Bird

Shira Lenchewski loves food so much, she never wants to make a choice between looking good and feeling good. That’s been her motivation to help others as a clinical nutritionist, whose practice has reached cult status in Los Angeles. (Yes, she writes for Goop.) Her goal: Teach people to enjoy the shit out of their food—and maybe watch their blood sugar along the way.

Aja Gabel has never loved anything as purely as she loves writing. When we sit down to discuss her debut novel, The Ensemble, our conversation quickly veers to the existential. Aja explains how she found her voice by learning to be comfortable alone—and that it’s ok to not live life according to a grand narrative.

Sister Mary Sean Hodges chose a lifetime of serving others when she was 17 years old. At the age of 60, she charted a new path of service, working with prison inmates to help them integrate back into society. She shares with us the things she’s learned along the way, including the universal need for balance and forgiveness.

According to Zen Buddhist Wendy Egyoku Nakao, life is not a straight line, or even a circle—it’s a spiral. In this fascinating conversation, we go deep about living in the present while recognizing past experiences, developing “spiritual muscles,” and the importance of choice.

Her dad is the bassist of The Commodores. Her mom is a Harvard-educated lawyer from Iran. And Michael Jackson was a family acquaintance. Soraya La Pread is an LA resident who’s truly had a unique upbringing—and not just because she was born and raised in New Zealand. We talk to this up-and-coming producer and DJ about music, racial identity, and speaking up.

Natalie Johns is an Emmy-nominated director who has devoted her life to sharing the stories of those without a voice. Her highly personal work has brought her profound understanding of the human experience—plus some compassion for herself along the way.

Sometimes the world just isn’t ready for you. Dancer and actress Reshma Gajjar learned that early on, when she struggled to book gigs because of her ethnicity. But eventually the universe caught up—after a transformative experience working with children in India, Reshma returned stronger than ever to forge a career that has included film, television and touring with Madonna.