In honor of the 20th anniversary of our founding, the Case Foundation dedicated 2017 to “Getting in the Arena.” Inspired by Teddy Roosevelt’s call to civic participation in his 1910 “Man in the Arena” speech, we focused on bringing forward ideas, stories and events that highlighted people and ideas that can change the world and encouraged others to do so too. To kick off the year, Steve and I wrote about how, over the initial 20 years of work, we had challenged ourselves and others to get off the sidelines and “Get in the Arena” to address our most pressing challenges. We also recommitted to this ethos moving forward and called on others to share how they were Getting in the Arena. As the year wraps up, we are using the last 20 days of our 20th year to shine the light on 20 people, groups and ideas that inspired us this year.
We also wanted people to share how they were getting in the arena and created a venue to inspire attendees at SXSW in Austin. In addition to creating an environment where SXSW aficionados could learn about how they could make an impact in the Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing spaces, see how VR could be used for good and use a ribbon wall to pledge how they were going to Get In The Arena, the Case Foundation hosted a 360° OrcaVue video that attendees could hop into to “Get In the Arena.” We loved seeing people like Loic Le Meur and Leila Janah and Jeremiah Owyang share their excitement for jumping off the sidelines and getting in the arena—Steve and I joined in too.
In June, we helped bring together young leaders from across the country who want to turn their interest into action at MCON, the marquee event on Millennial cause engagement that we helped found. We partnered with NBCUniversal to host a #GetInTheArena lounge where Millennial attendees shared how they’re turning interest into action. We were so inspired by the hundreds of stories we recorded that we are sharing a few—including Angela Richardson of BUILD, Elizabeth Lindsey of Byte Back and Dan Thiede of CERTS—as part of this 20 day campaign.
While our 20th year may be coming to an end, our commitment to shining the spotlight on those who are changing the world continues. This fall, I announced that I’m writing a book about the Be Fearless principles the Case Foundation have been promoting since 2012. The book will feature stories of fearless people and organizations—big and small, historical and modern—making big bets, experimenting, building unlikely alliances of changemakers, confronting and living through failure and letting urgency conquer fear. And to build on the legacy of work we’ve done on Be Fearless, we launched Finding Fearless where you can post short descriptions of what inspires you—whether it’s from your own journey or that of another individual, nonprofit, corporation or startup—and how they put Be Fearless to work.
Finally, we launched the Be Fearless show on Facebook Watch, featuring profiles of fearless changemakers who embody the Be Fearless principles and are making a difference across the globe. As part of the end of the year celebration, we will highlight some of the many inspiring stories we created, like the story of Pristine Seas, the Special Olympics and the Okavango Delta. Get ready to see those pop back up on our social media channels and stay tuned for even more new episodes in the coming months.
Kicking off tomorrow, we’re excited to spend our last 20 days of 2017 shining the spotlight on the people, groups and ideas that truly embody what it means to #GetInTheArena on the most pressing issues. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and tell us how you got in the arena in 2017 using #GetInTheArena.
Continuing our series of highlighting incredible changemakers who are Getting in the Arena for the causes they care about, we chatted with Dan Thiede, Communications Manager at the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), to talk about how he and CERTS Get in the Arena for clean energy in Minnesota.
We met Thiede this year at MCON—the Millennial Engagement Conference—where we were celebrating our 20th anniversary and rallying people to “Get in the Arena” around the causes that mattered most to them. At MCON, we partnered with Comcast NBCUniversal who brought along their Chat Box to help capture inspiring stories on video. We invited attendees to jump in the Chat Box and record their answers to the question “How are you using technology and innovation to #GetInTheArena and inspire change in your community?” The chat box was a big hit and we recorded lots of great video stories from attendees about how they are turning their interest into action! Dan was one of these stories.
As you can see, Thiede’s story stood out to us as he and his team at CERTs are working on citizen-centered solutions to clean energy and they are reaching beyond their bubble to work with changemakers across sectors. After seeing him in the Chat Box, we wanted to learn more about Thiede’s work with CERTs, how they’re solving local problems, how they build excitement around clean energy and how they’re using technology to do it. Read on to see what he had to say.
Can you tell us about Clean Energy Resource Teams and how the organization came together?
The Clean Energy Resource Teams—or CERTs—are a statewide partnership in Minnesota that connects individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects. We have twenty people working across four organizations that spend most of their time doing outreach, education and technical assistance on energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
CERTs came together in 2003 when people across rural Minnesota began thinking about new opportunities in clean energy and how their communities could benefit. We split the state up into regions and had lots of conversations with everyone from city and utility staff to businesses and nonprofits, from policymakers and school teachers to farmers and engineers. Those early grassroots efforts resulted in regional energy plans, and in the time since we’ve been focused on helping Minnesotans learn, connect and act.
What inspired you to “Get in the Arena” to promote clean energy?
We’re inspired by the positive economic impacts that saving energy and producing clean energy have, the incredible job growth we’ve seen in the industry (now the fastest-growing part of Minnesota’s workforce) and the transformative effect that projects have on communities when people come together toward a common purpose, have some success and then go even further than we imagined.
How does Clean Energy Resource Teams use technology to advance your work?
CERTs provides all sorts of resources to Minnesotans in order to help people learn about technologies and models, understand their options and move forward with clean energy projects. Technology plays a huge role in the resources and tools we provide. Key examples include our interactive solar site assessment tool that uses LIDAR, solar resources and weather data to let people know if they have a good place for solar; our online directory of solar companies, community solar gardens and energy auditors; a mobile app that helps people pick out the perfect energy-efficient LED light bulbs; a solar video contest that encourages people to get creative in their efforts to educate Minnesotans about clean energy; and a robust energy benchmarking platform that allows public entities to track their energy usage and compare it to similar buildings.
What problem are you hoping to solve and what goals are you working towards?
CERTs believes that there are amazing clean energy opportunities out there, but that we have a long way to go to make sure that energy efficiency and renewable energy truly permeate every community in Minnesota. We’re working to tip the scale to make clean energy the norm and to ensure that everyone can benefit from these solutions.
How do you build excitement around clean energy and encourage Minnesotans to get off the sidelines and change their habits around energy use?
CERTs definitely likes to have fun, we’re solutions oriented, and we believe that action on clean energy is contagious. One of the key ways that we build excitement is through peer-to-peer events, campaigns and recognition. Examples include cities hosting tours for other cities, neighbors getting together to kick the tires on EV cars at the farmers market, students selling LED light bulbs for fundraisers, utilities getting together to talk about successful program models and farmers coming together for lunch to check out the latest in energy-efficient equipment. People see folks just like them taking action, reaping the benefits (and having a great time and they want to do it, too! In most cases there is also money to be made or money to be saved, and real improvements to quality of life without sacrificing comfort. When it all comes together it’s super exciting.
How does CERTs’ approach help others to Get in the Arena and be part of the clean energy solution?
The Clean Energy Resource Teams empower communities and their members to move forward with energy efficiency and clean energy work by meeting them where they’re at, understanding their unique situation, needs, assets, and concerns, and then ensuring that they have the information, connections, financing and other essentials to see clean energy projects through to their completion. We don’t stop there, either. After they finish a project we publish stories about them, help them celebrate their success, and make sure that they’re on their way to making even more progress toward meeting their energy goals. That’s also usually the point in the process where their peers start to take notice, ask questions and think about how they can move forward with projects, too. It’s contagious in the very best way!
Do you have any success stories that inspire you to keep doing this work?
We literally come across success stories every week that keep us going, and keep up a blog and send out a newsletter called MN Energy Stories packed with successes every couple of weeks. It’s a steady drip of inspiration for the work that we and so many others are doing every day to shape Minnesota’s clean energy future.
It’s particularly inspiring when we’re able to figure out a solution to a tricky problem that opens the floodgates for projects, which is definitely what happened in Minnesota with Property-Assessed Clean Energy—or PACE—financing. Lots of businesses, nonprofits, and other groups were having trouble financing energy efficiency and clean energy improvements, because traditional banks didn’t really understand them. We’ve been working to expand PACE availability in Minnesota, and now just a couple of years in there have been hundreds of projects and millions of dollars of financing, all through property tax assessments.
We’d like to thank Dan Thiede for sharing how he’s Getting in the Arena with us. To learn more about CERTs, check out their website. To learn more about our Get in the Arena efforts, and to see what other MCON attendees said about their #GetInTheArena moments, check out our Get in the Arena page.
Every year, MCON—the Millennial Engagement Conference—is a great chance for us to celebrate how Millennials are changing the world, and to talk to conference attendees about how they’re getting involved with the causes that matter most to them. Since this year’s MCON coincided with our 20th anniversary where we’re rallying people to “Get in the Arena” we partnered with Comcast NBCUniversal who brought along their Chat Box. We invited attendees to jump in and record their answers to the question “How are you using technology and innovation to #GetInTheArena and inspire change in your community?” We received nearly a hundred video stories from attendees about how they are turning their interest into action.
A #GetInTheArena moment that stood out to us came from Elizabeth Lindsey, Executive Director of Byte Back, who talked about how she and the organization teach DC area adults technology and help them find tech jobs. Her story stood out to us because of its mission similar to ours with Inclusive Entrepreneurship, where we work to promote the recognition and success of underrepresented entrepreneurs. Similarly, Byte Back propels underserved DC area residents to career success through adult education.
Just like the Case Foundation, Byte Back is celebrating their 20th anniversary. And they’re using the milestone to step up their commitment to tackling the digital divide and providing high quality technology training to adults in need. You can see her video where she discusses her work here:
We wanted to learn more about Lindsey’s vision for Byte Back, her #GetInTheArena inspiration and motivation, and how the organization is setting new goals for their 20th anniversary and beyond. Read on for more about Lindsey and Byte Back.
Can you tell us about Byte Back and your vision for the organization? Byte Back is a Washington, DC based nonprofit providing free technology education and career training to unemployed adults. We teach our students tech skills from the very beginner level—how to use a mouse, how to send an email—to advanced IT skills that prepare them for careers in IT and business services. I’ve been the Executive Director here for two years, and we’ve been serving people in DC for 20 years. Byte Back is one of the only organizations in the country where someone with limited access to technology can start with the basics and move up a training pathway to IT skills training and into living-wage careers that use technology. I know that communities beyond DC need us. This year we’re expanding into Maryland, and we’re excited to continue planning how we can expand our reach even farther.
What inspired you to “Get in the Arena” on this cause? I’m the first person in my family to go to college and grew up in a very financially unstable home. My life was completely transformed by having access to quality education, and I’m passionate about helping others access these same types of opportunities.
I know there are so many opportunities in today’s society for people without college degrees, people like my parents, to build careers that can help them to support their families and thrive. 31 million Americans have low tech skills. There are 5.5 million more women in poverty than in 2000. And only four percent of the tech workforce is made up of women of color. Imagine what poverty in this country would look like if people on the other side of the digital divide were given the opportunity to have living-wage careers in tech. There are diverse people who have enormous untapped potential, who can change their lives and our economy. I believe they deserve a chance—to learn for free, to have a living-wage career, to have the skills and access that equity demands.
How does Byte Back use technology to address the digital divide and seek solutions to poverty? Access to technology is extremely important. But I think that sometimes we overlook the importance of providing people with the training to use that technology. A laptop or access to broadband isn’t enough if a person doesn’t know how to access the internet on their device or connect the device to Wi-Fi. So, we teach people to use the technology that’s so ubiquitous now, and by doing so, we’re helping them lift themselves out of poverty. With tech skills, our students are able to create resumes in Word, fill out online job applications and compete for in-demand jobs in the new economy.
As the organization celebrates its 20th anniversary, what are some of the goals you and Byte Back are working towards? As of this summer, we’ve achieved a major 20-year anniversary goal—to move into a state-of-the-art consolidated headquarters. We spent our first 20 years in a converted row home, and we really outgrew that space. Our move is a huge step up for us. We have new technology, including new computers for students and staff and a new video production studio, and a space that really reflects the careers that our students are training for. For most students, these will be the best classrooms and technology they’ve used in their lives, and they really deserve it.
The number of Byte Back graduates who are hired into living-wage jobs continues to increase. In our last fiscal year, which ended in June, 65 students were hired. On average, our graduates who are hired are making $28,000 more per year than they were before Byte Back courses. As we expand into Maryland this year, we’re teaching more advanced CompTIA A+ Certification courses, which means more graduates will have the training to succeed as IT help desk professionals. Our services are unique nationally, and communities across the country are asking for Byte Back services, so we know that our 20th year is the first in our geographical expansion, but not the last.
How do you rally people to get off the sidelines and support Byte Back through donations, volunteering, partnerships and hiring students? We have so many fabulous supporters who are so inspired by our mission and our students’ success. The DC tech community has been so supportive, and we’re such a natural tech for good cause for them. In March, we won a $360,000 WeWork Creator Award to scale, which has been so huge for us. We have the support to expand, and a lot of new supporters have found out about our work and are joining us as partners, volunteers, funders, donors, and student employers. We have a lot of new supporters, but we’re always looking for more to join us as partners, volunteers, funders, donors, and student employers. We have opportunities to get involved and Get in the Arena at byteback.org.
How do you and your team view technology as a pillar of civic engagement? The people reading this article right now online probably cannot fathom not knowing how to use the internet, or how to use an Excel spreadsheet, or email a city official. But the fact is there are still millions of people who are being left out of digital civic life. While online-run social justice movements have had amazing success, it’s a fact that many people are left out of participating and engaging and fighting because of their inability to use technology.
How have you had to challenge assumptions and take risks during your time at Byte Back? When I started at Byte Back as Executive Director, I inherited an organization that had grown exponentially in the past seven or eight years but didn’t necessarily have the systems and processes in place to keep up with this growth. I really had to question my assumption that programming and staff and systems were put in place for a reason – I had to start asking why we did things a certain way, why we conceptualized our organizational structure the way we did, why certain individuals were placed into their roles. It was challenging, but Byte Back embraced the change and need for us to grow and evolve, and we’ve significantly improved our operations and our organizational culture over the past two years.
Are there any student success stories that stand out and inspire you to continue getting in the arena for adult technology training? The first time I met Olivia Byrd, she came up to me and said, “Byte Back saved my life.” Four years ago, Olivia was living in her car. She didn’t have the skills and experience to build a career. And then Olivia came to Byte Back. Three months after finishing her training, Olivia was hired as an IT Help Desk Technician. She now has her own apartment. Olivia’s life has not only been changed, but she brings a new face and perspective to the tech world.
Thank you so much to Elizabeth Lindsey for sharing how she’s Getting in the Arena with us. To learn more and get involved with Byte Back, check out their website. And to learn more about our 20th anniversary celebration, check out our Get in the Arena page.
Every year, MCON—the Millennial Engagement Conference—is a great chance for us to celebrate how Millennials are changing the world, and to talk to conference attendees about how they’re getting involved with the causes that matter most to them. This year, we partnered with Comcast NBCUniversal to bring attendees the #GetInTheArena Peacock lounge presented by Comcast NBCUniversal, where participants had a chance to jump into a chat box and record their answers to the question “How are you using technology and innovation to #GetInTheArena and inspire change in your community?” We captured nearly a hundred stories from attendees about how they are turning their interest into action.
One of those stories that inspired us came from Angela Richardson, Communications and Partnerships Manager at BUILD (Businesses United in Investing Lending and Development) Metro DC. Richardson shared how she works with the organization to help students from under resourced communities pursue entrepreneurship. Angela and BUILD are making a difference by providing communities with the resources and connections their residents need to succeed as students and entrepreneurs. Much like the Case Foundation’s Inclusive Entrepreneurship work, BUILD promotes social, financial and inspiration capital through their four year program for high school students. You can see her inspiring video here:
We wanted to learn more about Richardson’s vision for BUILD, her #GetInTheArena motivation and how she rallies supporters to get involved with the organization, so we caught up with her after MCON. Read on to see what she shared with us and how you can learn more about BUILD Metro DC.
Can you tell us about BUILD Metro DC and your vision for the organization?
BUILD Metro DC is an in-and-out of school incubator that introduces high school students to entrepreneurship. With BUILD’s guidance and support, DC students learn to create and run their own start-ups, learning the fundamentals of what it takes to have a successful business. Although our students are doing amazing work, their stories go untold. As the Communications and Partnerships Manager, my vision for BUILD is for every Washingtonian to know the powerful impact BUILD Metro DC has on each high school student we are serving.
What inspired you to “Get in the Arena” on this cause?
I started my career as a communications professional in the beauty and fashion industry. Although that world may seem glamorous and pretty, I wasn’t fulfilling my life’s work. My journey from a beauty and fashion publicist to a social change communicator has led me to tell the powerful untold stories of young people. Having the opportunity to capture the resilience and great potential of our students is what truly inspires me daily to stay in the arena.
How does BUILD foster entrepreneurship in underserved DC communities?
We believe that entrepreneurship is a mindset and because we believe it is a mindset, there are a number of skills that can be developed that we refer to as Spark Skills (Communication, Grit, Problem-Solving, Collaboration, Innovation, and Self-Management). In addition to the development of those skills, students have the opportunity to develop and grow their own business, generating revenue which ultimately teaches them financial wellness and sustainability. These skills have the potential to eradicate generational poverty, in turn putting resources in communities that would otherwise not have them.
What are some of the goals you and BUILD are working towards?
To fulfill our mission, we are working towards growing our student enrollment, ensuring that are student body is fully engaged in our program over time, and that we collectively drive the students BUILD works with towards postsecondary acceptance and college and career readiness.
How do you encourage your students to turn their interest into action?
We challenge them to identify their interests. We then have to encourage and affirm their interest through celebrating the diversity of them and strength of their ideas. Finally, we share with them resources to turn their interests into action.
How do you rally people to get off the sidelines and support BUILD through donations, volunteering and mentorship?
We highlight the power of our students. Donors, volunteers, and mentors join and support BUILD because they want to have a real impact on each of the students and to give them the tools they need to succeed. When we highlight our students, we are making it clear that everyone has an opportunity to play their part in guiding and supporting this next generation.
How does technology play a role in your and BUILD’s social change work?
As part of a pilot program, we partnered with Friendship Tech Prep Academy, utilizing technology as a tool for students to create tech-driven startup businesses. Through this pilot, we have opened the windows of opportunity for our students to learn coding, web design and graphic design, tools we believe every entrepreneur needs to advance his or her business. One of our student teams even created a pop-up device, Insta-Laptop, that turns any smartphone into a functional laptop. The team generated the idea after realizing that many of their peers did not have access to computers at home, but majority of them owned smartphones. This is the perfect example of how we are teaching our students to solve problems like the digital divide.
How do you and your team view entrepreneurship as a pillar of civic engagement?
To create the world that we want to see, we must be willing to think and act in ways that are naturally entrepreneurial. Civic engagement and entrepreneurship share a process for seeing what is, brainstorming improvements, making a plan, and convincing people that they should support the outcome. Helping BUILD students develop their entrepreneurial skills has a strong side effect of preparing them to be civically engaged. The skills of teamwork, grit, and innovation that make our students successful entrepreneurs are the same skills that make them community leaders today and tomorrow.
How have you had to challenge assumptions and take risks during your time at BUILD?
At BUILD, we work to challenge assumptions everyday about the identities of our students – where they are from and the implications that exist because of that. We work to celebrate their individual identities while coaching them to grow, providing them with support and access to resources in an effort to change the narratives that are created for them.
Are there any student entrepreneur success stories that stand out and inspire you to continue getting in the arena for underserved youth?
Two words: Lorrin Davis. Lorrin’s story has truly inspired not only me but our entire BUILD community. She is the perfect example of how gaining a BUILD Spark Skill like Grit can impact all areas of one’s life. She’s journeyed through the BUILD program, starting as young freshman entrepreneur to now a high school graduate on her way to George Washington University as recipient of the highly coveted Trachtenberg scholarship – a full ride valued at $300,000. Despite the many adversities and personal challenges Lorrin may have faced during her time in BUILD, her resilience and dedication to making her dreams come true drives me to the do the work I do daily. She inspires me to continue to tell stories of the many young people overcoming an enormity of challenges, in hopes of uplifting another young person in the process.
Angela, thank you for sharing how you’re Getting in the Arena with us. To learn more about BUILD Metro DC, visit their website. And to learn more about our 20th anniversary celebration, check out our Get in the Arena page.
If you’re familiar with the annual Millennial Engagement Conference, you’ll know that MCON draws a diverse and inspirational lineup of changemakers. Speakers, attendees and sponsors alike convene around a singular mission—to better understand, activate and showcase the power of the millennial generation to drive social impact. And MCON 2017 was no exception, as everyone in attendance and on stage continued to inspire!
I was particularly happy to sit down briefly with fellow MCON sponsor Blackbaud for a Facebook Live interview to talk about the Case Foundation’s nearly 10 years of work and research on Millennial engagement. However, the real action took place on stage where the entire community could engage directly. There were many great moments throughout the 2-day conference, but let me highlight the top six “power themes” I saw on display at MCON 2017:
The Power of Networking: Building off of last year’s positive feedback, MCON 2017 included an opening night party—no agenda, no speakers, a pure focus on networking and building connections. This year, participants gathered at National Geographic (thank you, NatGeo!), surrounded by the work and photography of an institution that for more than 100 years has inspired adventurers and scientists to preserve our planet. Social capital—the networks of people we know—is a critical component of any social movement. Get out there and build it, share it and advance the issues you care about!
The Power of Showcasing Movement Practitioners: The Igniting Good Town Hall, hosted by #GivingTuesday, took place just before the official start of MCON. The town hall allowed participants to hear from practitioners and learn about their tactics for building, sustaining and unleashing coalitions of Millennials and others to tackle some of our biggest social issues. The session included diverse groups like the Movember Foundation whose movement has contributed to more than 1200 projects for prostate and testicular cancer and mental health and suicide prevention, and Amnesty International’s 7 million-person global coalition campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by everyone. The town hall provided inspiration, through the sharing of practical information, on the potential to affect social change by building strong coalitions and communities around a common cause. Movement building isn’t easy—it always involves behavior change and disrupting the status quo—so learning from history and those in the trenches now was a powerful feature of MCON 2017.
Photo courtesy of MCON.
The Power of Storytelling: At the Case Foundation, we are huge believers in the power of what we call “inspirational capital,” showcasing through stories, blogs, film, photos and infographics the images and narratives that convey the real history and ultimate end state of the social causes we are advancing. The imperative of storytelling to build community and catalyze social movements was front and center in the exclusive screening of Crown Heights. An awardee at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, the film tells the true story of Colin Warner, an 18-year-old Brooklyn man wrongfully convicted of a 1980 murder and sentenced to life in prison, and his childhood friend who fights for more than 20 years to reverse the verdict. Nnamdi Asomugha, who stars as the friend to Colin Warner in the film also spoke about the film and its context.
Photo courtesy of MCON.
The Power of Your Platform: Actress Allison Williams of the HBO show, Girls and most recently the film Get Out, closed out MCON with a powerful discussion about the social issues that she is working to address through the use of her public platform enabled by her celebrity status and increasingly influential voice in Hollywood. She has recognized that as an actress her voice can reach millions, and wants to use her proverbial microphone to push for greater action to drive movements for education, and most recently, chronic racism in the criminal justice system and the negative impact on minorities that enter that system. Bravo Allison!
Photo courtesy of MCON.
The Power of Personal Engagement: As a sponsor of MCON, the Case Foundation, in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal created the Peacock Lounge to encourage attendees to share their stories of inspiring change in their communities through the use of innovation and technology. And what we heard was definitely inspiring, from a NASA scientist seeking to be more fearless, to an immigrant translating her past struggle into opportunities for young people currently living in countries in crisis, to a cancer survivor building networks for other survivors to more easily make the transition back after treatment, and many more.
In the lounge, we gave participants a platform to turn their energy and their interest into action, by inviting them to make a pledge at the ribbon wall, to declare their commitment with a Word Art Portrait, and to share their unique story of taking action in the NBCUniversal Chat Box. And the response was overwhelming. We were thrilled to see that in-person engagement come through online as well, as people shared their videos and their portraits on twitter, facebook and Instagram using #GetInTheArena and #NBCUStoriesThatInspire. We look forward to continuing to share those stories in the coming months, so stay tuned for more great content on our website and at NBCUniversal.
The Power of Data and Research: Finally, MCON would not be complete without the vital research on millennial cause engagement conducted by Achieve and sponsored by The Case Foundation. When you’re in the business of catalyzing social movements, data and research is a key component of both designing your programming and measuring its effect. This year’s Millennial Impact Report will examine how changing social issues are affecting millenials’ interest and engagement in cause involvement, and how millennials activate with specific social issues based on demographic characteristics. Phase 1 of a three-phase research report was released at MCON 2017. This qualititative research phase with a small cohort of millennials is already revealing that today’s evolving political and social climate is changing the cause behavior of millennials. We’re already excited about the potential for Phase 2, which will be released in September.
Huge thanks and congratulations to Achieve and all the sponsorship partners for another successful year of MCON. The Case Foundation has supported Achieve to bring MCON to the world since 2011, and we’re thrilled to see the content and reach continue to grow and improve every year. For a generation of changemakers, millennials can truly find their tribe at MCON where the speakers, the discussions, the sponsors and their fellow attendees all help to inspire them to get in the arena and translate their interests into action to create change in the world.
Keep sharing your stories of using innovation and technology to inspire change in your community with #GetInTheArena and #NBCUStoriesThatInspire.
The count-down has begun, and we’re less than one week from the kick off of the annual Millennial Engagement conference. MCON has become the marquee event on millennial cause engagement, and we’re thrilled to have it hosted again in our own back yard in Washington, DC. For more on the event, check out our recent MCON2017 blog post.
As in years past, MCON is assembling a list of can’t-miss speakers that represent a multi-industry approach to doing good for our communities and our environment. From filmmakers, to artists and actors, to activists, to chefs and restaurateurs, the MCON speakers—like the audience—is a gathering of diverse people who care about social change and want to #GetInTheArena by turning their interests into action.
We’re sharing our Twitter list of MCON speakers to make joining the online conversation using #MCON easy for everyone. Whether you’re here at MCON (registration is still open) or joining via the livestream. Be sure to follow along as we share event highlights, quotes, photos and more at @CaseFoundation using hashtag #GetInTheArena.
CEO of @FeedingAmerica, striving for a hunger-free nation. Love hiking, book club, & gardening in my city plot.
David Forsell
@dforsell
President of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. Focused on how KIB can grow its impact for people, communities and the environment.
Rob Greenfield
@RobJGreenfield
Adventurer, Activist, Humanitarian for a sustainable & just world. Host of Free Ride on Discovery Channel. Donates 100% of media income to grassroots nonprofits
Robin Hammond
@robinNHammond
Documentary photographer, W.Eugene Smith Fund recipient, 4 time winner of Amnesty International Award for human rights journalism.
Maria Teresa Kumar
@MariaTeresa1
Mami of two tykes who see wonders all the time. @VotoLatino Founding President. @MSNBC Contributor. My views. Married to this guy @raj_devex
Michael Lastoria
@__lastoria
Long hair. Bearded. Driven to create. Passionate about design and culture. Founding president @andpizza + @jwalkny
Palika Makam
@PalikaMakam
To Do List: 1. Awake Global Consciousness 2. Film Everything
Spike Mendelsohn
@chefspike
Chef/Owner of D.C. Good Stuff Eatery/We,The Pizza/ChairmanDCFoodPolicyCouncil
Director of Research at @TheISPU. Co-author of Who Speaks Islam?
Holley Murchison
@HolleyMurchison
Reporting live from my dreams.
Amanda Nguyen
@nguyen_amanda
Founder of Rise @RiseNowUS. Penned own civil rights into existence & 25 million others’ too. Aspiring Astronaut. Pathological Optimist.
Ali Noorani
@anoorani
.@NatImmForum, bad golfer, #immigration advocate, aspiring fashion blogger, author of ‘There Goes the Neighborhood.’ insta @alinoorani Tweets are mine.
Quin Tivey
@QuinnTivey
The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
Tipiziwin Tolman
@ThipiziwinYoung
Lakota Language Nest Instructor
Karen Weigert
@KarenRWeigert
Cool jobs working for a cooler planet. Senior fellow @ChicagoCouncil. Chicago’s 1st chief sustainability officer. Film producer. Tweeting sustainably since 2016
Eric Asche
@easche
Chief Little Bet Maker for Truth Initiative. Fighting for market share – one person at a time.
Cecilia Clarke
@BklynFoundation
As the community foundation for NYC’s largest borough, we are on a mission to #SparkChange, mobilizing people, capital, and expertise for a fair & just Brooklyn
Sr Director Digital & Marketing @UNFoundation, former @Natgeo Digital. Proud #Jordanian. Platform of choice: Instagram (@embratora). ps I love Xanadu
Sarah Hemminger
@Thread_Org
The New Social Fabric
Margaret Huang
@MargaretLHuang
Executive Director, @Amnesty International USA. Tweets are my views only.
Andrew Slack
@andrewslack
Civic Hall fellow in civic imagination, Harry Potter Alliance and Imagine Better creator/co-founder.
Justin Wheeler
@justinbobbyw
Founder and CEO at Funraise.
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