Belinda Carlisle: “If I Believe In A Cause I’m Going To Do Whatever I Can For It”
Belinda Carlisle, recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as frontwoman for the iconic Go-Go’s, has also sold over 5 million solo albums – her latest of which is ‘Kismet’, a dynamic collection of pop songs penned by song writing legend Diane Warren.
Over the decades, Carlisle has parlayed her success as a recording artist into high profile opportunities as an author, a popular shampoo endorser, reality television participant and even a Playboy Centerfield.
But above all, Carlisle has consistently used her notoriety to help the most vulnerable or threatened among us, both animals and humans alike.
I recently had a brief conversation with her about a few of the many ways she has lent a hand over the years.
Robert Ferraro: Belinda, of all the charitable things you have involved yourself in, it’s probably accurate to say that co-founding the ‘Animal People Alliance’ ranks at your near the top of your efforts.
Belinda Carlisle: Oh, definitely. We started it almost a decade ago, in 2014, and it treats sick and injured animals on the streets of Kolkata. We expanded into Northern Thailand where we work a lot with stateless people. The Hill Tribe. So it is doing really well. We’ve treated over 30,000 animals in nine years.
Robert: Per the title, it’s really a people charity as well.
Belinda: Exactly. It has created employment for people who would normally find it very difficult to get a job because of the caste system or a disability of some kind. Other employees have been trafficked in the past. So APA is a sort of twofold mission where we help people by offering employment opportunities and provide animals with medical help in and around the city.
Robert: Do you watch the sometimes graphic APA videos on social media that show the terrible state some of these animals are in before your organization is able to help and often times save them?
Belinda: I watch some of them on Instagram, and I keep an eye on the team on the ground. Paul Harvey and I co-founded APA and we turned it all over to them and let them run themselves. We love to see what they are doing everyday. I’m so proud of them. The fundraising I do by playing shows and some other things pretty much funds it. I have been an animal activist dating back to the early 80’s, so if and when there is anything I can do to help (animals), I’m there.
Carlisle’s Animal People Alliance has treated over 30,000 street animals in less than a decade
Robert: You moved to Mexico City somewhat recently, and almost immediately embraced your new community. Could we see something similar to the APA being established there?
Belinda: Well, I am actually thinking about establishing a donkey sanctuary here in Mexico. It’s just a matter of money and time. Money is the most important thing because it’s very expensive to get these types of things up and running. But I’ve always wanted to have a donkey sanctuary, and it’s the perfect place for it.
Carlisle with a friend
Robert: You’ve been an active supporter of the LGBTQ+ community for at least the entirety of your public life. I know you lost friends to the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s and 90’s. Did you feel compelled to get involved back then, or were there less ways to be able to make a difference? What was the scene in Los Angeles like?
Belinda: It was scary. I remember when the first AIDS center open in West Hollywood, but nobody knew what it was or even where it was. There was always a lot of confusion. It was just a really scary time. So I started getting involved around 1984 with local AIDS charities. I lost quite a few friends and I wanted to do something. At that time there were no treatments so helping meant raising money to fund research and to help feed people who couldn’t feed themselves. I’d say 90% of my friends dating back to even high school have either been gay or lesbian. That’s just the way it’s always been with me, so then and now I feel compelled to try to do what I can as an individual.
Robert: In addition to so many of your friends and supporters, your son James Duke Mason, is gay. You are so intertwined with the community that a frequently asked question on Google is, “When did Belinda Carlisle come out?”
Belinda: [surprised, laughing loudly] When did “I” come out?!
Robert: Indeed.
Belinda: That’s very funny. [playfully] Well, I haven’t come out yet and I’m not sure if I ever will at this point [laughs] (Carlisle has been married to former actor and film producer Morgan Mason for 37 years).
Carlisle and her son, James Duke Mason, at a PFLAG (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) event.
Robert: The last time we spoke you were gently selling me on your ‘Wilder Shores’ album (made up of Carlisle performing Sikh chants).
Belinda: Oh, right!
Robert: I took the plunge and really enjoyed it. Being familiar with it helped your being named to the ‘Yoga Gives Back’ Advisory Board make perfect sense. What is Yoga Gives Back?
Belinda: It’s a group that is mostly focused on supporting Bengali women and children, specifically with their education and their careers. Especially women that are on their own. It’s a great organization. I’ve done a few things for them and they asked me to be on the board.
Robert: You often utilize your public profile to fundraise for the groups you care about, but you contributed to ‘Yoga Gives Back’ in other ways as well, right?
Belinda: Yes, I did a whole program for them. They had a global event talking about the power of mantra. It was with other really unbelievable KTown artists, and I felt kind of out of my depth. But I do know the power of mantra, and that’s what we were talking about. I believe in it. And if I believe in a cause, I’m going to do whatever I can for it.
Listen to Belinda Carlisle’s album ‘Kismet’ on Apple Music & Spotify
Learn about the Animal People Alliance here
Learn about PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) here
Learn about Yoga Gives Back here
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Thank you
Robert Ferraro engages in conversations with pop culture figures. Recent guests include Melissa Etheridge, Paul Stanley, Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart, Belinda Carlisle, and Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC.
