Dada Veda uses a couple different taglines. One is Meditation, Music and Social Vision, and the other is Eastern Mysticism meets folk, country, and world music. He is a monk at the Ananda Liina Spiritual Eco-Community in Urbana, Illinois, where he teaches meditation and promotes the activism of his community through music. He is central in the work of RAWA (Renaissance Artists & Writers Association) and their Songs for Social Change contest, and broadcasts music on-line via RAWAradio.com.

University campuses in the USA are the training grounds for collective action leading to systems changes. Since 2012 a group of students at the University of Delaware have taken on a big idea--to transform their large lush heavily chemically treated lawns into an organic public green. The Green the Green initiative has required thoughtful strategy, community building, public education, and lots of persistence. Climate advocates can learn a lot from their methods.

Diesel exhaust is bad for child and planetary health, but change is on the way. Twin Rivers Unified School District is one of the first school districts in the country to run electric school buses.  We talk with their transportation director and meet the people transforming the nation's biggest public transit program:  a former diesel salesman now CEO of an electric bus company, community activists, clean air officials, a guy called the Electric School Bus Evangelist, and more. And we find out how Volkswagen's legal settlement can fund electric buses for schools around the country. 

Father Harry Bury talks about his newest project, Twin Cities NonViolent. Twin Cities Nonviolent is a new organization working to eliminate violence in the Twin Cities. Their first large project is 10 Days Free From Violence which is like an art crawl of nonviolent activities. Starting this Friday Sept 21st, check out the calender and join one of the amazing events. https://twincitiesnonviolent.org/

 Music generously donated by Bensound.com

Bob Bruninga is near the end of his work as an aerospace engineer at the US Naval Academy and is passionate about electric cars and solar energy. He built his first electric car way back in 1970, led his neighborhood’s implimentation of alternative energy, and helped Annapolis Friends Meeting in their installation of net zero energy solar panels. He’s the lead author of a new book, Energy Choices: Opportunities to Make Wise Decisions for a Sustainable Future, and he knows whereof he writes - lots to be learned here, even for the well-informed. Check out Bob's Ham Radio website - with links to his solar/electric pages.

Jan Nigro has been growing healthy kids for 30 years with his musical group and project called Vitamin L. If you're daunted by their intention to produce positive character development through music, think again, because you'll experience songs that are beautiful, fun, & inspirational. Jan lives in Ithaca, NY, and comes from a very musical family, including a jazz-oriented dad, classical-focused mother, plus his immensely talented sister, Laura Nyro. Spend an hour and walk a mile with Jan Nigro & Vitamin L.

Brad Laird is a Wobbly Quaker, official member of the Michiana IWW and a Quaker in good standing. That’s not all he is, by any means - he’s a Girl Scout Troop Leader, passionate husband, father, and grandfather, Chair of the board of directors of South Bend, Indiana’s Community for Peace & Nonviolence. And one more item that makes him particularly interesting to us, he was once destined to be a Lutheran Minister, he considers himself to be a post-theist, post-atheist, deeply committed to his work for the nurture and healing of the world, both in practical and spiritual ways.

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:
Lutheran, Quaker, Unitarian Universalist 

Featured Music:
Joe Hill - performed by Joe Jencks on Links in the Chain

Racism is deeply rooted in the USA, and entwined with religion. Katharine Gerbner, author of Christian Slavery: Conversion and Race in the Protestant Atlantic World, helps uproot the attitudes and untwine the prejudices in the hope of finding a clear way forward. Katharine is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Minnesota.

Lisa Ann Wright (or on Facebook) makes compassionate, thoughtful, creative music, even as she performs as one of the Snarky Sisterz with Diana Quinn. Her song, My Daily Bread, was included in the Songs For Social Change top 10 by RAWA.

Government of, by, & for the People is built by the kind of Spirit that Christine Ashley & Katie Breslin draw on to make flourish the work of FCNL, as Quaker Field Secretary & Young Adult Program Manager, respectively. They make advocacy rewarding & lively from their offices facing the Hart Senate Office Building in D.C. with the banner proclaiming Love Thy Neighbor - No Exceptions.

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:
Catholic, Quaker