From the Editor: Mar-Apr 2018

Since I live in southern California, the arrival of spring means the Santa Monica Mountains are ablaze with wildflowers, which adds another layer to the amazingness of trail running in the hills and canyons. We’re channeling that spirit of renewal in this issue of alive.

In our feature, we talk with my friend Tulsi Gabbard. She is remarkable for so many reasons: she’s a soldier, veteran, congresswoman, surfer and really caring person with a very bright future. She also follows a plant-based diet. We met a few years ago in the White House with Sam Kass, who was the Obamas’ chef and worked on the Let’s Move! campaign. The three of us discussed challenges facing the current food system, as well as the more-sedentary-than-ideal habits of this nation, and how both factors were responsible, in part, for a less vibrant America. We talked about what role policy could possibly play in the solution. It was a fascinating discussion, and she and I have kept in touch ever since.

We profile my friend Joe Duplantier, frontman for the amazing French metal band Gojira. Not only is Joe the lead singer for one of the biggest metal bands in the world, but he’s also a family man. We reveal how he’s able to fit it all in and how he makes plant-based eating work while on a grueling international tour schedule. I first met Joe at a sold-out show Gojira played at House of Blues Anaheim, and then saw the band open for Metallica in San Diego and Vancouver, Canada; they blew me away.

We talk with one of our mentors, Seth Goldman. Seth is someone I’ve admired in the natural heath industry for years. He co-founded Honest Tea, sold it and is now executive chairman of the board for Beyond Meat (and remains TeaEO Emeritus at Honest Tea). His mission is always to create products that have a positive impact on people and the planet.

Is joining a startup right for you? What are the possible risks and rewards? We dig into an excellent book from Harvard Business Review called Entering StartUpLand to find out.

And recipes! This issue we deliver delicious, colorful and nutrient-packed recipes from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life.

To your ambitions,

Brendan Brazier Editor-in-Chief