Adrienne Maree Brown is the executive director of The Ruckus Society, which brings nonviolent direct action training and action support to communities impacted by economic, environmental and social oppression. She sits on the boards of Allied Media Projects and the Center for Media Justice, and is a participant in Somatics and Social Justice. Adrienne facilitates the development of organizations throughout the movement (most recently Young Women’s Empowerment Project, New Orleans Parents Organizing Network, ColorofChange.org and Detroit Summer). Adrienne is obsessed with learning and developing models for action, community strength, movement building and transformation. www.adriennemareebrown.net

Aqeela Sherrills has traveled as far as Ireland and Serbia to bridge conflicts between communities. He has worked with both gangs and government, and is best known for helping create the 1992 Peace Agreement between Los Angeles gang rivals, the Bloods and the Crips.  He grew up in the Jordan Down housing projects in South Central Los Angeles, joined the Crips when he was 14 and witnessed the deaths of numerous friends.  Going to college at UC Irvine opened his eyes and changed his course.  Through intimate and academic circumstances he began to recognize the essence of all of the work he does today: the unequivocal value of the human spirit.  He believes that these two things are the key to changing our society, and has begun the Reverence Movement to support “intentional conversation” in order to bring about connection and dissolve conflict between people.

Rev. angel Kyodo williams is a maverick spiritual teacher, advisor and friend to many. As founder of urbanPEACE and its Center for Transformative Change, williams sees Transformative Social Change: applying inner awareness practice to broad-based social change, as America's next great movement. angel envisions the building of a presence-centered social justice movement as the foundation for personal freedom, a just society and the healing of divisions of race, class, faith and politic. She notes, "Without inner change, there can be no outer change. Without collective change, no change matters." angel's work engages at the root, field and resource levels of social transformation. www.angelkyodowilliams.com

Councilmember Jesse Arreguín was elected on November 4, 2008, by the voters of District 4 to represent them on the Berkeley City Council. Jesse is the first Latino to be elected to the Council and is the youngest Councilmember in recent memory. However, Jesse also brings years of experience as an activist and public official to the City Council. From an early age, Jesse was passionately committed to social activism. The son and grandson of farm workers, he worked to educate others about the legacy of César Chávez and modeled his life after Chávez's commitment to non-violent social change. www.jessearreguin.com

The creative force of gina Breedlove is as dangerous and delightful as

this Earth we share.  Folksoul is the signature sound of this versatile

vocalist who has graced stages internationally, working with artists

who, like herself, defy and redefine genre. A coalescence of rhythm and blues with storytelling cadences of  folk and gospel; Folksoul allows one to find one's own way into the music, and is uniquely empowering in this way.  gina and the Folksoul crew have pleased and provoked audiences from NYC to Cali.  Folksoul is music that makes you moan, yet leaves you in contemplation, somehow creating its own equilibrium. www.ginabreedlove.com

Laura Inserra was born in Italy. Her style is an interfusion of different musical genres from classical to electronic. Audiences worldwide are not only surprised by this woman from Sicily but captivated by her virtuosity, profound musicality and the passion she brings to the music she performs. For more information visit www.laurainserra.com.

Taber Shadburne  is a professional singer-songwriter and has recorded a CD of his music. He founded the Church of Soul, a progressive spiritual community center in Oakland. He also facilitates bringing compassionate awareness to all the messy, juicy stuff of life -- emotions, relationships, conflict, communication, love and intimacy. His work integrates Buddhism, psychology, and conscious communication. He co-authored The Heart Of Healing: Inspired Ideas, Wisdom And Comfort From Today's Leading Voices.

Katchie Ananda is an internationally recognized, certified Anusara yoga teacher whose leadership in yoga and social change prompted Yoga Journal to name her one of five top yoga teachers making change in the world and East Bay Express to name her 2008 "Best Yoga Teacher". She was also certified in Jivamukti and Integral yoga, as well as extensively trained in Ashtanga Vinyasa under Richard Freeman.  She is the co-founder of Yoga Sangha, now Yoga Kula, a studio in San Francisco renowned for its commitment to “Spiritual Activation”. www.yogasangha.com

Richelle Sigele Donigan has been studying and teaching in the Anusara style since 2003.  Initially drawn into this powerful hatha yoga due to major physical injury, she’s since studied with Anusara founder John Friend, Jim and Ruth Bernhart, Indie Mari  and Katchie Ananda.  Richelle’s teaching incorporates a variety of her skills and abilities in marital arts, dance, and massage therapy, all of which add greater dimension to her yoga practice and instruction by infusing power, strength, fluidity, and knowledge of the body and its alignment.  She seeks to further diversify the yoga community to include more people of color in order to incite fulfillment, healing, and fitness through yoga practice in the lives of those underrepresented in the community.

Marvin K. White, author of the two Lambda Literary Award-nominated collections of poetry last rights and nothin’ ugly fly, is a poet, performer, playwright, visual artist, deacon as well as a community arts organizer. His poetry has been anthologized in many local and national publications including Things Shaped in Passing (Persea Publications) and The Road Before Us (Galiens Press). White holds a fellowship in the national African-American poetry organization, Cave Canem; sits on the board of Fire & Ink, a national black LGBT writers organization; and is co-founder of the black gay arts group B/GLAM. His forthcoming project of the same name Our Name Be Witness (www.redbonepress.com) will be published in the fall of 2009.

Arisa White is a Cave Canem fellow and holds a MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Factory Hollow Press published her chapbook Disposition for Shininess in late 2008. She received a Poets & Writers grant, has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and is featured on the CD, WORD, with the Jessica Jones Quartet. Her work has been anthologized and has appeared in numerous journals.