Andrew Sawtelle, of AmeriCorps*VISTA and Hudson River Housing, Inc. and Matthew Slaats, an artist, are involved with Middle Main and OpenHouse Poughkeepsie. They are part of a group of residents, business owners and operators, and concerned citizens interested in building a stronger Main Street in Poughkeepsie.

Michael Monasterial is the Artistic Director and Founder of Passing the Torch Through the Arts, whose mission is to inspire the youth of Hudson Valley, thereby strengthening and developing an infinite resource: their creative and collective consciousness. Theater + Education + Positive Action = Social Change.

Elaine Germano educates and advocates for midwifery in the USA. — Want to become a midwife? http://www.midwife.org/ — Want to find a midwife? www.findamidwife.org

Dr. Brenda Shoshanna, psychologist, Zen practitioner and author of Fearless (The 7 Principles of Peace of Mind). Brenda shares her knowledge and experience of facing fear head on in order to defeat and deflate it. Fear is a bully.

Mark Wallace is the Coordinator of School Violence Prevention in the Newburgh NY school district. He is passionate about helping young people to respect themselves and their elders, providing a safe and joyful environment for them to grow and learn in.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Sensei, is the spiritual director of the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism, and the abbot of the Zen Center of NYC. Among other projects, Shugen is concerned with fostering an integration of  religious practice with environmental awareness.

Amy & Julie discuss of role of acceptance in Being the Change.

Co-host Amy talks about the importance of consciously remembering what is most important to us.

Tom Cowan is a shamanic practitioner specializing in Celtic visionary and healing techniques. He combines universal core shamanism with traditional European spirit lore to create spiritual practices that can heal and enrich one’s own life and the lives of others. He is an internationally respected teacher, author, lecturer, and tour leader.