GreenPod Labs
GreenPod Labs
My story of hopefulness is Greenpod labs. To help reduce food spoilage and waste, they study the chemical signals a plant uses to keep its fruit ripe. Then they harness them and put them in sachets to store in crates of harvested fruits and vegetables. Getting those signals, the fruits stay ripe and healthy longer. This is inspiring to me because they were able to ask a simple but impactful question and find a healthy natural solution. It’s a testament to the idea that such solutions can be found for many more challenges we face.
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Land and Food
Rockcorps
Rockcorps
Using music and culture to inspire action. The only way to get a ticket is to volunteer.
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On this Interdependence Day, September 24, my hopeful story is about an organisation called Rockcorps. I've heard founder Stephen Greene speak a few times recently and I am blown away by their work. According to their website, Rockcorps uses music as a catalyst for social change, bringing together people from all walks of life to work hand in hand toward a more united and supportive society. So the way it works is that to get a ticket for an unbelievable concert organised by Rockcorps and a global sponsor, you have to volunteer at least four hours of your time to a civic project. At a recent gig in Paris, thousands received their tickets to see Macklemore, Franglish, and Ronisia, and as a result, 124 organisations around Paris benefited from the help of the volunteers. An amazing hopeful story with other projects spinning off it.
Arts and Culture
https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-eae3-43bd-yc72-0dad51827da7.mp3
Youth led engagement in democracy through design and creative thinking
Youth led engagement in democracy through design and creative thinking
I'd like to celebrate and acknowledge Libby Collar a graduate designer from Manchester Met University who started working freelance for #Whyvote? youth led creative campaign and competition - to get young people engaged in democracy and empowered to register to vote, ahead of the 2024 UK General Election. Libby was unusual as she already had a healthy and much needed passion for politics and the democratic process. She entered and won a Creative Conscience award in 2023 for a project linked to this important theme. Her openness and creative input helped build a successful launch and then the development of the #Whyvote? campaign that engaged hundreds for young people across the UK. Libby continued to work with Creative Conscience for another campaign encouraging black and brown voters in the UK to get involved in the Mayor's election across London and beyond. She has become a valued member of the Creative Conscience community. Now developing and supporting a #Whyvote? USA programme ahead of the presidential elections in America. It's so good to see a passion young creative using their talents and skills to build a better world. Thanks Libby you're awesome.
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Civic Engagement
Jimmy Darts - outrageous generosity
Jimmy Darts - outrageous generosity
Jimmy is a social media influencer who has grown a following of millions though outrageous acts of kindness.
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My hopeful story is a guy called Jimmy Darts, and he has been growing a social media following for the past few years through outrageous acts of generosity. Um, he finds people that are in a place of need but also very generous with the litter they have and either gives of himself or uses his network, which is now 2.5 million on Instagram alone to crowdfund and help people and their families out of their desperate circumstances. I love it because it is such a amazing expression of generosity and kindness. And if I'm honest, I actually get pretty emotional with every video that I watch because you just see hope flood into people's hearts. It's really beautiful. So look him up, watch some videos and be reoriented around the transforming power of generosity and kindness.
Compassion and Empathy
https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-80ce-4b6c-y963-662afe404812.mp3
Juli Thompson
Juli Thompson
My story of hopefulness is... juli Thompson They inspire me because... their commitment to working to support people living food insecure lives is incredible. Juli is an inspirational individual, who amongst other things set up the food savers network FoodSavers Network – Food for health not wealth a programme that helps people eat and save money at the same time. juli goes above and beyond and is an incredible person.
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Health
Ed Altmann - Compassionate Climate Scientists
Ed Altmann - Compassionate Climate Scientists
I’d like to write about Eddy Altmann, a physics graduate who works at Creative Conscience. Eddy is a climate scientist, speaker, and educator who genuinely cares. He has shattered many preconceived ideas that people often have about those gifted with a scientific and logical mind. Eddy's ability to connect with people through powerful, brave, vulnerable, and personal stories is unparalleled. Science can seem cold, unfathomable, and unapproachable to many, yet Eddy brings compassion to the climate and planetary crisis that inspires others to have hope and, from that hope, to take much-needed action. It’s an honor to work with him. He is simply an amazing human—dedicated to working for little, yet always for the good of humankind.
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Climate and Environment
Advita, Priya and the A Leader Like Me network
Advita, Priya and the A Leader Like Me network
The A Leader Like Me network set up by Advita Patel and Priya Bates inspires me with its power of community and speaking up. Advita and Priya created the network for aspiring leaders from diverse communities to provide encouragement, support and strength. Inclusion runs through everything they do. Their under-represented speakers list is a fantastic resource for event managers!
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Business and Finance
Karen Teago, YESS Law
Karen Teago, YESS Law
Karen Teago and the team at YESS Law provide a great service of employment law advice for anyone who needs it.
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Compassion and Empathy
Gender equality in Afghanistan
Gender equality in Afghanistan
Womanity in Afghanistan I was impressed with the charity Womanity Foundation, which works globally with local non-profits to accelerate gender equality. Despite the challenges in operating under the Taliban, and with many non-profits stopping work there, they are still working with women in Afghanistan, educating women and girls.
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Education
The Kyoto play
The Kyoto play
Good Chance Theatre and The Royal Shakespeare Company have joined forces to produce a stunning production called Kyoto
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Good Chance theater are behind stunning creative productions such as the Jungle and The Walk With The Mill. But it is their new play Kyoto co-produced with the Royal Shakespeare Company that has blown Me away and is my story of hopefulness. It's a play that tells the story of a miraculous agreement when in 1997 100 and 80 or so nations agreed to combat climate change. My hope is not the agreement itself. A lot has happened since then. But around the art of storytelling and the unique power of theater and art to bring issues into the light, to call out injustice, to creatively show the workings of opposing forces that continue to happen in the shadows of every conference. Kyoto is also exhilarating and is a powerful reminder that against all the odds, agreement is possible.
Arts and Culture
https://someoneelse.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/encoded/se-story-112d-4007-y2f3-3b2f3ff4d3a6.mp3
Luvan Takano and the Global Impact Alliance
Luvan Takano and the Global Impact Alliance
Sat in the Lavvo tent at the end of Day 1 at Katapult Future Fest, Dana began with a moment of contemplation made all-the-more contemplative by a helicopter sat above us. She then gave the floor to Luvan Takano from the Yepã Mahsã nation in Brazil to narrate indigenous viewpoints on our world today. With indigenous communities protecting around 80% of the world’s biodiversity, yet less than 1% of funding flowing into these communities, a clear chasm exists in our push to prevent extreme biodiversity loss. Together, Phillippe, Luvan and Dana are paving the way for stronger relationship-building to begin between regions and communities as a foundation from which investment into biodiversity can start to reach the hands of those who truly protect the richness of our ecological complexity. To check out their work, please visit the Global Impact Alliance.
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Education
Coumba Touré
Coumba Touré
The first impression of Coumba Touré is her radiant smile which far outshone the bright Oslo sun on the terrace of Sentralen on the Investor Day of Katapult. When we met later at the speakers’ dinner with the evening sun shining strong, Coumba’s laughter was equally infectious. We discussed the work she does in her home country, Senegal. She initially described herself as a writer of children’s books - weaving the role of real women driving social change into narratives and fables. And gifted us a recent story book called “The Same Water” that traces the water cycle, reminding us that we are connected through time and space by water. Beyond her role as a storyteller, Coumba is an active feminist and women’s rights defender. She facilitates sessions on trauma, healing, gathering hundreds of feminists across the African continent and is the driving force behind “Invisible Giants” which highlights extraordinary women working for social justice, giving a voice and connection to those overlooked. Gathering new hope and power through kindness, determination and that infectious laugh.
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Arts and Culture
Canal Connections
Canal Connections
My story of hopefulness is Canal Connections CIC in Leeds. Located on the banks of the River Aire, Canal Connections is a beacon of hope, a hub of community, and a catalyst for change. The passion and commitment of Peter Forrest and the team is incredible, they're not just running programmes; they're changing lives. The location of their work is truly something special, from the inviting atmosphere of their building to the tranquillity of the boats on the river, the place is amazing.
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Civic Engagement
The woman who washed people's feet
The woman who washed people's feet
When I think I can't make an impact as just one person, I think of the volunteer in the calais jungle who brought with her a little foot spa and went round washing people's feet. That is impact.
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Compassion and Empathy
Systems thinker Donella Meadows
Systems thinker Donella Meadows
The wonder that is Donella Meadows. She was a systems thinker and a woman who has really stood up for a process of change and for increasingly encouraging people to deal, and to stick with the big questions, and not turn away. Donella famously introduced the list of places to intervene in a system and got us thinking very differently about what changed things.
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Climate and Environment
The beating heart of communities in Romania
The beating heart of communities in Romania
My hopeful story centres around communities of Easter egg decorators in Romania and Ukraine who through the generations have dedicated their lives to this craft that is the beating heart of so many people and communities. I am inspired by the human capacity to contribute to the common good and the common life of everyone. I’m not going to give a shout out to named creators, I think the beauty of tradition is that we all identify into it.
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Arts and Culture