Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Exerpts from an email interview....

What brought to want to open up your Lab in Detroit?
We both love the city and it's people. We feel that Detroit is an vital outpost on the new frontier of sustainability. We've set up the Lab here to assist people in their preparations for this future. All of our offerings and projects are intended to inspire a sustainable lifestyle. From a vegan diet that reduces global warming to a yoga practice that reduces reliance on prescription drugs, we strive to turn abstract terms like health, joy and liberation into practical technologies that people can use everyday.

Were you influenced by anyone? (Did someone influence your path to creating a health Lab?)
We were mainly influenced by Angela's father Stanley Kasmala. In 2002, due to a poor diet and constant toxic exposure from working at the Rouge River Plant, Stan passed away from heart disease. After his passing Angela's mom survived a heart attack brought on by stress and poor diet. These events inspired Angela to change the focus of her life and she set about to create healthy food that heals the body, mind and spirit.

We are also heavily influenced by Detroit's recent revolutionary history, The Black Panther Party, Robert Anton Wilson, yoga Guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Amma, visionary artists Alex and Allison Grey, Gabriel Cousens, Victoria Boutenko, Sanātana Dharma,
Ann Wigmore, William Blake, Amazonian Shamanism, The China Study, and Marvin Gaye.

Is there a message you would like to send out to the people of metro Detroit?
A New Detroit is poised to become the ideal sustainable urban environment. This is possible because the City Government and Corporate and Industrial interests are stricken due to corruption and economic depression. The people of the city, after years of being toyed with by these now ineffectual bosses, are beginning to realize that the only way to change the city is to do it from the ground up. As we, person by person and community by community, realize this and engage in sustainable practices we will create a New Detroit!`

Do you have any other special plans/hopes/wishes/dreams that you would like to share with the readers?

Our vision for the Lab is to create a Health-Centered Urban Campus in or around Eastern Market. This Campus will include a full production farm, a food cooperative, a wellness center with therapy suites for varied modalities, a sacred space for yoga and other activities, and an alternative energy vocational training center to name just a few areas of focus. Did we mention that our first project is to open Detroit's first Vegan, Organic, and GMO-free restaurant! We think that the best way to promote a healthy lifestyle to the people is through their stomachs!

Oh yes, we are also excited about our Spring Urban Retreat that will be held at the Woodbridge Star May 2 - 4th. This event is designed to begin the rebranding of Detroit as a health centered city and will be a Vegan/Raw Food intensive and a Yoga/Meditation retreat!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your vision for a New Detroit, and thank you for DOING something about it. You and Angela are beautiful examples of living your practice.