Local Conversations: San Francisco 2001

October 27, 2001

This is to let you know that on October 27, 2001 (Saturday) from 2-5 PM, we will be meeting at the BK Center at 401 Baker Street in San Francisco to discuss plans for the Festival in which we are participating next May 10, 11 and 12 at the Interfaith Chapel in the Presidio.

Paul Chaffee, Director of the Chapel is coordinating this event and has invited IV of Hope to assist in the planning for this Bay Area event of artists, performers, peace activists, storytellers, journalists .... (you get the idea) as we come together to present to our Bay Area neighbors 3 days of enticing, informative, heart centered, hope filled experiences. We will be meeting with others at this October 27 meeting whom Paul has invited so it looks like it will be a stimulating gathering.

Please plan on joining us on October 27 as we make plans for what I am sure will be a great 3 day Festival here in the Bay Area. I would appreciate it if you would RSVP back to me if you plan to attend this October 27 meeting. If I don't hear from you I'll assume you will NOT be attending this planning meeting. Thanks.

My best,
Barry Fishman
Shining Lights in the Media

On August 9, 2001, San Francisco hosted its first IV of Hopegathering at the BK Center. Forty-fivepeople attended for a three hour program that encompassed the expressive arts; film, poetry, storytelling, song, lecture and meditation. Specifically the program highlighted the work of Bay Area residents Terri Glass (poetry), Paul Andrews (Improbable Pairsvideo), Barry Fishman (Forgiveness Campaign), Bill McCarthy (TV show PositiveSpin), Masankho Banda (Storytelling), BK Sister Elizabet (Song) and a talk and guided mediation by Sister Jayantri from the BK London Center.

Those in attendance saw this as the first step in producing a larger Images and Voices of Hope Festival for the spring of 2002 here in the Bay Area, possibly to be held at the Interfaith Chapel at the Presidio u der the guidance of Paul Chaffee. We will begin the planning process in September of 2001, as there appears to be a great deal of enthusiasm for this venture.
I might add, that the BK as part of this event served dinnerand it was delicious. Over dinner, guests were given a questionnaire to fill out that focused on the appreciative inquiry process; asking them to identify an experience they encountered in the media that gave them hope. They werethen asked to share that with their dinner partners.

We look forward to creating and participating in more inspiring events in the future.