Teaching Students How to Revitalize Their Communities

May 5, 2017August 16, 2017Leave a comment

When we work in communities, we always strive to help build the capacity of local community leaders. Whether that’s through connecting them with resources we know about, or introducing them to other community partners, or transferring skills, our goal is to help communities grow strong and resilient. the foundation of that growth is local community leadership.

Yes! Magazine highlighted a fascinating non-profit, Community Learning Partnership, that is creating college programs that couples classroom work with hands on experience as change agents in their community. CLP provides students, instructors, and community groups a model for preparing local leaders and activists. These college programs “offer fledgling community organizers ‘a sense of optimism about how they can effect change in their own backyard.'”

Programs like CLP are expanding the role of college in communities and building leadership capacity as well. Read more about this fantastic work in Yes! Magazine’s article Where They Teach Students How to Revitalize Their Local Communities.

Solar in Schools

April 17, 2017April 20, 2017Leave a comment

Midwest Energy News published an article describing the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation’s effort to integrate renewable energy into classroom curriculum. They are currently providing curriculum, systems and training for 400 classrooms throughout Illinois to encourage the

We love this concept, and are developing similar programs for our own partners. But read on to hear more about how this works in Illinois.

Spoiler alert: the kids love it!

Ellevate Podcast and B Corps

April 14, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

As a women run business, we are big fans of the Ellevate Podcast: Conservations with Women Changing the Face of Business. Ellevate hosts real women having a real impact to discuss the their experiences and takeaways from their careers.

We especially enjoyed this week’s podcast discussing Benefit Corps and their role and mission in the business world: “B Corps, Using the Power of Business to Create Social Change.”

Highly recommend having a listen!

Second Act for America’s Malls

March 10, 2017April 19, 20171 Comment

Laura here. There’s a good chance if we chatted in 2016, I brought up grain silos. It was a community development obsession I have, primarily because in Columbus, Ohio we have several unused or underused grain silos, that just look like they are begging to be a canvas for a public art project. (don’t worry grain silos, I’m still thinking about you).

But as the year changed, my obsession grew to a new underused and vacant space adorning the heartland as well as the rest of America: Malls.

Read on after the jump to see more about Malls and ways American’s are creatively reactivating them! Continue reading →

Segregation Had to Be Invented

February 17, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

The Atlantic published an article about the history of segregation in our cities titled Segregation Had to be Invented.

It is especially interesting to us for two reasons:

Powerful people have retained their power by conning white folks into being hateful towards people of color since the dawn of America.
Sometimes it’s nice to remember that segregation was man made- because that means it can also be man-unmade. (right?)

Currently on Our Shelves

February 12, 2017April 20, 2017Leave a comment

Currently on our shelves and highly recommended:

We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation- Jeff Chang
I Speak for Myself: American Women on Being Muslim- edited by Maria Ebrahimji
Nobody: Casualties of America’s War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond- Marc Lamont Hill

What are you reading?

Worthy Podcasts

February 10, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

Next City has put together their 7 recommended podcasts Urbanists should be listening to now. But we’ve expanded beyond urbanism and added a couple of extras that we think are worth checking out.

Next City has a nice little description of each of their selections in their article here. But here is a run down of the titles:

And our additions:

Direct Current: a podcast about energy and renewable energy out of the Department of Energy
Past is Present : Historians put current events into the context of our history. because you know the old saying, those who ignore their past are doomed to repeat it
Pod Save America: fair warning- this podcast is completely left leaning and biased towards progressive policies. But it is also fascinating (and sometimes validating), to hear current events discussed from the insider perspective of former White House staffers.
Ellevate Network: Real women having real impact discuss their experiences, lessons learned and best practices. Serving as a virtual mentorship for women in the workforce.
Bonfires of Social Enterprise: Basically exactly what it sounds like. Social Enterprise discussed and explored from every angle.

Happy Listening!

Solidarity Sing

February 3, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

After the Women’s March in January, our friends at All Souls Unitarian Church hosted a solidarity sing. From serving as a sanctuary space since November to sponsoring affordable housing in the rapidly gentrifying Columbia Heights neighborhood, All Souls is always a progressive, active, and conscientious member of our community, and we are honored to work with them.

Get ready to have chills.

Women’s March 2017

January 21, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

Mother Earth

enough said – L

Inaugurate the Resistance

January 20, 2017April 19, 2017Leave a comment

Inauguration is upon us for President 45, and for many that means a different kind of Inauguration, the onset of the Resistance. Whether you’ve been in the Resistance for years, just joined recently, or are thinking of jumping in soon, we want to remind you that this is a marathon not a sprint. So we encourage you to make a true habit of resist, reflect, and rest are vital for being successful and staying healthy.

Mirah Curzer outlines some of the keys to sustaining your opposition to the erosion of civil rights without burning out in “How to Stay Outraged Without Losing Your Mind.”