Yesterday was America’s Juneteenth and today we have a federal holiday that allows every employed American to take a day from work to consider what this holiday is all about. On June 19, 1865, some two months after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va., those in Galveston, Texas were informed that enslaved […]
In the last two issues of Visionary Talk, we’ve explored the 10 Key Elements to Creating a Social Movement. The elements were identified in 2001 by a research team led by Dr. Christina Economos. The team studied four major social movements that created a 180-degree flip in societal thinking: Breastfeeding Smoking Cessation Seat Belt
A few weeks ago while visiting my son for his commencement ceremony in Amherst, Massachusetts, my daughter, Ruchi, and I decided to go vegan. I made a big switch a couple of years ago after watching the movie, GameChangers (which I recommend – it focuses on world-class athletes who are vegan). I stopped eating beef,
One Step at a Time Read More »
In the picture to the left I am dancing with my daughter, Ruchi, at a wedding we attended Saturday. The weather could not have been better, and the company was grand. It was the wedding of a very close friend who is about 25 years younger than me. I was glad to be able to
Celebrating Relationships Read More »
When trying to institute systemic change – organizational or nationwide – it’s easy to feel like it’s impossible. It’s challenging to change the way an entire group thinks or behaves, especially when being attacked by multiple dimensions simultaneously. Creating change through compliance is equally tricky. People are passionate about their freedoms and are good at
Real Change Relies on Social Movements Read More »
Here in the USA Memorial Day is a holiday reserved for honoring those who gave their lives in service to our country while serving in the military. Did you know that the first Memorial Day service was held less than a month after the end of the Civil War by Blacks just freed from enslavement?
I’ve had the good fortune to work on five Grand Challenges – big, bold issues that attack socially intractable problems by bringing together alliances of organizations and activists. Today, I share with you a framework that has been extremely important in the success of these Grand Challenges. Based on the work of Dr. Christina
Creating a Social Movement: 10 Key Elements Read More »
The picture above is my son, Gabriel, his back to the camera, walking across the stage to accept his undergraduate degree from Hampshire College in their first live commencement since the pandemic. It was taken Saturday and a personal great joy for me to see him acknowledged for the work he did in college,
It’s my pleasure to bring you this issue of Visionary Talk. Here, I document what I’m learning as I work with clients to address Grand Challenge – big, bold initiatives that take on some of the wickedest problems that society is facing. I work with organizations that have chosen to become the backbone organization of
Grand Challenge Learning with Seth Kahan Read More »
Mental health is in the news right now. It’s on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post every week if not more often. The topic is a wide one covering everything from schizophrenia to substance use disorders, from mild depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation. It
