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David Gershon and Gail Straub are considered pioneers in the field of empowerment.

In 1981 they founded a training and consulting company called Empowerment Training
Programs.
Since then they have offered their highly acclaimed personal development training
Empowerment Workshop and their professional training Art Of Empowerment to
thousands of people throughout North America, Europe, Russia, and Asia. Their book
Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It, has been translated into
five languages, and is used worldwide as the basis for empowerment support groups.
They have appeared on many radio and TV interview shows discussing their ideas on
empowerment.

David and Gail have also applied their knowledge of empowerment to societal change. In
1986 in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), they organized a
major global event called the First Earth Run. A lighted torch was passed through 62
countries encircling the planet. 25 million people and 45 heads-of-state participated in this
event celebrating our possibilities to live in harmony with each other and the Earth.
Several million dollars was raised that went directly to the neediest children of the planet.
In 1989, building on his years of empowerment and social change experience, David
founded an international environmental organization, Global Action Plan for the Earth
(GAP). Its purpose is to empower individuals to live environmentally sustainable
lifestyles. Over 150,000 people in sixteen countries have participated in its programs.

In 1992, Gail created an advanced training called Grace: A Spiritual Growth Training
Program for students who wanted to integrate spiritual development with social and
ecological responsibility. Based on this training she wrote The Rhythm of Compassion:
Caring for Self Connecting with Society and Circle of Compassion: Meditations for Caring
for the Self and the World, both published by Tuttle.