Podcast appearances and mentions of river phoenix center

Welcome back to the LaunchLeft podcast. This week Rain welcomes her sister Summer Phoenix to the show. Summer shares about her new business venture with co-owner Stacey Mann, STAY.  STAY is LA’s first alcohol-free, zero-proof bar. We talk about Summer’s relationship with music and how STAY is an extension of her commitment to center an alcohol free and vegan lifestyle. Summer launches Riley Polanski in this episode. Riley discusses what led him to music, and how he shifted his focus from business law to music, and how that decision has impacted his life. Tune in to hear his story and beautiful voice as he performs a live acoustic version of his song “Eloise”. -----------------  LAUNCHLEFT OFFICIAL WEBSITEhttps://www.launchleft.com  LAUNCHLEFT PATREON https://www.patreon.com/LaunchLeft  TWITTER https://twitter.com/LaunchLeft  INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/launchleft/  FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/LaunchLeft  --------------------- LaunchLeft Podcast hosted by Rain Phoenix is an intentional space for Art and Activism where famed creatives launch new artists. LaunchLeft is an alliance of left-of-center artists, a curated ecosystem that includes a podcast, label and NFT gallery. --------------------- IN THIS EPISODE:  [01:48] Summer discusses the genesis of STAY and what it means to her.  [06:52] Did Summer use her background of interior design to decorate STAY? [07:58] Summer discusses the possibility of returning to film or TV. [10:07] How did music find Summer? [12:04] Who does Summer’s graphic design? [12:49] Summer shares some of her favorite female-run businesses. [15:59] Summer launches Riley Polanski and talks about how he brought her out of retirement.  [18:58] How did music find Riley Polanski?  [20:35] What led Riley to start creating music?  [21:45] Riley shares the song he will perform live and the story behind it.  [23:10] Riley’s song Eloise, performed live in the studio.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:  You can always try something new. You can learn the skills and put your heart into it and achieve your goals.  Having a space to gather with friends and family or in creative community without the pressures of alcohol is important, and there should be more spaces like STAY. Never say never. Riley Polanski is a perfect example of someone who was going to go a very different direction in life, and then music found its way back and he is now a wonderful singer and songwriter.    RESOURCE LINKS:  LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link Links for Summer Phoenix: Summer Phoenix's Instagram  Stay Zero Proof Website  Stay Zero Proof's Instagram Links for Riley Polanski: Riley Polanski's Instagram    BIOGRAPHY:  Summer Phoenix’s Bio SUMMER PHOENIX  is a single mom of two sons, an actor, musician, animal rights activist, and environmentalist. She is the founder of both August Jude Design and Some Odd Rubies having created sustainability models in fashion and interior design for over two decades. She also served on the Board of River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and prioritizes being alcohol and drug free. She currently is half of STAY. - LA’s first zero-proof bar.    Riley Polanski’s Bio Introducing Shadow Pop visionary Riley Polanski, LGBTQ+ and rooted in the vibrant cultural landscape of Los Angeles, Polanski's musical palette draws from the rich tapestry of folk and alternative pop. In an industry often defined by its rigidity, Polanski's emergence is nothing short of extraordinary. At the heart of Polanski's artistry lies a profound desire to serve those who feel “othered.” His lyrics, born from the crucible of personal struggle with addiction and abuse, bleed with raw authenticity, inviting listeners into an intoxicating journey of self-discovery. In both his recorded works and electrifying live performances alongside his bandmate, Distant Cowboy on cello, Polanski curates an immersive sonic experience that transcends mere entertainment. Complemented by the visual artistry of Rion Ezra and the insightful docuseries crafted by Serena Jewel, Polanski uses multimedia as a multi-dimensional glimpse into the creative Mind behind his emotionally-charged soundscapes.  

Episode SummaryIn The Work of Repairing Harm, the warm-hearted Jeffrey Weisberg joins the podcast for a rich and moving conversation about his experience with Peacebuilding and Restorative Justice practices. As the Executive Director and co-founder of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, Jeffrey shares his perspective and insight on the incredible value these practices have for relationships of all shapes and sizes. With equal amounts of energy, vision, and honesty, Jeffrey walks us through the key questions and approaches of what it takes to repair harm. Whether that is the challenges of refugees in Uganda trying to work through the pressures and hardships of living in a refugee camp, the impact fights on school campuses can have, or the longstanding mistrust between black and brown youth and police departments across America, Jeffrey provides a convincing portrait of how Restorative Justice and other Peacebuilding efforts are a profound resource for dealing with conflict. Specifically, he describes how four key questions and a good dose of thoughtful preparation and finesse, can create a space for repairing harm by discovering 1) What happened? 2) What was the impact? 3) How can we repair the harm? and 4) How can we ensure it doesn't happen again? Later in the show, Jeffrey emphasizes the importance of multipartiality in his work. Multipartiality advocates for ensuring all voices are elevated in the Restorative Justice process and equity work in general. It is essential for trust-building across communities with different concerns and experiences, particularly in light of racial disparities still happening. With nuance and humility, we come to learn that, yes, the work of equity requires sincere effort and care from everyone involved.We also get a powerful glimpse into why truth-telling and deep listening are at the core of repairing human relationships as we discuss the Police Youth Dialogue Model. Police Youth Dialogues bring together Police officers and the black and brown youth in the communities they serve to listen to each other's experiences. Jeffrey's tales from these events prove to be a moving and inspiring example of how differences can be bridged through communication.Throughout Episode #38, we get real and vital pictures of how peacebuilding and restorative justice can transform relationships, support communities, and change the way we deal with transgressions and injuries. Ultimately they offer us a pathway to reconnection. It is an honor to hear tales from one so heartfully committed to doing The Work of Repairing Harm as our guest, Jeffrey Weisberg. About Jeffrey Weisberg: Jeffrey is the Executive Director and co-founder of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. He has designed, developed, and implemented a wide range of programs and services in his local community of Gainesville, Florida, throughout the United States and in countries throughout the world. His work with youth includes police/youth dialogues, student/educator dialogues, peer mediation, juvenile diversion programs, social/emotional learning, restorative justice, youth empowerment, and coming-of-age programs. For the past 25 years, Jeffrey has served as a Florida Certified State Mediator and mediates cases involving juvenile offenders, family disputes, and conflicts within small businesses and organizations. In addition, he is using Restorative Practices to support the Department of Juvenile Justice, the court system, schools, prisons, and communities to bolster alternatives to the punitive model. He is a founding member of The Peace Alliance. He believes that by training and empowering both youth and adults to learn and practice vital communication skills, we not only create greater connections with others, but we can de-escalate conflict for safer and more productive outcomes.

In today's episode, I will be talking about the 80s/90s film icon, River Phoenix. He died at the mere age of 23, but lived a long and full life, which is what he should be remembered for. I'll be covering topics like his tumultuous childhood, all of the films he starred in, his band Aleka's Attic, the romantic and familial relationships he had, and the numerous roles he could have played. Links:Lars Beckman's Essay: https://larsbeckerman.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/a-river-runs-through-us/River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding: https://www.centerforpeacebuilding.org/LaunchLeft Podcast Episode for River's 50th Birthday: https://youtu.be/ELE-sYS9gNQLast Night at the Viper Room Book: https://amzn.to/3ARH7qlAleka's Attic Music: https://amzn.to/3eenh0UFollow Audrey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flick.loving.chick/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On the fourth episode in the inaugural season of the Women Beyond Walls podcast, Sabrina Mahtani is joined in conversation by Jhody Polk, the Founder/Director of the Legal Empowerment and Advocacy Hub (LEAH) and Director of Community Justice at the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in the USA. LEAH is the home of the National Jailhouse Lawyers Initiative and is the first Participatory Defense Hub in the state of Florida. Jhody, a formerly incarcerated Jailhouse Lawyer and powerful advocate for change, explains why she believes we all need to be more open to learning - and unlearning - in the pursuit of justice for all. Sharing with us some of the barriers facing women both inside prisons and outside in their communities, Jhody powerfully unpacks the reasons she remains hopeful in the face of injustice and asks us all to consider what is "ours to do" in tackling the over-incarceration of women worldwide.

Uncarcerated explores the world of prison reform, abolition, justice reform, and formerly incarcerated individuals' personal journeys. In this episode, we hit an absolute home run with an absolute jewel of a person, Jhody Polk. Jhody is a force of nature. She has many accomplishments - Founder and President of the Legal Empowerment Advocacy Hub (LEAH), Soros Justice Fellow, former director of Community Justice at the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, and so much more... but most importantly, she's Jhody, one of the best humans we've ever encountered. So subscribe and enjoy this enlightening engagement. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/leigh-scott5/support

A career retrospective with recording artist Rain Phoenix. Moderated by James Patrick Herman. Music chooses its vessels early on. At three-years-old, Rain Phoenix first uncovered her voice. Standing next to late big brother River, she belted along as he strummed “a guitar way too big for his five-year-old body.” Her story as an artist started there. “My first music memory was singing along to my brother at three,” she recalls. “The rest was history. From that day on, I sang with him. We maintained the same connectivity until I was twenty. Music has always been me next to him. All of the other incarnations of me playing in bands was just trying to understand how to make music without him. Through the process of making my solo record, I realized that instead of trying to understand music without him, I needed to include him, because he never really left.” These intimate moments set the stage for a fascinating musical journey. At the age of sixteen, she joined River in his band Aleka's Attic, developing a devoted following based on early recordings such as “Goldmine,” “Too Many Colors,” and “Across the Way.” Rain lent her voice as a backup vocalist to various legendary groups, working with R.E.M. in the studio and accompanying Red Hot Chili Peppers on the One Hot Minute Tour. Alongside sister Summer, she joined new wave punk upstarts The Causey Way in 1997, releasing a pair of albums and EPs. 2003 saw her form papercranes, which she fronted for the next decade through a prolific series of full-length albums and EPs. Not only did sisters Summer and Liberty guest on various tracks, but the band welcomed a rotating cast of talented friends and collaborators, including Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jenny O, Dermot Mulroney, and Kirk Hellie, to name a few. A devoted artist-activist, she was also a founding member of the NYC political cabaret The Citizens Band (2004-2012), performing alongside a wide array of notable artists, activists, and musicians. In 2013, she co-founded the folk duo Venus and The Moon garnering acclaim from Entertainment Weekly, Vice, LA Weekly, and more. Along the way, she also brought numerous film and television roles to life with memorable and magnetic performances. She went from Family Ties to Academy® Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant's 1993 adaptation of Even Cowgirls Get The Blues alongside Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves. Her filmography also spans I Woke Up Early the Day I Died, O, Harry and Max, and Hitch, to name a few. Additionally, Rain remains a committed philanthropist. In addition to serving on the boards of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and The Lunchbox Fund, she supports The Art of Elysium. She founded Gift Horse Project which became LaunchLeft “an alliance of left-of-center artists.” The latter doubles as a podcast and label home for both Aleka's Attic and her very first solo record River. “LaunchLeft is an artist launching platform where well-known creatives launch emerging artists. It's about backing artists who are passionate, challenge the status quo and push boundaries with their work whether it's popular or not,” she leaves off. “My brother espoused this same ethos. He invited me into Aleka's Attic and taught me so much about all things creative. It's a platform for mentorship and cultural change. It will eventually include all art forms, but it starts with music—like my journey did.”

Micah Johnson is an assistant professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida and a research assistant around law, poverty, race and behavioral health. Jeffery Weisberg has been involved in experiential education and is trained as a certified mediator. Jeffery's certification came through the Florida Supreme Court. Both Jeffery Weisberg and Dr. Micah Johnson are director of the River Phoenix Center for Peace.

Is it time for some deep and broad perspective?  Some inspiration?  Some comfort - with a strong dash of motiovation?  Dot Maver is our prescription.  Join us this Tuesday and visit with Dot - who is our founding Executive Director,  and co-founder of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures of Peace, the Global Silent Minute, the National Peace Academy, and the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. In 2004, Dot served as National Campaign Manager for Kucinich for President. Dot's "keynote" is "inspiring cooperation on behalf of the common good," and she consistently delivers on that theme.  

How can Peacebuilding Promote Racial Justice? And how can YOU help it Happen? Find out on The Peace Alliance Monthly Call!   Tuesday, March 9th, 2020 Heart Phoenix was one of the Peace Alliance's original founders, in 2004. She and Jeffrey Weisberg served on our board for years, and went on to found the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding (RPCP). RPCP is now a groundbreaking international pioneer in training and facilitation of restorative justice, social-emotional learning, police-youth dialogues, and other skills and modalities so fundamental to transform our culture towards peace!!

I was fortunate to meet Dr. Liovani Nazario during an immersion experience at the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in Gainesville, Florida in October 2019.    As you'll see and hear, Liovani's story is a unique and inspired example of “Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World”.  Her life resonates with clear themes of fairness and inclusivity.  With a strong role model  in her mom,  she starts by telling us about her roots in Puerto Rico that … Liovani Nazario – Champion for Fairness and Equity Read More »

Join us as Dot Maver and Heart Phoenix lead us in exploring the question: What is your new story? Dot and Heart are long-time friends of the Peace Alliance. Dot is now chiefly involved in the Global Silent Minute, and Heart in the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. They each shared a song, and one of our guests also closed with a sing-along song. They encouraged us to merge with all beings at this time, and recognized the all systems breakdown is existing simultaneously with an all systems breakthrough. Check the calendar of Events at www.peacealliance.org — join us at the next Hope Story Circle and share your emerging stories!

A career retrospective with recording artist Rain Phoenix on January 22, 2020. Moderated by James Patrick Herman. Music chooses its vessels early on. At three-years-old, Rain Phoenix first uncovered her voice. Standing next to late big brother River, she belted along as he strummed “a guitar way too big for his five-year-old body.” Her story as an artist started there. “My first music memory was singing along to my brother at three,” she recalls. “The rest was history. From that day on, I sang with him. We maintained the same connectivity until I was twenty. Music has always been me next to him. All of the other incarnations of me playing in bands was just trying to understand how to make music without him. Through the process of making my solo record, I realized that instead of trying to understand music without him, I needed to include him, because he never really left.” These intimate moments set the stage for a fascinating musical journey. At the age of sixteen, she joined River in his band Aleka’s Attic, developing a devoted following based on early recordings such as “Goldmine,” “Too Many Colors,” and “Across the Way.” Rain lent her voice as a backup vocalist to various legendary groups, working with R.E.M. in the studio and accompanying Red Hot Chili Peppers on the One Hot Minute Tour. Alongside sister Summer, she joined new wave punk upstarts The Causey Way in 1997, releasing a pair of albums and EPs. 2003 saw her form papercranes, which she fronted for the next decade through a prolific series of full-length albums and EPs. Not only did sisters Summer and Liberty guest on various tracks, but the band welcomed a rotating cast of talented friends and collaborators, including Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jenny O, Dermot Mulroney, and Kirk Hellie, to name a few. A devoted artist-activist, she was also a founding member of the NYC political cabaret The Citizens Band (2004-2012), performing alongside a wide array of notable artists, activists, and musicians. In 2013, she co-founded the folk duo Venus and The Moon garnering acclaim from Entertainment Weekly, Vice, LA Weekly, and more. Along the way, she also brought numerous film and television roles to life with memorable and magnetic performances. She went from Family Ties to Academy® Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant’s 1993 adaptation of Even Cowgirls Get The Blues alongside Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves. Her filmography also spans I Woke Up Early the Day I Died, O, Harry and Max, and Hitch, to name a few. Additionally, Rain remains a committed philanthropist. In addition to serving on the boards of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and The Lunchbox Fund, she supports The Art of Elysium. She founded Gift Horse Project which became LaunchLeft “an alliance of left-of-center artists.” The latter doubles as a podcast and label home for both Aleka’s Attic and her very first solo record River. “LaunchLeft is an artist launching platform where well-known creatives launch emerging artists. It’s about backing artists who are passionate, challenge the status quo and push boundaries with their work whether it’s popular or not,” she leaves off. “My brother espoused this same ethos. He invited me into Aleka’s Attic and taught me so much about all things creative. It’s a platform for mentorship and cultural change. It will eventually include all art forms, but it starts with music—like my journey did.”

"No Justice, No Peace?" or "Know Justice, Know Peace?" Both? and How can we Build Peace and Justice in Our Communities? find out on The Peace Alliance Monthly Call! Our January Guest, Jhody Polk, is a Peacebuilding Phenomenon.  While spending 7 years incarcerated, she pursued a legal education working in the prison library, and in 2018 became a Soros Fellow - working to share that empowering education with other jailhouse lawyers and law clerks in prisons throughout the US.  Meanwhile as a Peace Builder with the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, Jhody facilitates Community and Restorative Justice among marginalized communities of color and incarcerated populations in Florida.  Her activities and achievements go on and on, and we are thrilled she joined us Tuesday!  We discussed the intersection of Peace and Justice, and how we can all bring more of both into our local communities!

Dorothy J. Maver, Ph.D. is an educator and peacebuilder whose keynote is inspiring cooperation on behalf of the common good. She is a co-founder and board member of the National Peace Academy USA, Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures of Peace, and the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding. Her work in education, politics and grassroots community organizing is focused on applied peacebuilding utilizing a shared responsibility and shared leadership model. Dot is a co-author of the book Conscious Education: The Bridge to Freedom; she is a Fellow with the World Business Academy and serves on a number of advisory boards and councils, including the Shift Network Summer of Peace Wisdom Council. In addition to all that Dot is doing, she is also the creator and organizer of the upcoming Global Silent Minute. Visit www.globalsilentminute.org, www.nationalpeaceacademy.us & www.centerforpeacebuilding.org. Get the new Your Inner World – Guided Meditations by Sister Jenna. Visit www.americameditating.org. Download our free Pause for Peace App for Apple or Android.

This week on Love (and Revolution) Radio, we speak with five amazing guests - Kathy Kelly, Tom Hastings, David Soumis, Gretchen Casey, Cindy Reinhardt - who are all working in the fields of peace and conflict resolution as we take a look at Rivera Sun's novel, The Way Between, as lens for the escalating conflicts in our real world. Sign up for our weekly email: http://www.riverasun.com/love-and-revolution-radio/ About Our Guests: Kathy Kelly is a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence and a co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, which sent over 70 delegations to Iraq from 1996 to 2003, in open defiance of deadly U.S./UN economic sanctions. Her most recent travel has involved extensive work with community organizers in Kabul, Afghanistan. Kelly's nonviolent activism has incurred frequent arrests including several lengthy incarcerations in U.S. prisons against whose conditions she also campaigns. Tom Hastings is the Director of PeaceVoice, a professor of peace and conflict studies at Portland State University, and the author of several books including "A New Era of Nonviolence". David Soumis is a member of Veterans For Peace. Along with Lars Prip and other local VFP members, he demonstrates for peace weekly in Madison, WI, as well as participates in numerous other nonviolent actions for peace and justice. Gretchen Casey is the Training and Outreach Director for the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in Gainesville, Florida. She is the founder of Unshame, a social media platform breaking the stigma around sexual violence. She has been a Victim Advocate with the Florida State Attorney's Office and Attorney General's Office for thirty-two years. Cindy Reinhardt works with people in coaching and runs a bed and breakfast in Crestone, CO, offering multi-day retreats to help people harmonize with their self, others, and the planet. Related Links: The Way Between by Rivera Sun https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996639136 The Way Between (on Rivera Sun's website) http://www.riverasun.com/the-way-between/ Voices for Creative Nonviolence http://vcnv.org/ Afghan Peace Volunteers http://ourjourneytosmile.com/blog/ PeaceVoice http://www.peacevoice.info/ A New Era of Nonviolence by Tom Hastings https://www.amazon.com/New-Era-Nonviolence-Power-Society/dp/078649431X Veterans For Peace https://www.veteransforpeace.org/ River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding http://www.centerforpeacebuilding.org/ Dragonfly House (Cindy's B & B) http://cindyreinhardt.com/dragonflyhousebedandbreakfast/ Cindy Reinhardt's Blog http://cindyreinhardt.com/thezone/ Music by: "Love and Revolution" by Diane Patterson and Spirit Radio www.dianepatterson.org About Your Co-hosts: Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot) is an Indigenous rights attorney, writer and activist who melds traditional life-way teachings into spirit-based movements. Follow her at Sherri Mitchell – Wena’gamu’gwasit: https://www.facebook.com/sacredinstructions/timeline Rivera Sun is a novelist and nonviolent mischief-maker. She is the author of The Dandelion Insurrection, Billionaire Buddha, and Steam Drills, Treadmills, and Shooting Stars. Her essays on social justice movements are syndicated on by PeaceVoice, and appear in Truthout and Popular Resistance. http://www.riverasun.com/

This week on Love and Revolution Radio, we speak with Heart Phoenix and Jeffrey Weisberg of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in Gainesville, Florida about how to use peacebuilding, restorative justice and conflict resolution to help heal and strengthen our local communities. "Peacebuilding is an amazing way to build the resilience of young people." - Heart Phoenix "The antidote to despair is empowerment." - Jeffrey Weisberg Sign up for our weekly email: http://www.riverasun.com/love-and-revolution-radio/ About Our Guests: Heart Phoenix is the president of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, an educator, activist and champion of environmental and animal rights, social justice, peacebuilding and gender equality. She is the cofounder of the Peace Alliance and the chair of the Peace Alliance Educational Institute. Jeffrey Weisberg is the Executive Director of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, and serves as a Florida certified state mediator. He is a founding member of the Peace Alliance. Related Links: The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding http://centerforpeacebuilding.org/ Inaugural Community Peacebuilder Residential Immersion Training http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1108996851245&ca=caf22140-c139-4a25-9bb9-a31076f1306b Paul K. Chappell on Love (and Revolution) Radio: http://occupyradio.podomatic.com/entry/2016-01-19T21_00_00-08_00 The Cosmic Ocean by Paul K. Chappell http://paulkchappell.com/the-cosmic-ocean/ Music by: "Love and Revolution" by Diane Patterson and Spirit Radio www.dianepatterson.org "Chosely" by Crowfoot on the Nadajai CD http://www.crowfootmusic.com/ About Your Co-hosts: Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot) is an Indigenous rights attorney, writer and activist who melds traditional life-way teachings into spirit-based movements. Follow her at Sherri Mitchell – Wena’gamu’gwasit: https://www.facebook.com/sacredinstructions/timeline Rivera Sun is a novelist and nonviolent mischief-maker. She is the author of The Dandelion Insurrection, Billionaire Buddha, and Steam Drills, Treadmills, and Shooting Stars. She is also the social media coordinator and nonviolence trainer for Campaign Nonviolence and Pace e Bene. Her essays on social justice movements are syndicated on by PeaceVoice, and appear in Truthout and Popular Resistance. http://www.riverasun.com/

The River of Peace and Justice: regaining interconnectivity to sustain and flourish amidst conflict and change with heart phoenix, dot maver, and jeffrey weisberg of the river phoenix center for peacebuilding Heart Phoenix, Jeffrey Weisberg, Dot Maver (L to R) of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding Thursday, May 3rd Focus: We will explore the foundational, […] The post The River of Peace and Justice appeared first on Restorative Justice On The Rise.