Ilene Proctor’s Great Mind Series aims to share the best ideas from the greatest minds. It was founded in 2010 by publicist and activist Ilene Proctor. The first event took place at Teddi Winograd’s home in Beverly Hills, CA. Since then, a grand total of 91 Great Mind Series salons have entertained and stimulated an audience of open-minded progressives.
The Great Mind Series is dedicated to:
- Fostering the significance and importance of literature and the written word as an art form.
- Enriching the general public’s knowledge and awareness of the contemporary writers and thinkers who have made a significant impact on the cultural and literary landscape.
- Enhancing the general public’s exposure and access to literary and cultural work, thoughts and ideas as represented in and by modern works of fiction and nonfiction, all in an intimate setting with easy access to talent and thinkers.
- Expanding the general public’s access to, and understanding of, literature through community-based programs featuring writers, thinkers, public figures and others in conversation on fictional and nonfictional work.
- Creating and fostering opportunities for dialogue and interaction between the general public and writers, thinkers, public figures, among others, about reading, writing, literature, the literary process, the role and relationship of literature to music, film and other media, and the relevance and impact of literature on modern society.
Past even have featured Reza Aslan, Gore Vidal, Gabe Sherman, Mikey Weinstein, Gloria Allred with Lisa Bloom, Robert Baer, Ralph Nader, Larry Beinert, Max Blumenthal, Sidney Blumenthal, Jane Goodall, John Dean, Robert Dreyfuss, Robert Scheer, Oliver Stone, Amy Goodman, Professor Peter Drier, Reese Elrich, Elliot Gould, Former Rep. Alan Grayson, Libee HaLevy, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Dahr Jamail, David Cay Johnston, Dennis Kucinich, Esai Morales, Harold Myerson, Ralph Nader, John Nichols, Greg Palast, Michael Parenti, Nomi Prins, Danny Schechter, Gabe Sherman, Robert Sheer, Lance Simmens, David Swanson, Harvey Wasserman, Marianne Williamson, Ambassador Joe Wilson, and Vincent Bugliosi, among others.