Eyedentity Talk with Janna Lopez

Matt Hart is the author of FAMILIAR (Pickpocket Books 2022) and nine other books of poems. Additionally, his poems, reviews, and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in numerous print and online journals. His awards include a Pushcart Prize, a grant from The Shifting Foundation, and fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers. He was a co-founder and the editor-in-chief of Forklift, Ohio: A Journal of Poetry, Cooking & Light Industrial Safety. Currently, he lives in Cincinnati where he teaches at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, co-edits the journal Sôrdəd and plays in the band NEVERNEW.

Gregory Shushan, PhD, is the leading authority on near-death experiences and the afterlife across cultures and throughout history and an award-wining author. His books: The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife, Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions, and Conceptions of the Afterlife in Early Civilizations.Dr. Shushan is a Visiting Fellow at Winchester University, and Research Fellow at the Parapsychology Foundation. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel.

Jim Gaines is an incredibly important individual in the world of journalism. He's the former managing editor of Time, Life, and People magazines. He’s interviewed and written about presidents, celebrities, and notable historical events such as Watergate, and figures, including being the first to interview Mark Chapman, the person who murdered John Lennon. Gaines has written several best-selling historical books, including his recent, The Fifties: An Underground History, “a bold and original argument that upends the myth of the Fifties as a decade of conformity to celebrate the solitary, brave, and stubborn individuals who pioneered the radical gay rights, feminist, civil rights, and environmental movements.” He's one of the most reputable and notable journalists of our time.

Peter Richardson has written critically acclaimed books about Hunter S. Thompson, the Grateful Dead, Ramparts magazine, and radical author/editor Carey McWilliams. “Savage Journey” is Richardson’s recently released book, a biography about Hunter S. Thompson that critically explores Thompson’s process, and the contributions of the work itself. Richardson’s essays have appeared in The Nation, The New Republic, the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Review of Books, Literary Hub. He’s a book reviewer, and guest speaker at universities, museums, book festivals, and historical societies. Since 2006, Richardson has taught courses on California culture at San Francisco State University. Has a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Reach Peter Richardson at http://peterrichardson.blogspot.com.

 Mandy Ingber, The New York Times best-selling author of Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind-Body Makeover and Yogalosophy For Inner Strength: 12 Weeks to Heal Your Heart and Embrace Joy, is a celebrity fitness and wellness expert. Her twenty-five years of teaching attracted clients such as Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Helen Hunt, Ricki Lake, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Meyer, and Brooke Shields. She’s been a contributing fitness and wellness advisor for POPSUGAR, SELF magazine, Shape, and USA Today. Mandy’s featured in publications: Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, O, The Oprah Magazine, People, SELF, Us Weekly, Vanity Fair, Vogue. Prior to her fitness career, Ingber performed on Broadway in the original company of Brighton Beach Memoirs, played Annie Tortelli on the all-time-favorite series Cheers, and is forever remembered for her famous rap in the cult classic Teen Witch.

Phil is a Datacenter Manager for a Top 20 bank, avid Crossfitter/Weightlifter, and Tequila aficionado who lost the majority of his hearing when he was 9 years old. In 2018 he began his return to hearing journey receiving his first cochlear implant. In 2019 he was bilaterally implanted and is now enjoying a life hearing many of the things he missed over the last 40+ years. He resides in North Carolina with his wife of 21 years, Leah, and his youngest daughter, Tori, who is currently attending college.

James Dylan is the singer of Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening (JBLZE). In 2007 Led Zeppelin had recently performed their first full-length concert in nearly 30 years. Rumors circulated that the band was planning to tour, but were put to rest when singer Robert Plant announced that he had no plans to tour with Zeppelin. Jimmy, Jason and John Paul briefly entertained the idea of touring with another singer. Dylan was considered for the role after the band discovered him on the internet. Though the highly anticipated Led Zeppelin reunion tour never came to be, Bonham still wanted to play the music and in February 2009 Jason and James began working together in what would become Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening (JBLZE) - A show where Jason would perform his father's music and share stories from the unique perspectives of being John Bonham's son. With Dylan at the vocal helm, JBLZE has toured with Foreigner, Heart, Cheap Trick, Whitesnake. In 2020 JBLZE launched their Ten Years Gone Tour celebrating the band's 10th year touring. Dylan is also an incredibly accomplished artist. He double-majored in Fine Art and Graphic Design while studying at the School School of Visual Arts in New York. He draws, paints, and designs sets and merchandise for JBLZE. visit www.jamesdylanofficial.com.

David is an author, public speaker, philanthropist, and endurance athlete whose mission is to form more meaningful human connections through storytelling. In his first book, Winning in the Middle of the Pack, he discussed how to get more out of ourselves than ever imagined. With Cycle of Lives, David shares the interconnected stories of people overcoming trauma and delves deeply into their emotional journeys with cancer. He continues to do Ironman triathlons and a wide range of endurance athletic events, having recently completed a solo 4,700-mile bike ride. He is married, lives in Southern Nevada, and has twins who are in college.

Rabbi Josh Rose started Co/Lab: Growing Creative Jewish Portland, after over a decade as a synagogue rabbi. He hailed from multiple generations of rabbis, and first to carve a divergent non-rabbinical path. Although a believer in the work of synagogues, his Jewish path led to more unbound directions. An avid motorcyclist, a mediocre guitarist, and a music freak, he holds a Master of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College, and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard. He lives in Portland with his wife Channah, three boys Eliav, Akiva and Rafael, and terrier Ethel. www.colabprx.org.