My long time friend, Karen Blessen, recently added another honor to her list (that includes a Pulitzer Prize). The Dallas Observer named her as one of the "Masterminds" of the Dallas art scene. The guidelines for selection were simple and Karen's bona fides were ample: make the community, maybe even the world, better through the artists' work. Through Today Marks the Beginning she and her colleagues work with schools, organizations and individuals to raise awareness of social issues and promote peace, cooperation and positive change through art projects, writing and other creative action.
At this link is a video, directed and filmed by John Katz, showing children from around the world addressing their solutions to the situation in Darfur and answering the question of what they would do "If I were a great peacemaker". As well as founder of Today Marks the Beginning, Karen is program manager of MasterPEACE, which created the program depicted in the video.
Imagine using education and activities to guide children toward a culture of peace, tolerance and problem solving that can benefit everybody, instead of training more obedient drones for the corporatocracy...what a concept!
Karen is a writer, artist, speaker, world changer and inspiration to anyone paying attention. In a culture which honors self-aggrandizement over service and self-promotion over contributions to the common good Karen is an exception and I'm proud to call her friend.
More of her accomplishments and passions can be found at her web site: karenblessen.com.
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