The Future We’ll Make: TEDxChange Flickr Photo C...

TEDxChange: The Future We Make

On September 20, 2010 is TEDxChange, an event co-hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and TED. TEDxChange marks the anniversary of the Millennium Development Goals.

Ten years in, the question remains where do we stand in the work to save and improve lives around the world? And what will the future hold?

The future isn’t fixed. We can all have a hand in making a better world. To coincide with TEDxChange and the tenth anniversary of the Millennium Development Goals, the Gates Foundation is asking you the following question: What is the future we will make?

They want you to help put a personal face to some of the world’s most pressing issues and envision a future where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.

To participate, follow these four steps:

Download and print the sign

Personalize the sign with your own message. (Remember: Your sign must relate to one of the Millennium Development Goals to be included.)

Upload your photo to the foundation’s Flickr group.

Join the conversation on our Community Page.

Passion and purpose are important in looking forward and I also believe the role of education for girls globally will continue to impact how developing countries grow and seek to eradicate poverty. That being said, here’s my photo!

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New Orleans Reflections For K10...

The following post is a written letter by Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. I’m sharing the letter in its full format because I believe this is something more people should read and hope that by sharing it with you – readers of The Causemopolitan – that you’ll understand a little bit more the struggles and the triumphs of New Orleans and how we all work a little bit every day to undestand it more and to work towards a better future.

The “us” is all of us. It’s not just residents, it’s expats living elsewhere, it’s one-time residents now somewhere else, it’s college students and JazzFest visitoes. It’s all of us. We all have the power, passion and influence to keep New Orleans top of mind and continue to help her from whereever we may come from. I hope you’ll join me. Now onto Michael’s letter:

Reflecting at the fifth anniversary of Katrina — K5 — it is tempting to claim success.

Our population is back; we powered through the recession; global companies are moving to our region; reforms are making New Orleans a better place; and, of course, the Saints are world champions.

But the truth is, it’s too early to claim success. We have been buoyed by a short-term recovery economy, and significant long-term challenges remain. Decades are not reversed in days.

To really know if we have succeeded, to really know if we have created a New Orleans region better than before, we have to go out ten years. Here we will find the “new normal” that will come to pass after the Katrina money has run dry, and the economy is left to stand on its own.

At this point — at K10 — we will be able to sit back, and reflect. And, if indeed we have been successful, here is what it may look like:

• New Orleans will be the great boutique city of America. In a world of creeping sameness, NOLA will shine with its unique culture and diverse flair, attracting professionals and tourists, alike.
• Greater New Orleans will be a great region of America: cohesive and connected, it will offer a lifestyle or corporate option for everyone — and offer places like Houston and Atlanta a run for their money.
• Globalstar, which recently relocated here from Silicon Valley, will prove to be the vanguard of a dynamic digital sector, as dozens of firms choose Greater New Orleans and create “Silicon Valley South.”
• Showing that you can make lemonade from oily water, Southeastern Louisiana will have become a global hub for sustainable industry. Heralded by the recent move of Blade Dynamics to Michoud, this new sector will create thousands of jobs, diversifying our economy while sustaining our environment.
• At the same time, next-wave oil production will remain an important — and safe — part of our economic mix — while Louisiana finally gets the royalty share it has so long deserved, to help fund the restoration of our coast.
• Greater New Orleans will be on its way to reclaiming the mantle of “Gateway to the Americas,” with reinvestment in its ports, rekindling of relationships with partners like Brazil, and a refocus on value-added port-side production. (more…)

Reshma For Congress...

I came across the most remarkable woman running for Congress. Since I wrote about supporting professional women last week, I thought this was a good follow up.

Resham Saujani is running for Congress in the 14th district of New York City which encompasses the East Side and Queens. She is using social media to help spread the word about her campaign and being transparent every step along the way as she talks about her campaign on her website and on Twitter (you can follow her @reshma2010 or join her campaign by texting JOIN to 646-807-9932).

She writes about herself:

My name is Reshma Saujani. I am a dedicated Democrat, a community activist, a Yale University legal scholar, and an attorney in New York City. But first and foremost, I am the daughter of political refugees whose story embodies the promise of life in America. For questions or more info email info@reshma2010.com.

She is exactly the type of candidate I want to see. She has the experience to get the job done, the passion to want to and the background and family that make her a standup person and member of society. While I can’t vote for Reshma myself (I’m not registered to vote in NYC), I support her for Congress and will do what I can to support her from the sidelines.

What other organizations do you know about that support women in politics? Leave a comment or message me to help out with a future blog post!
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Pakistan Flood Relief: How You Can Help...

Dangling Feet, Kerala; Courtesy of Taylor Davidson on Flickr

Shocking: The floods in Pakistan are affecting more than six times the number of people affected by the Haiti earthquake. I’ve been looking for ways to give back to help Pakistan. Where to give, where to donate, where to direct people and I came across a few great lists and posts, especially one from The Women’s Conference blog. There is a lot of dialogue about why more people haven’t stepped up to help Pakistan, especially this article from the BBC which points to everything from the media portrayal of Pakistan to threats of terrorism. But let’s be honest, people hurting need the help of those who have the ability to help. Those who are displaced have nothing. Think about what hardship they are certainly experiencing and then please consider taking a moment to donate what you can or help spread the word.

The flooding – which has now affected 20 million people, 8 million of whom need urgent aid washed away infrastructure and has since destroyed much of the country’s farming industry – which employs almost half of the country’s workers.

Pakistan needs our help. Here’s a few ways as to how:

UNICEF: 6 million children have been affected by the floods. Help UNICEF provide them with water, food and medical services.

Red Cross: Red Cross is on the ground, providing relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources to those in need.

Save the Children: Save the Children is rushing essential supplies to children and their families.

Oxfam: Oxfam is providing hygiene, household and clean up kits to families in Pakistan.
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826LA Heats Up...

Once a week this summer, come back to The Causemopolitan to read a guest post that will inspire you right up out of your seat to get involved and give back in a special series called Cause It’s Summer! Featured bloggers will be sharing their own reflections and stories, tips and resources, and perspective on philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and their own cause-filled life. This week welcome Laura Hertzfeld who shares her personal experience volunteering with 826LA. It’s amazing to think how your life can change when you dedicate yourself to giving back. Thanks Laura for sharing your story!
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I have lived in Venice, California since 2005 and while I spend my fair share of time drinking lattes at the fancy coffee shop and biking on the boardwalk, I also experience the neighborhood in a different way once a week – by spending time helping make a newspaper by and for the younger contingent of this diverse west side community.

The 826 writing centers were founded by author Dave Eggers as a space for kids, first in San Francisco, and now the 826 centers have expanded around the country and created a new model for tutoring focused on creative and expository writing stills, including 826LA, where I volunteer.

Schools make up the backbone of any community, but since I’m not a parent I have little interaction with the local educational system. Volunteering at 826 has given me a huge amount of insight into the successes and shortcomings of local schools. There are students at 826 from many different backgrounds, a wide range of educational resources at home, and a variety of types of schooling, including home school and private schools as well as the magnet and public institutions. Having a place beyond the classroom with volunteers who are accomplished in their fields and can spend one-on-one time with students can make a huge difference.
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Enter Blackbaud’s Conference for Nonprofits Twee...

I’m not joking when I say not a week goes by that I don’t mention Blackbaud. Either online or in conversations, I doubt they know what an evangelist that have in little me – but I’m serious when I say this is the Rolls Royce of donor management and CRM services. Just last week, I left a comment on Fred Wilson’s blog about Blackbaud when he wrote about his need for a service targeting family CRM. Since Blacklabud was the first system I used when I started in development and fundraising, it’s been hard to use other services. I was then thrilled to see that they have a Twitter contest/giveaway going on for their upcoming nonprofit conference happening in Washington DC in October.

I’m hoping to attend, let me know if you’ll be there! In the meantime, enter their contest today. It closes on the 31st so there isn’t much time left.

You can win one of four free registrations to Blackbaud’s Conference for Nonprofits with the Blackbaud INSPIRE Tweetaway! They are giving away free passes to four nonprofit professionals that participate in the Blackbaud INSPIRE Tweetaway.

So, how do you win?

1. Follow Blackbaud on Twitter.

2. Tweet how you inspire supporters with social media by @replying Blackbaud on Twitter and tagging it #BBSocial.

3. Eligible participants who work at a 501c3 organization can enter daily for a chance to win – the contest will run from August 16 at 9 a.m. ET to August 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winners will be announced on August 31.

My tweet from today:
@blackbaud I create conversation online and build microsites to help drive fundraising campaigns around disaster relief. #bbsocial

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Miss Representation: How Media Dictates The Role o...

The trailer above is for a film coming out called Miss Representation, which I first saw on Meghan’s blog. The interesting thing is I’ve been thinking a lot lately about women in positions of influence and how hard (and lonely) it must be at times.

I come from the stock of one such woman. A brave, glass-ceiling-breaker, take no prisoner Mom. She started her own business and had me and was a single mom by the time she was 25. She sold her business and started another (or three) and worked her way through running a business, having a family (along with me two other young daughters by then too with my step-dad) all the while putting herself through business school and then her PhD. Serious stuff. She’s among the greats, the better than greats.

But it wasn’t always easy.

It wasn’t always easy to see how much she was sacrificing for me (as her own daughter) but also for all the legions of other women out there striving to get ahead and have the luxury to be whatever and whoever they wanted to be.

And how far have we come? Some perspective.

• Women are 51% of the U.S. population.
• Women hold only 3% of clout positions in the mainstream media (telecommunications, entertainment, publishing and advertising).
• Women are merely 3% of fortune 500 CEOs.
• Women comprise 7% of directors and 8% of film writers in the top 250 grossing films.
• The United States is 84th in the world in terms of women in national legislatures.
• Women hold 17% of the seats in the House of Representatives (the equivalent body in Rwanda is 56.3% female).
• 91% of plastic surgery procedures are performed on women. The number of breast augmentation procedures in this country increased more than 700% between 1992 and 2004.
• As many as 10 million American women have a potentially fatal eating disorder.
• Approximately 1 out of 6 American women are victims of rape or attempted rape.

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Walking Across America...

This video above is the final version. Compare that to this one…

The one above is the behind the scenes version. Which do you like better?

I saw this video originally on my friend Drew’s blog and I was immediately reminded of one dear friend who had a dream to walk across America. And I believe one day he will (to quench his desire for a journey, he biked across America instead).

But when I saw the video on Drew’s blog all clean and shiny – yeah – I mean it’s awesome. Let’s face it. The final version always looks pretty good. It’s the nitty gritty daily grind of life that is hard. And so when I clicked on the Walk Across America YouTube page and then saw the map of where they traveled, I got lost for a few minutes in thoughts of my own journey.

Sometimes it’s clear to me, it’s a Temper Trap song perfecly in sync with my every step.

But often it’s not. It’s messy. It’s undefined. It’s life smack in front of you every day. It’s an internal back and forth to be who I want to be and match who people think I should be or who I think I have to be for people. It’s giving and getting. It’s searching and being utterly lost and becoming found again.
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Challenge Post: The Allure of a Challenge...

Once a week this summer, come back to The Causemopolitan to read a guest post that will inspire you right up out of your seat to get involved and give back in a special series called Cause It’s Summer! Featured bloggers will be sharing their own reflections and stories, tips and resources, and perspective on philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and their own cause-filled life. This week welcome Alexa Brandt, who you might remember from her guest post last summer. Almost a year to the day, Alexa challenges us to make the best of our end of summer. Complete one of her challenges? Let me know how it went!
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This summer I’ve had challenges on my mind. I spent my MBA summer internship immersed in an environment focused on online competitions, crowdsourcing and tech entrepreneurship at ChallengePost in New York City. Under the guidance of ChallengePost’s impressive founder Brandon Kessler and his expert staff, I learned how a challenge can generate support for a specific issue and inspire collective problem solving. Given the frenzy of excitement surrounding the site, I couldn’t help but think about the role challenges have played in my own life.

The thrill of competition, the crusade to achievement, and the satisfaction of completing a goal have made challenges an effective tool to propel me into action. I often reframe key life decisions as personal challenges. In doing so, I devise a structured plan to achieve a specific milestone. Setting a personal challenge is not a hard process, but can make difficult tasks seem more bearable. Most importantly, it requires me to set a deadline for completing each goal. Here a couple of examples from my own life:

• In 2002, following my graduation from UCLA and entrance into the working world, I found myself feeling disconnected from my female peers. I challenged myself to devise a forum to unite smart, savvy women in Los Angeles. As a result I founded the Ladies Lounge, a multi-city social networking group for 22-35 year old women.
• In 2003, I wanted to take a six-month sabbatical from my career to travel in Latin America. I sat down, wrote a departure date on a piece of paper, signed it and considered it a contract to myself. I left nine months later, but only because I had challenged myself to meet a time-sensitive goal.

With just a few weeks of summer remaining, I would like to pose a challenge to each of you. I challenge you each to achieve one new goal – big or small.

Wondering where to start? Here are a few suggestions:

Philanthropy
Identifying a cause that is near and dear to your heart is not challenging, but finding the right nonprofit organization to support it can be. Take a small step towards identifying the right nonprofit by challenging yourself to do one charitable thing this summer. Organize a group volunteer activity for you and your friends or colleagues. Often food banks like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank can put a group to good use on a weekend, making it the perfect option for busy professionals to give back. Host a small donor circle event at your home in support of a charity. Pick a fun theme like a chili cook-off or bocce ball tournament and simply ask guests to donate $10-20 to attend in support of a specific charity. Step Up Women’s Network has done a fantastic job engaging members to host fun donor circle events like Cocktails & Canines and a VIP Screening of Eat, Pray, Love. If you are feeling extra motivated, consider devising a unique fundraising platform to generate funds for a cause. My dear friend Sloane Berrent’s Cause its my Birthday campaign is one of my favorites to date – 7 days, 7 cities, 7 parties, 1 cause.
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SOCAP10 Impact Challenge...

Every year I pick a new conference (or two) that I really want to attend because I’ve heard it will blow my mind, because I want to connect with new people, because I know it’s good to stretch the mind and the soul. This year, it’s SOCAP.

In looking into the conference, I stumbled upon a post by my friend Emily about a contest where you can win a pass to the conference! Yes, the contest has some element of voting but it’s not everything (thankfully) and regardless of if I win, I like the question they’re asking.

The Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP) is a gathering of investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators at the intersection of money and meaning. SOCAP has spent the last two years defining the social enterprise movement. This year, more than 1,200 investors, donors, entrepreneurs, and innovators will decide: What’s Next?

A recent report by Hope Consulting on Money for Good revealed there is a $120 billion untapped market of individual investors looking to make a positive environmental and social impact with their dollars. With deserving entrepreneurs looking for funds to make that impact, the challenge is to discover:

What’s Next? How will social enterprise unlock the $120 billion market opportunity for impact investment?

SOCAP will be exploring this question throughout the conference, but they want to hear from you.

The challenge? Tell them (in 500 words or less) what’s next in social enterprise to unlock the $120 billion market opportunity for individual impact investment, and you could win a scholarship to this year’s SOCAP, valued at $1195, as well as the opportunity to be published in TriplePundit – an innovative new media company pushing the conversation forward about sustainable business in the 21st century.
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