WAVE 'Lights The Way For Change' In Orange County

LAGUNA BEACH, CA —Hundreds gathered in Laguna Beach High School Artists Theater on Sunday to inspire change in the community on Sunday, to shine a light on the rise of intolerance and violence in our society, Women for American Values and Ethics said in a recent release.

With music, short films, and heart to heart conversation with the audience, speakers shared from their souls on what it means to make a change. (Watch the full video, above).

WAVE is a non-partisan group that began with 21 women in Orange County. Now, there are 1,000 members speaking out to eradicate hate from communities in Orange County and beyond.

This event, organized by Rita Conn, was the first of its scale, as she told the Daily Pilot.

The "Light the Way for Change" event was to focus on problems that young people face, such as bullying, anxiety as well as suicide. Conn has said that the group has started a WAVE across the community," and that what has begun with desire and inspiration has developed into a hope that we can all change.

Laguna Beach's mayor Bob Whalen, and council member Tony Iseman were on hand, as were many local school district and council members from cities across the county.

Speakers at the event included Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, mother of Blaze Bernstein, who was killed in Lake Forest over one year ago. Bernstein's parents are not activists of their #BlazeItForward campaign to keep their son's memory alive through memories and Blaze's legacy of kindness.

State Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie Norris of Laguna Beach, is also a founding member of WAVE.

"I think the goal is to inspire and not just to hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya,'" Norris said of the event, "but to inspire more and more people to take action and for more and more people to become grassroots leaders that we need all across the community."

Speakers at the event included:

• R. Derek Black (Former White Nationalist)
• Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein, Parents of Blaze Bernstein
• Victoria Mendez, Stanford University, Global Director, Cool 2 Be Kind
• Anna Mendez, National Association of People Against Bullying
• Dr. Marilyn J. Harran, Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education, Chapman University
• Dr. Pete Simi, Chapman University
• Shelley McMahon, Moms Demand Action