is what it’s like for humans and animals
“When the inner joy Mother
thing done, you have to understand how
to live in a quiet, meditative space
Teresa spoke of, the joy of
to function inside the political system.”
where, undisturbed, we can feel their A self-described “half capitalist,
essence and they can feel ours.”
compassionate service, is
half environmentalist,” Von Otnott sells
married to a practical and
solar products and avidly promotes
Contact Susan Eirich, Earthfire Institute,
pragmatic drive to transform
the renewable energy business via his
P.O. Box 368, Driggs, ID; 208-456- New Orleans-based South Coast Solar
0926;
EarthfireInstitute.org.
all existing economic, social
Company. A longtime political activist
and political institutions,
for clean energy, he has been actively
a radical and potentially
involved with his state’s development of
its renewable energy industry.
all-transforming holy force is
Von Otnott speaks monthly to
born. This radical holy force
groups around the state, encouraging
I call sacred activism.”
his audiences to engage in the political
process by demanding that sustainable
business practices become the corner-
~ Andrew Harvey, author
stone of Louisiana public policy. “Citi-
and activist
zens must learn to hold their political
candidates accountable and let them
know that renew-
person,” says Magnusen, whose big-
Debbe Magnusen
able energy is an
gest lesson from Project Cuddle, now
important industry
operating nationally, is the grace to be
that can gener-
Debbe Magnusen, Activist
nonjudgmental. “I’m alive,” she main-
ate the kind of
for Abandoned Babies
tains, “so that I can unconditionally love
jobs that can’t be
every scared girl or woman [who comes
Debbe Magnusen felt bereft after hearing
exported,” he ad-
to me] through her ordeal.”
about an abandoned baby found suf-
vises. In the end,
focated in a trash bag close to her Costa
he reflects, sup-
Mesa home in California. As a compas-
Contact Debbe Magnusen, Project
port for renewable
sionate woman who had already fostered
Cuddle, non-crisis 714-432-9681 or
energies supports
more than 30 drug-exposed babies while
info@ProductCuddle.org; crisis hotline
the betterment of
raising two biological children, Mag-
888-628-3353.
mankind.
Troy Von Otnott
nusen chose to channel her anger and
frustration into constructive action.
Troy Von Otnott, South Coast Solar, LLC,
“As a foster mother, I had always
Troy Von Otnott, Political Activist
733 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, LA;
hoped that unwanted babies would
for Sustainable Business 504-529-7869;
SouthCoastSolar.com.
be brought to me,” she recalls. “But it
As a child growing up in New Orleans,
didn’t occur to me until that moment
Troy Von Otnott recalls members of his
As we begin a new decade, let us see
that no one knew where I was or that I
family embracing politics, interfacing
new opportunities to take fresh action
wanted to rescue their newborn.”
with politicians and working on public
on the issues we are most passionate
The insight led her to create a 24/7
policy issues. The lively discussions and
about. With our collective vision and
crisis hotline in her Orange County liv-
debates sparked his curiosity about the
potential, we can go far in meeting to-
ing room in 1996. Within 12 hours, she
political process and eventually led
day’s challenges and making the type of
received her first call, from a frantic,
him to visit the halls of power in Baton
impact that Robert Kennedy envisioned
frightened woman who had hidden her
Rouge, Louisiana, and Washington,
in 1966: “Each time a person stands up
pregnancy from everyone she knew. To
D.C., for a firsthand understanding of
for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot
date, Project Cuddle has helped rescue
how a democracy works. He remarks:
of others, or strikes out against injus-
663 unwanted babies. “No baby de-
“Although we live in a free enterprise
tice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple
serves to die before having a chance to
society, government still controls how
of hope. And crossing each other from
live,” says Magnusen, who understands
we function in life, particularly from a
a million different centers of energy and
the desperation of girls and women
business standpoint.”
daring, those ripples build a current
who can be in labor while still denying
In his native city, politics is consid-
that can sweep down the mightiest of
that they are pregnant.
ered a contact sport, vigorously dis-
walls of oppression and resistance.”
This tireless activist imagines herself
cussed around dinner tables. “We play
in the place of every abandoned child
for keeps,” explains Von Otnott, “and
Linda Sechrist is a freelance writer and
and is inspirationally refueled each time
unlike other larger regional cities, the
the editor of Natural Awakenings’ flag-
she sees a newborn baby crying safely
business community doesn’t run this city,
ship magazine in Southwest Florida.
in a hospital. “For me, God is in every
the politicians do. If you want to get any-
Connect via 239-434-9392.
24 Houston
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