Meeting Jane Goodall

Right place. Right time. Luck and.a little chutzpah (that shocked my friends.). On our last day in Tanzania, we made a stop at the African Galleria and Cultural Center., Much of the facility is dedicated to selling tourist trinkets and more expensive keepsakes. There are drumming demonstrations, carvers working with ebony, genuine Tanzanite, the rare gemstone found only in Tanzania.

In development is the Jane Goodall Museum, which is being designed to be an immersive experience, with exhibits like a kiosk featuring a recording of Goodall translating chimp cries, a ceiling of tiles painted by African artists, and carved tree trunks. This center will be a hub for conservation, education, and empowerment, featuring interactive exhibits about Jane Goodall's life, her conservation work, and the evolution of her efforts.

I have, in the past, mentioned my extraordinary and profoundly patient bass teacher, Grammy award nominee Ruth Mendelson. Ruth is the author of The Water Tree, a story of adventure, allies, decisions, and growth. Ruth also scores and helps record many of Jane’s audio productions, including her podcast and several audiobooks

Just as my family members were getting restless and bored, the rumor arose that JANE was coming for a visit. She did. And I got to tell her that her audio associate, Ruth, is my bass teacher. Jane graciously allowed a photo op. No one in my party of friends and family imagined I was have such courage to make such an audacious request..

She is as beautiful as you imagine. And so much tinier. At 90, her eyes alive, her kindness flowing tangibly. A moment of a lifetime.

Learn more about Jane, the Jane Goodall Institute, Roots and Shoots and help support her work here.