Our guest-host today is Jan Spencer and this is his 7^th time sharing an episode of Creating A Preferred Future, and this is a rather picturesque guided tour of what kind of change will prepare us for a better future.

Sonita Alizada grew up in Afghanistan under that Taliban, and then later in Iran, in a culture where females faced all kinds of trials, including forced marriage for young girls, and much more. Sonita found refuge and nurture via education by NGOs working in Iran, and through which she discovered a talent as a rap artist, with songs like Daughters For Sale.

Though fears about rising fascism in the US are rampant at the beginning of Donald Trump's 2^nd term, there has been a wide-spread increase in fascist movements world-wide over the past few decades, and today's guest, Craig A.

I am so grateful when I find people working for a better world from the depths of their spiritual tradition, and that's exactly what today's guest, Mirele Goldsmith does. She is an environmental psychologist, something that I didn't even know existed, and she is co-founder of the Jewish Earth Alliance.

Chloe Schwenke is a teaching professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University, and has keen observations about the incredible damage, destruction, and death being visited upon Africa and many other areas by the Trump administration's reckless attack on US Agency for International Development, USAID.

Some 15 years ago Maaria Mozaffar began as a civil rights lawyer & mediator, and since then her work has grown to center around both education and legislative advocacy, crafting & organizing legislation centered on religious freedom and rights. As a Muslim, Maaria sees more clearly the tilt, and sometimes the walls, that US society builds against minority faiths and ethnic groups.

This week is the conclusion of our visit with the amazing & inspirational Peter Samuelson about his new book, Finding Happy: A User's Guide to Your Life, With Lessons From Mine. You'll laugh, cry, gasp, pray, & get wiser though all the stories, insights, & lessons that Peter shares.

You've likely encountered Peter Samuelson through his work in the movie industry, like with his movies Revenge of the Nerds, Finding Henri, Wilde, and Tom & Viv, but you may or may not have known of the amazing & extensive work he's done through his non-profits, like Starlight Children's Foundation, First Star Academies, and EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof).

We visit with David Welder, and his wife, Veronica, at their off-grid home called Fisher Cat Creek Forest Preserve (on airbnb and Hipcamp), to talk about his book, Forth to Basics: A Guide to Goin' Off-Grid (And Living More With Less), and his life experience leading up to

In this special Spirit in Action episode, guest-host Nicole Diroff welcomes Dr. Shanon Shah, Director of Faith for the Climate, for a conversation that weaves together faith, identity, and the urgent call for climate justice. A queer Muslim scholar, journalist, and advocate, Shanon shares how his lived experience and academic insight converge in powerful ways to challenge systems of oppression and invite communities into courageous collective action.