Linda McLean, Executive Director of Little Pearls, has had a strong interest in media as a consciousness-raising tool since she had a vision about its vast potential in the early 1980’s. She has a master’s degree in social work and many years of experience in various settings, mainly in mental health, developmental disabilities and case management. In two decades of volunteer work with Asheville-based Peace Links – North Carolina, she served as President twice and helped put on a wide array of annual Peace Day events. She shepherded The Peace Pledge Project into being and distributed Peace Pledge cards throughout the US and to many other countries. Linda senses deeply that all aspects of life are interconnected and has worked with several groups to link peace, social justice and environmental ideas. She loves to work collaboratively with people who have different skills and perspectives.

Linda is keenly aware that a large number of people, in widely diverse life situations, do not have positive role models in their lives. Since both television and the Internet have such far-reaching impact in mainstream culture, she believes that media could be skillfully and lovingly used to plant seeds of hope and change. She is especially interested in the heart-work of personal, spiritual, relationship and community development and in our deepening connection as humans to each other, animals, nature, the Earth and the Universe – to beauty and wonder in all forms.

She lives with her husband Jim, their animal family and many plants and gardens in Weaverville, NC. Her dear elderly mother lives nearby. Baby Kayla on the portfolio page is her first grandchild and is now big sister to Kira. Linda@LittlePearls.org

 

Debra Roberts is the fond Founder and former co-Executive Director of Little Pearls. She has been involved in the arts and spirituality all her life. Her work as an artist has taken her to England (where she lived for eleven years), Northern Ireland, Europe, and various cities around the United States. In New Mexico, she worked with Coyote Gathers His People, a Native American performing troupe, and was Director of the New Mexico Literacy Theater, a company that toured pueblos, schools, prisons and rehabilitation centers around the Southwest. In the late nineties, after a series of strong nighttime dreams, she started a company called Heron Productions LLC, which specializes in documentaries, and later, Little Pearls.

Debra's experiences of the arts in service to multicultural communities profoundly impacted her, as does her friendship with elders and Medicine people from many traditions. A meeting with Hopi elder Thomas Banyacya, a messenger of Hopi prophecy who spoke about the vital importance of women stepping forward into the world, also deeply touched her. In 2005, she went on a sabbatical that included time in India, the Hopi Mesas, and the Black Madonna region of southern France. These sacred places deepened her commitment to the arts as a strong beneficial force in the world. As a result, she created a series of CD talks for women called Prasad for Women (a project that will also benefit Little Pearls; please visit fifthworldwomen.com). debra@littlepearls.org.

Debra lives outside Weaverville, NC with her beloved family.

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Both Linda and Debra had vivid nighttime dreams – a few months apart – about creating empowering PSAs. They were working in different ways to bring their dreams into reality. They met serendipitously in October 2000 and felt immediately in sync, sharing an intuitive, heart-directed sense about the process and the purpose for making these spots. Linda joined Little Pearls soon after they met and became co-Executive Director. In late 2004, after Little Pearls obtained its official 501(c)(3) non-profit status, Linda became Executive Director. Debra continues as Consultant and may get involved again as Co-Producer on some Pearls. With assistance from a great Board of Directors, from wise mentors in critical areas of organizational development, and from creative collaborators and volunteers, Little Pearls is evolving into its next exciting phase. Feeling blessed to have found each other and to have nurtured Little Pearls this far through their shared dreams, Debra and Linda continue to step forward into the world, gladly supporting each other’s life-affirming offerings.

Read more about Linda and Debra in Hello/Goodbye:coming together
and breaking apart a business partnership published in the February 06 issue of Western North Carolina Woman magazine.

The creation of Little Pearls is a collaborative effort - we acknowledge and are grateful for the excellent work and support of so many people!