Thursday, October 18, 2018

1:00 - 1:45 PM

Track II: Transforming the Personal Food & Wellness Lifestyle, Herscher Hall, Guerin C

What to Eat - Wellness and Nutrition: A Transformative Palate - Paleo, Ketogenic and Whole30

Arasia Alkemia Earth, Vegan Chef, Lifestyle Visionary, co-founder, VitaEarth Foundation

Dr Ietef VIta, The Vegan Chef & Rapper, co-founder, VitaEarth Foundation

Jeff Witzeman, Award-Winning Filmmaker, “Cancer Can Be Killed"

Laura Calleia, Master Nutrition and Fitness Expert

Moderator, Nancy King, Brand Strategist, NewView Marketing

Arasia Alkemia Earth: Holistic Lifestyle Coach, visionary, and Art of Glo Lifestyles founder Arasia “Alkemia” (pronounced like ‘alchemy’) Earth has been applying her methods of a holistic lifestyle for nearly two decades, with her first student being herself. Born a Colorado Springs, Colorado native of African and Bolivian (Inca) decent, Alkemia gained an appreciation for nature’s gifts and spent a great deal of her time growing up exploring and playing in the foothills of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. At the strong-willed age of 2, she could remember always “testing the waters” of her parents and boundaries. Questioning ingredients in her food while embarking on the the journey of conscious hip-hop as a teen, she was eager and curious to learn more about

chemical additives and preservatives in food and cosmetics and their side effects on the whole human being. As a mother to five of her “greatest teachers”- being her children and empowered by the wisdom she encountered during natural childbirth and home birth, she was steadfast to successfully guide the restoration of her own heath, the health of her daughters, and had a calling to return to the nourishment of her mother (earth) through her her elements and natural laws. In doing so, she began to witness the higher levels of healing and transformative dialogue happening within. In 2009, Alkemia was called study intensively under a 3rd generation master herbalist from Germany, and was one of only 5 students, (Alkemia being the youngest) to receive her certification in “pure skin care”. A couple of years later, Alkemia expanded her quest of holistic healing into the world of subtle energy and yoga. Certified in the powerful healing arts of Usui Reiki and the Domancic Method of Bioenergy Healing, she began to explore the power of plants (raw, vegan) and subtle energy combined, and in turn evolving her own levels of healing and self-discovery. Alkemia states, “There is more to the human being than the body, and each layer of the being is interconnected, and refers to the whole. To change the way you eat, you must first change the way you think.” In 2013, Alkemia teamed up with now husband, founder of eco hip-hop, food, and environmental activist/artist Dr Ietef “Dj Cavem” Vita. Together, the green powerhouse couple founded Culinary Concerts and the VitaEarth Foundation (a non-profit), in which they tour, speak, perform, and provide personal and charitable services around their mission. In 2016, Dj Cavem and Alkemia were invited by the U.S. embassy to present a Culinary Concert at America Days and a series of Art of Glo and Sprout That Life workshops and lectures in schools and universities in Baku, Azerbaijan. The same year, Alkemia began studying qi-gong under internationally renowned Master Zhou Ting Jue: Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu Grandmaster; and became the co-owner to a plant-based Argentine style restaurant in Denver’s Rhino District, selling her ownership one year later. Inspired by her husband’s work around food justice and a with a deep passion to give back to the community, Alkemia joined the board of a non-profit Any Street Grocery, and helped launch Denver’s first mobile grocer market, established to serve fresh organic produce to food deserts in Denver, Colorado.

Jeff Witzeman is an award-winning filmmaker known worldwide for his documentary “Cancer Can Be Killed" that explores the reasons why traditional medicine in the U.S does not follow the more natural, less toxic and often painless approaches to treatment.  He recently debuted his new film "Flipping the Script: When Parents Fight Back" that places the spotlight on children in America affected by cancer and what parents must face when they try to take control of their child’s treatment plans.Previously, Witzeman worked as an actor, writer and musician. In the 90’s he starred in such shows as Frazier, Webster and a Miller Genuine Draft Super Bowl commercial. In 2000, Jeff Witzeman & The Jealous Housewives became the most radio played unsigned band in America, as tracked by Gavin.

Laura Calleia, Master Nutrition and Fitness Expert: Laura has been in the Fitness, Nutrition and Wellness Industry for her entire career. She holds a Masters Degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition from the University of Western States. The program was created by the Institute of Functional Medicine. Laura has been working with individuals, corporations, and start-ups in the areas of wellness, fitness, diet, and lifestyle. She has been influential in the wellness industry and new cutting-edge technologies including supplementation and replacing drug-therapies with more holistic approaches.

Chef Ietef: Born into a family of poets, artists, and activists, Dr. Ietef “Dj Cavem” Vita aka Chef Ietef, was born in 1986 in Denver, Colorado’s historic Five Points, a community referred the Harlem of the West, iconically known for it’s Jazz music and thriving African American Community. He is an award-winning eco hip-hop food and culinary climate activist/artist, producer, hip-hop artist, midwife, deejay, educator, organic gardener, and vegan chef. He planted his first apricot tree at age 3 in the front yard of his parents home and was gifted his first set of turntables at age 10. In an effort to remove himself from the toxic lifestyle of gang banging during his high school years, he gained an interest in gardening and graffiti art and shortly after became vegan. In 2002, he founded an organization called ‘Sprout That Life’ (formally known as ‘Going Green Living Bling’ ). Ietef studied radio journalism at Metro State University and would later host a radio show on KGNU. In 2007, Ietef began educating youth in Denver’s public schools and was inspired to write his first eco hip-hop single entitled ‘Wheatgrass’. His passion for hip-hop music, gardening, veganism, and his impact on youth and communities began gaining momentum and national recognition. After studying indigenous agriculture and agronomy at the Makarere University in 2012, he released his award-winning curriculum The Produce Section which doubled as an album, and has brilliantly influenced hundreds of thousands of youths, schools, and communities world wide through his summer camp programming, workshops, lectures, live performances, music videos, and campus tours. He has presented at universities such as Wyoming, Naropa, CU Boulder, CU Denver, Denver University, UC Irvine, and Tuskegee. His work has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Fortune, TEDX, Yes! Magazine, Huffington Post (18million views), Origin Magazine, Organic Life, Veg News (best vegan hip-hop album), Dope Magazine, Taste of Home Magazine, the Rachel Ray Show, Sway in the Morning, and the Michaela Show on CNN. Ietef was nominated and received the 2013 Mastermind award in Denver, Colorado for his life changing work in the community with youth. For the past decade, the father of eco hip-hop has used his influencing music as a platform to market a plant-based and eco-friendly lifestyle, educate, inspire and spark the conversations of environmental and food justice issues, health and wellness as well as discussing regenerative ways to restore the land and ocean. With his impact-fully yet entertaining eco friendly message of plant-based foods and organic gardening for a healthier planet, Dj Cavem has worked with brands such as Natural Grocers, Tedx, Sunwarrior, Vega, Nutiva, Jiberish Clothing, Champion Juicer, Dr. Bronners, and Patagonia. In 2013, he and his wife, holistic lifestyle coach, Arasia "Alkemia" Earth, joined forces to continue to spread their message and together founded Culinary Concerts and the Vita Earth Foundation, a holistic health and wellness humanitarian non-profit. They host health and wellness summer camps and programming, and Culinary Concerts in schools nationally and internationally. On June 14, 2014, Ietef received and a proclamation from the Mayor of Denver, and again in 2017 from the Mayor of Baltimore founding 'Keep It Fresh Day', a culinary climate action day.

Nancy King, Brand Strategist with NewView Marketing: bridges that gap between client and agency with a keen understanding of the issues that confront today's marketing executive. Ms. King formed her own marketing consulting company, NewView Marketing in 2000 after years of successful client side experiences in a variety of different industries from toys to technology to food and entertainment. She has held the position of Vice President of Marketing at Mattel Toys, FreeConference.com and Youbet.com among others. For more information, go to: newviewmarketing.com Ms. King has taught advanced marketing at the University of Montana School of Business Administration and holds a BSBA in marketing and finance from Boston University and an MBA from Northeastern University.