Listen
Allen Ginsberg spoke of "the voice in the burning bush," that illuminates as in a fire, yet never destroys even as it burns. Luis Rodriguez, L.A. Poet Laureate; Michael Meade, author, storyteller, and mythologist; and John Densmore, musician and author, have all been at the forefront of sparking social and cultural change, seeking to push the boundaries of their disciplines in order to open greater possibility for human connectivity and healing. In a world of turmoil and destruction, how can we learn to speak to each other? Share in an illuminating evening of readings, stories and performance to fuel our minds and souls.
Luis J. Rodriguez is the Poet Laureate of Los Angeles with 15 books in poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and nonfiction. His memoir, Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A., has sold around half a million copies; it’s one of the most checked-out books—and one of the most stolen—in L.A.-area libraries. He is the founding editor of Tia Chucha Press and cofounder of Tia Chucha’s Cultural Center & Bookstore in the San Fernando Valley. His latest book is It Calls You Back: An Odyssey Through Love, Addiction, Revolutions, and Healing, a finalist for a 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award.
Michael Meade is a renowned storyteller, author, and scholar of mythology, anthropology, and psychology. He combines hypnotic storytelling, street-savvy perceptiveness, and spellbinding interpretations of ancient myths with a deep knowledge of cross-cultural rituals. He is the author of many books, including Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of The Soul; Why the World Doesn’t End; and The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul. Meade is the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, a Seattle-based nonprofit dedicated to education and cultural healing.
An original and founding member of the musical group The Doors, John Densmore co-wrote and produced numerous gold and platinum albums and toured the United States, Europe, and Japan. His autobiography, Riders on the Storm, was on the New York Times bestseller list. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. His second book, The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy Goes on Trial, is an underground bestseller. He co-produced the documentary, Road to Return, narrated by Tim Robbins, which won several prestigious national awards and was screened for Congress, resulting in the writing of a bill. He also Executive Produced Juvies, narrated by Mark Wahlberg, which aired on HBO.
