Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada is a nonprofit, support youth organizers and youth-led groups in creating social enterprises. They are a group of charismatic and energetic individuals who are making it easier to understand how to have a social missions as well as have business.
I was featured in their April Newsletter, which I thought would be a good idea to share:
1. What are you working on and why does it matter?
I am the founder of Exhibit Change. Exhibit Change is a social enterprise, encouraging impact through design thinking and playful curiosity. Exhibit Change designs programming to understand landscapes and culture by partnering with community organizations in design driven strategies and creative thinking facilitation. Exhibit Change is a catalyst for stronger communities, healthier neighbourhoods and empowered people. Through this work, all community members will learn the process of design thinking and playful curiosity to see how their actions make an impact on their community and ultimately on themselves.
2. What motivates you?
Motivation is part of our physical make-up; it is what makes us hungry – biologically and mentally. I am motivated by the sheer thrill of seeing people learn and discover new experiences. I love to watch people uncover autonomy to propel themselves forward. I get excited when someone tells me a story full of passion and engagement. I am motivated by people who want to learn.
3. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned recently?
The biggest lesson I have learned is a lesson of perseverance. I am known for helping people to reach for their dreams, experience the moments and love what they do. And I have finally come to a place where I think I can do all those things through Exhibit Change, but I notice myself second guessing and making my own barriers. I have to get out of my own way!
4. If you could organize a dinner with five dinner guests, dead or alive, who would you invite and why?
After much thought I would invite, Daniel Pink, Maria Montessori, Sir Ken Robinson, Ole Kirk Christiansen, Bill Strickland. Each of these people have inspired me and I would love to bombard them with questions and for them to challenge each other in their own way. Daniel Pink promotes an emergence of the whole mind, Maria Montessori based learning on research and experience, Sir Ken Robinson talks of creativity in schools, Ole Kirk Christiansen and his son invented Lego, which is formed from the Danish words “LEgGOdt” (“play well”) and Bill Strickland inspires through creativity and genuine amazing spaces. I would cook lasagna and garlic bread and of course dessert. I would ask them all “How do you Exhibit Change?”
5. What the best resource out there that people don’t know about?
The best resource that people don’t know about or maybe they do; is community centers. Community Centers are local gems. I grew up spending Saturday afternoons swimming with my brother, going skating with my friends, trying to play tennis in the summers and more recently playing pick-up volleyball every week. It is a place to step away from your day, to focus on being part of a community and to chat about nothing if you want.