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
essence and they can feel ours.”
compassionate service, is
A self-described “half capitalist,
married to a practical and
half environmentalist,” Von Otnott sells
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-
all existing economic, social New Orleans-based South Coast Solar
0926;
EarthfireInstitute.org.
and political institutions,
Company. A longtime political activist
a radical and potentially
for clean energy, he has been actively
involved with his state’s development of
all-transforming holy force is
its renewable energy industry.
born. This radical holy force Von Otnott speaks monthly to
I call sacred activism.”
groups around the state, encouraging
his audiences to engage in the political
process by demanding that sustainable
~ Andrew Harvey, author
business practices become the corner-
and activist
stone of Louisiana public policy. “Citi-
zens must learn to hold their political
candidates accountable and let them
in a hospital. “For me, God is in every
know that renew-
person,” says Magnusen, whose big-
able energy is an
Debbe Magnusen
gest lesson from Project Cuddle, now
important industry
operating nationally, is the grace to be
that can gener-
nonjudgmental. “I’m alive,” she main-
ate the kind of
Debbe Magnusen, Activist
tains, “so that I can unconditionally love
jobs that can’t
for Abandoned Babies
every scared girl or woman [who comes
be exported,” he
to me] through her ordeal.”
Debbe Magnusen felt bereft after hearing advises. In the end,
about an abandoned baby found suf- he reflects, support
focated in a trash bag close to her Costa
Contact Debbe Magnusen, Project
for renewable
Mesa home in California. As a compas-
Cuddle, non-crisis 714-432-9681 or
energies supports
sionate woman who had already fostered
info@ProductCuddle.org; crisis hotline
the betterment of
more than 30 drug-exposed babies while
888-628-3353.
mankind.
Troy Von Otnott
raising two biological children, Mag-
nusen chose to channel her anger and Troy Von Otnott, South Coast Solar, LLC,
frustration into constructive action.
Troy Von Otnott, Political Activist
733 St. Joseph St., New Orleans, LA;
“As a foster mother, I had always
for Sustainable Business
504-529-7869;
SouthCoastSolar.com.
hoped that unwanted babies would As a child growing up in New Orleans,
be brought to me,” she recalls. “But it Troy Von Otnott recalls members of his As we begin a new decade, let us see
didn’t occur to me until that moment family embracing politics, interfacing new opportunities to take fresh action
that no one knew where I was or that I with politicians and working on public on the issues we are most passionate
wanted to rescue their newborn.” policy issues. The lively discussions and about. With our collective vision and
The insight led her to create a 24/7 debates sparked his curiosity about the potential, we can go far in meeting to-
crisis hotline in her Orange County liv- political process and eventually led day’s challenges and making the type of
ing room in 1996. Within 12 hours, she him to visit the halls of power in Baton impact that Robert Kennedy envisioned
received her first call, from a frantic, Rouge, Louisiana, and Washington, in 1966: “Each time a person stands up
frightened woman who had hidden her D.C., for a firsthand understanding of for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot
pregnancy from everyone she knew. To how a democracy works. He remarks: of others, or strikes out against injus-
date, Project Cuddle has helped rescue “Although we live in a free enterprise tice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple
663 unwanted babies. “No baby de- society, government still controls how of hope. And crossing each other from
serves to die before having a chance to we function in life, particularly from a a million different centers of energy and
live,” says Magnusen, who understands business standpoint.” daring, those ripples build a current
the desperation of girls and women In his native city, politics is consid- that can sweep down the mightiest of
who can be in labor while still denying ered a contact sport, vigorously dis- walls of oppression and resistance.”
that they are pregnant. cussed around dinner tables. “We play
This tireless activist imagines herself for keeps,” explains Von Otnott, “and Linda Sechrist is a freelance writer and
in the place of every abandoned child unlike other larger regional cities, the the editor of Natural Awakenings’ flag-
and is inspirationally refueled each time business community doesn’t run this city, ship magazine in Southwest Florida.
she sees a newborn baby crying safely the politicians do. If you want to get any- Connect via 239-434-9392.
26
San Diego Edition
www.na-sd.com
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