Podcasts about mbuti pygmies

I'm tied up today, so I've decided to re-share one of my absolute favourite TYP chats. *Here's the original synopsis.. In seven years of podcasting and twenty years of radio, this conversation is in my all-time top ten. Justin Wren is a both a cage fighter and freedom fighter, who has fought on the world-stage in the UFC and in the jungles of the Congo, championing the cause of one of the most marginalised groups of people in thew world; the Mbuti Pygmies. Justin's personal story (as an elite athlete battling all kinds of problems) and the story of his mission and purpose to liberate, empower and love the Mbuti, is both inspiring and confronting. Enjoy. *Warning: parts of this conversation might be confronting for some.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Wren is a humanitarian, author, journalist, former MMA fighter, and founder of the Fight for the Forgotten charity. After overcoming depression and addiction early in his MMA career, Justin embarked on a life-changing journey with the Mbuti Pygmy people of the Congo Basin rainforest. Inspired by a transformative vision, he founded Fight for the Forgotten to combat the global water crisis and expand its impact to serve the Batwa Pygmies of Uganda.   Key Takeaways   The Essentials: Personal practices, such as meditation, gratitude, and spending quality time with loved ones, are essential for maintaining a positive mindset and cultivating self-mastery. Overcoming Depression and Addiction: Purpose-driven service can be a powerful tool for personal transformation and healing, as demonstrated by Justin's journey from overcoming depression and addiction to founding Fight for the Forgotten. Empowering Communities: Providing tools, knowledge, and resources to develop sustainable livelihoods is a more effective approach to creating lasting change than short-term, unsustainable aid. Sustainability and Rainforests:  Rainforests play a critical role in maintaining the Earth's ecological balance, and indigenous people, such as the Mbuti Pygmies, are essential stewards of these ecosystems. How to Create Lasting Change: Collaboration between nonprofits and NGOs is crucial for creating a more significant impact and addressing complex global challenges, such as the water crisis and the displacement of indigenous communities. It All Starts Within: Loving oneself and cultivating self-mastery is essential for being able to serve others effectively and create meaningful change in the world.   Sponsors and Promotions:   Henson Shaving:  Go to https://www.hensonshaving.com and enter DIVINE at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase. (Note: you must add both the 100-blade pack and the razor for the discount to apply.)   Defender:  Ready for adventure? With a family of vehicles to choose from, you'll have the space, technology, and performance to go further than ever before. Explore the Defender lineup at https://www.LandRoverUSA.com/Defender      Momentus: Designed by the world's best experts, used by the world's best teams and athletes, and made for all of us.   https://www.livemomentous.com, and use code DIVINE for 20% off your first order.   SealFit ElectroGreens: Fuel your body and conquer your limits with SealFit ElectroGreens - a USDA organic superfood packed with over 25 organic fruits, vegetables, and electrolytes. Head to Amazon, search for "SealFit ElectroGreens," and use code SEALGREENS25 at checkout for 25% off your order.  

The Soulful Giant (ft. Justin Wren)Fighter-turned-lover Justin Wren on what it means to fight for a greater purposeOPENING QUOTE:“And so now, whenever I've gotten into a fight and the cage door locks, I'm looking this guy in the eyes and I know that I know, but I also believe that I know he knows, that I have stronger reasons than he does, so I can take him to deeper waters.”-Justin WrenGUEST BIO:Justin Wren knows what it's like to feel like the world is against you. Fueled by anger resulting from persistent bullying, Justin pursued wrestling in high school, where he became a 10x state champion, 5x all-American, and 2x national champion. This propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality, becoming a champion and an elite athlete. But the pain from his childhood didn't dissipate, and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction that led him on a path toward destruction. In trying to escape this spiral, Justin visited the rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he came across the Mbuti Pygmies, a group of people persecuted by neighboring tribes and forced into slavery.On one of his trips, he stayed for a year, living among them and sharing the culture of what he calls "the most bullied people on earth." His encounter with the pygmies left him wondering who was there to help them. And in that moment, Justin stepped out of the cage and founded the nonprofit organization Fight for the Forgotten. He's become a celebrated keynote speaker, ascending this new mountain with the same discipline and passion that got him to the top of professional sports. Links:WebsiteInstagramTwitterCORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[4:36] - Discover Others to Discover YourselfSelflessness heals our own woundsAfter a long period of depression and hopelessness, how did Justin pull himself out of it? Not by working on himself — but by discovering the service of others. It was when he lost himself in the trials of the Mbuti people that he discovered his own purpose, passion, and personal joy. The lesson for us: if you feel lost, sometimes you're better off looking for the needs of others than looking for yourself.[12:58] - The Winner is the One with the Most Reasons to FightWhat Justin's mindset in the ring teaches us about living outside the ringMany people think that the stronger, better trained fighter is the one who wins. What Justin knows from being in the ring himself is that this isn't always the case. The person who wins is often the one who is less willing to lose. Or, to put it another way, it's the person with the deepest reason to win.When you discover a reason to fight that's deeper than the opponent — and in life, often the opponent isn't a someone but a something — then you'll discover a depth of fortitude you didn't know you had, and a will to win that will help you conquer anything.[16:03] - Change the Fight but Keep FightingWhat we can learn from the world's most loving fighterJustin describes how he went from fighting against people to fighting for people when he discovered his passion for serving the people of the Mbuti culture. But what's worth noting is that Justin didn't change his fighter's spirit. He didn't suddenly become a kumbaya, zen-loving individual who let the world wash over him in peace. Hell no. He kept his fighter's spirit, remained who he was, but applied everything that made him a great fighter to this new fight — the fight for humanity. We can all change our own personal fights without changing what makes us great fighters.[30:46] - Justin's Parting AdviceFor the new, nervous, and unsureJustin acknowledges that taking on big challenges often feels like trying to drain the ocean with an eyedropper. Does it even matter? Will anyon even notice? But Justin reminds us that every drop represents a human heart, a human life, some level of impact that may be small in the grand scale but enormous on the personal scale. Every single positive impact we make, whether it's on a massive keynote stage or in a room of ten people, can transform lives.RESOURCES:[2:10] About the Mbuti People[2:49] Fight for the ForgottenFollow Justin Wren:WebsiteInstagramTwitterFollow Josh Linkner:FacebookLinkedInInstagramTwitterYouTubeABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world's top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests' Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it's starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he's on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar. Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award. Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza. Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees. Learn more at: impacteleven.comPRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown's processes to launch today's most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here's to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.comSHOW CREDITS:Josh Linkner: Host | josh@joshlinkner.comConnor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

In seven years of podcasting and twenty years of radio, this conversation is in my all-time top ten. Justin Wren is a both a cage fighter and freedom fighter, who has fought on the world-stage in the UFC and in the jungles of the Congo, championing the cause of one of the most marginalised groups of people in thew world; the Mbuti Pygmies. Justin's personal story (as an elite athlete battling all kinds of problems) and the story of his mission and purpose to liberate, empower and love the Mbuti, is both inspiring and confronting. Enjoy. *Warning: parts of this conversation might be confronting for some.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin Wren knows what it's like to feel like the world is against you.  Like many kids, Justin was bullied as a teenager, but he had a dream that kept him going. Fueled by the anger he felt toward his tormentors, Justin pursued wrestling in high school where he became 10 time State Champion, 5 time All American, and 2 time National Champion.  Justin trained hard and this propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality.  But the pain from his childhood didn't dissipate, and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction that led him on a path toward destruction.  After he was kicked out of his training community, his career was in shambles and he had nowhere else to go so Justin attended a men's retreat.  It was there he found his faith and purpose for living.As Justin began piecing his life back together, he took several international trips. This led him to the Ituri rain forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he came across the Mbuti Pygmies, a group of people persecuted by neighboring tribes and forced into slavery. On one of his trips he stayed for a year living among them and sharing the culture of what he calls "the most bullied people on earth." They gave him two names Efeosa which  means "the man who loves us" and Mbuti MangBO "The Big Pygmy." His encounter with the pygmies left him wondering who was there to help them, and in that moment Justin stepped out of the cage and into a Fight For The Forgotten.In 2015, after a five year hiatus from professional sports, Justin returned to his winning ways in MMA fighting, but now he is fighting for someone besides himself. Since returning to fighting, Justin is undefeated in three fights. His current record is 15-2.Justin is not only giving a voice to the pygmies through land, food and water  initiatives but, state-side, he is addressing the escalating problem of  bulling through an anti-bullying character development curriculum titled "Heroes in Waiting." He says, "Everyone can be a hero. To be a hero all that's required is to see a need and do what's right." The program aims to inspire students to take action at a moment of choice through empathy, kindness, compassion, courage and integrity. https://fightfortheforgotten.org/____________________________________NEWEST MUSIC - "HEADWATERS" - LISTEN:  Spotify / Apple / BandcampSOLSTICE LIVESTREAM - DEC 17th w/Peter Broderick!  on http://JourneySpace.com Join our COMMUNITY - sign up at EastForest.orgPlease support the show by joining our East Forest COUNCIL on Patreon.  Monthly Council, live-streams, demos, and more. JOURNEY SPACE - founded by East Forest.  Online Journey Facilitation and Support. JourneySpace.com.EAST FOREST MUSIC: Spotify / AppleGuided Meditations on Spotify & AppleShop: http://eastforest.org★★★★★ Please rate Ten Laws with East Forest in iTunes & SpotifyConnect with the Forest -Mothership: http://eastforest.orgIG:  https://www.instagram.com/eastforest/Facebook: http://facebook.com/eastforestmusic

 Justin Wren knows what it's like to feel like the world is against you.  Like many kids, Justin was bullied as a teenager, but he had a dream that kept him going. Fueled by the anger he felt toward his tormentors, Justin pursued wrestling in high school where he became 10 time State Champion, 5 time All American, and 2 time National Champion.  Justin trained hard and this propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality.  But the pain from his childhood didn't dissipate, and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction that led him on a path toward destruction.  After he was kicked out of his training community, his career was in shambles and he had nowhere else to go so Justin attended a men's retreat.  It was there he found his faith and purpose for living.As Justin began piecing his life back together, he took several international trips. This led him to the Ituri rain forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he came across the Mbuti Pygmies, a group of people persecuted by neighboring tribes and forced into slavery. On one of his trips he stayed for a year living among them and sharing the culture of what he calls "the most bullied people on earth." They gave him two names Efeosa which  means "the man who loves us" and Mbuti MangBO "The Big Pygmy." His encounter with the pygmies left him wondering who was there to help them, and in that moment Justin stepped out of the cage and into a Fight For The Forgotten.In 2015, after a five year hiatus from professional sports, Justin returned to his winning ways in MMA fighting, but now he is fighting for someone besides himself. Since returning to fighting, Justin is undefeated in three fights. His current record is 15-2.Justin is not only giving a voice to the pygmies through land, food and water  initiatives but, state-side, he is addressing the escalating problem of  bulling through an anti-bullying character development curriculum titled "Heroes in Waiting." He says, "Everyone can be a hero. To be a hero all that's required is to see a need and do what's right." The program aims to inspire students to take action at a moment of choice through empathy, kindness, compassion, courage and integrity.  https://fightfortheforgotten.org/

Over a decade ago the world got to know Justin Wren through his successful mixed martial arts career in the UFC – from starring in the Spike reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” to becoming a dominating force in the heavyweight division, to his MMA record of 15-2. Today, the world knows this 6-foot-3-inch, 265-pound fighter for the size of his heart.Following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression in his early career, Justin stepped away from MMA to seek out purpose and passion for his life. What he found was a forgotten tribe of Mbuti Pygmies deep in the jungles of the Congo, beaten down by economic enslavement, disease, and hopelessness.Through his Fight For The Forgotten initiative, 1,500 members of this formerly enslaved people group are now free and flourishing on 3,000 acres of their own land with access to clean water and their own farms.Today Fight For The Forgotten is working with a community of Batwa Pygmies in Uganda supporting them with clean water, latrines, housing and agricultural tools and seed for farming with the dream of them one day in the not-to-far future becoming self sufficient, going from extinction to thriving.In 2019, Justin felt a deep burden for youth struggling with depression and bullying like he experienced starting at the age of 13 years into adulthood. Because of what Justin went through and seeing himself in many young people, especially during some of his speaking engagements, Justin knew he wanted to play a part in the solution. January 1, 2020, Generation Why “GNWY”, a high energy performing arts collective team that had been presenting youth assemblies for three years, joined Fight For The Forgotten with their universal message of “why”. They challenge students to pursue their purpose to pursue their why. The diverse team engages students with hopeful and inspiring dance, rap, spoken word intertwined with multiple stories. Topics are customized for the age, event, school, or youth event including subjects about - Anti-Bullying - Suicide Awareness - Drinking & Substance Abuse - Youth Empowerment.https://fightfortheforgotten.org/  Join the newsletter and be part of the East Forest Council Community. Listen to East Forest guided meditations on Spotify & Apple. Check out the East Forest x Ram Dass album on (Spotify & Apple) + East Forest's Music For Mushrooms: A Soundtrack For The Psychedelic Practitioner 5hr album (Spotify & Apple). *****Please rate Ten Laws w/East Forest on iTunes.  It helps us get the guests you want to hear.  Stay in the East Forest flow:Mothership:  http://eastforest.org/IG:  https://www.instagram.com/eastforest/FB:  https://www.facebook.com/EastForestMusic/TW:  https://twitter.com/eastforestmusic

Justin Wren is a heavy-weight mixed martial arts fighter, humanitarian, and all around incredible person.  Over a decade ago, the world got to know Justin through his successful career in the UFC – from starring in the Spike reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” to becoming a dominating force in the heavyweight division, to his MMA record of 15-2. Today, the world knows Justin for the size of his heart and the amazing work he is doing in the world. Following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression in his early career, Justin stepped away from MMA to seek out purpose and passion for his life. What he found was a forgotten tribe of Mbuti Pygmies deep in the jungles of the Congo, beaten down by economic enslavement, disease, and hopelessness. Through his Fight For The Forgotten initiative, 1,500 members of this formerly enslaved people group are now free and flourishing on 3,000 acres of their own land with access to clean water and their own farms. Today Fight For The Forgotten is working with a community of Batwa Pygmies in Uganda, supporting them with clean water, latrines, housing and agricultural tools and seed for farming, with the dream of them one day, in the not-too-far future, becoming self-sufficient, going from extinction to thriving. Justin is an incredible story-teller, and has become a close friend of mine. His voice and his stories are exactly the kind that I want to be raising up on this podcast, and I am so excited to share this one with all of you.  If You Enjoy The Thought Room Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts. Special Offers: Apply for the Conscious Man: hallierose.com/men Topics Explored:  12:00 How Hallie and Justin met  16:00 The beginning of Justin’s incredible life story 21:00 Justin’s experience on the Ultimate Fighter and challenge with addiction at a young age 32:30 A traumatic story from Justin’s childhood 45:30 How helping others helped Justin begin to heal 58:00 A slap on the head from God and a path to recovery 67:00 Justin’s suicide attempt  87:00 The pressure of the pedestal  90:30 Justin’s visions and transformative journey in Sedona 131:00 The genesis of Fight for the Forgotten, Justin’s non-profit organization  151:00 Defeating hate with love - Stories from the Congo  173:00  How showing up with love can shift energy    Resources: fightfortheforgotten.org Apply for The Conscious Man: hallierose.com/men  Subscribe to The Thought Room:  Apple | https://tinyurl.com/qp3mqnp Spotify | https://tinyurl.com/wxyzmdw Stitcher | https://tinyurl.com/wrxv39g     Connect with Justin Wren: Instagram | @thebigpygmy Website | fightfortheforgotten.org Connect with Hallie Rose: Thought Room IG | https://www.instagram.com/thoughtroompodcast/  Hallie Rose IG | https://www.instagram.com/hallie_rosebud/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/ThoughtRoomPod YouTube |http://bit.ly/ThoughtRoomYouTube  Website | www.thoughtroompodcast.com  Email | thoughtroompodcast@gmail.com    Sign up for the TRP Newsletter | www.thoughtroompodcast.com    HELP SUPPORT THIS SHOW!    → SUBSCRIBE:  Apple Podcasts +  Spotify + Stitcher +  Google Podcasts     → LEAVE A SHORT APPLE PODCASTS REVIEW:  Would you please consider leaving a typed review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? Even a one or two words! It takes less than 60 seconds and really makes a difference in helping to land prominent guests! (https://tinyurl.com/qp3mqnp)    →  SHARE: Spread the word! Share an episode, or tag @thoughtroompodcast on social media--tell us what you liked about this episode!   DONATE:  Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/thoughtroom Paypal: paypal.me/thoughtroompodcast  Venmo | Send a send a one-time gift via Venmo @hallierose   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Emmy-Award winning composer Kodomo (Chris Child) for allowing us to use his brilliant track Concept 1 as our theme song. 

A look at people who practically invented sustainability. The Pygmies living in the Congo have not had it easy.And another "Africa: a History" episode: our first look at a very ancient people living in southern central Africa, the San, !Kung, or "Bushmen".A show by podcastnik.com — visit the site for all projects and news. ☞ Check out our new show, Past Access! (YouTube Link) ☜ Twitter @Travis J Dow | @Meet_Judith | @GermanyPodcast | @Podcastnik | Now in Arabic! — Facebook Podcastnik Page | History of Germany Page | Arabic Page — Instagram @podcastnik Podcastnik YouTube | Podcastnik Audio Podcast ★ Support: PayPal | Patreon | Podcastnik Shop ★ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Almost a decade ago the world got to know Justin Wren through his successful mixed martial arts career in the UFC- from starring in the Spike reality show The Ultimate Fighter, to becoming a dominating force in the heavyweight division, to his MMA record of 15-2. Today, the world knows this 6-foot-3-inch, 265-pound fighter for the size of his heart. Following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression in his early career, Justin stepped away from MMA to seek out purpose and passion for his life. What he found was a forgotten tribe of Mbuti Pygmies deep in the jungle of the Congo, beaten down by the economic environment, disease, and hopelessness. Through his Fight for the Forgotten initiative, 1,500 members of this formerly enslaved people group are now free and flourishing on 3,000 acres of their own land with access to clean water and their own farms. Justin 'The Big Pygmy' Wren has expanded his Fight For the Forgotten to empower all those who dont have a voice. He regularly speaks to raise awareness for those affected by the water crisis, as well as those who are bullied, and those suffering from depression and addiction. Today, the world knows this 6-foot-3-inch,  265-pound fighter for the size of his heart. Today meet JUSTIN and learn how he LEVELED UP and continues to create EVERYTHING from NOTHING. Make sure to give big for Fight for the Forgotten at www.fightfortheforgotten.com  In this episode, you will learn: How to empower others instead of beating them down The art of learning from our pasts It's the size of your heart that matters most How you can Fight for the Forgotten as well!

MMA Fighter Justin Wren joins Ben, Jordan and Isaiah on the twentieth episode of the Dream On Podcast. You can listen below or the Justin Wren Podcast is also available through the Dream On Podcast in the iTunes store.Justin Wren has spent much of his life fighting – from a stellar early wrestling career as National Champion to becoming a star UFC fighter. In his book, “Fight for the Forgotten,” Wren shares how God shifted his focus from fighting against opponents in the cage to fighting for the “most bullied people in the world,” the Mbuti Pygmies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Justin is known for his successful mixed martial arts career in the UFC. Early in his career, he appeared on the Spike reality show, “The Ultimate Fighter,” cementing his reputation as a dominating force in the heavyweight division. His current record of 14-2 remains an impressive testament to his skill.But many are surprised to find this 6-foot-3-inch, 265-pound fighter has an even bigger heart.After discovering his faith following a six-year struggle with addiction and depression in his early career, Wren stepped away from MMA to find God’s purpose for his life.He soon felt called to serve the Mbuti Pygmy people deep in the jungles of the Congo. While Wren knew they were an incredibly impoverished people group, he did not know the depths of their pain until he spent time living among them and shared in their suffering. They are enslaved by rivaling people groups, are even cannibalized, and refer to themselves as The Forgotten People. A turning point in Wren’s life was holding a young boy, Andibo, as he died of a water-related parasite after being refused care by local doctors.“They were turned away from the hospital not once, but twice,” says Justin. “The first time his mother was told by the nurses, ‘You’re too dirty to come in here.’ The second time Andibo’s mother, the Chief, and the village were rejected treatment by the doctor who said, ‘We won’t waste our medicine on a Pygmy animal.’ I couldn’t believe that this little boy had just died of something so easily preventable by clean drinking water. I knew I could never turn my back on my Pygmy family and that I would spend my life fighting for them.”Over the next four years, Wren made several trips to the Congo, with one lasting a full year for Wren to stay with the Pygmy people. He lived in the same twig-and-leaf huts they did, slept on the jungle floor and immersed himself in their culture. The Pygmies gave him the name Eféosa, which means “The Man Who Loves Us.”“I knew for the Pygmies to be free they needed to own their own land, have access to clean water, and develop sustainable agriculture – all for the first time,” says Wren. “I founded the Fight for the Forgotten initiative to work to provide those things to them. With these three simple things, we can begin to break the chain of poverty, suffering, and even modern day slavery.”Since 2011, Justin and Fight for the Forgotten have provided nearly 3,000 acres of land and 25 water wells to the Pygmies. They have fulltime staff of 18 Congolese nationals who specialize in community development who are working to drill new wells and teach the Pygmies farming practices.In 2015, after a full five year hiatus from professional sports, Wren returned to his winning ways in MMA fighting, but this time he is fighting for someone besides himself.“I still love MMA, and my work in the Congo didn’t change that,” he says. “But it did change me. I’m not fighting for myself anymore. I’m fighting to bring attention and change to my Pygmy family who don’t have voice.”Through his book, “Fight for the Forgotten,” Wren is encouraging everyone to stand up for those who are bullied and persecuted and do not have a voice. He regularly speaks to raise awareness for the plight of the Pygmies and the hope that is available through the simple and affordable gift of clean water, and is currently working with a crew to film a documentary about his personal journey and story. Thirty-three percent of the book’s author proceeds go directly to land, water and food initiatives in the Congo.More About Justin Wren & Fight For The Forgottenhttps://www.water4.org/fightfortheforgotten/https://twitter.com/TheBigPygmyhttps://www.facebook.com/justinthevikingwrenhttps://instagram.com/thebigpygmyThe post Episode #20: MMA Fighter Justin Wren Podcast appeared first on Dream On: Global. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Justin Wren left a promising mixed martial arts career to live as one with the Mbuti Pygmies in the Congo. Through his foundation, Fight for the Forgotten, and other benefactors, Wren helped the Pygmies secure their own land and drill wells to support their community. Now with a new motivation for competing, Justin currently fights in Bellator MMA and with every opportunity tells the story of his Pygmy family in the Congo. Defend the weak, love the unloved, empower the voiceless. In this episode, we get to hear Justin's story, find out what motivates him, talk loss, and Justin tells us about some power visions and dreams that have guided him in his journey.  You can get involved here: http://www.water4.org/fightfortheforgotten/ with Fight for the Forgotten Get involved with the Lacor, Uganda campaign (DIG DEEPER):  www.water4.org/digdeeper Watch a video from Justin: Justin Wren's Facebook Video Get Justin's Book Here  

What's up! This is a very special podcast to me. In this episode of the podcast, I was joined via skype by Justin Wren. He was on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, he currently fights for Bellator and he is the founder of an amazing organization called Fight For the Forgotten. Right now they’re working to raise $50,000 dollars for their new campaign, Dig Deeper and every donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000. With your support they will be able to empower their field partner in northern Uganda, the Young Men Drillers, to dig deeper than ever before as they work to bring safe and living water to nearly 5,000 people! To find out more about their cause and to donate, check them out at https://www.water4.org/4/DigDeeper You can also follow him on Instagram and Twitter @thebigpygmy I also encourage you to check out any of his appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience to really understand the full magnitude of what this man has been through and what they are currently doing for the Mbuti Pygmies of the congo. Enjoy!

UFC veteran Justin “The Big Pygmy” Wren is an American humanitarian worker, and is currently competing in the heavyweight division of Bellator MMA. Deeply involved in the African water crisis, Justin talks about his book “Fight For The Forgotten”, which describes his time digging wells for the Mbuti Pygmies, his upcoming documentary, and his current project, “Dig Deeper”, a campaign to set up five water-vending stations in Uganda. Get more information here: http://www.water4.org/4/DigDeeper .

On a very special episode of the podcast, we were first joined by 9x UFC Welterweight Champion and member of the UFC Hall of Fame, Matt Hughes. We then sat down with Justin Wren who shared with us his riveting tales of sickness and starvation among the Mbuti Pygmies of the Congo. Matt Bessette and Jeff Haddad called in to discuss the grand opening of their new gym, Ascension Athletics, as well as the history of their friendship and fighting futures. Wrapping up the interview portion of the show, we were joined by one half of the main event at CES MMA 35, Massachusetts own Pedro Gonzalez.

Former UFC fighter describes his work with the Mbuti Pygmies.  He tells heartbreaking stories but also uplifting developments in his work to fight for the freedom of these slaves, their reestablishment in hunter-gatherer land, and his future work to bring culturally-appropriate housing technology.  There was audio interference in almost every room and with every piece of equipment, but we pieced together the best parts from the day, especially Justin's presentation to students about Fight for the Forgotten.