Be Fearless

Creating a Place for Michigan Teens to Thrive

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post was written by Lindsey Roberts and Lauren Scanelli on behalf of the Case Foundation:

The Neutral Zone — a place created by teens for teens so they could socialize, learn, teach and grow in a safe space — was named one of the winners of the 2013 Independent Sector Pitch Competition hosted by the Case Foundation. By using innovative youth-driven ideas to help inspire creativity and leadership, the Neutral Zone creates a diverse place that focuses on positive outcomes through participation in meaningful decision-making, mentorship and reflection. We followed up with this dynamic group of young changemakers in the Ann Arbor, Michigan community to learn what the future looks like for this thriving group that has hosted more than 13,000 teens throughout the 2012 to 2013 school year. Lynne Chaimowitz, Finance and Operations Director of Neutral Zone, shares with us more about their projects and future plans to provide a positive place for teens to expand their horizons.

CF: What goals are you working towards at the organization? How will the Case Foundation’s award help you achieve that goal?

LC: The Neutral Zone was founded by teens to provide a venue for needed social, cultural, educational, recreational, and creative opportunities for local high school teens. The mission was written by youth and continues to be the voice and heart which drives the center’s creative program opportunities–to provide a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas. The Neutral Zone is open to provide youth-driven program opportunities. Our program goals focus on positive developmental outcomes that engage youth in meaningful decision-making, mentorship, leadership building and opportunities for reflection. The pitch that I made for funding was to expand beyond our pilot Youth Driven Spaces initiative–a project that was started to develop and support opportunities for older youth to authentically lead programs and share in their organizational governance. The Case Foundation’s funds will enable us to develop and refine our approach of intensive coaching and consulting of both adults and teens to implement a change in culture within their organizations.

Currently, we are working with schools that are committed to having youth in meaningful leadership roles, such as sitting on their Board of Directors. We would like to expand this past a pilot program and be able to evaluate what we have seen anecdotally, which we are very excited to share. We want to work to give adults the tools they need to let go and allow teens to be themselves–capable developing leaders. Youth Driven Spaces creates a supportive place for teens and adults to work together for common goals and allows for positive youth development along the way. The funds from the Case Foundation will provide much-needed resources for our organization.

CF: What fearless approaches have you implemented in your own life since you have won?

LC: Just getting in front of a group of other nonprofit leaders and speaking certainly got me out of my bubble! This also gave me time to reflect on what I do from an outside perspective. I have really tried to experiment and say ‘yes’ more often.

CF: Can you give me a moment in history or a person who was fearless and truly inspired you?

LC: I am a big fan of thinking globally and acting locally. This is personified in a local philanthropic leader in my community, Molly Dobson, who inspires me. Although she is not a ‘big historical name’, everyone in our community has been impacted by her fearless advocacy for the women and youth in our community. She is generous, kind, and adventurous. From cracking codes during World War II for the Navy, to now being an active volunteer with Ann Arbor area teens at the age of 90, she has had a lasting impact on the Neutral Zone and myself. As a woman who would let nothing hold her back and who actively and openly engages to make a better community, I hope to have as much impact as she has had in her life.

CF: What can other leaders in the community, like you, implement in their thinking to travel on a fearless path? What is your one piece of advice to them?

LC: From the pitch experience, I realized how important it is to reach beyond your comfort zone and keep searching for answers. Had I never put in the application, I would have never received the great advice from other NGen colleagues and the transformative opportunity to pitch. Often you are surrounded by the same people you know and are comfortable with, but to change the community, you have to reach beyond your bubble.

Nelson Mandela: A Fearless Social Activist For All Time

Posted on by Case Foundation

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela

With the passing of Nelson Mandela, we say goodbye to one of our greatest leaders, visionaries, and heroes. Steve and I had the privilege to meet President Mandela a few years ago, and I have long admired his courage, persistence, and fearless spirit. With his passing at age 95, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a man who so embodied the spirit of what it means to be fearless and who has influenced me personally.

President Mandela personifies the fearless values we talk about so frequently: taking risks, being bold, and letting urgency conquer fear. Perhaps most importantly, President Mandela pressed for a cause that he believed was right when most said the challenges he and his fellow activists faced were insurmountable. His selflessness, his perseverance, and his focus have been an inspiration for activists and changemakers around the world.

As a young man in Johannesburg, South Africa, President Mandela experienced firsthand the impact of apartheid—where racial segregation, unequal rights, and poverty among the black majority were the norm. As he fought for social justice he faced opponents that were internationally recognized, better funded, and backed by a standing police force. He was called a terrorist, a traitor, and a criminal by those within his country and watching from afar. And he was sentenced to life in prison in 1964 on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government.

These kinds of challenges would likely stop most of us in our tracks, but President Mandela pressed on. On several occasions, the South African government offered his freedom on the condition that he abandon his activism. Each time, he refused. His tireless work sparked an international movement of individuals and eventually governments that lobbied for his release and for an end to apartheid. And, his release from prison was a historic moment—courage had triumphed over fear.

President Mandela did not stop his work at the end of apartheid. He then started what proved to be a nearly equally challenging task of governing, and of bringing a country together that had been ripped apart by the struggle for equal rights. He knew that his work was not done, and he knew that he needed to inspire the next generation of South Africans to continue to press for unity, for growth, and for equal opportunity. As President, he continued to take risks and bold actions, working with all parties to bring the country together–beginning at the outset of his presidency, inviting his former jailer to be a VIP guest at his inauguration.

I thank you, Nelson Mandela, for being an inspiration for all of us. We applaud you for being fearless in the face of so many obstacles, for learning from adversity rather than hiding from it, and for showing us that we all can lead movements that can change the world.

TedXMidAtlantic Challenges Us to Start Now

Posted on by Case Foundation

Merge supermodels, scientists, social innovators and Spanish culinary masters in one room and you have a recipe for success. Now, put these talented individuals with inspirational stories on stage at the 2013 TEDxMidAtlantic conference and you have more than 800 captivated attendees. Sponsored by the Case Foundation and PBS, TEDxMidAtlantic gave attendees insights on innovative solutions to societal problems and drove us to think about our world through the framework of this year’s theme—Start Now.

Highlights from the two-day event included: Sam Berns, a 17 year old diagnosed with Progeria, a rare genetic disease for which there is no cure that presents symptoms resembling premature aging; General Stanley McChrystal, a four-star general who emphasized the importance of face-to-face connectivity in a world with countless social tools; and Shiza Shahid, co-founder and director of the Malala Fund who showed us the power that fearlessness, determination and peace can make in the world.

Inspired by the 50 speakers who took the stage, the Case Foundation and its staff curated a collection of our favorite tweets, quotes and sayings from the event that challenged us to innovate and share ideas that can change the world. Tell us on Twitter (@casefoundation) how you plan to #StartNow!

TEDx (@TEDx) on Bayeté Ross Smith
“We’re all media makers. We all have the responsibility to create things that challenge us to evolve our thinking.” @BayeteKenan#TEDxMid

Doug Donovan (@DougDonovan) on Rep. Jim McGovern
@TEDx: “Nothing changes in this world unless good people come together to fight for it.” – Congressman Jim McGovern#TEDxMid @Philanthropy

Sarah Koch (@sarahtkoch) on Chef José Andrés
“The act of introducing clean cook stoves can spark an entire economy.” @chefjoseandres #TEDxMid

Oceana (@Oceana) on Jackie Savitz
“Biodiversity is not at odds with abundance; in fact, they’re aligned.” — Oceana’s @JackieSavitz at #TEDxMid:https://tedxmidatlantic.com/live/

The Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) on Ben Miller
“What will you build [in your neighborhood]? 10 years from now people will build their own cities” @BenMillerise @fundrise#TEDxMid

Rita Pasi ‏(@ritapasi15h) on Chef José Andrés
“People of the world do not want your pity. They want your respect.” – Chef Jose Andres at #TedxMid https://fb.me/11SBzuMZG

Brooke James (@BrookeLJames) on Angel Gil-Ordóñez + Post-Classical Ensemble
“We seek impact. That means engaging the audience in every possible way.” – Angel Gil-Ordóñez @postclassical #TEDxMid

Michael D. Smith (@msmithDC) on Liz Ogbu
“I’m an architect that doesn’t design buildings. I design opportunities for impact.” @LizOgbu #tedxmid

Brooke James (@BrookeLJames) on Jon Jarvis
“Nature is no longer natural because of climate change.” – Jon Jarvis of @NatlParkService #tedxmid

TEDx (@TEDx) on Jen Oxley
“Math is not just for boys or people who are born with innate math skills.” – Jen Oxley on teaching girls to love math #TEDxMid

TEDxMidAtlantic (@TEDxMidAtlantic) on Lale Labuko
@LabukoLale is speaking now at #TEDxMid. “We owe our generation love and care. We have to say, “This is bad” and change it.”

Elyse Greenberg (@elyseindc) on Henry Evans
“Your disability doesn’t make you any less of a person, and neither does mine.” – Henry Evans #TEDxMid

Allie Burns ‏(@AllieB) on Angel Gil-Ordóñez + Post-Classical Ensemble
Haunting, beautiful performance by @postclassical at #tedxmid https://instagram.com/p/f53BTiPyHo/

Jade Floyd (‏@DcThisWeek) on the Beat Making Lab
“What happens when you merge the works of art and activism? #Artivism @durhamite @applejuicekid @BeatMakingLab@TEDxMidAtlantic

NatGeo Explorers ‏(@NatGeoExplorers) on Labuko Lale
“We must speak out to make change” #Explorer @LabukoLale at #TEDxMid on ending child killings in Ethiopian tribes

The Case Foundation (@CaseFoundation) on Michael Smith
@msmithDC says “Don’t donate another dollar until you know the impact…Invest in results and research and development.”#TEDxMid

Dee Snow ‏(@DeexScience27) on Jen Oxley
“Know what you’re good at and go for it.” Filmmaker Jen Oxley #TEDxMid

Didn’t have the opportunity to attend TEDxMidAtlantic? Watch a replay of the livestream at https://new.livestream.com/tedx/tedxmidatlantic

Changing the World – One Code at a Time

Posted on by Case Foundation

Identifying organizations that make big bets and tackle pressing social issues is an important part of our Be Fearless mantra here at the Case Foundation. Our work across the United States has helped lift up and fund extraordinary changemakers and their programs. This year the Case Foundation hosted the first-ever Aspen Scholars pitch competition at the Aspen Ideas Festival at which we awarded more than $25,000 in grant money to competing Aspen Scholars. The grand prize winner was Kristen Titus of Girls Who Code. We are thrilled to work with this new organization as a grantee and a partner.

Girls Who Code was launched in 2012 in an effort to close the gender gap in the computing and online fields. Its programs have earned the support from top Fortune 500 companies and have delivered more than 3,000 hours of intensive instruction to young women and high school girls. Each participant is equipped with the skills and resources they need to pursue careers and opportunities in the computing field. From mobilizing top executives, educators and engineers, to developing a new model for computer science education and launching eight immersion programs spanning five cities – Kristen and the Girls Who Code staff have worked to catapult young female minds into the tech sector.

The Case Foundation sat down with Kristen to chat about Girls Who Code and their work on the heels of her Elle Magazine debut naming her one of the “11 Women Who Just Might Change the world” and Business Insider’s 2013 nod for one of the “30 Most Important Women Under 30 In Tech.” We could not agree more, Kristen and her girls who code are on their way to big things in the tech world.

Our Interview with Girls Who Code

CF: What goals are you working towards at Girls Who Code? How will the Case Foundation’s funds help you achieve that goal?

KT: Girls Who code has set out to tackle what we believe to be one of the most pressing problems facing our generation: the gender gap in technology. We’re starting on the ground by inspiring, educating and equipping high school girls to pursue technology through our Summer Immersion and after-school Club programs. The Case Foundation is supporting the scaling of these programs, and helping us bring computer science education to girls across the country. Each girl who goes through our programs represents one step closer towards gender parity in technology.

CF: Tell us about a moment when you failed in life and how you used that as an opportunity to fail forward?

KT: Last spring, Girls Who Code launched our first ever after-school program pilots. We had a very successful model for an intensive summer program, and we were eager to find out how to replicate the program in a format designed to scale. One model we tested involved having our graduates organize clubs and teach their peers. This model just did not work, and it was disappointing because it held much potential. We were, however, able to incorporate successful components of the model into what we have ultimately found to be the best format, and are now in the second phase of testing of this program. We can’t wait to see how the program grows.

CF: How have reached outside of your bubble or your sector to raise awareness or perhaps funding for your organization?

KT: Increasingly, computer science skills are relevant to industries outside of what we typically think of as the tech sector. From fashion to medicine to banking, companies rely on technologists to do business, and we absolutely look to these corporations as partners. What’s more, we incorporate the experiences of engineers at companies that, traditionally, would not be considered to be technology companies in order to expose our students to the incredible variety of opportunities available to those with a CS background. 

This is the first in a series of four articles featuring new grantees of the Case Foundation who have won awards in our 2013 pitch competitions. Check back for our next feature on the Rid-All Green Partnership, an urban farm in Cleveland, OH.

You’re Never too Young to Be Fearless

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post was written by Beth Pann, NSHSS Director of Development & Outreach on behalf of the Case Foundation. 

When Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes and co-founder of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), first learned of the Case Foundation’s Be Fearless campaign, he shared his own reflections on what we can accomplish when we overcomes our own fears, “The qualities of love, truth and compassion have been the guiding stars of my life and continue to give me courage. The World Betterment Legacy of my uncle Dr. Alfred Nobel inspired me to pursue my passion for Universal Peace and Environmental Sustainability. It is my hope that young scholars today find the inspiration to bravely fulfill their dreams.”

NSHSS scholars, whom Mr. Nobel believes will one day be the next Nobel Laureates, are pushing the envelope on changing the world for both themselves as well as for others around them. NSHSS is pleased to have been selected by the Case Foundation to team up on a program aimed at celebrating fearless role models during the Back to School season. Part of the foundation’s larger “Be Fearless” initiative, the campaign aims to honor these inspirational figures by inviting participants to share their own stories of who taught them to be fearless with Instagram video.

To participate, simply visit the Case Foundation’s Facebook page and enter.

The more than 900,000 scholars from 160 different countries who have been inducted into NSHSS since 2002 inspire us daily, and we recognize how they regularly teach us to be fearless in new and unexpected ways. These scholars embrace the core principles of the Foundation’s Be Fearless campaign by making big bets, experimenting, making failure matter, reaching beyond their bubble, and letting urgency conquer fear.

Two of our scholars wanted to share their own stories about who taught them to be fearless with you today: NSHSS Scholar Alec Urbach, CEO of Alec Urbach Productions, and founder of Giving from the Ground Up, a 501c3 public charity, knows a thing or two about taking bold risks. Reflecting on fearlessness,

Alec says: My brother taught me to be fearless when, already renowned as a violin prodigy, he began traversing the country for the sole purpose of performing Concerts for a Cure to raise money to fight pediatric neurological disease. This wasn’t something that people did, but he did it anyway because he believed it was right. My response to “fearlessness” is that there is something to be said for respecting our fears. We should respect the fear of failure; it will teach us to succeed. We should respect the fear of rejection; it will teach us to accept and bounce back. We should respect the fear of not knowing; it will teach us to learn.

For Loren A. Morris, an NSHSS Scholar from Schertz, TX, and St. Mary’s University freshman in San Antonio, being fearless was not an attribute that she experienced as a young child. Loren shared:

Each new day began with the fear of my biological mother not being home to care for me and my siblings. My young life was so full of fear and instability that I was always afraid and angry. Once taken from my biological mother, I was moved from foster home to foster home before finally ending up in a children’s shelter. I lived in a place that erased all my identity and disconnected me forever from my sisters and brothers. It was not until I was adopted into a wonderful family that my new parents, Grady and Juanita Morris, began to instill in me the will to truly “feel” again. At first, I refused to let them love me because I could not understand why they cared so much. Through them I learned to face my fears head on; to embrace new challenges with excitement; and to dare to dream. Their continuous love and support has literally dared me to be “fearless” and live again. They always say, “Loren, follow us as we follow God.” And, this is an awesome “fearless” journey.

These scholars have already found “the inspiration to bravely fulfill their dreams” as Nobel hopes all young people will one day through their fearlessness.

Inspired by the Case Foundation’s efforts to encourage changemakers to take risks, be bold and make failure matter, NSHSS is proud to announce that it is establishing the NSHSS #BeFearless Scholar Award this fall to inspire more young leaders who demonstrate outstanding leadership, scholarship, and commitment to their communities to Be Fearless. Learn more at www.nshss.org.

You’re Never too Young to Be Fearless

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post was written by Beth Pann, NSHSS Director of Development & Outreach, on behalf of the Case Foundation. 

When Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes and co-founder of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), first learned of the Case Foundation’s Be Fearless campaign, he shared his own reflections on what we can accomplish when we overcomes our own fears, “The qualities of love, truth and compassion have been the guiding stars of my life and continue to give me courage. The World Betterment Legacy of my uncle Dr. Alfred Nobel inspired me to pursue my passion for Universal Peace and Environmental Sustainability. It is my hope that young scholars today find the inspiration to bravely fulfill their dreams.”

NSHSS scholars, whom Mr. Nobel believes will one day be the next Nobel Laureates, are pushing the envelope on changing the world for both themselves as well as for others around them. NSHSS is pleased to have been selected by the Case Foundation to team up on a program aimed at celebrating fearless role models during the Back to School season. Part of the foundation’s larger “Be Fearless” initiative, the campaign aims to honor these inspirational figures by inviting participants to share their own stories of who taught them to be fearless with Instagram video.

To participate, simply visit the Case Foundation’s Facebook page and enter.

The more than 900,000 scholars from 160 different countries who have been inducted into NSHSS since 2002 inspire us daily, and we recognize how they regularly teach us to be fearless in new and unexpected ways. These scholars embrace the core principles of the Foundation’s Be Fearless campaign by making big bets, experimenting, making failure matter, reaching beyond their bubble, and letting urgency conquer fear.

Two of our scholars wanted to share their own stories about who taught them to be fearless with you today: NSHSS Scholar Alec Urbach, CEO of Alec Urbach Productions, and founder of Giving from the Ground Up, a 501c3 public charity, knows a thing or two about taking bold risks. Reflecting on fearlessness,

Alec says: My brother taught me to be fearless when, already renowned as a violin prodigy, he began traversing the country for the sole purpose of performing Concerts for a Cure to raise money to fight pediatric neurological disease. This wasn’t something that people did, but he did it anyway because he believed it was right. My response to “fearlessness” is that there is something to be said for respecting our fears. We should respect the fear of failure; it will teach us to succeed. We should respect the fear of rejection; it will teach us to accept and bounce back. We should respect the fear of not knowing; it will teach us to learn.

For Loren A. Morris, an NSHSS Scholar from Schertz, TX, and St. Mary’s University freshman in San Antonio, being fearless was not an attribute that she experienced as a young child. Loren shared:

Each new day began with the fear of my biological mother not being home to care for me and my siblings. My young life was so full of fear and instability that I was always afraid and angry. Once taken from my biological mother, I was moved from foster home to foster home before finally ending up in a children’s shelter. I lived in a place that erased all my identity and disconnected me forever from my sisters and brothers. It was not until I was adopted into a wonderful family that my new parents, Grady and Juanita Morris, began to instill in me the will to truly “feel” again. At first, I refused to let them love me because I could not understand why they cared so much. Through them I learned to face my fears head on; to embrace new challenges with excitement; and to dare to dream. Their continuous love and support has literally dared me to be “fearless” and live again. They always say, “Loren, follow us as we follow God.” And, this is an awesome “fearless” journey.

These scholars have already found “the inspiration to bravely fulfill their dreams” as Nobel hopes all young people will one day through their fearlessness.

Inspired by the Case Foundation’s efforts to encourage changemakers to take risks, be bold and make failure matter, NSHSS is proud to announce that it is establishing the NSHSS #BeFearless Scholar Award this fall to inspire more young leaders who demonstrate outstanding leadership, scholarship, and commitment to their communities to Be Fearless. Learn more at www.nshss.org.

Fear less: A National Geographic Explorer’s Story

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post was written by Heather Greenwood Davis on behalf of the Case Foundation: 

In 2012 National Geographic Traveler magazine announced their new Travelers of the Year initiative. The honorees were a group of fearless boundary breakers who explored the world with passion and purpose, inspiring others to expand their horizons, ask big questions, and seek new answers. One of those fearless travelers was Heather Greenwood Davis, a freelance travel writer based in Toronto, Canada. She took a year-long journey with her husband, Ishmael; and sons, Ethan and Cameron (then 10 and 8-years-old), and chronicled their yearlong, round-the-world adventure on globetrottingmama.com. Nominations are open for the 2013 Travelers of the Year awards here.

I’m going to share with you the biggest secret I’ve discovered about fearless living: 90 percent of the things you fear melt faster than the Wicked Witch of the West did when Dorothy doused her with water, once you confront them. The mere action of “doing” usually erases the fear, showing the uninformed foundation it stood on. I know this firsthand.

I know this because for 12 consecutive months – from June 2011 to June 2012 – I travelled around the world with my husband and two sons under the age of 10. We visited 29 countries on six continents and carried the fears of our family, friends, and a lifetime of being raised on a fearful continent with us.

At a recent National Geographic Live presentation, my family and I shared our journey with an audience of about 200 people as one of National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s 2012 “Travelers of the Year.” As I got up to join other winners on the stage, the host introduced me as “fearless.” I quickly corrected him. I wasn’t fearless, I was afraid – before we left, at times on the road, and even when we returned as new people in an old world.

I was afraid but we did it anyway. We weren’t fearless but we did fear less the more we traveled.

Looking back, our first step to fear freedom wasn’t the one that put us on a plane out of Toronto, it was the one that led me to start www.globetrottingmama.com – the blog we used to tell the world we were planning to do this crazy thing. When we launched the site months before we left, it was the equivalent of signing a contract in our minds. By telling the world we were doing this, we would have no choice but to follow through.

The telling made the leaping easier but the fears continued when we finally set out months later, until we recognized a pattern.

We would enter country after country, city after city, carrying the weight of the fears and then, slowly but surely as we met people in the places we were visiting, those fears would disappear. Every single time.

One particular moment that sticks in my mind happened during the latter part of the trip. We were trying to decide whether we should visit Egypt. A friend in Kenya asked what we were afraid of, and as I pondered that question I received an email from home. Attached without comment was a list of the ten most dangerous places in the world to visit. A quick glance showed that we’d visited about half the list and a few more remained on our planned itinerary. We read the concerns and advice for destinations where we had enjoyed wonderful evenings out, met new friends, and never once felt unsafe. It was proof that what people think of a place can never compare with what you know once you’ve seen it yourself. We’d visit Egypt, we decided, and continue to see what the world had to offer. It was one of the best decisions of the trip.

I want to be clear. I’m not saying the world isn’t a dangerous place. I’m not suggesting that you should venture to all places with reckless abandon. Not at all.

What I’m telling you is that not venturing somewhere – in the world, in your career, in your life – because you perceive it to be frightening is never a good way to make a decision. Our 12 months in the world have shown me that allowing your life to be dictated by fear will only leave you with a less fulfilled existence. It’s only by jumping in with both feet and getting as close as you can to the roots of your fears that you’ll be able to determine their validity. Fears stand strong from afar; you have to get close enough to throw the water if you want the witch to melt.

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