around Australia, and also whilst cycling 5000 kilometers from Darwin to Sydney, in his popular campaign, Voiceless365. He then ended his vow, live, on Australia’s most popular morning TV show and now he’s sharing what he’s learned with the world! Find out more at www.jamesaspey.com.au.

It’s All About Food – Bruce Friedrich and Alycee Lane – 09.15.15

Part I: Bruce Friedrich, Animal Rights and Effective AdvocacyBruce Friedrich, Farm Sanctuary’s director of policy and engagement, oversees Farm Sanctuary’s work on legislation, litigation, policy, and engagement. Before joining Farm Sanctuary, Bruce worked for two years as a public school teacher in inner-city Baltimore (where he was his school’s “Teacher of the Year”), for six years at a homeless shelter and soup kitchen in Washington, D.C., and for 15 years at PETA, where he was vice president for campaigns. He is a popular speaker on issues of animal rights and effective advocacy, has appeared many times on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post.  Part II: Alycee J. Lane, Nonviolence Now!: Living the 1963 Birmingham Campaign’s Promise of PeaceAlycee J. Lane is a former professor who taught African American literature and culture at UC Santa Barbara. She is author of Coming in from the Cold, a blog in which she analyzes political and social issues through the prism of Martin Luther King, Jr. s philosophy of nonviolence. A student of Engaged Buddhism, Alycee in 2012 participated in the year-long Commit to Dharma course offered by the East Bay Meditation Center under the tutelage of Larry Yang. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Howard University, Doctorate of Philosophy from UCLA, and Juris Doctor from UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall). Alycee currently lives in Oakland, California.

It’s All About Food – Lani Muelrath, The Plant-Based Journey – 09.08.15

Lani Muelrath, MA, is an award-winning teacher, author, and speaker well known for her expertise in plant-based, active, mindful living and the author of the new book, The Plant-Based Journey: A Step-by-Step Guide To Transition To A Healthy Lifestyle and Achieving Your Ideal Weight. Lani has served as presenter and consultant for the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Complete Health Improvement Project. She is published in prominent periodicals including Prevention magazine, USA Today, andThe Saturday Evening Post, and has been featured on ABC-TV and CBS-TV, on numerous radio shows, and created and starred in her own CBS television show, Lani’s All-Heart Aerobics.Recipient of the California Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Instruction, Lani is also the author of Fit Quickies: 5-Minute Targeted Body-Shaping Workouts; guest lecturer at San Francisco State University; and associate faculty in Kinesiology at Butte College, where her book has been adopted as a required course textbook. She is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University, certified Behavior Change Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and maintains multiple teaching credentials in the State of California. Lani presents and lectures extensively and counsels a variety of clients throughout the world from her northern California–based private practice on successful transition to healthy plant-based living. More from Lani, including free book preview and special report at www.lanimuelrath.com.

It’s All About Food – Karin Dina, The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook – 08.25.15

Part II: Karin Dina, The Raw Food Nutrition Handbook: An Essential Guide to Understanding Raw Food DietsKarin Dina is a chiropractic doctor who has been studying and practicing raw food nutrition for over 25 years. Karin studied naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic West, and has an honors degree in biology.The Karin and Rick Dinas are co-developers and instructors of the series of Science of Raw Food Nutrition classes taught at Living Light Culinary Institute in Ft. Bragg, California. They have an international consulting and lab work analysis practice and are dedicated to teaching a functional and scientifically sound approach to raw, plant-based diets.

It’s All About Food – Jim Hicks & Colleen Holland – 08.18.15

Part I: J. Morris Hicks, 4Leaf Guide to Vibrant HealthJ. Morris Hicks is the author of Healthy Eating, HealthyWorld and the creator of the 4Leaf concept. Shortly after learning all about the many alarming truths regarding our food choices in 2003, Jim realized that there needed to be a better way to explain healthy eating to the world. The “V” words, at best, convey more information about what you’re avoiding than what you ARE eating. He began developing the 4Leaf concept in 2009 and introduced it to the public in his 2001 book, co-authored with his son Jason.Having concluded that our food choices hold the key to the sustainability of our civilization, he has made them his #1 priority- exploring all avenues for influencing humans everywhere to move back to the natural, plant-based diet for our species – in the interest of promoting health, hope and harmony on the planet Earth.Part II: Colleen Holland, VegNewsPassionate about media, Colleen Holland is the publisher and co-founder of VegNews Magazine. Since the company’s founding in 2000, she has grown the vegan lifestyle brand into an award-winning, international media company complete with a flagship magazine, digital properties, events, e-cookbooks, and global vacations. A graduate of UCLA and the Natural Gourmet Institute culinary school, Colleen is one of just six people worldwide to have been inducted into both the Vegetarian Hall of Fame and the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. A 20-year ethical vegan, she is a die-hard foodie and yogi.

It’s All About Food – Matthew Liebman & Robin Lamont - 08.11.15

Part I: Matthew Liebman, “Ag-Gag” LawsMatthew Liebman is a senior attorney in the litigation program and works on all aspects of ALDF’s civil cases, including investigating reports of animal cruelty, conducting legal research, developing new legal theories, and appearing in court. He has litigated cases including ALDF v. Conyers, which resulted in the rescue of more than 100 dogs from a North Carolina hoarder; ALDF v. Keating, in which seven horses were saved from starvation; and Animal Place v. Cheung, which seeks justice for 50,000 hens abandoned without food by egg farmers. Matthew’s writing has appeared in the Animal Law Review, the Journal of Animal Law, the Stanford Environmental Law Journal, and the Animal Legal & Historical Web Center. With Bruce Wagman, Matthew co-authored A Worldview of Animal Law, which examines how the legal systems of different countries govern our interactions with animals.Before coming to ALDF, Matthew clerked for the Honorable Warren J. Ferguson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Matthew graduated with distinction from Stanford Law School in 2006 and with highest honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001 with a degree in philosophy. While a law student at Stanford, Matthew co-founded a chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and was an active member of Animal Rights on the Farm, where he worked on campaigns against factory farming and vivisection. He lives with his human companion and their five feline companions Kitty Kitty, Ollie, Emma, Spider, and Niecey.Part II: Robin Lamont, The TrapBroadway actress – private investigator – Assistant DA – and now novelist. Robin Lamontworked as a Broadway actress and singer, playing lead roles in Godspell, Grease, and Working. Her original cast recording of “Day by “Day” and her film version of the song have drawn fans from around the world. Utilizing her acting experience she became an undercover investigator for a PI firm in New York City that specialized in investigations into counterfeiting. During that time she went to law school and later practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in New York. More recently, while continuing her writing Robin volunteers for animal welfare organizations, trying to raise awareness about the plight of animals throughout the world.

It’s All About Food – Ajayan Borys and Grace Kim – 08.04.15

Part I: Ajayan Borys, Effortless Mind MeditationAjayan has been exploring and teaching a variety of meditation practices since 1970. In the early 70′s, he spent several years studying in residence under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation Program®. For the next ten years, Ajayan taught the TM Program®. Since then he has traveled the globe continuing an impassioned exploration of consciousness and developing human potential through various meditation and yogic practices. From 1994 to 1998 Ajayan studied with India’s most widely revered living woman saint, Mata Amritanandamayi (Ammachi, the “hugging saint”), living at her main ashram in Kerala, India, and serving as the meditation teacher there. While in India Ajayan also spent time with holy men and yogis in the Himalayas of Uttaranchal—a haven for saints throughout the ages—and researched the spiritual practices indigenous to that area. Having made a study of meditation his life, and having instructed and guided thousands in meditation in North America, Australia, Europe, and India, Ajayan has gained wide renown as a consummate meditation teacher. Ajayan is a registered hypnotherapist in Washington state, a Reiki Master, and a certified Enneagram teacher. Ajayan Borys (aka Henry James Borys) is author of Effortless Mind: Meditate with Ease (New World Library, 2013), The Way of Marriage: A Journal of Spiritual Growth through Conflict, Love, and Sex (Purna Press, 1991; HarperCollins, 1993), The Sacred Fire: Love as a Spiritual Path (HarperCollins, 1994), and numerous articles on meditation and relationships as a spiritual path. In 2010, Ajayan launched Mind Matters Radio on the Healthy You Radio Network.Part II: Grace Kim, Urban Rooftop FarmingGrace Kim is a founding principal of Schemata Workshop and has been practicing architecture in Chicago and Seattle for more than 20 years. Grace is a consensus builder, helping her clients and project stakeholders envision how a completed project will be experienced. She is a compassionate listener and sensitive designer, paying attention to both the present and future needs of her clients. Grace is the author of The Survival Guide to Architectural Internship and Career Development, and in 2008, she was recipient of the National AIA Young Architect Award. For four years, Grace served on the board of the Cohousing Association of the US. She is also a founding member of Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing. Grace is currently a commissioner of the Seattle Planning Commission and serves on the board for the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. Grace is frequently asked to present at national conferences on the topics of mentorship, Cohousing, and alternative housing models for seniors and those with disabilities.

It’s All About Food – Christy Morgan, Definition Magazine – 07.28.15

Part I: Christy Morgan, Definition MagazineChristy Morgan has been tantalizing taste buds for years as a vegan chef, cooking instructor, food writer, and cookbook author. Her mission is to show that a whole foods vegan diet can be delicious, easy and will bring more energy and bliss into your life! Christy became obsessed with fitness post-30 and is now a NASM certified personal trainer spreading the message that you can be strong with a plant-based diet. She can show you how to reach all your health and fitness goals to reach optimal health!Christy has been seen on NoMeatAthlete.com, VegNews.com, One Green Planet, Daily Candy, Fox Good Day, From A to Vegan, and is a guest on numerous radio shows and podcasts including Martha Stewart Living Radio, Vegan World Radio, and the Dr. Don Show. Check out her new online magazine for plant-powered women, Definition Magazine.Find out more at BlissfulandFit.com.