Today I went to a memorial service for a client who passed away suddenly over the weekend. It was 100 degrees in San Anselmo, California and the church was packed full of friends and family. This was a woman who was so loved and respected by everyone she knew. It was a very sad service, but I know she knows she lived her life well and completely.
Although she was a perfectionist herself, she was never judgmental of others and always showed a lot of respect to me and my work. She would also always ask me how my running was going and congratulate me on my musical endeavors. She was driven, determined and strong, yet also one of the kindest, most generous and genuine people I have ever met. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, clients, vendors and ALL who had the pleasure of working with her and knowing her as a friend.
She taught many people what it means to truly live, love and respect others. Through her sudden departure, I have a new understanding of what it means to be alive and loved.
Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt before. Dance like no one is looking.
Sing like no one is listening. Live like there is no tomorrow. Thank everyone you know for being in your life. Remember you are lucky. Smile.
Rest in Peace, Alicia. Thank you for everything. I am grateful that I knew you. You taught me more than you'll ever know.
"People all over the world will respond better to the power of example than the example of power." -- Bill Clinton (in his speech to the Democratic National Convention tonight.)
Teaching with the power of example is always better than teaching with the example of power. We encourage our teachers to use examples in their classes because it's much easier to understand something if you have an example to reflect upon. Classes for Causes teachers are examples of socially conscious individuals who are humble, sharing and giving.
How exciting! The Grammy-Award winning duo will be headlining at Comcast's Art & Soul Oakland Festival. It's a culturally diverse music festival with plenty of art, dance and food too. The festival has direct access from BART’s 12th Street/City Center station.
Admission: $10 adults; $5 seniors, youth and disabled; 13-18; free for children 12 and under.
With the Slow Food Festival also this weekend, it looks like a good time to stay in - or visit the Bay Area!
Tonight I went to my first Young Nonprofit Professionals Network meeting and it was excellent. The event was called "Movin' On Up: Strategies for Upward Mobility in Nonprofits" about how to move up in your career in the nonprofit sector. While I felt a little out of place being there as someone just starting a nonprofit organization and not climbing the proverbial nonprofit ladder per se, I learned a lot from the panelists and was inspired by the enthusiasm and energy from everyone in the room.
I'm guilty of being pleasantly surprised by the level of organization and professionalism that was portrayed at the event and I was inspired by the panelists. They were Julia Love, Associate Director of The Volunteer Center, serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, Laura Guzman, Director of the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center (MNRC), a collaborative project of the Mission Neighborhood Health Center in the Mission District of San Francisco, serving homeless adults living on the streets, in shelters, and SRO hotels, and Nelson Layag, Projects Director of CompassPoint, Silicon Valley. All three of the panelists gave real examples of how they moved forward in their careers and many of their tips included advice that anyone would be wise to follow, regardless of whether you are working in the nonprofit or for profit sector.
Some of the things I took away from the discussion were:
An MBA is not necessarily going to get you a better job, although the credential maybe useful as leverage.
Board service is an excellent way to learn how to manage a business - any business, for profit or nonprofit. So go and join a board, or better yet, come and serve on ours.
Most of the work is done by the team. A good director is always proud of her/his team, because she/he has empowered them to succeed. (Teach people to fish.)
Be the best advocate you can be.
Ask yourself "What is my passion?" and "What do I do best?" "What do I want right now?" and "What do I want next?"
Look for gaps and fill them - offer to help wherever you can.
Get the experience and have CURIOSITY. Ask questions. Be curious. Be the change you want to see.
Be passionate about your talent.
Be open to mentoring and seek mentors.
Be BOLD!
Talk about your transferable skills.
Your weaknesses are as important as your strengths. What is hard for you is important to share with a potential employer. They will want to know how you overcome those challenges.
Be very human. (I know someone who will like this one very much!)
Get a good grant writer or be a good grant writer.
Be aware of the way others are perceiving you. Seek coaching on your weaknesses.
In addition to all of that I met a few wonderful people who I hope to connect with again at the next meeting and/or via email. Several of the committee hosting the event worked at the Women's Initiative and I am not surprised by their level of professionalism, honesty, energy and collaborative spirit. WI really knows how to hire. Everyone I have met who has worked there or volunteered has a person of the highest calibre. These are people I feel very fortunate to know. Thanks to Women's Initiative for your work and thanks to YNPNsf.org for hosting these events.
Imagine the day when teachers are viewed as the key to human welfare. These people have this vision and so do I. Teachers can help people help themselves. Teachers can instill confidence. Teachers empower people to think and think big. Teachers inspire. Teachers share. Teachers lead. Teachers make a difference.
At our first board meeting a question came up about the minimum age requirement for instructors. Now I'm sure we'll have some chess geniuses and teenage entrepreneurs dying to teach classes, but according to stopchildlabor.org, a minor must be at least 16 to work in California. Different states have different limits. However, are these minors working or volunteering? I would bet most C4C instructors consider themselves volunteers.
To clarify, though, anyone under 18 wishing to teach a class should please contact us. We will want to chat with your parents and confirm we have their consent. Afterall, we don't want your teaching to interfere with your learning (even though it will likely make you a better student.) School comes first.
I am so excited about the wave of enthusiasm I am seeing and hearing everywhere for buying local and organic produce and supporting sustainable food production. I was just listening to an excellent Commonwealth Club discussion about The Centralization of the Food System and I am sorry to be missing the Slow Food Nation Festival next weekend. Be sure to buy your tickets if you haven't already! Saturday and Sunday morning are SOLD OUT already! I'm sure it's going to be a blast. (I will be having my own slow food with a lot of solitude party in the mountains after attending a wedding in Santa Cruz.)
A couple of weeks ago I had dinner with my friend Amy in San Francisco and she said we should go an buy produce from her local produce store and cook at her house. She lives in Noe Valley, which is a pretty nice part of San Francsico so I was expecting the produce market to be suitably swank and similarly priced. When we were in the store, Amy said to me "You're not going to believe how much this is going to cost," and of course I was thinking in Whole Foods Market terms and said, "Oh I'm sure I won't be surprised." I prefer to buy organic and local whenever possible and often that means "Whole Paycheck." We bought red onions, garlic, peppers, peaches, nectarines, the best strawberries I've ever had, spring mix, arugula, a pear, chick peas, feta cheese, avocado, a baguette and salad dressing and can you guess how much it was?
Well, I don't know about you, but I was totally taken aback when the total was less than $20. I really thought the cashier had made a mistake. I asked Amy how it was possible and she explained that all the produce is local to the Bay Area and that's why it's so fabulously priced. Of course we may not have been buying all organic produce, but local is almost as good. So.... support your local farmers and eat food that is in season. Not only will you feel good, physically and mentally, your pocketbook will thank you too.
Jennifer (programmer extraordinaire, and secretary for C4C) recently started a subscription to CSA. Since she is a real foodie, she is loving it and also twittering about all the new recipes she is trying, which I assume are from CSA. What is CSA? (No, it's not CSI!) It's Community Supported Agriculture, aka Local Harvest.
Between September 21 and September 28, 2008, dine out at one of these restaurants and help end childhood hunger in America. I love to try new restaurants and knowing that a portion of my bill is going to a good cause makes it that much more appealing.
Tonight was our first board meeting and I can't tell you how excited and inspired I am. Our directors bring fresh ideas and a level of enthusiasm for the project that I am extremely grateful for. I anticipate a lot of momentum being created by the communications team over the next few weeks. Hooray!
We're off to a great start and being small makes us nimble and agile. Watch for a board of directors page coming to the site soon and for activities to start heating up in terms of outreach, fund-raising, awareness and public relations.
Want to teach a class? Have a class you would like to have offered? Suggestions? Your comments are welcome. We're all ears!
Our first board meeting for C4C is tomorrow and I have been looking at the financials this evening. I'm very excited about the meeting and introducing some of our terrific board members to each other. We're a diverse group from two states and two countries so far, well three if you count my country of birth. We need a few more good men on the board, so if you're of the male variety and interested in what we're up to, please give me a shout. Also, if you know anyone who might be interested, please send them my way as well.
One of my favorite sayings is: "Two minds are better than a guru." I don't remember who said it, and I'm not pretending to be a guru, but I am excited for the meeting of the minds that will be the engine of Classes for Causes.
I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can. The train is getting ready to leave the station and you should come along for the ride. It'll not only be an interesting adventure, but you may even learn something along the way.
I've been learning a lot about Meetup.com recently. With 5 million monthly visitors, 4.7 million members and 102,000 meetups in 3601 cities, they must be doing something right! Yes, Wow! I am inspired by their success because they offer similar services to Classes for Causes. Meetup enables people to get together around common interests.
Specifically, Meetup's mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.
They are certainly revitalizing local community and helping people self-organize. Then they leave it up to people to choose to make a difference.
Classes for Causes mission is to bring people together around common interests through teaching, learning and giving. Our goal is to grow communities while nurturing causes.
The aim is to provide an alternative way to connect, learn new skills and make a difference to a cause chosen by the instructor. In this way instructors are building awareness for and offering financial support to great causes. Students get to learn subjects from passionate people and know that their money is going to a good cause.
I know that our Classes for Causes instructors and students will shape the future of the organization and I believe that together we will make positive impacts on many worthy causes. I can't wait to get started, can you?
"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live." --- Morris Adler
Tonight I watched the Women's Marathon race in the Beijing Olympics. It was an exciting race with Liz Yelling from Britain leading the first half and Romania's 38 year old, Constantina Tomescu-Dita holding a strong lead from about mile 15 to the end. Since I have run four marathons in the last three years, I understand the some of the pain, endurance and sheer courage it takes to complete the race. Finishing in 2 hours and 26 minutes is another story all together - absolutely amazing. I am in awe of anyone who can finish the marathon in less than 3 and a half hours. (My personal best is 3 hours 57 minutes.)
Tomescu-Dita is only a few years older than me, but they are already saying this was likely her last chance for an Olympic Gold. With Dara Torres still winning medals at 41, I'd be willing to bet Tomescu-Dita will be back, however I realize at some point the body does age and can't compete with the natural suppleness and strength of the youthful physique.
That's why it's important to continue growing and pushing yourself mentally through learning. The mind is a sponge that can continuously absorb and process information. It needs to be exercised just like any muscle of the body and fueled with the best nutrients. I believe education, learning new things and continuing to extend the amount you know and are skilled at is the way to exercise your mind. And connecting with people and sharing your knowledge and perspective is the same as the nutrition or fuel for the professional athlete.
When I am running a marathon, one of my mantras is "Just don't stop." When I am running in the treadmill of life, it's the same. If living is learning, there is no other option. Just don't stop.
Last week I gave my students an assignment to comment on three blogs that were not blogs of fellow classmates. One of the students started a conversation about a great idea he had with a well-respected blogger in the cleantech field and another got responses back from doctors at Havard and Kaiser! It's a small world when you're in the blogosphere and it just goes to show you that if you reach out and ask the question, you might be surprised by the response you get.
It's our last class tomorrow and I was so busy preparing for the class tonight, I almost forgot to post to the blog. (Oh dear!) The other assignment for the two week course was for each student to post to their blog everyday. Tomorrow we'll see how they did and who continues the assignment after the course is over. Teaching is fun. You should try it. See you in class.
I have taught classes for San Francisco State University's Multimedia Studies Program and Integrated Marketing Program both online and in person. While I have more experience teaching online, I believe the students get more out of the live classes.
I met someone at a party last week who told me that The Learning Annex is no longer offering live classes. They used to offer live classes everywhere and they had a whole free catalog dedicated to advertising the classes. Well, most of their classes are now online. While this may be more cost effective from the standpoint of being able to appeal to a greater geographic demographic, there is a trade-off in that online doesn't easily facilitate personal connections and the friendships and conversations that are started in the live environment.
Don't get me wrong. We are going to be offering both online and live classes at C4C, but I hope that the local community aspect of the classes will inspire friendships and spark new communities and groups to come together around common beliefs and interests. Connections and conversations are what make people think, feel, love and share. Connect, collaborate, contribute.
A few weeks ago I blogged about a couple of ideas I had while running in "Ideas on the run." I found a contact name for Disk Golf and emailed the person on the site to ask whether he would consider teaching a class or refer me to someone who might. I didn't hear from him for about 10 days, so I sent a quick email again to make sure he received the first email, wanting to make sure it didn't get lost in a spam filter or something.
Well today I heard back from the man and he said was going to forward my email to a couple of people who might be interested. He said he really liked the concept of the non-profit and wanted to help. How about that?
Watching Michael Phelps' exuberation and pride at winning his races in the Olympics and knowing how hard he worked to get where he is today, is an example of persistence, patience and perseverance. Michael is showing us all how it's done and while my victory today is small in comparison, receiving the email from the disk golf man made me feel like I had won a gold.
The lesson learned: Never, never, never, never, never give up as Churchill says, and remember that just because someone doesn't respond to an email, doesn't mean they didn't want to. Sometimes a gentle reminder is appreciated. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Believe in yourself and believe your dreams. Together those things will take you anywhere you want to go.
Keep both feet on the ground and reach for the stars. -- Casey Kasem
The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection. - Bertrand Russell
I've been watching a little of the Olympics and was inspired by Dara Torres. She is a 41 year-old mother of a 2 year-old daughter and she just won a silver medal in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay yesterday.
Dara says:
"For anyone who feels stifled or stuck in their life, I say break down those barriers of indecision. Never let anyone set your personal or professional agenda. Live every day with the passion of your last. If I can inspire both women and men in anything it would be that age is just a number, not a death sentence. Wake up every morning with a plan and a dream. If you do, like me, dreams do still come true in your 40s and beyond!"
From the human interest story on NBC Sunday, Dara seems like a great mother, friend and role model. Doesn't that smile and her quote above say "instinctively happy" to you?
On Friday night instead of watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics, (scandalous!) I went to a party to hear a live performance of Mendelssohn's String Octet. I met Michael there (thanks, Daniel) and he was overflowing with enthusiasm about a great writing class he is taking right now. I just love to hear an inspired student promote a class, so I am thrilled to share Ripe Fruit School of Creative Writing with you. Michael is having a blast in the class and learning to find his style. Now I am thinking about taking a class not only to learn how to write better, but also to see how teaching out of your living room really works. Afterall lots of C4C classes are going to start off that way! Live and learn. Learn and live. Teach, learn, live and give.
Yesterday I met a wonderful lady for coffee at Crossroads Cafe - a Delancy Street Foundation project. I feel very lucky to have been introduced to this lady, because she is very energetic and interested in being on C4C's board of directors. (A big thanks for Amit for the referral!)
In addition to being overjoyed at recruiting another member of the board, I was inspired by the Delancy Street Foundation's mission and story. This is a place where ex-convicts and ex-addicts are accepted into a two year program where they learn to be teachers, general contractors, truck drivers, chefs, and contributing members of society.
What seemed like and impossible challenge has been proven possible. They're doing it and it looks like they're doing really well. Read the description on the home page. It is such an inspiring story. For over 35 years The Delancy Street Foundation has been developing a model of social entrepreneurship, of education, of rehabilitation and change that is exciting and full of hope.
The cafe is spacious and my garden green tea was excellent. It's a great place to grab a coffee, snack or lunch and it's also a potential venue for holding classes. So instructors, if you need help finding the perfect space to hold your class, consider the Crossroads Cafe.
Today while looking for something to do in Santa Cruz for a weekend trip coming up, I found Adventure Out, a company that teaches surfing, rock climbing and all kinds of outdoors fun! In addition to my admiration for their school and focus on the outdoors, I noticed a little logo in the corner of their website saying 1% For the Planet. Now call me melancholic, but things like this make me cry. I am so inspired by companies that want to give back to the environment. It is so wonderful to see this kind of philanthropy in action.
I hope that one day Classes for Causes will be able to join 1% For the Planet, because really where are we without the wonders of nature, clean drinking water and the fresh air we breath? And if your company is doing well, I encourage you to look into joining 1%FTP. (The idea for Classes for Causes was conceived out of a need to do something for the planet, so the 1%FTP concept is very special to me. My dream is to launch C4C and let people start teaching, learning and giving to causes for our planet and all the other causes that inspire us to and need our support.)
Do you have similar organizations to 1% For the Planet to share? Thanks.
This came in from IdealBite today - I love them. I have been waiting for a company to start green printing services and here it is right on our doorstep: Take a look at GreenPostcards.com Complete with soy colors, digital printing, 100% wind-power operation and deliveries via Prius! What's not to love about that. I can't wait to get my samples.
It's time to submit your ideas to American Express' Member's Project again. "Your ideas. Your decision. [Their] money." They will spend 2.5 million dollars on the projects voted the best to make a positive impact on the world.
Last year's winner brought safe drinking water to millions of children in Africa. The finalists included an educational project called "Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn." That certainly sounds exciting to me. Check out the videos and see what it's all about, then submit your ideas. Shake up this world. Together we can make a positive impact.
They say what you resist persists and what I'm resisting is asking for help. So here goes: Would you be interested in being on the board of directors for Classes for Causes?
What is Classes for Causes?
Classes for Causes, Inc. is a non-profit organization created to facilitate fund raising for charitable organizations through teaching and learning. Anyone can sign up to teach a class and the money raised from the tuition for the class goes to the charity of the instructor’s choice.
Classes for Causes was created in July 2007 and incorporated by the State of California as a non-profit business in April 2008. We are currently in the process of applying for Federal 501(c)(3) status, which is the non-profit designation as determined by the Federal government. The application process takes 6 to 9 months and we are right at the beginning of it, so it will be a while before we get the determination letter.
Our goal for the board of directors is to create a diverse group of people who bring different assets to the organization.
What is required of a board member?
Attend one board meeting per month. The commitment is for one year from the date of your appointment.
The agenda for each board meeting will be emailed or mailed to each board member one week prior to each meeting. Board meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. of every month.
If you are interested please contact me - susan at classesforcauses dot org. THANKS!
Thanks Matthew for teaching me something and for sharing your enthusiasm with the class. I completely agree with your concept of the 4th generation of social networks completing the cycle and bringing people back together. In fact that is the mission of Classes for Causes:
Our mission is to bring people together around common interests through teaching, learning and giving.
The more I teach, the more I learn. The more I give, the more I receive. So, as my good buddy Indiana in Madrid says, "Get after it!"
Anyone interested in teaching snowboarding, skiing or Requiems?
Tonight I started teaching another class at SFSU. I am always nervous for a few days before the class starts and always inpired by the learning process, the students, and the enthusiasm that I feel during class. Teaching is a great way to share ideas. It's not just about telling people what you know, but also about learning from your students. Once again I am inspired by the ideas and raw energy that the students exude. I am honored to teach and appreciate the opportunity to share and collaborate with like-minded peers.
In a world where so much of our time is spent staring at computer screens, typing and communicating virtually, the physical and personal connections are so much more valuable and important. Thanks to my students for reminding me of that.
On another note, this is the first time I have used a wiki for teaching and I am excited to see how it works. (I'm using Wetpaint because it is free and I learned about it by reading The Age of Engage by Denise Shiffman - see http://www.ageofengage.com) If it goes well I may consider offering and/or recommending it for Classes for Causes instructors. (There were certainly a few growing pains this evening, but the students graciously worked with me make everything right.) My lesson learned this evening: Treat people kindly and you will be treated with kindness.
iTunes U looks like it could be a great place to learn, both as student and teacher. I love podcasts and can't think of a better way to disseminate current academic knowledge than through that medium. There are already a lot of really great courses offered and I plan on taking a few...
Time Management by Randy Pausch (Carnegie Mellon University)
However I can't help wonder whether the isolation from other students will have an impact on the learning. It is absolutely possible to learn by reading and listening by yourself, but there is also a ton of value in sharing your thoughts, ideas and problems with others. Collaboration and connectivity are key at Classes for Causes and that's what we're going to focus on - the personal connection with other students and instructions. And that can happen whether the course is LIVE or online.
What courses are you or should I say: are U interested in taking (at iTunes U and/or C4C)?
Tonight was our first board meeting and I can't tell you how excited and inspired I am. Our directors bring fresh ideas and a level of enthusiasm for the project that I am extremely grateful for. I anticipate a lot of momentum being created by the communications team over the next few weeks. Hooray!
"For anyone who feels stifled or stuck in their life, I say break down those barriers of indecision. Never let anyone set your personal or professional agenda. Live every day with the passion of your last. If I can inspire both women and men in anything it would be that age is just a number, not a death sentence. Wake up every morning with a plan and a dream. If you do, like me, dreams do still come true in your 40s and beyond!"
