GOLDEN DOOR SPEAKER SERIES: DEBORAH SZEKELY

Deborah Szekely is a prominent visionary, activist and philanthropist. Born May 3, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, she spent her childhood in Tahiti, where her family became acquainted with philosopher and natural-living advocate Edmond Bordeaux Szekely. Deborah married Edmond in 1939 and, in 1940, the couple opened a camp in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, called Rancho La Puerta. Here, they explored and tested their ideas for healthy living. As the Ranch grew inpopularity, some of her high-profile guests expressed their desire for a smaller, more private retreat. In 1958, Szekely opened the Golden Door. Among her myriad accomplishments, Deborah founded (COMBO), Combined Arts and Education Council of San Diego County in 1978, which has raised over $25 million for 21 cultural organizations. From 1984 to 1990 she was President of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent foreign assistance agency of the U.S. government which furthers grassroots development by awarding grants directly to the organized poor in Latin America, Caribbean, and the groups that support their efforts. In 2012, Szekely founded Wellness Warrior, a non-profit organization in San Diego, California. The organization raises funds to act as a PAC (Political Action Committee) that lobbies members of Congress to support wellness initiatives.