We Are: The Power of Collective Courage Speakers Event
Come hear Jeanne Pepper, the co-founder of Blaze it Forward speak at her first speaking engagement of 2026 in Irvine, California.
What to expect
Join us for an evening of inspiring talks, bold ideas and shared courage.
We Are: The Power of Collective Courage
Join us for an outstanding event with incredible speakers who will be diving deep into how coming together sparks courage and unstoppable energy. It's all about sharing stories, connecting and building change through relationship. Our event speakers:
To honor her father's legacy, Michelle Della Penna built a foundation for young girls to be introduced to the world of motorsports, including racing, engineering, business, and marketing. The Della Penna Foundation gives these girls a life-changing opportunity with access, mentorship, and the chance to pave the way for future generations.
A mother's truth is not dangerous, but ignoring it is...Aasia Stormm has walked through unimaginable loss and made room for grief without surrendering to it. She is driven by a commitment to turn pain into purpose-and to bring truth, compassion, and
responsibility back into how we listen.
Andrea Suchin is an entrepreneur and caregiver advocate, and the founder of Wuggle, a wellness company focused on sleep and nervous-system health. She partners with nonprofit organizations to support caregivers and their loved ones, and today she's here to share her story.
Our next speaker, Lorna
McFarlane, reflects on a profound personal journey, recognizing longstanding relationship dynamics and unhealthy boundaries that no longer served her, as she finds the courage to choose her own growth and wellness, instead.
Jeanne Pepper is our next speaker whose journey to this stage was forged in a fire no parent should ever have to endure. Many of you know her as the heart of the #BlazeitForward movement and the host of the PeppTalks with Jeanne podcast. In the wake of her son Blaze's death, Jeanne is proud to be here today to share how it was the community-the human connections, the radical kindness, and the unwavering support of people like you —who sustained her family through a grueling, six-year marathon for justice. She reminds us that when we nurture our connections, we don't just survive; we create a legacy that can live forever.
Rachel Hernandez shares her story of how unhealed wounds shape us and the courage it takes to heal and choose yourself.
Melissa Reiner comes to us as a behavioral expert who has
unlocked the key to replace anxiety with a revolutionary way to connect in with our most authentic interpersonal social-emotional relationships. Melissa builds a genuine sense of competence in the world of neurodivergence, one conversation at a time!
Ariel Wilson Gbenedio places faith and trust first, as she guides us on a meditative experience to help us step into our best life as we reach our truest potential.
Don't miss out on an inspiring evening filled with strength, community and connection. See you there!
You must show your ID upon arrival.
Please arrive early as there will be light snacks served prior to the show with NO INTERMISSION and the show will start promptly at 6:30 PM.
A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the JCC.
Blaze It Forward Day of Giving Back
Please join us on
Martin Luther King Day
Janaury 20th, 2025
for a Rock Painting and
Memorial clean up at
Borrego Park in Foothill Ranch.
12PM
Jeanne Pepper and the PeppTalks volunteers
Come by, paint a rock or bring a painted rock,
or just come by and say hello!
Blaze Mememorial Rock Garden Day of Service
Join the Bernstein Family and Friends on April 27th, 2024 at Borrego Park when we will continue the tradition of cleaning up the Blaze Memorial Rock Garden, repainting old rocks and placing new ones. We will start at 10am and plan on a couple of hours. Make sure to bring your own plain river rocks or use ours and we will provide paint and weatherproofing.
Refurbishing of Borrego Park Rock Garden in Foothill Ranch
Please join the Bernstein Family for this timely event to refurbish the rock garden memorial in Borrego Park. The Memorial Site requires periodic maintenance to be replenished with new colorful hand painted rocks and to refurbish existing rocks that have weathered. Art supplies will be on hand for those that want to clean and repaint existing rocks or bring your own decorated rocks and we will weatherproof them on site before they are placed. School age children are welcome to join and learn about Blaze’s memorial and legacy.
Please direct questions to BlazeBernstein@mail.com
Days of Gratitude
The Blaze Bernstein Foundation is partnering with Days of Gratitude to help us lift our blessings and build our resilience in the face of the pandemic and current challenges
Radiant Health Centers Food Drive
"As a follow-up to their Gala and in honor of #BlazeitForward, Radiant Health Centers will host a Food Drive starting Monday, March 1st through Wednesday, March 31.
To contribute visit our Amazon Wish List at amzn.to/3azuowE or donate at give.classy.org/Food-drive.
#BlazeitForward is the movement to make the world a better place with one intentional kind act at a time. For more information go to blazebernstein.org."
Orange County School of the Arts Ignite Initiative Summit
Blaze Bernstein’s mom Jeanne Pepper will be a guest speaker at the Orange County’s School for the Arts (OCSA) Ignite Initiative Summit. The event is dedicated to promoting a culture of service within the OCSA community. We want to encourage everyone, regardless of age or background, to take action within and beyond their own community. Through community outreach, donations, and acts of kindness, we hope to elevate youth voices against injustice and pursue a world of greater equity.
Growing-up and Human Contact in a Post-Social Era
Join #HalfTheStory for a back to school fundraiser featuring an exclusive screening of THE UPSTANDERS and an insightful conversation.
About this Event
Overview:
From social media to virtual classrooms, what does life behind screens mean for the future of the next gen’s emotional wellbeing? Will cyberbullying get worse or do we now have the time and opportunity to chase the bullies away? Join Indieflix, #HalfTheStory, and National Day of Unplugging for an insightful conversation with leading advocates about the future of human connection, mental health, and life-tech balance. In preparation for the inaugural Global Day of Unplugging this August 1-2, 2020, join the conversation and learn about how you can plug into life.
JNF Women for Israel presents: How to be positive in a Negative World
Please join us to hear the inspirational story of Jeanne Bernstein, whose son was murdered in a brutal hate crime, and how she and her family have harnessed their pain. Jeanne has focused her energy on honoring Blaze and inspiring others to use his memory as an impetus to do good deeds. Jeanne and Gideon have created a national and world wide movement dedicated to choosing love and kindness over hate and resentment.
Event URL: https://secure.jnf.org/site/Calendar?id=39134&view=Detail
Event ID: 39134
Zoom Link- https://jnf.zoom.us/j/98172930525