Starr Turner

May 2010

References:
The Global Warming Survival Handbook by David De Rothschild
The Hippie Handbook by Chelsea Cain
Hippie Dictionary by John Bassett McCleary
http://www.clatskanie.com/

My name is Starr Turner. I was born to parents Sky and Sunshine Turner in the town of Clatskanie, Oregon.

I chose my own name when I was five years old. My parents always encouraged my sisters and me to explore and express ourselves without feeling confined by the labels imposed on us by the societal war machine . And that started at home - with choosing our own names. When I was twelve, I added the second "r" to my name to give myself more of an air of sophistication.

My sisters and I all chose to attend the Montessori school in Astoria. We were provided the unique opportunity to take classes like: The Art of Communicating through Interpretative Dance, Forensic Scatology, Astrological Compatibility in Love and Sex, the Impact of Astronomic Motion on the Human Brain’s Lunar Rhythm and Home Economics for Vegans.

At the age of 16 I was accepted to UC Berkley where I earned my Masters Degree in Ethical Agricultural Practices. Currently I manage several farms in Northern California that provide fair wages and benefits to their workers and only raise free-range vegetarian fed livestock. I also spend several months every year traveling around the world to assist non-profit organizations in bringing ethical farming practices to under-developed countries.

Recently, I thought about joining the Peace Corps, but when I realized that the Corps is a stringent organization that doesn’t provide unlimited outlets for the freedom of expression, I decided to just go help people by myself.

My first trip was to Tijuana, Mexico. I packed a duffle bag and jumped on a bus for the boarder. After crossing into Mexico, I wandered around until I found two little girls selling gum on the side of the road, one had a large bruise on her collarbone which caught my attention. I asked them where their home was, and since they did not have a home (or parents), I decided the three of us should find a safe house. We stumbled upon Casa Hogar de los Ninos where I stayed for a year living and working with Tanya and Mago. Before living in Mexico, I had never cut my hair. But both Tanya and Mago had lice that quickly spread to me, so I shaved my head (even though there was shampoo that would have killed the lice) because that is what the little girls had to do and I wanted to feel solidarity with them. I do hope my life journey brings me back to Mexico, I miss the smell of chile and asada in the air.

I begin every day with sun salutations - one for every hour of sunlight I will be enjoying that day. And I end every day in one hour of meditation. Sometimes, I find myself so overcome with gratitude for my life on this planet that I have to stop and meditate on the spot – just to fully embrace my feeling so that I can radiate the positive energy in me and push it into the world.

I believe in peace as a tangible thing – it is something visible in some people and sorely missing from others – something you can share with those around you, if they are open and accepting.

I feel. I feel very deeply and was raised to always accept and express my feelings fully. Sometimes this is through painting or running or sitting at the bottom of a lake to see how long I can hold my breath. As a Leo, I don’t feel at home under the water like my Pisces sister, but I find when I am feeling like I could just dissolve into the particles of my being and expand beyond the reaches of the universe, that feeling of tight confinement I get from being under the water balances me back out.

I’m in New Haven with my old college roommate, Annie. She was having some doubts about her current career path and boyfriend, so I came out to give her a palm reading and some insight into her future.