Welcome back to Aging with Grace and Purpose.

Today's episode features Ms. Bircan Ünver, a Turkish-American author, activist, producer, and founder of Light Millennium, a charitable organization dedicated to global human advancement.

For more than two decades, she has worked to promote dialogue, education, and global citizenship, demonstrating how values rooted in Anatolia can inspire action on an international stage.

Please visit her multimedia platform below. (If you read their "Contact" section, you will find something really refreshing.)www.lmglobal.org (Current and activewww.lightmillennium.org (Archive website 1999-2018)

How can dance change the lives of people living with Parkinson's disease?

In this episode of Aging with Grace and Purpose, I talk with David Leventhal, Program Director of Dance for PD®, about the remarkable intersection of dance, neuroscience, healthcare, and human connection.

David explains how movement, music, and imagination help people rediscover confidence and joy while living with Parkinson's disease. We also discuss neuroplasticity, Narrative Medicine, creativity, and why the arts play an essential role in healthy aging.

As David beautifully says,

"At heart, there's art in heart."

This conversation is for anyone interested in Parkinson's disease, healthy aging, the healing power of the arts, and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.

AKO, Actress and Producer:In this episode, we are joined by the versatile AKO, a celebrated New York-based actress, director, playwright, and founder of the theater company Amaterasu Za.

AKO continues to make a significant impact as a key figure in both the local and national theater scenes. While preparing for the upcoming Off-Broadway premiere of Izumo no Okuni this November, she shares her artistic journey and insights, taking time from her demanding rehearsal schedule to speak with us.