Join us for a live taping of the Speak For Change podcast with Thomas Sage Pedersen, featuring conversation with community leaders and activists, and a live-only exclusive musical performance. Speak For Change has produced over 100 episodes since its beginning, with a mission to inspire positive and lasting change in our local and global communities.

Thomas Sage Pedersen will be talking with Taj Leahy about the Future of Leadership, and the connection between personal development and social change. We will be discussing how we need to adopt new approaches for creating social change in our local communities, and what that looks like in the world.

Trianna Feruza

Trianna Feruza is a Santa Cruz-based singer songwriter creating an atmosphere of pop fusion with an acoustic twist. Networking with a plethora of musicians all her life she makes a point to infuse her art with multiple different genres, players and musical experiments! Growing up in the Bay Area Balkan scene as well as the Bay Area HipHop scene she focuses on the widest soundscape possible.

Taj Leahy

Taj Leahy, also known as his DJ name Father Taj is a DJ, activist, father and husband. This year he won The Jim Howes Award for community service alongside past guest and activist Joy Flynn. He was The Co-chair for the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness through Santa Cruz City Council. His focus and inspiration for working in the community is on bridging the gaps between communities and cultures by deepening his understanding of self in relation to all things.

Thomas Sage Pedersen

Thomas Sage Pedersen’s mission and purpose has shifted throughout the years, but has always revolved around: to explore and implement innovative ways to inspire and create communities that are rooted in health, self-awareness, communication, creativity, accountability, courage and nonviolence. He continues to explore these principles in his personal life as well as in organizations he has created, helped create or are a part of.

Thomas is the CEO and Founder of the award winning music school Everyone’s Music School. He is the founder and main host of the podcast Speak For Change Podcast. He also has his own radio show on KSQD 90.7 fm in Santa Cruz County called the Speak For Change Radio hour. He is a co-Founder and the main facilitator of the Black Kings of Santa Cruz County which is a black men’s group here in Santa Cruz County rooted in brotherhood and connection.

He is a member of the Santa Cruz Equity Collaborative who are popularly known for holding responsibility for the BLM mural here in Santa Cruz. When not working in the community Thomas likes to write, paint and create music. He lives in the Redwoods of Santa Cruz County with his amazing artist wife Lauren Ringelman.

COVID-19 Precautions

Proof of vaccination is required for all attendees. Please bring a CDC vaccination card, a photo of a card, or a California SMART Health QR code.

All attendees must be masked while inside the space.