The Spiritual Power of a Mayor
It’s August 1999. Cory Booker is a fed-up, 30-year-old City of Newark (New Jersey, USA) Council member, thwarted at every attempt at much-needed reform. After a particularly violent crime at a particularly drug-ravaged high-rise apartment complex, Booker decides it is time for drastic measures. He buys a tent, pitches it next to the complex and goes on a hunger strike. For 10 days, he fasts and ... posted on Oct 06 2006, 2,329 reads

Biking a Million Miles for a Cause
Born with an oxygen deficiency to his brain, Freddie Hoffman entered the world with certain challenges most of us will never face. But he went on to overcome his disability one pedal push at a time. Inspired by watching astronauts land on the moon, Hoffman realized at a young age that his limitations would keep him from becoming an astronaut, in the literal sense. So he decided to ride the distanc... posted on Oct 05 2006, 1,760 reads

Serial Hugger Launches Campaign
Juan Mann (pronounced One Man) has started a campaign to spread smiles that has hit international headlines. A music video posted on You Tube shows Juan on the streets of Sydney wearing a sign that says "Free Hugs". While the response from passer-bys was wonderfully varied and heartwarming, the act itself stirred some controversy in the city. "Free Hugs" was banned until a signature petition overr... posted on Oct 02 2006, 2,147 reads

Village Kids Crack Prestigious Exam
A small, derelict training school in one of India's poorest states is helping an amazing number of underprivileged students crack what is arguably one of the world's most competitive exams. Bihar's Ramanujan School of Mathematics is the brainchild of a local maths teacher, Anand Kumar. In its first year, 18 of the school's 30 students cracked the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) en... posted on Sep 28 2006, 2,074 reads

The Scalpel-and-Pen Wielding Genius
2006 MacCarthur "genius" Atul Gawande wields a scalpel and pen with equal skill. His best-selling book, "Complications" is a series of loosely related essays that focus on surgical themes while highlighting critical issues facing every branch of medicine. The 40-year-old surgeon and author is an assistant professor of surgery and assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard. Gawa... posted on Sep 27 2006, 1,413 reads

Cancelled Wedding Benefits Charity
When painful circumstances forced 29-year-old Kyle Paxman to call off her wedding, she found a way of turning the heartache into an opportunity to be of service. She and her mother canceled the band, photographer and florist, but learned they would not be reimbursed for the reception and block of rooms they had reserved. So they turned her reception into a benefit for the Vermont Children’s Aid ... posted on Sep 24 2006, 3,047 reads

Frustration Transformed Into Inspiration
The quote above contains lines from the 'The Invitation' -- one of today's best-known pieces of inspirational poetry. Oriah Mountain Dreamer wrote it after coming home from a party, frustrated with the superficial social interaction. The next day she emailed the piece she had written to some friends, having no idea that the poem would take on a life of its own. It traveled all around the world, an... posted on Sep 23 2006, 3,269 reads

Dancing to Heal
Anna Halprin, the world-renowned experimental dancer, turned 85 this year. Her focus on dance as a healing art started when she diagnosed her own cancer and survived through a combination of surgery, conventional medical therapies, and unconventional visualization processes. Her institute seeks to draw from the wisdom of the body and the creativity of the imagination as a source for authentic expr... posted on Sep 21 2006, 2,165 reads

Giving Up a Dream to Save a School
Twelve-year old Jon Farrar spent two years building up his "Yankee Account" from money put aside from birthday/Christmas gifts and earned doing chores around the house. His ultimate dream was to see his favorite baseball team play this summer in Yankee Stadium. He was $1000 closer to that dream when he first heard that his middle school was short of funds and in danger of being closed. Jon made th... posted on Sep 15 2006, 2,126 reads

Theater For The Disabled
Belfast, Maine, is home to a Jesuit brother named Rick Curry, whose breads are making headlines and whose National Theater Workshop of the Handicapped is making history. Born without a right forearm, Bro. Curry's parents taught him to never use his handicap as an excuse. The concept for the National Theater Workshop for the Handicapped came after he was turned down for a role in a mouthwash commer... posted on Sep 09 2006, 1,959 reads