Get On Board Millennial Trains Project on August 2nd

Getting on board with the concept of social enterprise – organizations that use business techniques to drive social change – can be challenging for many people. Although Millennials are cited for being more socially conscious and naturally entrepreneurial, highlighting those efforts can be a challenge. Finding the next generation of socially-impactful changemakers can be challenging…but thankfully, the Millennial Trains Project and NBC Universal are partnering for a second year on a unique event happening on August 2nd….and which will feature a Chicago-based social entrepreneur.

The Millennial Trains Project (MTP) is a non-profit organization that leads crowdfunded transcontinental train journeys to empower diverse groups of Millennials to explore America’s new frontiers. Over the course of its ten-day journey, MTP helps participants and virtual audiences to identify, evaluate, and explore new opportunities and challenges in the communities where its trains stop – and advance a project that benefits, serves, and inspires others. On August 2nd, Chicago will serve as a second stop of MTP’s first journey, which will start in Philadelphia on August 1st and end in Los Angeles, with stops in Kansas City, MO and Albequerque NM. (The second week-long journey starts on August 15th, moving from Los Angeles, CA to Detroit, MI.

As Patrick Dowd, founder of the Millennial Trains Project, points out:

The 50 millennial changemakers taking part in MTP 2016 represent the diversity of aspirations that make our generation a unique work in progress. The reason we’re going on this journey to come together from our many diverse backgrounds, identify opportunities for greater impact, and grow as leaders — and we hope that folks of all ages from around the country and world will be inspired by the work and perspectives of our small community.

On August 2nd at 9:30 am, MTP participants will be featured at Coalition: Energy, a co-working space which overlooks Millennium Park. (Having been there for a previous event, I can easily say that is is a very cool space). One of MTP’s participants in this journey is Fabian Elliott, Founder and CEO of Black Tech Mecca Inc., a community initiative working to build a thriving black tech ecosystem in Chicago. Although Fabian is participating to explore other markets to inform his organization’s plans for expansion, his overall goal is to scale these solutions on a national and global level. Other speakers include Good City Chicago President Jimmy Lee (focusing on social innovation) and City Treasurer Kurt Summers.

Another impressive aspect of Millennial Train Project’s work is its incredibly diverse range of partners. Along with NBC Universal, MTP sponsors and partners include the U.S. Department of State, EKOCYCLE, 3D Systems, McKinsey & Company, Transit Center Inc., Moore & Giles, WeWork, National Geographic Traveler, and City Year. Having diverse partners makes MTP’s efforts to drive social innovation and social entrepreneurship more effective, or as Jessica Clancy, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at NBCUniversal states:

“We at NBCUniversal embrace the opportunity to once again support the Millennial Trains Project’s mission of moving communities forward through innovation and collaboration. As an organization, we feel strongly about the impact of media and technology, when paired with a great idea can do to address social issues in our local communities.”

Millennial Trains Project’s Chicago stop on August 2nd provides multiple opportunities – opportunities to witness social innovation in action; an opportunity to engage with someone driving digital excellence in the Chicago community; and finally, an opportunity to engage with some very unique partners.

Don’t worry – we’ll be there as well. Check the blog next week for a summary post.

Know any great organizations, events, or people we should highlight? You’re more than welcome to join the conversation via the comments below or on our Facebook page. You can receive updates via e-mail (instructions below), or contact me personally either through the One Cause At A Time About page or this Contact Me form.

And as always, thanks for reading!

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Meet Your Neighbor: Life Creative

(Special thanks to Life Creative for inviting us to check them out, as well as for background and support materials)

For many Chicago-area freelancers, nonprofits, and social enterprise organizations, finding a coworking space provides a unique challenge. Although Chicago is experiencing huge growth in coworking spaces (and we’ve written about several of them in the past), there are additional challenges for those of a creative mindset or involved in more creative industries. Not just obvious people like writers and artists, but theater groups, art-based nonprofits, and other like-minded organizations seek a unique space not only to work, but for holding events. Finding the right space with the right resources can challenge those in the creative field (and we have a very broad definition of creativity), but luckily, Life Creative HQ, located near Fulton Market, has risen to the challenge.

Life Creative HQ is housed within Event Creative, an 80,000 square foot facility that serves both as an event venue and as an “open source maker space” which can design and fabricate items, and can serve as a venue for any size event. Located just a few steps from the Ashland Pink/Green Line station, Event Creative is staffed by teams of creative designers and master tradesmen, who are able to use on-site resources to make any event concept come to life. (And before you ask – many of the items they make are often recycled and can be reused between events, so any enterprising nonprofit or social enterprise can request to use particular items on display). Everything from metal work to custom furniture, from three dimensional printing to laser cutting, can be handled by Event Creative staff. (Thankfully, there are several levels of membership which allow organizations of various sizes ample access to Event Creative’s services).

One of Life Creative’s advantages (besides its ample 20,000 square feet of room) is that it doesn’t look like any other coworking space. For those working in more creative fields, there are ample opportunities to indulge. On the first floor, there’s a wide area; Life Creative also has more “traditional” office and work spaces on their upper floors. But I think I’ll let these pictures (thanks to Life Creative) do most of the talking….

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One of the main qualities that drives Life Creative – and which makes it very appealing – is that the venue seeks to drive collaboration and community amongst Chicago creatives. Part of its overall mission is also outreach to nonprofits and smaller organizations seeking new resources, expanding their ability to reach current and potential advocates. Community-based thinking permeates Life Creative’s approach to coworking – to quote CEO Sean Cannon:

“When we conceptualized Life Creative, we wanted to look at the co-working space in a new way – not just as a place to work, but a place to be inspired, to learn something new, alongside like-minded individuals.”

And Life Creative is providing an opportunity for people who are curious to check out the facility. This Thursday, July 28th at 6:00 pm, the Summer of Creativity is holding a special “Chicago Linked In Networking Experience” at Life Creative. Some tickets are still available for the event – please RSVP via their Eventbrite page.

Sometimes, finding great resources can be a huge challenge. My thanks to Life Creative for reaching out, for the tour, but most importantly, for being a great neighbor. Life Creative is a very impressive-looking space….and is worth checking out.

Know of any other great resources in the Chicago area? Want to suggest a nonprofit or social enterprise that we should know about? Please share them via the comments section below or on our Facebook page. (Comments on both the blog and Facebook page will be moderated). If you want to reach me directly, simply use this “Contact Me” form)

And as always, thanks for reading!

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Tech Month Chicago: What We Missed

Sometimes, I get so busy with personal and professional commitments (including running my own consultancy) that I miss out on key events….meaning that you, the reader, miss out on great community-oriented tech gatherings in Chicago. However, consider this week’s post a great wrap-up of an event back in June….as well as drive interest for the event in 2017.

I am talking, of course, about Tech Month Chicago, a month of special events showcasing the depth and diversity of technology, math, science, and inventors in Chicago that was held during June 2016.

Founded by Melanie Adcock (host of the bimonthly Tech Scene Chicago show on 105.5 Lumpen Radio), Tech Month Chicago – which tends to be slightly overshadowed by the startup-oriented TechWeek  – has a very specific focus: technology-oriented events that are civic in nature and focus on grassroots/neighborhood efforts in technology. (You wouldn’t be off-the-mark to call Tech Month Chicago an initiative to drive digital excellence.) In fact, its inclusive attitude towards the entire city of Chicago – and its focus on grassroots initiatives rather than the more flashy startup scene – is what gives Tech Month Chicago its edge.

Much like the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events work in other areas, Tech Month Chicago worked with a variety of sponsors, organizations,  and volunteers to highlight a variety of tech-oriented events throughout Chicago. Serving as a “next step up” in community development around technology, Tech Month Chicago serves as a way to bolster other efforts like Netsquared Chicago. Focusing on grassroots community efforts around technology, Tech Month Chicago focused on efforts which reflected diversity in age, range, and interest. Holding over 100 events throughout the month of June, Tech Month Chicago’s efforts included a video games-oriented event in Bridgeport, a forum on gender issues in technology and science, and “summer camps” at the Adler Planetarium.

Much like Chicago Artist’s Month, Tech Month Chicago focuses on efforts throughout the entire city of Chicago. Although we missed this year’s events, organizers are planning on Tech Month Chicago to become a yearly event. If you’re interested in more details, volunteering, or assisting with organizing events, please reach out to the organizers. (For fellow freelancers like me, you can catch Melanie Adcock’s presentation at the August Freelancers Union gathering at the Grind).

Normally, I like to try to highlight these hidden treasures in a timely manner, and although I missed out on Tech Month Chicago….I’m definitely gearing up for next year.

And come Monday, you’ll read about another great “hidden treasure”.

What are your thoughts? Know any great organizations, events, or people we should highlight? You’re more than welcome to join the conversation via the comments below or on our Facebook page. You can receive updates via e-mail (instructions below), or contact me personally either through the One Cause At A Time About page or this Contact Me form.

And as always, thanks for reading!

Type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.

Nonprofit Leadership Lessons from STAR TREK

Books on nonprofit leadership often run the gamut from very high-level treatises to more down-to-earth entries like The Mission Myth and Who Says It’s A Man’s World? However, in an increasingly complex field, transitioning into nonprofit leadership (as well as social enterprise and other mission-driven leadership) can be a challenge. In fact, for many, it’s a challenge to boldly go where they have not gone before.

Thankfully, there is such a book….and it uses Star Trek (celebrating its 50th anniversary) as a metaphor.  Although written around general business leadership, Star Trek – Make It So: Leadership Lessons from Star Trek: The Next Generation by Wess Roberts, Ph.D and Bill Ross (available in softcover and Kindle) provides some excellent insights and practical guidance for mission-driven and nonprofit leadership.

(As many long-time readers of this blog know, I’m more than willing to use television and pop culture – especially Star Trek – to discuss issues around social change. In addition, I recently participated in DePaul University’s Celebration of Star Trek in May, and I’ll be on WBEZ’s Morning Edition on Friday, July 8th to discuss the franchise…NOTE: You can click here to listen/download the segment.)

Written from the perspective of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Make It So provides scenarios taken directly from episodes of Star Trek: the Next Generation. For each scenario, there’s a description of the issues, followed by a list of “Observations” then “Lessons”. By placing these Star Trek episodes within the context of leadership lessons, Make It So provides the reader an opportunity to explore critical issues with greater perspective. (After all, isn’t Star Trek noted for its ability to handle stories that “reflect on the human condition”? It’s a rather easy-to-read book that provides a simple point-of-entry for exploring the key responsibilities and values behind professional leadership).

(For those interested in nonprofit leadership, the humanistic tone of Make It So will be especially appealing with its less aggressive, more humanistic tone. Unlike other books on leadership, such as perennial classic The Art of War or Roberts’ own Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, Make It So makes the most of its Star Trek framework, presenting high-minded ideas in a much more realistic context. Rather than make the reader feel less than capable, Make It So makes the case that leadership – especially mission-driven and nonprofit leadership – are lofty goals for anyone to strive towards. This more positive tone, as well as its use of Star Trek as metaphor, is that gives Make It So particular resonance for mission-driven and nonprofit leaders).

To be fair, I’ve not only read Make It So, but I’ve also used the book for guidance in my own efforts in nonprofit leadership.  Having grown up with Star Trek, I find many of the show’s values and morals very compatible with my own. I’ve used Make It So as a leadership touchstone – a way for me to think differently about various situations. Although other books about leadership take on a more formal tone,  the tone of Make It So provides greater resonance for those entering leadership positions. (For nonprofit leadership, navigating new responsibilities can be challenging, and Make It So makes the process much easier).

With Star Trek celebrating its 50th anniversary, it is easy to focus on television and movie content. But one of the remarkable aspects of Star Trek is how it tells stories that reflect a multitude of human experiences.  Star Trek – Make It So: Leadership Lessons from Star Trek: The Next Generation by Wess Roberts, Ph.D and Bill Ross provides an excellent example of how Star Trek philosophy can be applied towards other endeavors – most notably mission-driven and nonprofit leadership.

It’s definitely a book worth reading.

Do you have any thoughts about Star Trek‘s impact on nonprofit work and social change? Do you have any great book recommendations that impact the Chicago area social change community? Please feel free to let us know via the comments section below, or join us in further conversation via our Facebook page.  If you want to reach me privately, simply use this “Contact Me” form or any other method listed on this blog’s About page)

And as always, thanks for reading!

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Happy Fourth of July

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