On the Summer Solstice, the longest day was put to extremely good use in Long Beach, California where the largest Symposium to date was held with over 550 participants; and then two hours later, in the same room with many of the same wonderful people, over a quarter of a million dollars was raised for The Pachamama Alliance.
All of this happened within an organization called HUB (Humanity Unites Brilliance) whose vision and leadership has created an organization of individuals committed to personal development and philanthropy. Saturday, June 21, fell right in the middle of HUB’s 5-day training and official launch and they generously offered a full day to the Pachamama Alliance for a Symposium and a fundraiser. In addition, HUB also chose Pachamama as an “Impact Partner” - a not-for-profit, cause-related organization that receives monthly contributions from revenues generated by members.
The Symposium was led by Lynne Twist, acclaimed author, Jack Canfield, Marcia Martin and Terry Tillman, all respected and well-known leaders in personal development. Their experience and contribution enriched the Symposium considerably, and the feel of the event was palpable. The new Video Enhanced Symposium received much applause and praise by participants. The success of the event was best indicated by one remarkable moment. As we discussed the power of taking a stand and Van Jones spoke on video about one person starting a standing ovation, the room rose to its feet, nearly 600 people declaring their stand for an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on Earth. Participants expressed massive interest in being trained to facilitate Symposiums, hosting one and/or traveling to the rainforest with Pachamama.
The fundraiser was also extraordinary. Lynne Twist did a brilliant job at conveying the unique vision of The Pachamama Alliance and created a beautiful opening for participants to actively fund this important work. Jack and Inga Canfield offered to match every dollar for the first $100,000 raised, and participants took on the challenge. The match was met and exceeded and everyone was left gratified at the collective accomplishment as it was announced later that evening.
We are profoundly grateful to Marcia Martin, long-time friend and supporter of our Lynne Twist and Pachamama - it was her vision and organizing which linked us to HUB and made the event possible. Charlie Gay and his fellow founders at HUB deserve our heart-felt thanks for their generosity and for the wonderful, aligned work they are doing. Teamwork played a big part in the success of the day – many Pachamama community members in the LA area stepped forward to offer their support, making this inspiring day possible.
