Everyone Can Be A Changemaker

What is a Changemaker? A person who sees the potential for the world to be a better place. A "social entrepreneur" who finds their way around problems in their quest for positive change. An innovator who shares their solutions with other communities and encourages others to make their own change. Answer: All of the above! In this new addition to the Ripple Effects series (When Children Play, Pay It Forward Kids), you'll meet sixteen changemakers--boys, girls, men, and women. All of them are part of Ashoka, an organization that offers networking, mentorship, and financial aid to social entrepreneurs of all ages around the world. Each member strives to make a difference in the world, from animal rights to environmentalism, preservation of Aboriginal culture to food conservation, and you'll learn about how they've made global changes, the challenges they faced, and how you can start your own initiative! Named after a famous Indian king of long ago, the Ashoka network was created as an agency to help and offer support to people who have a dream -- people who want to build on their ideas, accomplish things and to make the world a better place one step at a time. Ashoka is a network of social entrepreneurs who have all benefitted from the relationships they have had with other changemakers throughout the group -- receiving their encouragement, advice and assistance. This book looks at sixteen individuals who have accomplished amazing work from lighting jungle villages to building the perfect playground. The network offers mentorship and financial help to people from around the world so they can accomplish even more with their ideas and plans. It has helped more than 3000 social entrepreneurs in more than 70 countries through its mentoring programs including: Amy Barzach of South Windsor, Connecticut whose "Jonathan's Dream" program creates accessible playgrounds; Chris Balme of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania whose "Spark" apprenticeship program helps high school students in danger of dropping out; Joaquin Leguia of Lima, Peru whose "Children's Forests" program teaches children about planting and becoming stewards of the land, and; Tomas Lang of Burnaby, British Columbia whose program encourages schools to change the way they handle waste with an emphasis on "reduce, reuse and recycle." In addition to the inspirational features on the sixteen changemakers, Ashoka includes a section on how to get started being a changemaker along with a list of the things that can be done right now -- to make a difference in the world we all live in.

Empower yourself in today’s highly connected, socially conscious world as you learn how to wield your passions, digital tools, and the principles of social entrepreneurship to affect real change in your schools, communities, and beyond. At age eleven, Jessica Markowitz learned that girls in Rwanda are often not allowed to attend school, and Richards Rwanda took shape. During his sophomore year of high school, Zach Steinfeld put his love of baking to good use and started the Baking for Breast Cancer Club. Do you wish you could make a difference in your community or even the world? Are you one of the millions of high school teens with a service-learning requirement? Either way, Be a Changemaker will empower you with the confidence and knowledge you need to affect real change. You’ll find all the tools you need right here—through engaging youth profiles, step-by-step exercises, and practical tips, you can start making a difference today. This inspiring guide will teach you how to research ideas, build a team, recruit supportive adults, fundraise, host events, work the media, and, most importantly, create lasting positive change. Apply lessons from the business world to problems that need solving and become a savvy activist with valuable skills that will benefit you for a lifetime!

“The tools you need to step up, play bigger and increase your impact.” —New York Times Bestselling Author Liz Wiseman Hailed by CNBC as a “top 5 non-fiction book everyone should be reading about work,” Becoming a Changemaker is a call to action, showing how leading change from where you are can transform your career, community and even the world. Alex Budak, a celebrated UC Berkeley faculty member, distills the essence of successful changemakers in this accessible guide, unveiling the essential mindsets and leadership skills needed to spark change and create impact across roles, sectors, and hierarchies. Through a powerful blend of data-driven insights and diverse, relatable case studies, Budak builds a compelling case, one that frames being a changemaker as an inclusive, aspirational identity for everyone. Inspired by the lessons and philosophies from Budak’s wildly popular course of the same name, which he created at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Becoming a Changemaker will show you how to: Develop your own unique voice as a changemaker, to lead effectively, empathetically, and authentically in any setting. Transform setbacks into stepping stones and uncover the art and science of turning failures into powerful catalysts for growth and innovation Influence without authority to inspire and mobilize others towards your vision – even when you're not in charge. Create a sustainable action plan to turn your aspirations for change into reality with the Changemaker Canvas tool and its tangible, manageable steps. Pursue Your Purpose and learn to harness your individual strengths and passions to drive meaningful change from wherever you are, in a way that’s true to who you are. To begin leading change, you don’t need a fancy title, or a perfectly polished idea. But you do need to start. This book is your first step.

“The game has changed, so how do you respond? Changemaker Playbook offers a new game plan on leaderships that everyone needs for a world in which change is the only constant.”--Pete Souza, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Changemaker Playbook is filled with stories of everyday changemakers who have the courage to act on their empathy. This book is a true blueprint for how we rise above our differences, come together, and fix real problems.” --Van Jones, CNN political contributor, host of The Van Jones Show, and best-selling author The Game Has Changed! What would you do if the game you had been preparing for your whole life had changed? This is the question we all face today. Our one-leader-at-a-time past has given way to a present reality where everyone has the potential to lead in every aspect of life. We all have at our fingertips the tools of change that were once available to only a few. This shift from one-leader-at-a-time to everyone-leading-in-every-moment has created a changemaker effect on society. Change is no longer linear and faster, it's explosive and omnidirectional—and we are the first generation to navigate this reordered reality. Our iEverything world requires a new playbook. CHANGEMAKER PLAYBOOK will show you how to thrive in every aspect of today's transformed societal landscape. Based on the author’s discoveries about leading in change from some of the world’s leading changemakers — business and social entrepreneurs, educators, media thought leaders, and youth innovators — readers can apply the principles in this book to the new everyone-a-changemaker world. An unforgettable tutorial on the principles of empathy-based ethics, co-creative teamwork, and the ins and outs of the new game, CHANGEMAKER PLAYBOOK is as much a new leadership handbook as it is the definitive individual and organizational achievement playbook. This is the new playbook for the new game.

The majority of companies, their employees and their leaders navigate a space where competitors appear overnight, customers demand innovations monthly, business plans rarely last a full year and career ladders have been replaced by trampolines. This environment of constant change will only accelerate in the future and traditional business leaders are ill equipped to deal with it. Just as we took our cues from MBAs and the military in casting the ideal CEO of the 20th century, we can look to design - in its broadest form - to model our future leader, the DEO. These leaders possess characteristics, behaviors and mindsets that allow them to excel in unpredictable, fast-moving and value-charged conditions. They are catalysts for transformation and agents of change. A hybrid of strategic business executive and creative problem-solver, the DEO is willing to take on anything as an object of design and looks at ALL problems as design challenges. Readers will learn not only why this form of leadership is essential to the success of modern organizations, but also what characteristics are best suited to this role. Through intimate conversations with leading DEOs, we explore the mindsets, communities, processes and practices common to creative business leaders. The book lays out—graphically and through example—how DEOs run their companies and why this approach makes sense now. We help readers identify these skills in themselves and their colleagues, and we guide them in using these skills to build, revive or reinvent the next generation of great companies and organization.

What Is A changemaker? Leadership is never easy. Almost all leaders deal with both triumph and tragedy, oftentimes in equal measure. The fact of the matter is that leadership insists on constant rejection of the status quo. True leaders demand continuous reflection and improvement of those around them, and even more importantly, of themselves. True leaders are Changemakers. In Deke Copenhaver's The Changemaker: The Art of Building Better Leaders, you will learn to become unafraid of doing something different in the service of a good cause and how to spark a movement that others can't help but rally around. The Changemaker is a roadmap of sorts, designed to deliver comprehensive, common sense leadership strategies to people from all walks of life. Through personal and professional anecdotes, case studies, and the wisdom from Changemakers gone by, The Changemaker will inspire and empower you to embrace adversity, rely on creativity and character, and sometimes take the road less traveled in order to unlock your ultimate potential.

Age of Union is a compelling guide for igniting today's changemaker—those ready to take action for our planet and its inhabitants. We have seen growing divisions between people on either side of gender, religious, political and cultural borders for too long. Meanwhile, global health crises, environmental degradation, and human-accelerated climate change pose immense challenges to our future that we must now face quickly and cooperatively. Separation has to be confronted head-on. We can do this each and every day with meaningful, impactful acts of union. There is a greater need for unity than ever before. Dax Dasilva presents a guide to take simple measures to promote our collective well-being and union. Grounded in four pillars—leadership, culture, spirituality, and nature—the book advocates that the time for change is now and that our choices are the catalyst. We are all in this together, so let us move toward an Age of Union. May it strengthen your resolve to start building a kinder, greener and more livable world where everyone and everything can thrive. You are the changemaker. For more information visit www.ageofunion.com Reviews "A compassionate call for the cultural revolution needed to take care of each other and our planet." —Marika Anthony-Shaw, Founder & CEO of Plus1.org “Humans are finally evolving and are becoming more aware of the fact that saving the world is a priority for everyone today.’ —Carmen Busquets, WWF Council Member, Humanitarian and FashionTech Entrepreneur (Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi, FarFetched, and BoF) “This book is a lens that helps focus on what really matters. We get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget how our actions affect our environment daily. This book is very relevant today, as it’s time for everyone to become leaders of change and inspire others to do the same. Dax Dasilva portrays that an Age of Union is here and empowers others to rise to the occasion.” —Ekaterina Sky, Wildlife Conservation Artist “Age of Union is the much needed call to action our world needs right now. Dax Dasilva speaks to the inherent leader in every one of us and provides a guide so that the future changemakers of tomorrow can get started today.” —Jonathan Kanevsky MD “The first of its kind, Age of Union brings readers along an intimate journey that perfectly balances spiritual, entrepreneurial, and environmental guidance, all of which got me wanting to take action now.” —Shira Laza, on-air personality and founder, What’s Trending "Now more then ever we need to be more connected and share ideas to collectively save the planet. This book is a great starting point and guide while trying to shift to this new paradigm”. —Seth Troxler, International DJ “Age of Union is a well rounded read for anyone who wants to explore the subject of growth, change and connectedness. Especially in times like these, it gives hope and helps to understand how we can make a difference by transforming our relationship with ourselves and the world around us.“ —Annette & Daniela Fedler, Sustainable Luxury Design Consultants & Eco Friendly Fashion Designers "In Age of Union, Dax Dasilva shares with us a manifesto for the guiding principles that makes him a true leader in the ecological transition and the social evolution for a kinder world that will take us to the next phase of humanity. Age of Union is a mirror to be held for us to become leaders in that transition as well." —Damian Siqueiros, MFA, Artist and Activist

For the generation of young people who came of age during the Great Recession of 2007-2009 (and those who will come of age during recessions that are sure to follow) making one's way into the labor force could be a daunting challenge. That's especially true for a generation raised and schooled to believe that success in life comes from finding work that reflects their talents and interests. In such circumstances, having to take on work that doesn't fit either one's abilities or one's deepest sense of meaning and purpose can be enough to crush any spirit that strives for something more. Dreams Deferred: Recession, Struggle, and the Quest for a Better World bears witness to the struggle of a deep-thinking, curious, and intelligent young Black man from Dallas, Texas, who grew up as the only child of a loving mother in a stable yet poor household. Author Brandolon Barnett offers readers a candid and moving account of his personal journey from entering the workforce to establishing himself as a leader in the non-profit arena. Dreams Deferred confronts head on the tension between the author's hopes, ambitions, and sense of humor and the harsh realities of a world that at every turn seems determined to quash them. Barnett's story offers a heaping dose of inspiration for anyone trying to find their way in the world without giving up on their dreams.