On Monday, March 23, I'll be interviewing Michael Hayes, as part of my ongoing series of live online conversations, Sustaining Our Spirits.

Michael is a choreographer, actor, writer, radio host and activist from Asheville, North Carolina. He is the founder and creative director of the Urban Arts Institute, and the Executive Director of Umoja Health, Wellness, and Justice Collective.

I met Michael through my wife, Deanna, who came to know him through their work in the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Collaborative, a community group focused on preventing and addressing physical, emotional and racial trauma and supporting resilience. Deanna kept coming home from these meetings talking about this amazing man she had met who was on fire about this work, and I asked if he and his family could come to dinner.  He's not only a brilliant and passionate man, but also a lovely dinner guest.  Michael is not only knowledgeable about this important work through his study of the topic, but also through his lived experience.  

And he is an artist who claims that art literally saved his life. 

Join us for a conversation about how we navigate hard times, and how we can heal from them, and help the people around us to heal as well.

Sustaining Our Spirits #6 - Michael Hayes