digital be-in Speakers

Vinit Allen (Sustainable World Coalition)
As Executive Director of the Sustainable World Coalition, Vinit directs a staff of 6 and volunteer team of 15 who are producing the Sustainable World Symposium, taking place on June 19, 2004 at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco. The Symposium provides an overview of the critical global issues, workable alternatives, and a gameplan for solution-oriented action.

Kevin Bankston (EFF)
Kevin Bankston, Equal Justice Works/Bruce J. Ennis Fellow, is an attorney specializing in free speech and privacy law. Before joining EFF, Kevin was the Justice William J. Brennan First Amendment Fellow for the American Civil Liberties Union in New York City. At the ACLU, Kevin litigated Internet-related free speech cases, including First Amendment challenges to both the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (Edelman v. N2H2, Inc.) and a federal statute regulating Internet speech in public libraries (American Library Association v. U.S.).

Swami Beyondananda (wakeuplaughing.com)
Swami Beyondananda, the cosmic comic whose comedy has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom disguised as comedy,” is the alter ego of writer and comedian Steve Bhaerman. The Swami is the author of Driving Your Own Karma, When You See A Sacred Cow Milk It For All It’s Worth, and Duck Soup for the Soul. His new book, Swami for Precedent: A 7-Step Plan to Heal the Body Politic and Cure Electile Dysfunction, uses the magic of humor to enlighten, encourage and empower anyone who wants a more just, healthy and sustainable world.

Marc Canter (Founder Macromedia)
Co-founder of Macromedia, Marc is widely recognized as one of the "fathers" of multimedia. He's currently working on bringing digital lifestyle aggregation to the world and promulgating new open standards--like FOAF and OpenReviews.

Ram Dass (Seva Foundation)
Ram Dass is a "noted Western spiritual teacher whose best-known book, Be Here Now, was the doorway into the spiritual journey for a generation of seekers" (Ram Dass Tape Library website). According to RDTL, Be Here Now, published in 1971, has sold over one million copies and is in its 37th printing. His latest book, One-Liners: A Mini-Manual for a Spiritual Life was published by Bell Tower Press in September, 2002. In September, 2004, Harmony will be publishing Ram Dass' next book, entitled Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita. Since his 1997 stroke, which left him with expressive aphasia and partial paralysis, he has been able to resume his teaching commitments and is using the experience to explore the spiritual dimensions of suffering and the nature of the aging process.

Jim Fournier (PlanetWork)
Jim Fournier is cofounder of PLANETWORK, a San Francisco based non-profit which produced the first international conference on global ecology and information technology in May 2000, and convenes an annual conference and numerous other projects on the application of information technology to pressing real world issues, focused especially on ecology, social justice and political self-determination as articulated in the Earth Charter

Bob Gelman (Digital Be-In)
Bob B. Gelman is a producer, musician, author, and event creator who has played a key role in numerous watershed cultural events including CyberArts International, Burning Man, International Music Expo, and was the producer of the Digital Be-In for six years. His book, Protecting Yourself Online, The EFF Guide to Safety, Freedom, and Privacy in Cyberspace was the first consumer resource book on using the Internet wisely. He is currently working on the development of The Silicon Valley Art Museum and Liberty Bloom, an online solution for independent musicians and artist management.

Michael Gosney (Digital Be-In)
Michael Gosney is a pioneering publisher and producer of digital media projects as well as landmark events such as the Burning Man Community Dance, Paradox at Arcosanti, and Green Spirit Dance. Michael also consults with publishers on electronic publishing, and launched Green Century Institute, a non-profit focused on fostering development of sustainable communities.

Marika Olson (MoveOn.org)
Marika Olson is MoveOn.org's Member Engagement Manager. She brings her 6 years of experience in the computer industry, and 3 years of involvement as a youth activist to MoveOn. Marika is the primary point of contact for MoveOn's 2 million members, is the contact for outside press, and is the conduit of communication from the members into the core group at MoveOn. Marika is passionate about engaging other young people in her age group (she is 25) in the democratic process.

Patrick Flanagan (Flantech)
Dr. Patrick Flanagan, M.D., PhD., possesses unique scientific abilities and insights. For decades he has reorganized key concepts from a variety of applied sciences to solve unsolvable problems. He is the ultimate futurist with deep encyclopedic knowledge of the applied sciences. His first book in 1973 on the scientific method applied to sacred geometry, Pyramid Power sold more than 1.5 million copies in hardbound. A prolific inventor, Dr. Flanagan is credited with over 300 inventions and was named 1997 Scientist of the Year by the International Association for New Science. To view, research, purchase or gift Dr. Flanagan's Blessings to this world, see: www.phisciences.com and www.neurophone.com

R.U. Sirius (Mondo 2000/Neo Files)
Co-founder of the influential cybermag, MONDO 2000, R.U. Sirius has written columns for Wired, ARTFORUM International, The Web, and San Francisco Examiner. In 2000 he ran a “Mock the Vote” write-in campaign for the presidency. He now edits the online ‘zine, The Neo Files, and his new book, Countercultures Through the Ages: From Abraham to Acid House will be published this November by Villard Books.

Wavy Gravy (Seva Foundation)
Wavy Gravy was at Woodstock as a member of an entertainment/activist commune known as the Hog Farm. Today, the Hog Farm collectively owns and operates the 700-acre Black Oak Ranch and hosts the annual Pig-Nic. Wavy now codirects (with his wife, Jahanara) Camp Winnarainbow, a performing arts program for children at Hog Farm every summer, as well as the organization of all-star rock concerts to raise money for a variety of environmental, progressive, political, and charitable causes, most notably Seva, a foundation he cofounded 18 years ago.