Last year Ode launched its first annual Intelligent Optimists Issue where we featured people who are not famous yet but should be because of the work they are doing to bring positive change to their communities, their countries, and the world. As part of this special issue, we would like to hear your nominations, too: tales of ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Just tell us who your nominee is and write a few lines explaining why this person is special and why their work is important. Nominate your favorite Intelligent Optimist!
Bishnu Maya Pariyar grew up in rural Nepal. A Dailt, lowest caste in the Hindu caste system, she was destined to live out her life in abject poverty while bowing in submission to higher castes and as a woman, the men of her caste. Bishnu broke out of the chains she was born into and fought to go to school.
She was fortunate to meet the right people and was able to get an American education which she is now using to help those who are in the position she was in. Her organization EDWON, Empower Dalit Women of Nepal, is helping women who would otherwise be forgotten. These women were beaten daily, forced to work their fingers to the bones for nothing in return and considered worthless. They were not allowed education nor to go to temple to worship. Read more...
Arlene Goldbard is the most respected person in my field: community-based arts, i.e. artists collaborating with communities for positive social change. She has written the seminal textbooks in the field and approaches her subject with deep intelligence, piercing analysis and a full, open heart. She has written for our magazine, High Performance, and written for our Web site, The Community Arts Network. She is the most intelligent optimist I have ever worked with in 35 years in this field. Read more...
Lauren Abramson is a psychologist who has worked with children and families in communities for the past 25 years. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Community Conferencing Center in Baltimore, Maryland and Assistant Professor (part-time) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Lauren focused attention on Community Conferencing in Baltimore in 1995. She advances conferencing as a means of building social capital and collective efficacy on many levels, including:
- empowering individuals and communities to resolve their own conflicts
- keeping young people out of the criminal justice system
- mobilizing the existing untapped human assets in communities
Robi Damelin lives in Tel Aviv. She immigrated from South Africa in 1967. Robi’s son, David, was killed by a sniper while on military reserve duty, in March 2002. David was 28 years old, and was studying for his Masters Degree in the Philosophy of Education at the Tel-Aviv University. He strongly believed that through education, he could make a difference in Israel.
After David’s death, Robi felt a burning need to do something to try and prevent other parents from experiencing the dreadful pain of losing a child. She closed her successful Public Relations firm to devote her entire time and energy to the Parents Circle
L. Hunter Lovins is President and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions. NCS educates senior decision-makers in business, government and civil society to restore and enhance the natural and human capital while increasing prosperity and quality of life. In partnership with leading thinkers and implementers, NCS creates innovative, practical tools and strategies to enable companies, communities and countries to become more sustainable.
Lovins has consulted for scores of industries and governments worldwide. She has consulted with large and small companies including the International Finance Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, Interface, Clif Bar and Wal-Mart. Governmental clients include the Pentagon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and other agencies, numerous cities, and the governments of Jamaica, Australia, and the U.S. She also serves an advisor to the Energy Minister of the Government of Afghanistan. Read more...
I met Arlene during Gov. Jerry (Moonbeam) Brown's administration. I'd been drawn by his radical new California Arts Council's commitments to social engagement and cultural diversity in the arts, but was depressed to see how like Bunuel's "Viridiana" (which I saw at the Chicago Latino Film Fest, en route to California from Washington, DC) that agency -- and Brown's administration -- turned out to be: old-fashioned cronyism in reverse.
There was one exception: the Council had contracted with a leading artist-activist from San Francisco, Arlene Goldbard, to create a statewide network of artists and community organizers committed to their espoused values. Unlike much of the CAC's own work, Arlene's independent agency -- Cultural News & Services -- was truly committed to the empowerment of creative community members to transform culture in their own communities. Read more...
Bill Walczak has been working for decades to bring high quality health services to his community of Dorchester in Boston, MA. In addition to founding and continuing to lead the Codman Square Health Center (www.codman.org) from 1970 into the present, Bill has helped motivate, found and lead numerous other community organizations that have helped maintain the vibrant multi-ethnic culture that is Dorchester.
Bill has been recognized locally for over a decade as one of the most successful leaders in the non-profit and health care sectors and a short summary of his work can be found here. Read more...
Adam Bucko exemplifies the values, attitudes, and beliefs that define an Intelligent Optimist. Adam is the Founder, Managing Director and spiritual drive behind the Reciprocity Foundation. He is a former monk, a trained sociologist, lecturer, social services sector consultant and a veteran homeless youth program coordinator.
The Reciprocity Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization which enables homeless and high-risk youth and young adults to permanently exit the social services system and start meaningful, sustainable careers in the Creativity Economy (e.g. fashion, design, marketing, public relations). The Reciprocity Foundation aims to build a national network of programs to enable homeless youth to enroll in college, secure hands-on work experiences and build a professional network in their field of interest. Currently, their work is focused on the thousands of homeless youth in New York City, New York. Read more...
Jon Young is an innovator, inspirator and wonderful leader. He has created the Wilderness Awareness schools on the east coast and several other places in the states and around the world. Jon currently lives in California and has a large group of followers and community members.
This community consists of people of all ages, where (nature) awareness and peace making are the basis. He makes an important difference in peoples lives by example and by his teachings. He recently published the book Coyote Mentoring. Read more...
Margaret Trost recently published On That Day, Everybody Ate: One Woman's Story of Hope and Possibility in Haiti
She was able to establish the What If? Foundation which began to feed 200 children one day a week. The program has grown to feed 1700 children five days a week and provide over 200 educational scholarships for students. Two hundred and fifty dollars provides tuition, books and uniforms for a student for an entire year. Read more...
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