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And I'd love you to tell me what you want me to know about it while we ride up this mountain before we drop to the top and have to ski often, maybe never see each other again, which would be tragic. But that's what happens. I find this way more expansive than meeting you in a metaphorical elevator. So just go with me here. I'm so happy to hear your voice and looking forward to this conversation
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 2:16
And we had Bill Gates and the amazing Sir Ken Robinson, who sadly passed away recently. But one of the things that I really tried to do was to find some educators who were not known to the general public. And I found this extraordinary woman called Rita Pearson. And I've always said that you should be able to spread an important idea in one sentence. And her idea was very simply, every child needs a champion, and there's nothing more Truthful than that
Voices of Swell
@voices · 0:32
I just got chills on so many levels from what you just said. First of all, I didn't know Ken Robinson passed. And the story about Rita Pearson passing away right after she gave us that gem of a sentence and of a talk. Wow, breathing into that. Will you indulge us just for a second?
Swell Team
@Swell · 0:15
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 3:55
And whilst I was an executive at National Geographic, I found a book that I fell in love with, and I optioned it to become a movie. And what I didn't know in those very early days of being in America is that those gates of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Studios would open many times for me as I ended up producing the 100 Foot Journey with Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey. So I feel as if I've had rather a charmed and very lucky life. Very early on
Voices of Swell
@voices · 1:56
I want to go here for a second because I know that access to great work is now everywhere online, but for some reason, people tend to think things are not for them. I remember coming across somebody just recently who felt like I went to a Museum when I was in grade school, but he hadn't been in 25 years. What is that? And what do you do about it?
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 3:49
And those are the things that excite me. I'm personally very excited about politics. At the moment. I feel that we are about to enter a really interesting time in the United States
Voices of Swell
@voices · 1:19
And to add to that, I particularly like how Ted has little teeny Ted sometimes, like five minute pieces that are so accessible and so delicious and delightful. And they are a great balance to of the 18 minutes talks that sometimes can be heady for people. But the diversity that Ted offers is amazing, and that's why we love it
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 4:11
She was the first woman to set up a women's bank for rural women. Since she gave that talk. She's been going from strength to strength and is a well known figure not only across India, but she was one of the, I think, seven women who two years ago chaired the World Economic Forum. And so my joy is to, yes, make television, but not just in the US. I'm really fascinated in taking Ted out into the world
Voices of Swell
@voices · 1:43
You're a visionary because you keep your ear to things that really help shape our culture and you run with them. I've never seen 100 Foot Journey, and it was something where we were dropped into a world and we rooted for everybody. And it was so warm and wonderful. And I imagine that having that success emboldened you to do what you're doing now, to say anything is possible. And I think that's what you're communicating here is everything's possible
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 4:13
And also look at stories that tell the triumph of the human spirit. I actually have another feature film and development outside of my Ted work, which is based on a book called Stolen Time, written by a woman called Sonny Jacobs. And when I first moved to Los Angeles, she was my next door neighbor
Voices of Swell
@voices · 1:21
And I hope that we always can hear your voice here. And as you move into your projects, I hope you can share them here. And I look forward to everyone joining in and connecting or just listening. It's been a joy and will be constantly looking for the next great thing that you do. So thank you so much
Juliet Blake
@JulietBlake · 0:12
Thank you, Deborah. It was an absolute pleasure to talk to you. And I look forward to continuing the conversation. My very best wishes. Bye
But thank you so much for raising that awareness that you care. I think that's so important that there are people out there who want to bring attention to the voices of people who actually are showing up in the community at a grassroots level that are showing up with love and compassion, radical compassion. Because oftentimes those people don't have the energy or they don't have the spirit to do marketing and PR and to get all those things in order, right? They're showing up in the world
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