“My Ongoing Problems With Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl” Debuts in U.S.

Posted on May 4, 2012 by zoeweil

On Thursday, May 10, I will be debuting my new 1-woman show, “My Ongoing Problems with Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl” in the United States. I’m excited. I’ve already had the nightmare during which the curtain opens and I flub my opening line and forget the rest while standing on the stage barefoot (which my director promises me is a very good sign!).

The show has already had its international debut (in Fredericton, NB, Canada), and the organizer had this to say about it:

“With healthy doses of wit, candor, and insight, Zoe Weil shows us just how tricky — and funny — it can be attempting to live as a full-time compassionate citizen on this wonderful, complicated planet.  If you like laughter, deep thought, and hearty challenges, then you don’t want to miss My Ongoing Problems with Kindness.  Long live MOGO Girl and her growing band of solutionaries!” – Kurt Schmidt

So, I feel set to embark upon this adventure, bringing the issues I care about so deeply to new audiences who wouldn’t otherwise come to a presentation or workshop but would come out to be entertained.

If you would like to bring the show to your community, please let me know.

~ Zoe

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Zoe Weil Interview in Forbes Magazine: The Heart of Education

Posted on April 26, 2012 by zoeweil
Image courtesy Amy Wilton Photography.

I’m delighted to share this interview of me that Michael Tobias did for Forbes Magazine! Here’s an excerpt from “The Heart of Education: A Discussion with Zoe Weil”:

Michael Tobias: In your opinion, why is humane education so important?

Zoe Weil: While there are many ways in which humanity is becoming less violent, less prejudiced, and less cruel, the reality of a warming planet with over 7 billion people and limited resources means we face potential economic, social, and environmental catastrophes. While every generation has faced its challenges, only in this century do we confront the possible loss of half of all species on earth, with the simultaneous breakdown of the ecosystems which sustain us all. At the same time, through the Internet, only in this century do we now have the capacity to work together across every border, and collaborate and innovate so quickly and powerfully. There is great and realistic hope that we can solve the challenges we face and transform dysfunctional, inhumane, and destructive systems, but we’ll be hard-pressed to succeed if children in school continue to be taught under centuries-old models, and if our grand purpose for schooling remains to “compete in the global economy,” which is the buzz phrase of our time regarding education reform.

Read the complete interview.

I’d love it if you could please share widely!

~ Zoe

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Debut of My 1-Woman Show: My Ongoing Problems with Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl

Posted on April 10, 2012 by zoeweil

On Friday, April 13th, I’ll be debuting my new 1-woman show, My Ongoing Problems with Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

For some time now I’ve been thinking about new ways to share humane education issues with different and larger audiences than typically come out to hear a talk or attend a workshop. It occurred to me that everyone likes to laugh and be entertained (especially me!), so I created this show to bring important and serious global issues to audiences in an entertaining format. I’m eager to debut the show next week and to bring it on the road in the coming year.

Let me know if you’d like to bring the show to your community!

Zoe

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My 50th Birthday Roast Video

Posted on July 29, 2011 by zoeweil

For today’s blog post, I wanted to share a video roast that my husband put together for me for my 50th birthday. I thought it was hilarious. Enjoy!

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

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My Amazing Weekend at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Posted on June 27, 2011 by zoeweil

My traveling schedule can sometimes get a little overwhelming. For example, in the past two months I’ve been to San Francisco, Florida, the Bahamas, Seattle, Massachusetts (twice), and New York. Periodically, even seemingly awesome invitations – like speaking at the Sivananda Ashram’s Peace Symposium in the Bahamas – can feel like one more thing on the never-ending to do list. And my most recent invitation, to be the keynote speaker at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary’s (CAS) annual Shindig, was one of those where in the days leading up to the 16-hour round trip drive I wondered if it was all worth the effort, especially with our upcoming Summer Institute (July 27-July 1), first ever alumni reunion, and our 15th Anniversary “Crystal Ball” on July 2.

On the drive home from CAS that night, I called our executive director for the second time in a month to say, “Please remind me when I start complaining about my travel schedule to shut up.” I said this because what I thought was going to be a tiring effort on my part turned out to be (like the visit to the ashram in the Bahamas), so profoundly transformative and such a tremendous gift to me personally.

Let me tell you about the Catskill Animal Sanctuary.

Run by the irrepressible, giant-hearted, super smart, hilariously funny, deeply generous Kathy Stevens, who has all the best qualities of the people I most admire all rolled up in one person, this sanctuary oozes joy and love. The people exude it, and the animals bask in it and give it right back. It’s a place where people’s hearts and minds are opened wide. I met Rambo, a very, very special sheep whom I can’t seem to get out of my mind. You can read about his amazing transformation from killer sheep to fierce protector of his fellow rescuees – from turkey to chicken to pig – in Kathy’s wonderful books. Visit this sanctuary if you can.

The take home message I’m leaving with? Keep saying yes. Despite the busy schedule, which often feels like just too much, when I say yes, great things happen. I’m so glad I said yes to the invitation to speak at the Shindig. I left soaring, full of love, with new friends, and much hope and inspiration.

For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Images courtesy of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.

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Creating a Culture of Empathy With Humane Education: An Interview With Zoe Weil

Posted on May 16, 2011 by zoeweil

For my blog post today, I wanted to share an interview I did with the Culture of Empathy Project, talking about empathy, compassion, and humane education.

For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

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Humane Education & Star Trek: Envisioning a Better World for All: My Interview on Conversations with Maine

Posted on April 15, 2011 by zoeweil

I’m delighted to share my interview with Frank Ferrel, host of Conversations With Maine, which recently aired on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. We talked about humane education, the MOGO Principle, my family, Star Trek, the work that I do on behalf of the Institute for Humane Education, and the challenges and joys of making choices that do the most good and least harm for all:

If you enjoy this interview and think it’s valuable, please share it with others so that they can learn more about humane education and the power in the choices that we all have to create a better world. I welcome your comments, as well.

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm and Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

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Filed under: animal protection, citizen activism, critical thinking, Environmental Preservation, human rights, humane education, Institute for Humane Education, Interviews, mindfulness, MOGO (Most Good), systemic change, videos, Zoe Weil appearances | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Rubbing Elbows with Solutionaries: Green Festival San Francisco

Posted on April 13, 2011 by zoeweil

I’ve just returned from California where I had the opportunity to speak at the University of California at Berkeley (a MOGO talk) and on the main stage at the San Francisco Green Festival (a humane education talk). In my absence the ice melted (finally) from our pond, and the crocuses bloomed. Much can happen in just a few days.

While the pond was thawing and the crocuses were blooming, I was talking to scores of people interested in creating a better world. There were so many ideas from so many solutionaries, and I’ve come home with a stack of cards from people I want to work with and learn from. I even got to interview a few of them for Treehugger (and you can watch some of these interviews on Treehugger.com starting here). In the next several blog posts I’m going to talk about these different people and groups and share their ideas, so that together we can expand our reach and efforts.

I’m grateful for the opportunities I had this past weekend, and I’m also grateful to be back in Maine. My first flight home was delayed so I missed my connection in Detroit and had to spend the night at a Detroit hotel. While at first I was frustrated and negative, I realized just how lucky I was to have a bed to sleep in and food to eat, even if I got home a day late. Lessons like that are important, especially after a weekend in the city walking by dozens of people huddled under blankets on the streets; especially when the crises we’re trying to avert claim the lives of millions; especially when I’ve been privileged to do work that helps, surrounded by amazing changemakers.

Stay tuned for more,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Image courtesy of Green Festival.

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Filed under: changemakers, Environmental Preservation, humane education, MOGO (Most Good), Zoe Weil appearances | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Animal Rights Hall of Fame

Posted on August 4, 2010 by zoeweil

On July 17, I was inducted into the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame. To me, this award is a validation of the power of humane education to help create a compassionate world. Having spent my life teaching about the interconnections between human rights, animal protection, and environmental preservation, it’s incredible to have this vision honored in such a public way. That my colleagues in the animal protection movement share my belief not only in the importance of raising a generation to be compassionate and engaged choicemakers and changemakers for a humane and peaceful world, but also in the ability of humane education to achieve that goal means more to me than I can say.

If you would like to watch my acceptance speech, which is about the power of humane education, you can view it in three parts on YouTube (Intro, and Parts 1 and 2). The links are below:

Introduction:

Part 1:

Part 2:

For a humane, peaceful and sustainable world,

Zoe Weil
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, The Power and Promise of Humane Education and Above All, Be Kind

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Competition for the Good #1: Debate Teams in British Columbia

Posted on January 29, 2010 by zoeweil

I’ve just spent a week traveling to British Columbia and Seattle to offer humane education and MOGO (Most Good) workshops. In BC, I first gave a talk at the Vancouver Public Library, and I brought up my idea for solutionary teams in schools to exist alongside debate teams. (I’ve written about this idea in a previous blog post. I was surprised when one of the attendees said that in BC it’s uncommon to have debate clubs or teams at school.

The next day I was leading several workshops at a teachers’ conference, and as part of my keynote talk, I had planned to discuss this idea of solutionary teams in contrast to debate teams, but because I had been prepped by the comment the night before, I wanted to know from the audience if it was true that in British Columbia debate teams were uncommon. Did their schools have debate teams, I asked. They shook their heads. Well, do you have solutionary teams? Still no. So, I encouraged these Canadian teachers to lead the way on solutionary teams, and perhaps we in the U.S. will follow. That is, unless some teachers and school administrators who read this blog want to get them going in their schools!

~ Zoe Weil
Author of Most Good, Least Harm

Image courtesy of Lulu_Vision via Creative Commons.

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