Celebrities & Artist I Want To Thank for Their Inspiration This Season

Touched by Angels in the Arts

This holiday season I am reminded and grateful for the angels of art who have graced my life in painting, photography, storytelling, dance, songwriting, musicians, singers, promoters and producers who make it all possible for the world and whose work has deeply touched my life.  

I have to start with my father, who played and sang beautifully, accompanied by his soul, his heart and his guitar;  actress Dolores Hart who chose God over Hollywood, and depicted her story in a documentary titled "God Is The Bigger Elvis"; John Lennon's songwriting including IMAGINE,  The Flying Laser Guitarist Graham Gillot and  HyperHarp Jeff Grossberg who light up the world with music and light creations; Little Feat who rocked for PeaceJourney Hawaii on 4-islands in 5 days to help us bring computer labs to the islands and that included Ben Taylor (Peace Journey Trips documentary) and  son of James Taylor; Yuri Lane beatbox extraordinaire who recently performed on the Steve Harvey Show and who through his beats, connects our hearts; and Sandro Miller, photographer, who just won the Lucie Award for Best International Photographer of the Year; and Peter Exley and his wife Sharon with their amazing work to beautify the world through architecture and the arts. And Ben Mugisha, Rwandan Hip Hop sensation, Helene Henn, South African singer, Peyton Tochterman a rising star n the American Roots Music and traveler to Afghanistan in support of our troops through the State Departmen, Mimi Machado-Luces film and documentary producer, and Rocco Cataldo, who helps me make sense of the world of music and film through his own art!   Learn more about them here:  Bios at Peace Journey  And Richard Cahan, photographer, who bravely traveled and documented in the West Bank this year.  His photo display titled Night Raid can be seen now at  Art Works in River North-Chicago, Illinois thru December 15th 2014.

There are many people who have touched my life, who I know are there to step up to make this world better, but now in the latter part of 2014, finding out about so many local people and the beauty they bring to the earth has touched my heart, and reopened my creative senses,  which can only enhance our next Peace Journey adventures 2015, and the good we can all do for the world.  

Happy Holidays as you learn more about these amazing people. 

Respect to Mother Earth

I love the earth...

Today, as I looked outside my office window, onto the vast sea of beautiful architecture in Chicago's landscape and breathe in the cool, crisp fall air, I was drawn outside, for there was a big surprise, yet another cluster of green beans in a pot I planted earlier this year.  And several variety of mint for my favorite drink Mojitos, flourishing and growing all summer long, and looking as fresh as the day they were planted.


In my sweatshirt and yoga pants, I took it all in and was overwhelmed by a sense of gratefulness to be here at this time and place, enjoying the pace of the city outside my door while basking in the chill with plants that may not be around in month when the planet brings in it's fall chill and renewal winter.

So for this moment, I wanted to reach out to each of you and ask; "Do you love the earth, our home?"  Do you treasure as often as possible, the gifts of food and flowers, of sunrises and senses of sea, forests, mountains and deserts, and sunsets of vibrant color, put on each day and night as a gift from our planet and for our pleasure?  

I can only think at this moment how care for our earth just cannot simply be a political issue.    What matters is that we show love for Mother Earth in the way we care for her and nourish her existence, while not destroying the very important and essential elements that help her thrive and survive for herself, for all the animals and insects, the plants and fish and for each of us.

Climate change arguments have been raging for so long.  I am not a scientist.  But I know intuitively that without caring for something you love, it will not flourish and it will struggle to survive.  

Please, just give some thought to Mother Earth tonight, as you watch the sunset and again in the morning, as she graces us with her morning light.  And think about what we each can do to treat her with the love and respect she so deserves.   

Love and light   J. Barcelos

WBEZ Global Activism Student Youth Start Up Night at Lincoln Hall

September 4, 2014  Lincoln Hall Chicago Illinois
WBEZ Global Activism Student Start-Ups and a Night at Lincoln Hall

A few years ago, Global Activism Expo was hosted in a major venue in Chicago, but last year the decision was made to break this one-date Expo into a few events throughout the year focused on different subjects.  Last night,  Lincoln Hall hosted one of this years event where one-time students now young adults,  showcased their now successful projects for humanity. 

I like this new, smaller format for the Expo because it is not so overwhelming for the participants.  The night concluded with a discussion panel and beautiful music.

I especially liked the student project called MealSharing.com.  My husband and I just went to a movie titled "If I Stay" and in that film the key young woman character's family was bohemian, caring, loving to all and had family pot-luck dinners every Sunday for whoever wanted to stop by.  

The parents came out of the music industry too, so the dinners would turn into music jams.  I loved it.  MealSharing brings on that experience of community and I plan to get involved!  My work for school food taught me the importance of food and community, not to mention my family upbringing.

Another project I thought was doing a great job is BasicTransfer.com  Like Kiva, it gives back to women around the world and with 910 million being the number of women living in extreme poverty in the world, this money can pull women and children out of poverty. Basic Transfer is a for profit company.

And RainforestRescueCoalition.org empowering indigenous tribes and individuals in the Peruvian rainforest.  Adam Bauer-Goulden is the founder!  If I could only bottle his gentle nature and complete love and focus for what he is doing, we could raise enough money to solve this issue.  He is an inspiration.

Past Global Activism events saw 5,000 or more attendees, featured short films and speakers.  I am hoping as time goes on, WBEZ will be able to incorporate more and more visual mediums, panel discussions and continue to include beautiful music like last night.  

Thanks to everyone who came out and those who organized this event.  Please check out these companies and nonprofits.  Find something you love, and help these young people realize their goals for mankind if you can.

It was great to meet them all and more information can be found on the event at www.WBEZ,org

Global Activism features individuals with Chicago ties who want to make the world a better place. Listen live on Thursdays or subscribe to the Global Activism podcast. If you know someone to nominate for the series, fill out this form. Chicago Public Media (WBEZ) has not independently investigated any persons or organizations that appear on the Global Activism series and does not endorse any such person or organization.

Big City 2.7 Million People Rocks A Lot of Peace!

Tuesday late afternoon a client of ours at PeaceSpaProducts.org asked if we could deliver her order to the Gold Coast and we said absolutely and without question!  I looked at my husband and said, "Let's do it now".  It was 3pm in the afternoon.

Beyond wanting to provide great service, we looked outside and saw the day getting away from us, so we loaded up the skin care order, made sure we had lawn chairs, the food basket and cranked up the old convertible as we headed out to Montrose Harbor for a favorite north side view of the city.

Drop off made, we went to Jewel up north off Montrose Street to find some pre-made healthy food, but decided to give Chicken Eaters Paradise Since 1959- Family Owned and Operated a try.  We have driven by this place a hundred times, intrigued with all of it's snickered windows sporting best broasted chicken, ATM inside and ice cream cones for 49 cents.  

We settled on the Jakes Broasted Chicken with a surprise potato wedge, while not bad, doesn't compare with the fresh rotisserie Jewel Grocery Store chicken we usually pick up and for about the same price.  I also sprung for a Chili Cheese Tamale which was terrific.  This place has breakfast all day long too, so we will go back, as well as Polish, Italian and Greek specialties.  I love family owned places like this, but I wonder how they keep so many items fresh and in-stock.  

We packed the food in the picnic basket and off we went to park at Montrose Harbor.  Free parking no less, at least for now.

We planted our chairs along the concrete walkway near the water, got out our eats and a bottle of California red. It was then I realized that in this city of 2.7 million people, on the banks of Lake Michigan on a beautiful Tuesday early evening, it felt like we were in small town.   

Along the lake banks stood a handful of Polish fishermen, casting their rods as their wives fetched coffee. Occasionally pulling in a catch and storing in their white fish pails, napoleon sea gulls swooped around them overhead, noisily squawking while hoping for any droppings of food.  While a lot of people consider these gulls a nuisance, they actually are like flying garbage men (sanitation engineers for the politically correct), as they scavenge up tons of dead animals and organic litter which can pose health treats to humans.  So say thank you next time you see one. 

Children on bikes, dads and moms on roller blades, friends walking together, boaters heading out for an afternoon ride, were all unexpected visual pleasures.  From these two downtown city-dwellers who never take an evening off to sit in a park and just enjoy the quietness and community that happens everyday in these enclaves around the city of Chicago, we felt blessed.  

Living here for almost 20 years, I am rediscovering my city in ways never imagined.  I promise myself for every week I work, to go out one night to explore little known places, people and things to reinvigorate my love of Chicago.  

I am learning that you find peace where you are, and it's found mostly where you can easily change your perspective by a quick drive and just a little time to explore.