From (Medical) Magic Mushrooms to a Green Grand Prix: Mindshare, Downtown’s Ideas Exchange Meets Tonight

Downtown used to be a dead zone on a Friday night (I guess I’m showing my age by saying this) but now it’s pulsing with the markers of urban life,…

Downtown used to be a dead zone on a Friday night (I guess I’m showing my age by saying this) but now it’s pulsing with the markers of urban life, including intellectualism. Mindshare is a regular forum, cofounded by Art Center alum Adam Mefford, that gathers sparkling minds to share ideas in a party ambience at Exchange LA on Spring Street. Tonight guests Alicia Danforth, Mike Dooley, Ashar Hussain and Andrew Macgregor will tackle topics ranging from robotics and the medical use of psilocybin (AKA magic mushrooms) to a green Grand Prix and dealing with regions post-conflict.

DnA’s Nicholas Mercure was at the last Mindshare event and has this to say about its self-described ‘Enlightened Debauchery.’ “This most recent event began Mindshare’s fall residency at the newly opened nightclub Exchange LA, housed downtown in the Los Angeles Stock Exchange Building, and featured interactive installations from the UC Santa Barbara Media Arts and Technology program. This exposition of modern thoughts and culture posed an interesting contrast to a designated Historic-Cultural Monument such as the LA Stock Exchange (which was designed by Samuel E. Lunden and dates back to 1929).

August’s speaker line-up included talks by Taylor Krauss from Voices of Rwanda (a non-profit dedicated to sharing testimonies from Rwandans meant to inspire a sense of responsibility towards prevention of human rights atrocities), neuroeconomist Paul Zak’s discussion on social networking’s affect on our brains, and Mikki Krimmel, the founder of NeighborGoods.net (a community where one can earn and save money by sharing stuff with neighbors).

The evening closed with an exhibition of the online (and soon to be printed) comic Axe Cop by its co-creator/editor Ethan Nicolle. Axe Cop’s creative duties are headed by five year old Malachai Nicolle, with assistance from his older brother Ethan. Unfortunately, Malachai was unable to attend as it was a school night.”