AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

• [00:01 → 00:20] Introduction and Organizational Overview
  Jason Schwartz introduces himself as the director of the Maui Arts and Music Association, also known as the Dream Makers Foundation. Located in Maui, Hawaii, the organization operates from the Dream Makers studios and gallery. Founded in 1991 as a 501©(3) nonprofit, their mission is to promote the visual arts, healing arts, music, and island culture. Additionally, they focus on educating the community about renewable energy and environmental programs with the overarching goal of creating a self-sustained community model.
• [00:20 → 01:08] Mission and Personal Background
  Jason shares his diverse background in finance, mortgage business, real estate, and his love for music and art, which fuels his motivation to integrate these fields positively and productively. The Dream Makers Foundation is the embodiment of this integration—uniting arts and community sustainability. This segment highlights the organization’s recent acquisition of a physical space used as a gallery and studio, emphasizing their commitment to showcasing local talent and fostering community dreams into actionable realities.
• [01:08 → 01:58] Artistic Focus and Dream Community Vision
  The Dream Makers gallery currently promotes the work of Richard Fields, a Maui-based painter whose artwork reflects the spirit of Maui and other locations. Behind Jason is a painting titled the “Rainbow Temple,” which visually represents the concept of a planned dream community. This symbolizes the foundation’s core philosophy: transforming dreams into tangible outcomes through collective action. Here, the Dream Makers Foundation is introduced as a multifaceted organization combining the Maui Arts and Music Association (MAMA) and People Aligned in Positive Action (PAPA), which stands for participatory and supportive community members.
• [01:58 → 02:51] Community Programs and Economic Vision
  The organization produces a quarterly magazine, program guides, and compact discs highlighting the islands’ visual arts, culinary arts, healing arts, music, and cultural activities. These media serve to demonstrate practical solutions for sustainable living, aiming to create an exemplary model for the world. Maui, despite being a popular tourist destination, is envisioned as a living example of self-sustainability with an integrated action plan. The goal is to diversify the economy away from traditional real estate dependency by leveraging arts and culture to generate revenue and fund environmental technologies, which could be exported globally from this remote location.
• [02:51 → 03:34] Global Inspiration: Gaviotas and the Self-Sustained Community Model
  Jason recounts attending a conference in New Mexico where he learned about Gaviotas, a pioneering self-sustained community in Columbia’s Vichada region. Founded by Paulo Lugari, Gaviotas transformed barren wastelands into biodiverse rainforests through aggressive reforestation, water production, and health improvements. The community’s model earned the United Nations’ recognition in 1974 for being the first fully self-sustained community. This case serves as a powerful inspiration for Dream Makers’ vision to replicate similar success in Maui.
• [03:34 → 04:25] Zero Emissions Research and Circular Manufacturing
  The conference also featured Gunther Pauly, head of the Zero Emissions Research Institute (ZERI), which promotes industrial ecology principles where waste from one manufacturing process becomes the input for another. This circular economy concept, combined with Gaviotas’ self-sustainability, strongly influenced Jason. Upon interviewing these leaders, they expressed interest in collaborating to implement a similar self-sustained community model in Maui. Jason reveals plans to host a conference in Maui the following year (2004) after the 2003 event in Colorado, aiming to further these initiatives in a politically stable, remote, and environmentally stunning setting.
• [04:25 → 04:53] Ongoing Programs and Community Engagement
  Jason highlights his nine years of producing “MAMA Presents,” a television program focused on interviewing artists across various disciplines—musical, visual, culinary, and healing arts—while discussing renewable energy, environmental issues, and social and political programs. This media platform serves as a community engagement tool, spreading awareness and fostering collaboration around sustainable solutions and cultural enrichment on Maui.
• [04:53 → End] Closing and Invitation to Participate
  In closing, Jason invites listeners to connect with the Dream Makers Foundation either through their website or via those who introduced them to the organization. He emphasizes the foundation’s openness and readiness to serve the community, encouraging everyone to become part of this movement to turn dreams into reality through positive action. The message concludes with a heartfelt Aloha, underscoring the spirit of community, culture, and sustainability central to the Dream Makers Foundation’s vision.

Summary

The Dream Makers Foundation, led by Jason Schwartz, is a nonprofit organization based in Maui, Hawaii, dedicated to fostering a self-sustaining community through the integration of visual arts, healing arts, music, and environmental education. Rooted in a strong cultural and ecological ethos, the foundation promotes sustainable economic models that emphasize renewable energy and environmental stewardship while supporting local artists and cultural practitioners. Inspired by global examples like Gaviotas in Colombia and the Zero Emissions Research Institute’s circular manufacturing, Dream Makers aims to create an actionable blueprint that leverages the unique attributes of Maui to serve as a worldwide model of sustainability and community integration. Through media programs, quarterly publications, and community events, the foundation actively engages both the local population and visitors, inviting them to participate in building a thriving, self-sufficient island community.

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