Almost Spring, New Launches
Greetings, all, and happy March!
Can you believe it's already March of this new year? And so quickly approaching the one-year anniversary of when the pandemic began to have direct and dramatic impacts on each of our lives.
Here in New England, we had a snowy February – a welcome taste of real winter – but now the air is warming, last piles of snow melting, and bulbs are peeking up from the soil. Hints of spring are in the air, and the promise of longer, brighter days ahead.
FSINSPIRATION: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" – Sheryl Sandberg
FSBOOKS: On the topic of fear, one of my favorite books of recent years – read once and now revisiting – is Jean Case's inspirational biography and practical guide, Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthrough and Purpose. Case is Chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and Case Foundation. She set out to investigate the common traits of leading change makers, past and present, and discovered five shared traits among these diverse men and women, from inventors to revolutionaries to entrepreneurs: all chose to "make a 'big bet', take bold risks, learn from their failures, reach beyond their bubbles, and let urgency conquer fear." These five fearless principles are brought to life through stories from the author's own life and the lives of a diverse cast of characters, from Jane Goodall to John F. Kennedy and the founders of Airbnb. Their stories serve as a jumping off point for how we can begin to put these principles to work in our own lives, to catalyze breakthroughs and create positive impact in the world because, as Case reminds us, "there has never been a better time to engage." What I love most about Case's message in this book is that she emphasizes that fearlessness is not an "absence of fear," but the courage to act. I'm such a believer in the power of taking action in order to learn, build confidence, and develop traction, so this message really hits home.
FSEVENTS: Join us in marking your calendars April 14-16 for Shift 2021, "a collaborative new virtual event from some of the most passionate players in the social and environmental impact space rallying to make business a force for positive change." Impact, business, force for positive change? Sign us up! Speakers include Cheryl Dorsey, Amit Bouri, Rodney Foxworth, Jed Emerson, Fran Seegul, and Valerie Redhorse-Mohl, with 50+ more to be announced soon. Early bird pricing ends March 5th, so sign up early, and also get access to a series of lead-up conversations (which are also free and open to the public) on the future of impact and designing a more inclusive economy. Hope to see you there!
FSSNAPSHOTS: A few Instagram #fieldnotes photos from @willakammerer and @firestarterix:
Last fall, the National Academy of Sciences published a groundbreaking report, adding early childhood education to the list of proven policy initiatives included in its prestigious The Science Behind It series of issue briefs.
They asked the question, "Does quality early childhood education lead to more successful lives as adults?"
National Academy of Sciences Councilor Dr. Patricia Kuhl shared Key Takeaways from the report in an interview with the Bezos Family Foundation. Watch a newly released video from the Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation and Firestarter Interactive featuring Dr. Kuhl's reflections, brought to life with scenes from Starting at Zero.
In February our film Starting at Zero launched with educational distributor Video Project, which will enable us to reach a larger audience across the country in K-12 and corporate settings, libraries, and university classrooms. Thank you to the Video Project team for reaching out and making it happen! Learn more about bringing the film to your school, college, business, or institution here.
Last but not least, we're so thrilled to be in the midst of launching a new project very close to our hearts, The Firestarter Podcast. Having started in audio and radio storytelling, in some ways this is a returning to the roots, while incorporating what we've learned along the way, as the podcast will have a video component, as well.
Willa will interview mission-driven entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and investors; thought leaders, researchers, and experts on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues about designing and thriving in careers of impact.
Stay tuned and tune in for our launch, mid to late March.
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