Planted In Miami

As a young boy growing up in Carol City, Chef Kofi probably never thought he would one day see the likes of Germany, Ghana, Afghanistan, and other countries ending in 'stan' and he probably never thought he would be jumping out of perfectly good airplanes either.  But leave it to the dreamers to defy beating the odds and overcoming obstacles that would otherwise thwart others from realizing their full potential.  Chef Kofi's potential?  The sky is the limit, but we think he may be gunning to be the dopest plant-based/I-tal chef the world has ever seen and to make Elemental Eating synonymous with his name. Now it's time to get to know Chef Kofi.  Boom! We hope you enjoy listening, Jeanette & Alex For behind the scenes show notes, photos and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube @plantedinmiami

Pola Bunster is one of those rare Miami natives; you hear about them but they are difficult to come across as many more transplants claim The Magic City as their home.  And why wouldn’t they?  Miami has a plethora of beautiful beaches and beautiful people that frequent them, it’s always hot and sexy down here and you know, we have South Beach.  But Miami has so much more to offer than just its sunny beaches, oceans, and bikinis, and if anyone has seen their city grow up in the past 10 years or so it’s Pola Bunster – the Director of Storytelling at Prism Creative Group. Born, raised, and educated in Miami, Pola is a proud Miamian who along with Isabella Acker, founder of Prism Creative Group, and the rest of the Prism team, is changing the way locals see and interact with their city.  Responsible for over 20 different events including The Miami Flea, Movies Under the Stars, and Rooftop Unplugged, Prism Creative Group is helping Miami break free from its identity crisis and finally come into its own. This team

Before Natalie Davis’ son, Joshua graduated from high school she sat down with his guidance counselor discussing his next steps. She quickly realized that outside of traditional organizations helping autistic children transition to adulthood, there weren’t any social programs. So she created one. Natalie along with Dr. Maccarrone and Marte Singerman created The Social Cog which is a year long program that offers coaching, engagement and monthly meet ups for autistic adults.  Now in its 4th year, the Social Cog is celebrating it's anniversary with a charity event in May called Sensation at The Gleason Room. We had a great conversation with Natalie and hope you enjoy it. Alex + Jeanette For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook @plantedinmiami

Sara Yousuf is a firecracker.  Through her tenacity and determination she opened one of Miami’s only vinyl stores, Sweat Records, and has co-founded two leading progressive social organizations: Emerge Miami and Engage Miami. Oh and did we mention that she’s also a public defender for Miami-Dade County (more on that later). After moving from Michigan to Miami to attend UM, Sara quickly realized her activist tendencies and sought to create organizations that could mobilize people to make real and effective changes in the community. Emerge Miami was created in 2005 with Bruce Wayne Stanley as a real life social network for people who wanted to make a difference. Engage Miami was created in 2015 as an official not-for-profit targeted to increase youth voter turnout through various campaigns and initiatives. But Sara hasn’t stopped there, after attending an Action Club meeting at The Lab in Wynwood, she was asked to write down 150 life goals which led her to realize that by her continuing to practice law wouldn’t

According to Felecia Hatcher-Pearson's high school guidance counselor, she shouldn't be the person she is today.  She was an average student who never enjoyed school but nonetheless discovered her entrepreneurial spirit early on. Felecia has gone on to become a White House award-winning social entrepreneur, business rainmaker, author, globally sought-after speaker, media darling, mother, and co-founder of Code Fever Miami and BlackTech Week. In short, she's a go-getter.  She started running her first company out of her college dorm room at Lynn University at age 19 by teaching "C" students how they could apply and earn scholarships to go to college.  She worked in experiential marketing for years with popular and well known brands such as Walgreens and Nintendo which proved to be helpful when she created Feverish  - a high-end popsicle company that infused flavors adults would love.  And she started these companies not because she was an expert in those fields (she knew nothing about the food industry when sh

Deborah Rosenberg has always loved animals, so after learning about the atrocities occurring in various animal industries, she quickly turned her successful luxury interior design business, DiMare Design, into a cruelty-free/vegan design brand by replacing animal derived products with sustainable alternative materials. Not only is DiMare Design cruelty-free, it is also a compassionate brand capable of designing beautiful spaces with the needs of allergy sufferers and those with autism and sensory challenges in mind.  After learning so much about the various industries and how it adversely affects not only animals, but the workers making these products and our environment,  Deborah set out to create a platform where others could learn what she did and help turn their businesses cruelty-free. The mission of the Certified Cruelty Free Course is that through demonstration and education, from individuals and small business to large corporations, cruelty-free options will deliver success within their company and in

The Thx Company, founded by brothers Ricardo Jose and Ricardo Juan Bueso, is turning the typical way companies sell consumers goods upside down. Inspired by their socially minded father to always do good and give back, Thx Co. was founded in 2013 and first headquartered in their parents living room in Pembroke Pines, Florida.  With backgrounds in social development and degrees in Political Science and International Relations and Investment Banking, the Bueso brothers, alongside their team of creative wizards have created a company that any father would be proud of.  And they've given their consumers the power to give back and do good, just as their father instilled in them. When you make the choice to purchase from The Thx Co., you're not only receiving a high quality, sustainably sourced product without a retail and profit markup, you are donating the savings of your purchase to your choice of over 1.8 million non-profits.  Whether it's the environment,, or animals, education, the arts, children, or health t

Jules Aron wants to change your perception of what healthy tastes like. With the release of her book, Zen and Tonic: Savory and Fresh Cocktails for the Enlightened Drinker, you’ll be infusing superfoods into your cocktails in no time to make delicious, healthy, restorative drinks for you and your friends. Jules grew up in Montreal and moved to New York for an internship she got at a magazine called Paper. It wasn’t long thereafter that she realized that the magazine publishing business wasn’t for her. Influenced by her bartending father who would make her herbal, plant-based tea infusions to strengthen her immune system when she was a kid, she soon got the knack for bartending which helped put her through school at NYU. During this time she also started to develop an interest in health and wellness and received a certification in health coaching. It wasn’t until she detached herself from the noisy streets of New York City and found quiet in a cabin in upstate New York that she got the idea for Zen and Tonic.

Loren Pulitzer understands how powerful food can be. It can provide nourishment to the body and soul, heal the sick and ailing, and bring people together. After being diagnosed with Lupus, Loren’s health journey has connected her intimately with what she puts on her plate and she’s made it her life’s work to show others the importance of food. With a degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in Hotel Restaurant Management and a degree in Pastry Arts, Loren founded Simply Sharon’s – a vegan/gluten free dessert company and works as a personal chef to help her clients eat healthier and wholesome food. When she’s not busy in the kitchen, Loren is helping artists make their dreams come true with Feast Miami which she co-founded with Susan Caraballo. As winners of a Knights Art Foundation grant, Feast Miami’s mission is to raise money for local artists and local art spaces by providing plant-based, family style dinners and brunches where money raised from the event is awarded to the best project as vot

Sometimes life deals people a bad hand and foster children are just one of many people to get the short end of the stick.  Being moved around from home to home, to different foster parents, and being separated from your siblings and parents isn’t what growing up should feel like for kids but for many this is their reality.  Not having a stable home and family support system to go back to at the end of the day has its set of challenges and many children miss out on opportunities in their lives to advance themselves and break free from an upbringing that they didn’t necessarily choose. But thanks to selfless people like Steve Rios from Florida Reach, former foster child, Racquell ‘Rocky’ Perry, are given the opportunity to make lemonade out of lemons. Florida Reach helps foster children achieve a dream of higher education by mentoring and guiding them to the state programs available such as  free tuition and gratuitous monthly living stipends to help them on their journey on becoming the best versions of themse

“I had to go to war to find peace.” – Hipolito ‘Beardman’ Arriaga For many, joining the military is a way of making a better life for themselves and their families.  Putting on the uniform and representing this country is an incredibly noble, selfless, and heroic job that comes with its set of challenges and uncertainties.  Soldiers return to civilian life changed forever with limited resources or outlets where they can express what they saw and experienced in-country.  But for four combat veterans from Miami, the MDC Live Arts’ season-long veterans’ initiative was the impetus for the creation of The Combat Hippies.  Led by world renowned theater artist and director Teo Castellanos, The Combat Hippies consist of Hipolito ‘Beardman’ Arriaga, Anthony ‘I.E.D.’ Torres, Allen ‘Tatsel’ Minor, and Andrew ‘Dru Phoenix’ Cuthbert.  Backed by a soundtrack courtesy of local DJ Brimstone 127, The Combat Hippies show, “Conscience Under Fire” is heralded as a raw, funny, and honest look at what coming home from war feels li

Millennials.  According to TIME magazine they've been dubbed the Me, Me, Me Generation - lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents.  Ouch, Time magazine!  (Well, if you actually read the article you'll see why that's not exactly true)  And it's certainly not the case with our guests, Gigi and Ricky Gil, the brainchildren from Gold Lotus Brand.  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  Gigi and Ricky are young entrepreneurs who are laser-focused on making a mark in the Vegan clothing line game with their environmentally conscious, cruelty-free, PETA approved line of clothing.  Ricky went all-in and quit his day time gig so he could dedicate his time to the brand he envisioned when he was still a beardless youth in high school.  Together with his wife Gina (affectionately known as Gigi) they are the Gold Lotus Brand.  Their headquarters is their home where they live with their cat Einstein (and not their parents!) and where all the ideas, work, orders, and hustle take place. Although still in its i

What do you think a meat-free deli would sell?  Would pastrami on rye come to mind?  Or how about sausage marinara or burgers stacked high with tasty fixin's.  This is exactly what Ryan Bauhaus had in mind when he founded Atlas Meat-Free Delicatessen.  After meeting his vegetarian wife Amanda, Ryan slowly transitioned to eating less meat but struggled with giving up some of his favorite foods. Having a love for cooking from a young age, he decided to get in the kitchen and figure out how he could still eat the foods he loved without having to go to the butcher.  Ryan incorporated the seasonings and flavorings found in traditional meats (sausages, pastrami, burgers) and cheeses and made them all delicious and plant-based.  He tirelessly tested recipes to make sure he wasn't calling a sandwich by a name it didn't deserve.  If he was serving a pastrami sandwich, he wanted you to feel like you were eating pastrami.  And because of his endless hours in the kitchen and dedication to quality, wholesome food, Altas M

In a busy, fast-paced world where Keurig machines and the like are as ubiquitous as Starbucks coffee shops, the guys over at JoJo Tea are on a mission to create a bona-fide American tea culture and show Miamian’s how to slow down, count their breaths, and experience drinking authentic tea as it was meant to be. Michael Ortiz and Tico Aran are business partners and life-long friends and JoJo Tea, tucked away in an unlikely location off of LeJeune Road in swanky Coral Gables, is where they perform their magic – offering tea flights and traditional, genuine tea ceremonies to curious locals, tea connoisseurs, and novices alike.  Although the presentation from start to finish is meticulously crafted with attention to detail from the brewing of the water to the pouring of the tea into handmade tea cups courtesy of Tico, these tea guru’s intention is not to scare anyone away with their beautiful artistry.  Instead, they want to “demystify” as Michael says on the podcast, the “intimidation factor” of drinking tea. Ge

Growing up in North East Los Angeles wasn't easy for our guest, Karina Rain.  Raised by her grandmother from the ripe age of five, she lost her mother to Multiple Sclerosis and had an abusive father who she lost last year from Multiple Myeloma Cancer.  As a teenager she became rebellious and self-destructive, experimenting with drugs and running away from her home in Elysian Valley.  She was homeless by age 15 and stuck in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend at the time.  But after turning 18 she had enough and decided that that life wasn't for her; her perspective on life had changed and she got a job, went back to school and started the difficult process of reinventing herself and turning her life around - and she did just that. Karina is now an activist, a writer for Urban Native Magazine and she has her very own YouTube channel where she seeks to share her story with the world and help others who might be going through tough times in their lives.  She is also very active in the Native American comm

Meet Veronica Menin and Diego Tosoni, two of five partners from the newly opened Love Life Wellness Center in the hip and funky Wynwood district.  Love Life is a socially conscious “all-in-one” wellness center where you can get your yoga on, get a massage, experience reiki, enjoy a plant-based meal and even bring your dog in for a class of Doga. (Yoga for Dogs!) We first introduced you to Veronica in Episode 3 where she spoke about her former company, Peace A’ Cake and how she broke into the vegan bakery business.  After making the decision to step away from Peace A’ Cake, she contemplated moving, getting far away and clearing her mind.  But before she could hop on a plane, an opportunity presented itself to her that she couldn’t ignore.  Spurred by her yoga teacher, Megan Elizabeth to create a juice bar/yoga studio, Love Life Wellness Center was born thanks to the collective minds of Megan, Nick, Veronica, Joe and Diego – Love Life’s backbone and guiding forces. Diego first met Veronica earlier in his life b

As Queen B so beautifully taught us this weekend, when life gives you lemons you must make lemonade.  For the first time in Planted in Miami history, we do not have an interview portion of the show.  Due to technical issues (i.e. computers losing their minds) our file was corrupted.  But as we all know, sh*t happens so we decided to practice the art of letting go and just have fun with it.  We'll be back to our regular schedule in two weeks, in the meantime, we hope you enjoy this episode! Alex & Jeanette Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Music For behind the scenes photos, show notes and more visit www.plantedinmiami.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook + Instagram @plantedinmiami

After a long and fast-paced stint in the corporate marketing and advertising world, Melanie Oliva left the harsh winters of Chicago and her nine-to-five with her husband and two cats and moved to Miami so she could reconnect with her fine arts roots and enjoy the endless summers of South Florida. With Miami as her new muse, she began to focus her creative energy on painting again and we’re sure glad she did because when you’re inspired you can change the world. This eco-artist and activist might seem soft-spoken, but her passion to bring awareness to the environmental issues facing our planet as well as all of its inhabitants is loud and clear. With every brushstroke, Melanie is giving a voice to the plants, animals, and insects that are in need of an empathetic advocate to help secure their futures. Through Inspiration Pollination, a group comprised of over 600 artists from around the world, she hopes to shine a light on the very serious state pollinators, such as bees, are in and why they play such a pivota

Who Saved Who?  This ubiquitous bumper sticker can be seen on the cars of those lucky pet owners that have adopted a dog or a cat from a rescue shelter. In this episode we sit down with Caroline and Isaac Saiz, the husband and wife team behind the local Save The Strays Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to  rescuing stray animals, placing them in foster and/or permanent homes and educating the public on animal-welfare issues. Caroline and Isaac are animal advocates with a variety of experience in business, law, and marketing and their love and respect for animals is a common bond they both deeply share.  Save The Strays is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization and all donations and adoption fees go to the care of the rescues and operating expenses.  Because they rely heavily on loving homes in order to save more animals, they ask that you reach out to them if you can foster any animals or if you are ready to provide a permanent home for them. Caroline and Isaac are truly inspiring locals who

When Miami native, Ellen Kanner isn’t blogging, writing books, hosting plant-based feasts or educating locals on the power of plants through her syndicated column in the Miami Herald, The Edgy Veggie, you can probably find her in the kitchen developing recipes or lounging around her house reviewing books. Ellen was an early adopter of the veggie lifestyle and she made the switch at the ripe, young age of 13 because of her love of animals.  Since then, she has been a powerful and influential spokesperson in the South Florida community, introducing others to this sustainable, healthy lifestyle and spreading its many benefits to a mass audience.  (Thank you, Ellen!)  She believes learning about your food and how it’s sourced is important, no matter what kind of diet you may subscribe to and the real magic is in food’s ability to bring people together; and isn’t that what’s it’s all about? It’s possible that some of the greatest conversations have occurred while breaking bread around a table with good company and