From Ashes To Hope: Helping L.A. Heal And Rebuild with Stephanie Wilson

Episode Transcript
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Robyn Cohen (00:40):
Hello, dear, dear, amazing community.
I'm Robyn Cohen, and welcomeback to the Daily Joyride.
Today was actually aspontaneously created episode
revolving around bringing helpand healing to people affected
by the fires that have beenraging across cities and
neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

(01:02):
With everything happening andwith all of the unfathomable
loss and destruction, my dearfriend of 20 years, actor,
teacher, director, StephanieWilson and I were compelled to
create a space for aconversation about gathering up
our collective strength, ourcompassion, ideas, and resources
so we can help those in need andthose who have lost so, so much

(01:26):
and in such a short period oftime.
And Stephanie really doesherself embody such a unique and
radiant energy that actuallybrings healing and unity
wherever she goes.
So in the throes of all thisdisaster, we wanted to offer you
a warm hug and a caring spacethat'll bring hope, resources,

(01:48):
and healing to your hearts.
Inside that mission, I'm reallyhappy to announce that I'm
opening up my online actingclasses starting January 28th to
all auditors for free.
So you can come into the Zoomroom and you can observe, you
can soak in some creativehealing, community support and

(02:09):
inspiration.
It is a gift to you and anopportunity to learn some really
cool things about acting andstay connected with like minded
creatives.
If you're jonesing to get up andact and participate fully in the
class, I do have a couple ofspots left and I'd love to see
you there, so email me at RobynRobyn's with a Y

(02:29):
Robyn@CohenActingStudio.com andI will save you a spot.
and if you've participated inclasses before, you can just go
to the website,www.cohenactingstudio.com and
I've put the early bird specialback up on the site, so you'll
be good to go for January 28thwith$100 off of the workshop.

(02:50):
Finally, to provide help and aidfor our friends in Los Angeles,
please consider supporting thePatti and Alex GoFundMe
campaign.
Patti is one of my dearestfriends in the world, and also
an acting student at the CohenActing Studio, who many of you
have been in classes with.
The other campaign we'll discussis the Patty and Emily Fancy

(03:11):
Feet Dance Studio GoFundMecampaign.
We're going to share about it inthis episode.
Every contribution brings us alla step closer to our wholeness
and to putting some hope andlove and aliveness back in the
air.
To be sure, this conversation isa step forward on that path.
So let's dive in.

(03:32):
Hello, everyone.
And thanks again for joining uson the Daily Joyride.
Today I have the profound honorof welcoming to the show one of
my dearest friends andcollaborators on the whole
planet, Stephanie Wilson.
Stephanie and I share a Deep andrich arts and crafts history in

(03:54):
the Los Angeles theater scenewhere she dedicated over two
decades to television, film andtheater projects, some of which
in theater on stage.
I'm so happy to be able to say Ihad the privilege of directing
her in.
Her journey has been marked bytop notch training with an array
of esteemed teachers, includingRobert Carnegie Larry Moss and

(04:16):
I'm so beyond grateful to beable to say, with me, at the
Cohen Acting Studio.
In the last couple of years,Stephanie's beautiful and
adventurous spirit led her toBethesda, Maryland, where I was
born.
$14.
27 for my birth, that is a truestory.
Thank you.
Where she now guides teenagegirls in creating theater at

(04:38):
Stone Ridge School as the upperschool's drama teacher and
theater director.
Her passion for the arts andcommitment to empowering young
women through creativity andconfidence building is truly
inspiring.
Recently, Stephanie's life Andmany of the lives in Southern
California have taken adevastating turn.

(05:00):
The Palisades Fire, one of themost horrific wildfires in Los
Angeles history, ravaged thePacific Palisades neighborhoods,
as well as her Topanga Canyonhome and neighborhood for the
last 20 years.
the structural losses was theFancy Feet Dance Studio,
institution owned by some of ourclosest friends in the world,

(05:22):
Emily and Patty, who have sadlyalso lost their homes to the
fires.
For 33 years, Fancy Feet hasbeen the top dance academy for
aspiring artists on the WestSide, and moreover, a beacon of
confidence and self esteembuilding for young women, led by
a team, Emily and Patty, whosehearts and values are

(05:43):
unparalleled.
In response to this tragedy,Stephanie has initiated a
GoFundMe campaign to helprebuild Fancy Feet and restore
hope to the community.
The campaign aims to raise 3,500, and as of now, generous
donors have contributed over 1,300.
Every contribution brings themcloser to reviving this

(06:06):
cherished institution.
You can find more informationabout support and the campaign
in the show notes.
I'll put it there, the GoFundMecampaign, Rebuild Fancy Feet
Dance Studio.
Stephanie.
your resilience and yourunwavering support for your
community during thisunfathomable time are truly

(06:29):
remarkable.
We are grateful to have you hereto share your journey.
and to hear how our listenerscan join you in helping the
community during thiscataclysmic time in Los Angeles.
I am so glad and so gratefulthat you are here.
Thank you for being here.

Stephanie (06:45):
Thanks.
I'm so honored to be here withyou.
Thank you for everything youjust said, and most importantly,
uh, yeah, the tribute to ourdear friends.
Yeah.
Which I think is, I don't knowhow anything could be more
meaningful right now than tryingto support them in any way that
we can, so.

Yeah.
Thank you

Stephanie (07:07):
for bringing the attention.

Well, We were just talking before the show, before
we started recording, Stephanieand I were talking like, what
is, what is this about?
This podcast, And it's soobvious now that it's born out
of a desire to connect withpeople and humanitarians and
artists like yourself, who are,aiming to make the world a

(07:31):
better place.
for everyone in it.
And when I received your email aday and a half ago about this
campaign, it just, you, youreally exemplify for me,
Stephanie, and you always haveyou all.
I mean, this isn't actually new.
It's not, it's amazing to mewhat you do for your

(07:54):
communities.
And for the people that arelucky enough to be around you,
it's amazing, but it's actuallynot surprising.
And what you're doing to helpour friends and the community
there is, is exceptional and,um, and so heartfelt.
And so you, and so just thankyou for being such a gorgeous

(08:15):
soul.
Um, such a magnificent friend topeople that know you for And to
people that you've just met,that's who you are, wherever you
go.
And it's, well, it's people likeyou that, bring healing to the
world.
uh, you're a light at the end ofthe tunnel for many people.

(08:36):
And, um, we are all our thoughtsand our prayers and our, you
know, the moment by moment isabsolutely consumed with what's
going on with SouthernCalifornia and our friends and
our communities, and before wehit record, we were starting to
talk about that people thataren't necessarily there don't

(08:57):
really, um, have a sense of, ofwhat's going on and don't really
have a sense of the individualsthat are, um, being, um,
uprooted in a biblical kind ofway.
I mean, what's happening.
feels meta, um, it does.

(09:18):
It feels biblical.
I don't know how else to say it.
I think that's actually aperfect way to say it.
But, maybe you could shed somelight on that being in one of
the communities that isliterally in the center.
of this Palisades fire andTopanga Canyon.
Um, can you share about yourexperience?
Sure, of course.

Stephanie (09:37):
Yeah, first of all, thanks for all of the kind
words.
I mean, I'm just a reflection ofyou, because this is you, Robyn,
and we are so blessed that it'severyone we know.
I mean, our community there,this dance studio in particular
that we're talking about, fancyfeet.
Emily, a dear friend of oursfrom acting class many, many

(09:57):
years ago, uh, started thisdance studio when she was, what,
18 years old or something?
Yeah, literally.
something like that?
Yeah, yeah.
And the people that she hassurrounded herself with, this is
part of the reason I know you,because of this community, and
through our, our work as actorsin LA.
Um, I think everyone was kind ofdrawn to one another because

(10:19):
there is this desire to helpeach other and help others.
And, there are no two peoplereally I know.
I mean, three, you, I mean, somany, everyone, well, these
folks who really are out therejust trying to make the world a
better place.
Um, and that is.

(10:40):
The people who own and run thestudio are dear friends Patty
and Emily, and all of theteachers who work with them,
Monique, Cherie, Mario, Kendra,I mean I could go on and on with
these names, and these peopleare trying to be role models for
young, people.
women mainly, but young studentsand children in the community.

(11:04):
And what they have done over thepast 33 years is bring these
kids together to have a saferefuge to go where they know
they have these incrediblesupportive adults who are always
on their side, who are alwaysencouraging them to be the best
people that they can be, toBasically have, like consider

(11:26):
their values and have kind of amoral code and compass that is
of this vein of trying to be themost uplifting person you can be
in the world and go out and beof service.
I mean, their values at thestudio are like kindness,
community, and humility, andthat's exactly what they

(11:48):
represent.
And so, this is a very smallcampaign right now, and
hopefully it will grow larger.
Um, I know how much utterdevastation there has been in
this community.
Um, it's hard to speak aboutbecause when you look at the
footage of our neighborhood,that isn't there anymore.

(12:08):
Uh, it's really It doesn't feelreal.
It feels very, very surreal.
so I know there are so manypeople right now who have been
devastated by these fires andwho are going to need to rebuild
their homes.
So many students at this dancestudio, friends in other areas
of Los Angeles, my dear friendRebecca in Altadena and her

(12:29):
family with young children.
Uh, this is a story that is nowmultifold across Los Angeles.
So.
This is a very small campaignfor one very beautiful
organization that represents acommunity and that community is
the one that just Wasannihilated by this fire, um, to

(12:49):
represent.
Oh, yes, please.
Well, yes.
The Palisades.
They represent the PacificPalisades.
And I think that's why it's avery important place to kind of
hone in on because they are aplace of community building and
this community is one that needsassistance right now.
Yeah.
Hoping

that that 3, 500 becomes 350, 000.
I'll tell you why, because.
um, 18 years ago now, I, um, Ihad a dinner.
we arranged a dinner.
It was with Emily and Patty atEmily's place.
And we came up with an idea forsomething called Our Gift Of

(13:29):
Light.
And it was, Um, something that Ibrought to them as an idea for
somehow waking young artistsminds up to the idea that the
arts are a gift to people.
That they, it's, it's not aboutlook at me, look at me.

(13:49):
It's about come with me so I cangive you the gift of creativity
and aliveness, right?
And so we had this idea that wewould, um, Partner with a, um,
an organization that helpsrehabilitate homeless teenagers,
Hollywood arts.

(14:09):
And it was run by Dylan Kendall.
And, um, we said, well, whydon't we do a show that's kind
of like a talent show where thedancers and some singers at the
time can go ahead and literallybe sharing their profound and
unique gifts solely to raisemoney for teenagers just like

(14:34):
them, the same age, who don'thave a change of clothes to
their name.
Maybe we could do something forthem.
So we got together and wecreated this initial, the
initial year was 2006, Ibelieve, and it was called Our
Gift Of Light and the youngpeople, the young artists would

(14:54):
be able, they were able to getpresent to.
My gift can make a differencefor a lot of people and they
were able to raise somethousands of dollars, which went
to young people in middle schooland high school that were
without homes and, um, displacedfrom there over the last 17
years, they have partnered with.

(15:16):
A new organization every year,organizations for people with
down syndrome organizations andpeople, you know, all across the
map, uh, organizations that aredoing cancer research and they
have over the course of thistime raised half a million
dollars.
I don't know the exact numberfor.

(15:38):
People that they don't know, maynever see, um, but they are on a
mission every year since then.
And they were before we sort ofcodified it in this Gift of
Light show.
but it's just exemplifyingexactly what you just shared.
I mean, they are thecontribution that they are not

(15:59):
only to developing artists, butto literally helping people from
all walks of life, dealing withall kinds of difficulties and
sorrows, helping to rehabilitatethem and being part of their
healing, um, has been somethingthat they've, Done, you know,
again, to the tune of manyhundreds of thousands of dollars
over the years.

(16:19):
And so we might say that by thetime this podcast airs, which
I'm hoping to, I'm hoping thatour listeners can hear this
pretty quickly, um, maybe it isa campaign for 350, 000, um, um,
taking into account how much,how much they have, you know,

Stephanie (16:40):
Done for others.
How much goodness they've pouredinto the community.
All the years.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Speaking of Gift of Light, um, Iwas just back in LA over the
holiday break.
So I left three days before,well, Tuesday when the fire
broke out, I left on Saturdayand Patty was just talking
about, auditions for Gift ofLight, which were coming up, I
believe maybe even this week.

(17:00):
Um, but I have been there formany, many of the auditions.
those gift of light shows and itis truly a gift like you said
that these kids are giving totheir community and throughout
Los Angeles the communities thatthey that that spreads out to
from there that they have beenaffecting and touching.

(17:20):
I know some of those other namesof organizations.
I know like Children's Hospitalof L.
A.
was one of their benefactors oneyear.
I know an organization, foryoung children with autism at
one point in time.
so it is, it is across theboard.
and often it is an organization.
That someone in the Palisadescommunity has a specific
connection to.

(17:42):
Um, which I think is also veryimportant for everyone to know.
That they're working, directly,you know, kids in the Palisades
are working directly to supportcauses that are important to the
community of the Palisades andthat expands out to help people
all over LA.
Yes, and the world ultimately.

And the world, yeah.
Exactly.
Because these causes aremeaningful to people all over
the planet.
Yeah,

Stephanie (18:05):
absolutely.

Absolutely.
Um, so, okay.
I want to kind of go back alittle bit.
Sure.
Before we, get back into what wecan do to help and how, um, I
want to go back a little bitjust on you, Steph, and um, we
were going to have a podcastinterview before the fires broke

(18:29):
out.
we had scheduled a podcastinterview and I was already
looking forward to it becauseI'm so interested and I, I think
our listeners would beinterested to know little bit of
your journey, like how doessomeone, and just take this in
because it's, it's true, likehow does someone become a light?

(18:50):
Beam like Stephanie Wilson.
How does I take it?
We're not deflecting.
I know, but I, I think, listenhere, we're going to talk
Turkey.
The world needs more people likeyou, Stephanie.
And so I want to, take a stepback to sort of talk about.

(19:11):
Your journey, a little bit, youknow, in becoming an artist and
an actor, like, and becoming ateacher, what is What kinds of
things went into baking?
What got baked into you to makeyou such a delicious,
magnificent human being that issuch a beacon of hope and love?

(19:34):
and light for human beings andartists everywhere.
You're so special.
I, I don't know anyone like you,Stephanie.
and for people that are tuningin, like, did you, were you born
out of the womb?
Like I'm ready to contribute.
Were you born just like at theready, you came out, your mom

(19:56):
was like, Ooh, that's a, andthen you were like, let's go.
Because since I've known you,Your spirit, it you, it's, it's
your indomitable spirit.
You just have endlessgenerosity, limitless light.
And, and encouragement for otherpeople.

(20:17):
Where'd you get it?
How'd you get there?
Thank you.

Stephanie (20:21):
Thanks, Robyn.
I appreciate all of this verymuch.
But, you know, it's hard, it ishard.
Thank you.
You got it.
I really appreciate you sayingit.
And I know that there are somany people who are constantly
doing these things.
And so, I'll interview themlater.
I want to interview you now.
Okay, fine.
Where are you

from?
Where are you, the amazing,beautiful creature, Stephanie,

Stephanie (20:43):
from?
How'd you get here?
Thanks, Robyn.
Thanks.
Okay.
Well, you know, I'm from notthat far from here, uh, where I
am sitting right now inBethesda, Maryland, crazy
enough.
So I spent the last 20 years inLA, five years prior to that in
Hawaii.
So my entire adult life, I'vebeen gone from the East Coast.
but last year I actually had anoffer to come teach at a high

(21:04):
school here in Bethesda,Maryland.
And, um, you know, I was Unsureabout, leaving my home of so
many years, but the amazingthing is that I also have a home
here because my family is stillnearby.
They're about an hour and a halfnorth, and to be honest, my
parents were aging, are aging,and they needed some help with

(21:27):
stuff, and I was like, this isan amazing opportunity to be
close to them, at this point andhelp out, and then also do
something that I feel extremelypassionate about doing, which
is, teaching this group ofincredible young people, all of
the stuff that we learned whenwe were in LA doing this work
for many, many years.

(21:48):
So I feel very, very, very luckythat I now, as you do too, have
this kind of home life andcareer on both coasts.
it's kind of, as I think aboutit, it feels like this dream,
like, whoa, I feel very, um,kind of fluid throughout the
world and like able to be a lotof places due to kind of great

(22:11):
circumstances.
so I feel very, very, veryblessed and fortunate for that.
I feel incredibly fortunate tohave been able to work with the
kids that I've been able to workwith both in L.
A.
and here.
This new generation, they alwaysget annoyed with me when I talk
about them as the new generationor whatever.
This up and coming generation,this new line of thinking, this

(22:34):
new breed of incredible humanbeings that are coming out here,
like, flailing onto the planetwith kind of, like, no holds
barred.
Like, ready to take over theworld.
I mean, this isn't, this isdifferent.
It is different than how we wereraised.
And the school where I work.

(22:54):
it is called Stone Ridge Schoolin Bethesda.
It is an all girls school.
There are students there whoIdentify as non binary, identify
as trans, so I do want to saystudents instead of, you know,
using the designation of itbeing an all girls school.
and I am very lucky, especiallyin the theatre department, to
have many of these students asmy, my students.

(23:15):
And so, you know, I do thinkthat just with the movements of
the past, really, four years, Ithink with Me Too, I think with
Black Lives Matter, our worldhas changed.
And I think with COVID, youknow, COVID gets a bad rap,
obviously, but a lot of goodthings came out of this.

(23:37):
A lot of change came out of thisera.
And that includes these studentswho have done, like, a lot of
self reflection.
they're kids who are, you know,they're like more resilient in
many ways.
they've been, you know, wedidn't go through a major war or
tragedy, we somehow kind ofescaped, I think, and correct me

(24:02):
if this doesn't sound fair,right?
But like, Americans of our age,we didn't have to go off to
World War II like mygrandparents did, at age 19, 20,
And I think it's hard to compareCOVID to a war like, something
like World War II, but The kidsdid go through something that we
didn't.
And there were

many, many losses.
Many, many losses of life.
Yes, yes, which cannot

Stephanie (24:25):
be, yes, which cannot by any means be underestimated.
And so I think what we have hereis a generation that is ready to
change the world.
They are ready to do thingsdifferently, they're ready to
take it on, and they aren'tquiet.
they are really, like, theyspeak back, they speak up, and
they push the world forward.

(24:46):
And it's in all areas.
It's inequality, it's in humanrights, and civil rights.
I mean, they do not put up withstuff.
What would be an example ofthat?
Is that in

everyday fare,

Stephanie (24:55):
in

rehearsal,

Stephanie (24:56):
or

you're in class, and suddenly

Stephanie (24:57):
you'll say something, and what, Bye bye.
so right now I'm directing ourmiddle school show.
So these are students who are6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
So they're, what, 12, 13, 14.
I mean, what these kids know, Iask them things like, okay,
well, let me back up.
So the play is actually calledGirls in the Boat, and it's this
very cool show, about a women,well, it's about a women's

(25:20):
rowing team and the legacy, theUnited States women's rowing
team, and the legacy that theyhave left in the country.
Most people do not know this,but U.
S.
women's rowing is the mostdecorated Team of all time
around the world besides aRussian wrestling team.
So number two, in the entireworld of winning more world

(25:42):
champions, championships, andmore Olympics than any other
team, women's rowing.
So the, the, the, the play isabout that.
and, it's also about Title IX.
So, for those of, for thoselisteners who don't know, Title
IX is the law that was passed in1972 that prevented
discrimination between men andwomen for any reason.

(26:05):
anything that was given federalfunding.
So it's not just sports, eventhough I think most of the time
when we think of Title IX, wethink of sports.

Yeah.

Stephanie (26:13):
Um, it's actually about anything within a federal
funded system has to be equalbetween men and women.
And if anyone has seen, anylisteners have seen, or if
you've seen, uh, the great movieOn the Basis of Sex, I cannot
recommend it highly enough.
It's about Ruth Bader Ginsburgand her role, particularly in
this movement.
so.

(26:33):
To go back to the play and justhow incredible these girls are,
I asked them things at age 14,like, do you know who Ruth Bader
Ginsburg is?
Or do you know what Title IX is?
They know it all!

Wow.
They know!

Stephanie (26:48):
And they care.
And they will speak up aboutthings in rehearsal, if anything
seems discriminatory, ifanything seems unequal, they
talk about it.
I mean, I've had kids in class,when we're doing scenes from
plays like Steel Magnolias,something that's, widely,
popular, beloved, ran,performed, play.

(27:11):
Right, exactly.
All the time.
If there is anything in therethat seems a bit outdated as far
as, Equality.
Equality more than anything.
Yes.
They speak up about it and thenthey change the line.
They, I mean, well, theyshouldn't Yes.
Change the lines'cause of thewriter, but they say, this is
not, this is no longerappropriate, this is outdated.
We're saying this instead.
Something very similar, but theywill change it.

(27:33):
Wow.
And I mean, these are kids areat a young age and then this is
just part of who they are now.
Yes.
And it is a very, very beautifulthing.
I mean, these girls areempowered.
Yeah.
And they are.
And they're out there ready totake it on and become leaders.

So you describe yourself in that description of
them were your parents,activists, what were some of
your influences that have youshow up in the way that you just
shared?
about these girls.
Yeah.

Stephanie (28:03):
I would love talking about this actually because my
mom, I don't think if you askedher, she would ever say she was
in quotes an activist, but Ijust think by nature of who she
is, mainly a rebel, um, Really?
She is an activist.
A rebel, a rebel archetype.
artist or archetype, likethey're the archetype.

(28:24):
But also artist.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
She's all of the

above.

Stephanie (28:27):
She's all of the above.
Rebel, archetype, artist.
That's so cool.
That's why you're so cool.
That's why you're so cool.
it is.
Thanks, mom.
It is why I'm so cool.
She'll love hearing this.
But she actually did, I mean,she used to pull me out of
school all the time to just godo awesome things that were
educational.
So, we would go to New York allthe time and see shows and go to

(28:48):
museums.
And she was always, she's sointerested in things.
I think that's one of the mainthings.
Like, if you are interested insomething as an adult or a
parent or a teacher, then thepeople around you, your kids or
your students, become interestedin it as well.
So, I think If, you know, youwere talking about my enthusiasm
and joy, I think it's my mom.

(29:10):
she is that.
She exudes enthusiasm and joy.
And so, like, she's so curiousand she's so passionate and
she's so, excited about thingsthat there's no way to not get
excited about them, too.
Even as, like, a 14 year oldabout, like, I don't know,
Picasso, anything.
she would just be so into itthat I would absorb all of that.

(29:31):
Wow.
Yeah.
So, I feel extremely grateful toher for that opportunity of
being able to see so much of theworld at a young age, get so
much education, particularlyabout art.
She's a visual artist, so visualarts were a big part of my
childhood.
Yeah.
And a huge shout out to my mom,because there has been no one
more invested in my plays thatI'm directing here than my mom!

(29:55):
And she is so sweet! And she hasput in so much, effort and
energy helping me round up setpieces and, like, go to antique
shops and find, antique stovesor, a pool table at the
neighbor's yard sale for Clue.
I mean, I just Yeah, so.
The gratitude is immense.

(30:16):
Yeah, yeah.
For all things, from you know, apool table the whole way to
being more worldly as a resultof her and having more I guess
just like joie de vivre becausethat's trickle down for sure.

Yeah, I feel her.
I feel her shimmering throughyou and pouring through you and
I feel her love all over you,beaming out of you.
I feel your mother.
I love her so much through you.
I feel like I'm hugging her inthis podcast.
through your presence and what abeautiful tribute.

(30:51):
And, and hello, Stephanie's mom.
Thanks for And uh, another thingthat's been on my mind thinking
about our conversation Um, you,Stephanie, occur to me as
someone who, and I really getwhat you said about your mom as
someone that was just, like,invested, and you occur as
someone that's so, fully and,wholeheartedly invested in

(31:17):
equality and in writing theworld in whatever way that we
can, whether that's teaching thenext generation, Whether that's
being a performer, an artist,citizen yourself.
but when I, when I think of you,the word, uh, bravery comes up.
Courage.
So I think, you know, I thinkabout the, the wizard of Oz, the

(31:39):
lion, courage, courage, thelion.
And I really do.
Um, I have such admiration forpeople like you who are able to,
I was so stuck in, um, peoplepleasing and that disease to
please and accommodate codependency for so long and so
deeply entrenched to that.

(32:00):
there have been times when Ihave felt too terrified to say
something, not when someone wasin harm's or, you know, ever
present danger or anything likethat, I would of course step in
in that kind of a situation.
But in terms of what you'retalking about and these girls
that you work with and, and yourspirit and your conviction,

(32:20):
like.
What has you, what gives youthat kind of bravery?
Like I, I think of, your abilityto speak your truth is so
powerful.
It's what makes you such abeautiful actor.
You speak power to truth andYour constant, stream of
authenticity that pours out ofyou is like, it's holy to me.

(32:43):
It's so special.
what, what would you tellpeople, listeners who They want
to speak up.
They want to say something.
They want to make a move.
They want to fight for someone.
But, we're, a lot of us are justtoo scared about what the
consequences might be.
We're too scared that, thatsomething even more devastating
might happen.
But how do you muster How do wemuster that kind of courage and

(33:06):
bravery to live authentic lives?
to speak out on behalf of peoplelike Patty and Emily and the
Palisades community and Topangacommunities that need help?
How do we do that?
What would you tell people whoare afraid and stuck to make a
move in any direction?
I mean, you literally movedacross the entire country to
start a new job with a newcommunity of people that you

(33:27):
never met or even heard of, youknow, the year before, uh, the
moves that you make, you're sucha world class traveler.
you have this, you said thatword fluidity and just And kind
of finding your, yourself inthese magical places that
really, coexist with what yourdreams and desires and passions

(33:47):
are.
But what would you say to peoplethat feel like they are stuck
and scared and don't know how totake the first step?
Sure.

Stephanie (33:56):
Okay.
So, first of all, thanks.
I'm gonna put Popeye, my puppy,here on his little bed.
So, Popeye's just gettingtransported over here.
He's blind.
He is?
I remember.
I remember.
I We may or may not edit thisout.
I don't know.
Yes, understood, understood,understood.
We may not

edit this out.

Stephanie (34:15):
Okay, to refocus, sometimes it's just so much
flattery.
I'm like, I really appreciateit.
But you know what?

I get that.
Yeah, it's so much to take in,but the reason I know it's so
big.
You're going to answer thequestion is because you care,
you care more about the peoplethat are scared and feel alone
and like they can't speak outauthentically than we do about
our own ego,

Stephanie (34:39):
right?
Whatever the thing is.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
I said it.
You said it.
Here's the deal.
I heard so many other people saythis, and so many people in
like, very powerful, importantpositions say the same thing.
And I like listening to them, alot.
I like learning from thesepeople who have pushed

(34:59):
themselves beyond limits, and tous.
And beyond

their comfort zones.
Yes! Like entirely

Stephanie (35:05):
beyond their comfort zones.
Yes.
Yes, for sure! So I like hearingthis from People that I aspire
to be like.
And every single person says, Iwas scared and I did it anyway.
And that's exactly what it is.
You're scared and you do itanyway.
You're terrified and you do itanyway.
You take a breath.
A huge breath, and you justleap.

(35:28):
You just say it.
you just have to, because lifeis really, really short.
we do not have enough time hereto mess around.
I was obviously going to saysomething else, but we don't.
We don't.
it is rapidly going by, and whothe hell knows what is going to
happen tomorrow.
I mean, like I said, I left LAon Saturday and hugged everyone

(35:51):
goodbye, and then on Tuesday,the place that I was hugging
them in was gone.
So it's just keeping thosethings in mind.
And I think to be honest, I havealways had like a
hypersensitive, ahypersensitivity to the feeling
of life being fleeting.
And the fact that we have to, wehave to, Do this thing here with

(36:13):
what we are given and we allhave these gifts, whatever our
gifts may be.
We have them.
I think that, you know, you'retalking about.
my energy or enthusiasm or joythat I think I've inherited from
my mom, fortunately, gratefully.
And I do think that is a gift.
I think that is something that Ihave here that I believe in,

(36:36):
that yes, it's all too muchflattery, but like I'll take
this one in because I do believeit.
I believe that this is somethingthat inspires other people.
It makes me a good teacher.
it enthuses and kind of likerallies people, right?
Ignites, ignites them.
Thanks, thanks.
So I'll take that.
Because I do believe that thatis a gift that I have.

(36:56):
And everybody has something.
Every single one of us hassomething like this.
Like, this is not like, I'm notlike a visual artist.
I can't I don't know, dogymnastics or tap dance, or
like, I can't do math at all,right?
But everybody has something,something that they know, they
know that is theirs.
It is their God given gift thatthey were, that they were

(37:17):
bestowed with.
And it's just using that thingto make the world a better
place.
Period.
Like, we're all here with thisoutstanding ability to make a
choice, to be, to be.
an inspiration, to be of serviceand to spread love.
Like, what else are we heredoing?

(37:37):
and I think that there's so, so,so many ways that we can do this
and everybody has access to it.
And I think when you talk aboutbravery, I think we have this
idea of we're supposed to be soshy about our talents or our
gifts.
And it is important to be humbleand also to own our gifts

(37:59):
because frankly it is for agreater purpose.
It's not for us.
It's for a greater good.
It's, it's to spread, it's tospread love around the world.
So I just think everyone knowsthat they have that thing, so
take a deep breath and use it.
Like, just use it.

(38:20):
yeah, you have to just pushyourself past it, because the
fear is You've said this before,I think, like, I am a resistance
machine.
I think that's your quote,actually.
I think I'm quoting you rightnow.
I say it all the time! Yeah! AndI'm going to do it anyway! So
that's a Robyn Cohen specialthere.
I'm a resistance machine and I'mgoing to do it anyway, and it is
true.

(38:40):
I'm also a fear machine and I amgoing to do it anyway.
I'm going to push past thisthing, because I gotta tell you,
I remember Brene Brown saying inone of her books, I think it's
The Power of Vulnerability,she's like, Well, you know,
there's this idea of, I'm 46years old and I really, just
want to go back to school and bea therapist, but I'm 46 and I

(39:00):
have to do all my hours.
By the time I finish my hours,I'm going to be, like, 48.
And then she's like, well, youknow what?
You're going to be 48 anyway.
So go back to school and do yourhours.
And then you'll be 48 and atherapist.
As opposed to 48 and wishing youwere a therapist, right?
So just do the thing.
Yeah, that's my answer.

That's so beautiful.
So potent.
so rich with wisdom and you makeit sound easy.
I know it's not, it's not easy,but it is in a sense simple.
I guess I would say it that way.
It's not necessarily easy toleap.
But it is a simple step.

Stephanie (39:42):
Right.
Well, you know the Buddhistquote, leap and the net will
appear.
It always does.
Please do.
Please God.
I mean it does.
You do the thing and it appears.
The universe conspires for youto make the thing work.
It does.
It always does.
And I have to say, the more youdo it, the easier it becomes.
It becomes you.
It becomes you.

(40:02):
That's right.
Your, your modus operandi.
Yeah.
Yeah, you get the support overand over again.
You do the leap.
You, you, you have the net.
Suddenly the universe hasconspired to make all your
dreams come true.
And then you realize like, Thatjust worked.
Can I do it again?
That just worked.
Can I do it again?
And every time, it will work.
Yeah.
If you take the lead.
right, The universe conspires towork with that bravery.

(40:27):
Like, it, it knows, this thingknows, God knows, we're
supported.
Whatever you want to call it,the universe or God or whatever.
It's like all here, it's all thesame thing, it's just love.
Yeah.
It's all here, working in ourfavor.

Stephanie is my Robyn, I love you.
I love you.
You are my spirit animal,creature goddess animal.
Ah.
How, what is the silver liningin today's wreckage, in the

(41:01):
apocalyptic mess that so manyare swimming in?
Having not a change of clothesto their name, what is, what is
going to be, what do youimagine?
I know there's no right orwrong, answer, but what do you
imagine is the silver lining?
what might emerge?
What could possibly be rebornand into what?

Stephanie (41:25):
Oh, Robyn, I mean, this is what I think we were
getting to right before youstarted recording.
And the answer is theseconversations.
people's support of one anotherand what has been happening.
I am not in LA right now.
And I have, I have received moretext messages in the past Three
days.
From everyone I've ever met inmy entire life.

(41:46):
And I'm not there right now.
I mean, they're just checking onmy friends.
They know I'm here.
So that love, that's love.
That is love.
Ex boyfriends! Like, people arecoming out of the woodwork! Is
everyone okay?
Is everyone okay?

Yeah.

Stephanie (42:00):
I got ex boyfriends checking on ex boyfriends! I
mean, it's amazing! Don't letthem hear this.
I mean, people care, and I thinkthat is the thing about tragedy,
is that, like, What happens isthe support around tragedy, it's
like people, everyone gets sobusy with their daily lives, and
like people call and sometimesit takes us like a month to call
them back, but like when thereis some sort of thing that

(42:23):
happens like this, People showup in spades and they come
together and they help eachother.
And I think that is the beautyof humanity.
I think that is the goodness ofhumanity and I think that's the
reality about humanity.
I think horrible things happenand I think there's, there's
things that people do that arenot good sometimes too.
But so much more good overwhelmsthis and so much love.

(42:47):
I mean, I have no doubt aboutthat.

Yeah.
I feel that with every fiber ofmy being.
I'm literally vibrating withyour words.
And, I, I have been in LosAngeles and we evacuated.
And just as you said, the amountof loving connection and
profound, deep communicationwith people I haven't spoken to

(43:10):
or connected with in years.

Stephanie (43:12):
Yeah.

is, is remarkable.
And so, so is the prayer foreveryone suffering.
Please God, please God, let oureyes be open that love is coming
at us from every direction.
Please God, let us stay awake.
to the love and the care and thehealing that it's on its way
even now and now and now thatit's on its way.

(43:34):
I can't imagine how hard itmight be for some to keep their
receptivity, their receptorsopen to that in a time of such
horrific devastation.
I, um, I just want to hug thecity,

Stephanie (43:47):
you

know, take everyone in my arms and hold them and
rock them and let them know thatthey're not alone.
That it is, it is.
going to be okay.
My dad he says to me when thingsare not looking up, he'll say
it's going to be okay.
In the end, it's going to beokay.
And if it's not okay, it's justnot the end yet.

(44:11):
Because in the end, it's goingto be okay.
And that's helped, you know, incertain environments and on a
different scale than what'shappening now.
Um, I, um, I'm so knocked backby your, you know, creating of
this fund, like, immediately,didn't blink, didn't barely have

(44:32):
caught your own breath.
but that's the thing, Steph,like, Most people aren't doing
that and that you did it.
I recently, um, I interviewedJohn Patrick Shanley and John
Patrick Shanley, when he wastalking about his own sort of,
he has a lot of gumption in hiswriting and in his soul.

(44:53):
And I was like, what gives youthe gumption?
And he said, you know, I alwaysthink that it's my turn.
Oh, amazing.
It's my turn to speak out onbehalf of fill in the blank.
It's my turn to start a campaignfor people that have lost, you
know.
He operates from a place oflike, It's always my turn.

(45:16):
It's my turn to go.
Because if we don't have peoplelike John and like you, that
it's like, well, what else canwe got to do?
You know, I just think thatthat's so beautifully
exemplified in you, um, how are.
How are we going to start tostart to rebuild?

Stephanie (45:36):
Yeah, you know, I think there's two things because
the first thing was this idea ofpeople holding back still and I
do think like, oh, we've touchedon this, this thing that I'm
saying that.
might be more inherent within meor other folks, about, like,
just do it anyway, right?
Like, just push yourself offthis, this edge and leap.

(45:59):
I think that is not inherentwithin certain people.
And so then, then it is, like,how do you do this thing if it's
not something that's naturallygoing to come to you, right?

Yeah.

Stephanie (46:11):
And again, to reiterate, I think everyone's
terrified.
It's just some folks do do itanyway.
Um, and I think for those whoaren't naturally inclined to
that, I always think like graceand compassion for oneself is
extremely important.
And then um, baby steps withthis, whether it's just raising
your hand, and knowing that youhave the God given right to take

(46:34):
up that space and that it isyour turn to speak and that it
is, it is your turn.
Yeah, it is.
It is your turn and everyoneelse's turn.
This is our human.
Because

as you said, this is our time, like in every sense
and in.
And in the deepest sense, thisis literally our time.
You were talking about thefleetingness and a, you, you
said a hypersensitivity to howbrief it all is and toward that
end, if you look in every senseof the word and like no other

(47:08):
time before.
This is your time.
And then it's not.
And it kind of couldn't betruer.
It's sort of like truer wordswere never spoke than this is
your time.

Stephanie (47:25):
This is it.
This is all we got.
So make the most of it.
Enjoy it.
Love.
Have fun.
Go be brave.
Yeah.
And how are we going to rebuild?
I think there's no, there's noworld in which rebuilding does
not happen I mean, this is aresilient city.
It is the city of angels.
Yes.
Angels, you know.

(47:45):
Yes.
We'll come together and we'llrebuild.
it is a community that is so,has so much, community spirit
and pride.

yes, in the spirit of evolution and creation, that
that is in the spirit of thecosmos that we will continue to
grow and create and evolve andrecreate.
Um, given that, you know, justin, in, in line with what we
were talking about, about thisis it.
If this is it, you know, thenext question is, well, what is

(48:15):
this about?
And there is the brightestspotlight that looks like flames
of fire, which are lighting upthis omnipresent truth that has
always been there.
And that will always be there.
People have lost their, theirstuff, their things.

(48:35):
Are gone.
One of my teachers has alwayssharing with us, you know, we
didn't come here for a pile ofthings.
We actually didn't come here fora pile of things.
And if that is true, and Ibelieve it to be so, what did we
come here for?
And there is something in this.
apocalyptic biblicaldestruction, the spotlight is

(48:58):
illuminating the only thing thatmatters, the only thing that has
ever mattered, and the onlything that will ever matter,
which is that you are okay andyou are alive to live your life.
while you've got it.
And your

Stephanie (49:16):
loved ones.
And your loved ones are there.
And there's so much love andsupport.
Yeah.
And that's all that actuallymatters.
It couldn't

be a harsher lesson.
It couldn't be a more gruesomelesson just in the physical
world because the devastationnot only to our stuff and our
houses and our relics and ourphotos and our valuables and our
family pictures, not only that,but.
Mother Earth, their burning.
Yeah, that's, I was gonna saythe parks and all of it.

(49:47):
The parks, the trees, thetopanga, the animals, the
Temescal, all of the sentientbeings.
and with all of that.
loss, I think there is an equaland opposite revelation possibly
to be earned through thisdisaster, which is something to
do with what you just said that,like, I, I, I, imagine that

(50:10):
there is going to be arevolution in our system of
values.
I think so, too.
I think there has, there isalready a transformation in our
core values.
the hope has to do with theabsolute reckoning with what
really matters.
My mom would say to me, aftercar incidents, accidents, It's

(50:34):
plural.
I'm from Maryland, but whenyou've been in you know, 25
years of LA traffic things,things can happen.
And yes, she would say this tome after such said incident, are
you okay?
and it's what the insurancecompanies, the car insurance
companies, right off the battoo.
And um, she would say, listen,it can all be fixed.

(50:55):
She'd say, you know, Robyn, Iknow this is a huge hassle.
This is an inconveniencenonpareil You were just on your
way to start shooting a movie oryour first day of rehearsal.
And now you have to be waylaidsix hours just to do the things
that have to happen with the towtrucks and the swapping
insurance and the getting thewreckage and all this stuff

(51:16):
that's going to take you back aday.
And it can all be fixed.
You cannot be replaced.
And I have that in my mind, uh,and in my heart, just sort of
vibrating with the truth oflike, yes, it will be
unimaginably inconvenient isn'treally the word.

(51:37):
We need new words to describethe kinds of things that are
going to have to transpire torebuild, but eventually.
It can be fixed.
Your life, the preciousness,that is irreplaceable.
That is a once in a cosmoscreation for all time, one time,

(52:00):
and it's the only thing that isof any import.
To anybody.
and she would say, I'm sorry youhave to now deal with this.
I'm sorry about all the this andthe that and the hundred things
that have to now happen.
and I say this as someone whohas also had her apartment
burned down.
my apartment building in a fireand lost my home and belongings.

(52:21):
Even then it can be replaced, itcan be fixed.
And I think there's just such akind of glowing truth that is
also blazing across the skies,though they be darkened with
black smoke, which has to dowith what really matters.
While we're here.

Stephanie (52:42):
I think so too.
I actually have an interesting.
Oh, sorry, sorry.
Yes, So, over the past coupleyears, it's funny that I'm
sharing this now, here in thissetting, but, well, I've talked
about it a lot, but maybe not sopublicly.
So over the past couple years, Ihave lived in this canyon,
Topanga Canyon, now.
You know, threatened by thefire.
And when I say threatened, Imean the state park, Topanga

(53:04):
State Park.
I'm wearing my 27 shirt rightnow because Route 27 goes
through Topanga Canyon.
So this is for Topanga.
Slept in it last night.
Yes.
Oh.
With me all the time.
Oh.
I just love this place more thanany place in the entire world.
Topanga and the Palisades areright next to each other.
There's one small valley.
mountain valley that separatesthe two of them.

(53:25):
You can hike from one to theother.
It's like 13 miles or somethingto hike.
So I lived in this canyon, withmy ex for many years.
We owned a beautiful home.
And when we broke up, I was soupset about the loss of, like,
not being a homeowner in thiscanyon anymore.
I mean, also, obviously,extremely devastated about

(53:46):
everything that comes with abreakup and the loss of my
partner.
but there was also this loss ofthis place to me.
and there were so many years inwhich I wished, like, I just
wish it would go.
I wish it would burn becausethen I wouldn't have to deal
with the feeling of it stillbeing there and me not being in
it with him and us having thislife together and the reality of

(54:10):
it now is just like the fire isbeing held across the street at
the moment from this house imean like literally across the
street And miraculously, thesefirefighters have continued to
hold it.
And residents have continued tohold it.
because Topanga is a communityof amazing people who will, get
out there with their gardenhoses.
And, uh, there has never beenanything so glaringly obvious as

(54:36):
like, Oh my god, like we wishfor these things and then they,
like the reality of what thisis, uh, like, no, I don't want
that thing to happen.
I want this thing to stay intactfor my ex and, his future.
And also, The release ofbelongings and, attachment to a

(54:59):
space in which to put a home, tocall your home, like, yes, we
are human beings, we need, wenest, we do want a place to put
our belongings and have thisspace to contain ourselves in,
but literally, like, it does notmatter.
I mean, in the end, If it goes,it goes and everyone is still
here and they're still alive.

(55:21):
People are safe.
Our friends are here.
We're in communication with eachother.
it is all that matters.
So it's just like the vast, Iguess, realization of like
talking to him over the phoneand being like, wow, there was a
decade of life invested intothat house.
there is nothing that seems moreglaringly obvious than like

(55:42):
taking attention away frommaterial things and investing
them simply in people instead.

Yeah.
you've done that since I'veknown you.
And before and presently andwill forever.
that has been something that Youknow, just draws people to you.
You are, you are honey to thebees.
I'm a bumble bee that gets to bearound your honey.
And I know this might sound woo.

(56:10):
Woo I am kind of woo woo.
I can admit it.

Stephanie (56:14):
I was like trying to hold myself back from being more
woo woo.
You know,

we're trying.
This is us.
This is us doing as little as wecan, holding ourselves back from
being the full Woo.
But just for a moment, you know,the power of, um, your word.
And are the power of ourintentions.

Stephanie (56:31):
Oh yeah.

so I'm right now in Northern California near my
sister and her family.
We evacuated, Wednesday.
The fires started Tuesday, weevacuated Wednesday morning,
and, actually also, we had just,we had just gotten back to Los
Angeles.
We spent the new year with mysister and her family, and my
parents, my mom and dad, flewout from Washington, D.

(56:54):
C., the Bethesda, Maryland area,uh, to, to be with us, To share
in a New Year's celebration andwe were all together in Northern
California and we were here.
the Homewood Suites, and this isnot an advertisement for them,
but I'm just going to say, whilewe were spending time together,
sharing life and times andswapping stories and bringing in

(57:17):
the new year with myself andBilly and Heather and her
family.
And my parents who came in fromthe East coast, I said out loud
multiple times, I'd like to behere for a year.

Stephanie (57:29):
Oh my gosh, Robyn.
Wow.
I agree.
This is what I'm talking about.
And I know I hate saying this,too, because I don't, I have
nothing, again, it's ego.
It feels ego related, but, like,when I kept saying I wish that
house would burn, like, no, no,no, I do not.
I Cancel.
Cancel.
Cancel.
With all the power of my heartand being.
And sometimes you don't realizeuntil you're then in those
situations where you're like, Ohmy god, what did I say?

(57:50):
What did I do?

And as you said, it's not a solipsistic, I'm not
bringing this up to say, Oh, werun the universe, It's really
just a conversation that is onmy mind all the time about the
power of what we say.
Oh yes.
Oh yes.
And the truth to that power.
and in terms of creating andmanifesting our lives.

(58:14):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
There is a holy power to ourintentions.
I believe that when we put ourheart and mind into something,
we are conspiring with universalenergies that can do anything.
Anything! Universe can doanything! It can do anything!

(58:41):
And there's something aboutreckoning with that power and
ability to join hands withuniversal love and universal
light to actually create ourlives and help mold and shape
the world.
Based on where we're vibrating,what we're intending, what we're

(59:03):
being receivers for, where we'retuning our radio stations, then
that's what we're going to hearon the other end.
You got it.
We're tuning into hard rock.
We're going to hear it.
If we're tuning into heavymetal, that's what we're going
to hear.
If we're tuning in to Mozart,Beethoven, Bach, that's what
we're going to hear.
So I'm interested in that.

(59:25):
In that, phenomena of, ofcreating and intending for our
lives, for ourselves and for thepeople that we love, the lives
that we actually want to live.
And I'm not saying that if wethink something is going to
happen But when I said thatabout I want to be up here for a
year What I was talking aboutwas that it's near my family.

(59:46):
I mean i'm from the east coast Imoved to los angeles not knowing
a single person.
I slept on a towel in westhollywood.
I'm like, I didn't know anyoneor anything.
I didn't have people in theindustry I didn't know anyone
connected to anything, right?
and all that to say, I lovebeing around my family and, and
it's why I've created asituation where I went back for

(01:00:08):
a master's degree at theShakespeare Theatre Company, as
you did, to be near my, my EastCoast connections, friends and
family.
That was really.
And of course, the spirit ofAdam, who was a Shakespeare
professor and

Stephanie (01:00:22):
I did not know

Robyn Cohen (01:00:23):
that.
Yes, my brother Adam, who thispodcast is in honor of him.
He was a Shakespeare professor.

I did not know he,

um, he had been.
pre med at Stanford, he wasgoing to be a doctor, and then
he took a creative writingclass, and then a Shakespeare
class, and he transformed hisentire trajectory professionally
and personally, went back toschool, got a master's degree,
and then a PhD, a doctorate inShakespeare, Shakespeare

(01:00:51):
studies, and then he went aroundthe world teaching Romeo and
Juliet to tribal communities inAfrica, the whole thing! I had
no idea! And, um, howincredible.
And so, wow.
Talk about

bravery.

Talk about bravery and love and light.
That was him personified andYes.
And this podcast is, is born asa love letter to him.
Yeah.
how

beautiful.

And, and this is in, you know, I've talked about
this before on this podcast, butbefore Adam passed, he had had
his surgery and he was, he wason a lot of medication.
They had aimed to remove as muchof the tumor, the glioblastoma
tumor, as they could.

(01:01:35):
And he was on a lot ofmedication and um, not his
usual, I guess, personality.
He was still, of course, him.
but he said to me before hepassed, he said that he had
realized, he had really, he hadreally figured out the secret to
life and good living.
And he had sort of, it hadreally come upon him in these

(01:01:58):
last months of his life.
And he said, it's really simple.
He said the secret to all ofthis.
All that life is about, he said,is just being happy.
He said, just be happy, Rob.
Just be happy.
He said that to me.
Just be happy.
That's who you are.
That's all it was.
Well, that's, well, at thattime, I did not know where I was

(01:02:25):
going to go.
Step one in the direction ofhappiness, I was at such a loss
losing him and the chaos thatensued and the decimation on a
soul level after his passing.
This show, The Daily Joyride, issort of a 15 year search for the

(01:02:47):
answer of, How am I gonna honorAdam and his request for me to
live in joy and happiness?
How am I gonna do that?
And it is a love letter to him,and it and it is why I ended up
going back, even though I'vebeen working professionally as
an actor and a teacher for 30years and 18 years,
respectively, I went back to getto know Shakespeare a little bit

(01:03:09):
better because I wanted to know,I wanted to know Adam.
More deeply, and I wanted toknow what lit up his life and
what had him change his wholeworld around from medicine to
being a surgeon of the heart andShakespeare and literature.
Right?
And so, it was a way for me tocombine with him on the daily

(01:03:32):
being there in Washington, D.
C.
To wind that back to what I wassharing before when I was here
with my mom and dad and mysister and Billy our loved ones.
I was like, this is it.
And I'm in these, I'm in thisvery hotel, not this room, but
two doors down.
And I'm in this hotel and I'msaying to myself, I love this so
much.
I want to hug this hotel.

(01:03:53):
Billy says, let's, let'ssomeday, let's buy this hotel.
We're talking about this hotel.
Oh my gosh, back to the HomewoodSuites yes.
And I'm saying to myself, I wantto live here.
I want to live here for a year.
And I said, and I said it everyday that I was here.
I want to do breakfast here withmy family every day.

(01:04:13):
I could do this for a year.
I said that every day that I washere, I was here for five days.
I went back to Los Angeles.
We were there for three and ahalf days, and then the world
collapsed with these fires.
We got into our car.
We came right back to this veryplace.
Right back to this very floor,this very hallway, where four

(01:04:38):
days before I had declared mylove affair with the Homewood
Suites and said I want to livehere, I want to stay here, and
as of Wednesday night, as ofWednesday night, we live here
for the foreseeable future.
I don't think we'll be here fora year and I do feel that there

(01:05:02):
is something in the power oflove and intention and what we
say and speak on top of thatloving intention that can become
manifest like that.

Uh, maybe that's the secret, the loving intention, I
think the intention behindthings, it can sure manifest.
Well, because I think

we have been taught, maybe in science class,
I don't know where, that it'scause and effect, but I actually
think intention creates effect.
I don't think it's cause andeffect.
Because two people can do thesame thing, cause, and have
totally different effects.
I think it's actually ourintention inside the patient.
I completely

agree

with that.
That creates the effect.
That creates the effect.
I completely,

completely agree with this.
Oh man, Robyn, I don't know ifyou've had a chance to listen to
the telepathy tapes yet, but Ithink it will affirm a lot of
the things that we're talkingabout here, where it's like, oh,
whoa, let's just look at thisdifferently.
Let's shift the paradigm a bit.
Let's confirm a lot of thethings that we already know.
These things that we feel on adaily basis of like, Oh, whoa, I
said that thing and then ithappened.

(01:06:06):
Or like, Oh, wow, I'm directingall of this positive energy or
this negative energy in adirection and then I'm getting
exactly what I'm expectingbecause Oh, I'm so negative
about this thing or I'm sopositive about this thing.
Like, that's what we get back.
that's all real.
That is an energetic world.
Universe.

what would you say?
I would keep you here allafternoon, but I know, I know
have a life but well, twothings.
Where can people be in touchwith you and hear more from you
and just stay in touch and howcan people find you?
Oh,

that's nice.
Um, I don't actually use socialmedia that much.
Uh, so reaching out to me atschool, if anyone is interested
in anything that I'm talkingabout, is probably the best way
to find me.
So, that is an email address atswilson@StoneRidgeSchool.
org, and I'd be happy to chatmore about anything.

I'll put that in the show notes.
I'm also going to put theGoFundMe in the show notes.
Thanks.
So you all listening can, canhelp and support.

I do have to say something incredibly awesome
Which is that GoFundMe reachedout to me and they said we have
reporters interested in thisparticular letter fund.
And I said, please, if you can,just please promote this as much
as humanly possible, becausethese people are a
representation of thiscommunity, of the best side of

(01:07:29):
this community, of all thegenerous, open hearted love, and
of taking care of each other andtaking care of the wider circle
of the world as a result.
I mean, this particularorganization, Fancy Feet, is
creating.
Kids that go out in the worldand make a difference.
They change the world.
for the better.

Yes.
So yes, thank you for that andfor sharing about that.
And, oh my gosh.
you're the depth of yourhumanity.
It's like It is so moving andgood.
I, I love you so much.
It's hard to love you so much.
Even talk about, but I know Ihave to because it's a podcast
and you're listening in.
So if we just stopped talkingand hugged each other's

(01:08:11):
computers, it's not gonna go sowell for our listeners, Um.
Before we complete, um, it'shard to encapsulate anything
because what's going on rightnow in the world and in this
particular community is so outthere, outrageous, unfathomable.
what if you could, what wouldyou give to the world right now?

(01:08:34):
What would you give to thePalisades community right now?
What would you give them?

Love?
I mean, I know this is all I'vebeen saying the whole podcast,
but I think it's the answer toeverything.
The answer is love.
in any way, I know not everyonehas the resources to make a
donation, but I mean, theoutpouring of support, I think,
from people, the more that thatcan happen, I think it is hard.
This actually was important tome to realize, that I have seen

(01:09:01):
natural disasters happen, and Ifeel for people, And then I go
on with my daily life, ifthey're not directly affecting
me, right?
Sometimes I'll make a donation.
A lot of the time I'll turn offthe news because it's too much
for me to personally handle.
And so I start to create like aboundary, which we all need
because people have compassionfatigue.

(01:09:21):
And we see a lot of horribleimages on the news.

It's also so dysregulating that we can't be
effective in helping because ourcentral nervous systems are so
bonkers out of control,dysregulated, that we can't be
of help and service as you wouldnormally be.
I get that.
I get that.

Yeah.
And we're living in an age wherewe're getting bombarded with
more information from around theworld than ever before.
So we'd never know sitting inBethesda, Maryland that like a
disaster was happening in atsunami in Japan, you wouldn't
know those things in other ages.
So I think it can be sofatiguing, but I think it's very
important.
Nothing has made me realize moreWhat people are actually going

(01:10:01):
through than this like when yousee the images of your town that
you love Annihilated.
Yeah, and Every place that youhave a memory of for maybe a
lifetime Like where you went tothe library the grocery store
the street you drove down whereyou went to work Where you

(01:10:22):
lived, where you chatted withfriends, where you fell in love,
where you, exactly, all thethings.
So the memories, like we thinkabout a home, and again, in the
end, the material possessions,they don't matter, but a house
often does home memories, right?
And it is a, vessel for thatlove.
And so I think the realizationthat, that space.

(01:10:45):
Is gone in the way they knew itforever is very important to
actually take in.

Yes.
Yes.

Because I think when we're far away from things.
We just go on with our dailylives until it happens to us.
And I am absolutely guilty ofthat.
And I know we've talked about somany things.
And guilty of being the best

good Samaritan that this girl from Maryland has ever
known.
You're also guilty of that.
Yeah,

right.
No, no, no.
Not, But you know what?
I think we all have the abilityto help in whatever way we can.
And like, we don't needresources to do so either.
You know, it doesn't have to bePutting in the financial
support.
there's so much we can do.
And I think so much of that canbe spreading a positive light,
message, love.

(01:11:32):
we have the choice every day ofhow we act in the world.
why in the world would we go outand make it a worse world
instead of a better world?

Wage peace.
Wage peace, ease, love,compassion, wherever we be.
Wage it.
There are a legacy of people whowill be affected by that, that
you may never know, but thosereverberations are limitless and
spread out into the universeforever.

(01:11:58):
And speaking of forever, I can'twait to have you back.
On this podcast.
So we can, regroup and also seehow things are going in this
community.
And also where you are, with theyoung people of this world that
you are helping to mold andshape and develop.

(01:12:19):
And give encouragement to aninspiration for on behalf of
everyone listening in today onbehalf of everyone in the
Palisades community, the Topangacommunity, the Pasadena
community, and all the areas,that have been affected across
Los Angeles.
Thank you for being a light inthis world.

(01:12:40):
Stephanie, you know, in theblackest part of the night, a
single flame.
makes a huge impact.
Thank you for being one of thosecandles.
Thank you.
you're profound.
It is such a gift of my life toknow you.

(01:13:01):
This conversation, I'll never,I'll never, never get over it.
And I don't want to get over it.
and I just love you so much, andI thank God and goddesses for
your soul.
And I'm going to now hug mycomputer because my computer, my
computer thinks we're in arelationship because I hug it so
often.

(01:13:21):
Um, really thank you for your,thank you for your brave heart
and your beautiful soul.
Thank you for being right backat you, sister Thank you.
I got that.
And, and for being someone that.
You know, I really do admire andemulate you.
I want to, I want to be you whenI grow up, even though I I'm
older than you but you reallydo, you really do galvanize
people to want to get into ourright minds and take a next

(01:13:45):
right minded action.
So.
Thank you for that.
Thanks.
I'll take that.
So beautiful.
So beautiful.
God bless you.
God bless everyone.
we will connect again so soon.
So soon.
Thank

you Robyn.
It's been an honor.

Bye, Stephanie.
I love you.
I love you so much.
Bye.
Thanks so much for joining ustoday.
Thank you so much for listeningin.
I wish there were more StephanieWilson's in the world.
This is an unbelievable time inCalifornia right now in Los
Angeles.
There are events happening andthings transpiring that are

(01:14:25):
really beyond beyond what we canfathom.
My heart is out to everyone.
I think there's just so much, somuch goodness and, and wisdoms
from Stephanie in thisconversation.
I really get that, generosity isa cyclical phenomenon.
Um, the people that, uh,Stephanie.

(01:14:47):
Started this GoFundMe campaignfor are two of the most loving,
generous souls on the planet.
and I am sure that in the waythe universe works, they will be
a match for avalanches ofcontributions and help and
caring to restore their sacredspace, the dance studio that

(01:15:11):
they have nurtured and developedover the last 33 years.
I'm also present to the power oflove.
And I know it's something thathas been said before, but I
don't think it can be saidenough.
what the world needs now islove, love, and more love.
And also that there is areckoning with the loss, and it

(01:15:35):
is a gutting loss when wesuddenly, and against our wills
must be ripped from all of ourworldly possessions that signify
our home and hearth and a senseof family and a sense of safety
and home when all that is gone.
It will take time to recover,but as we were talking about,

(01:15:56):
and as Stephanie mentioned, theresilience that is human
beingness.
The.
love that is innate in all ofus, that it is time to just open
up the portals and open ourpores to give and receive that
freely.
And remember that if we don't doit, who will, that it's always

(01:16:17):
our time, that this is your timeto stand in the most loving,
humanitarian, compassionateversion of ourselves and to try
to help heal the world, whetherthat's in the, there's the,
there's my cat, whether that'sin the Palisades community, the

(01:16:38):
Eaton community, the Pasadena,Altadena community, wherever
that may be, that.
It is our time to take thisopportunity to give more love.
I give my love to you.
I am with you.
on this unbelievable, journey.
And although we are in safer airin Northern California, I'm

(01:17:03):
thinking of you every moment andif you need anything, please
reach out.
I'm here.
And with that and with thoselessons from Stephanie in mind,
thank you for being here.
Thank you for being part of thiscommunity.
I love you so much.
We're in this together and wewill get through this.
I promise.
Much love.

(01:17:24):
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Thank you all so much for joining us for such a
meaningful and profoundconversation with Stephanie.
Her care, her passion, hergenerosity, it's just so
touching and inspiring.
and I think we're all reallyreminded of the power of
community and empathy andkindness.

(01:17:46):
I invite you to support Pattyand Alex's GoFundMe campaign, as
well as Emily and Patty's FancyFeet Dance Studio GoFundMe
campaign, If financial supportisn't possible, small acts of
kindness, from wherever you are,a smile to a stranger, can also
have huge, rippling effects.

(01:18:06):
It's encoded in everything thatStephanie talks about in the
spirit of this community, and itprovides a much needed salve
during times as tough as we'rehaving in Los Angeles right now.
Contributing to campaigns andorganizations like these can be
your way of embracing hope andrebuilding together.
Every little gesture counts.

(01:18:27):
Also, reach out to me to keepyour creative cup flowing The
doors to my online actingclasses are open all month for
auditors for free, and it's achance to just be in your
creative flow, and Soak in someartistic magic as an observer,
or join the class fully ifyou're called to do so.
The website is in the show notesor email me at

(01:18:50):
Robyn@CohenActingStudio.comThese classes are really such a
profound opportunity forconnection and community, like
none other, where we can healand elevate each other on the
daily.
Let's keep the circle of caregrowing.
No one of us is alone.
And together, through loving,right minded action, we can

(01:19:12):
forge and light a path forward.
Thank you all so much for beingpart of this journey.
Until we meet again, keep yourlight shining.
Keep leading with love andkindness.
Be safe and God be with you.
Mwah.
Till next time.

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