The Social Change Diaries

How nonprofits can successfully and efficiently secure corporate giving is a more important issue than ever before. This conversation with Becky Ferguson, VP of Global Philanthropy for pioneering powerhouse, Salesforce, provides key insights and concrete information for nonprofits to consider when strategizing, securing and sustaining corporate partnerships.

We kick off our 5th season with Rohit Talwar, the CEO of Fast Future, a UK based research and insights business that specializes in the fields of futures and foresight. In this dialogue, Rohit and Vanessa discuss the implications of the groundbreaking events that have occurred in the first half of 2020. In Rohit's words: "This has been quite a good rehearsal for how we prepare better for the future. Whether it's climate change, collapse of financial markets, radical breakthroughs in science and technology- we should now be more open to those things and more willing to think the unthinkable...Hopefully we broaden our lens, and start moving from talking about people being in positions of power to owning the fact that they're in positions of responsibility, walking the corridors of responsibility, and their real job is to exercise that responsibility to create a fairer, more inclusive, and more sustainable world for all."

Another must listen to episode from our Celebrity and Influencers season. For nonprofits looking to elevate their impact through communications and messaging, The Social Change Diaries provides a peek behind the curtain. In this episode, GLAAD's Chief Communications Officer, Rich Ferraro, shares "aha moments" and first hand experiences, including how GLAAD has evolved with the changing media landscape- partnering with today's influencers driving change, in a way that allows the org to indirectly mold the news cycle itself. 

Today's episode was recorded live at the 2019 Hispanics in Philanthropy conference in Washington D.C. In this dialogue, VICE Media's, Paola Ramos, shares unusual insights that elevate our conversations this season about celebrity and influencers. She asserts that the true influencers making an impact are everyday people. This perspective helps us consider where the opportunity is for nonprofits to create the essential emotional connection with their audience, one by one, in order to propel change. How can organizations tell their stories in a way that highlights how much power there is in the individual. What would that outcome look like?

At the helm of Color Of Change, the largest online racial justice organization in the country, Rashad Robinson's reach and influence is undeniable. In this episode of the Social Change Diaries, Rashad reveals the core structure that makes Color Of Change so powerful. He talks about leading the successful campaign against credit companies who accepted money from hate groups- an effort that catalyzed everyday citizens into a powerful group of 1.4 million activists- and what celebrity and influence means from his vantage point

When considering how to leverage celebrity voices to impact social causes, it's important to understand the landscape and culture of for profit companies and how best to approach them about the artists they represent. This episode features a key leader in today's music industry, Jacqueline Saturn, President of Caroline Music Distribution. Jacqueline shares insights that shed light on how nonprofits can open dialogues with companies for partnerships with artists who are passionate about speaking out on behalf of specific causes.

To understand the true meaning of #FollowBlackWomen, tune into this interview with Higher Heights Co-Founder, Kimberly Peeler-Allen. Kimberly shares the roadmap of how she and her co-founder built a movement that yields power and influence in the political realm. This interview provides a step-by-step guide to help nonprofits engage audiences in creating change. The organization's ability to amplify the voices of black women offers a powerful example of what is possible for organizations who can create an emotional connection to their audience that catapults them into action. 

Vanessa thought it would be fitting to launch the new season on Celebrity and Influence, with Ingrid Newkirk, the President and Founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Long before she was doing work in the social change sector, Vanessa marveled at how influential PETA was and how effective their communications and marketing were. Over the years, PETA's influence has grown substantially. In this dialogue, Ms. Newkirk sheds light on the ways in which PETA has managed to stay true to its founding principles, while also evolving and becoming increasingly relevant in the midst of a dramatically a changing cultural landscape.

Serial Entrepreneur and PR legend, Patrice Tanaka, knows how to achieve the most impactful leadership style possible. In our final episode of our Leadership season, she shares how defining her life purpose and pursuing it with courage not only influenced the evolution of her leadership style, but how it's essential for all of us in order to become the best leaders possible in our work and lives overall.

In 2010, The American Bar Association named Janelle Orsi a Legal Rebel, for being an attorney who is remaking the legal profession through the power of innovation. We agree- Janelle is a rebel with a cause, transforming the way we think about leadership in this shifting economy. From participatory leadership to salary transparency, Janelle is leading by example to expand our definition of leadership. In this episode, Janelle shares examples of how her organization's leadership practices create opportunities for every level of staff to be engaged in contributing to the organization.

With the urgency and focus of a woman on a mission to save the planet, Elizabeth Yeampierre leads UPROSE with a fierce commitment to a "leaderful" leadership model, that distributes power to all. With an emphasis on intergenerational and intersectional leadership, Elizabeth has rewritten the rules of power and placed it in the hands of the most marginalized groups. In this interview, Elizabeth talks about her experiences as a leader and how her organization is shaping conversations and actions in the climate justice fight.

The typical nonprofit playbook includes a scenario where an organization has constrained resources and overworked staff, with limited access to professional development opportunities. Rusty Stahl, CEO and Founder of Fund the People, is advocating for something radically different. In this episode of Social Change Diaries, Rusty makes the case for an industry wide overhaul of how we invest in the nonprofit workforce.

In this time of heightened social activism, Stosh Cotler sees tremendous opportunity and need for Bend the Arc, the National leading Jewish voice dedicated to mobilizing Jewish Americans to advocate for the nation's most vulnerable. In this episode, Stosh talks about impactful leadership, current day Jewish identity and social movements.

As a champion for nonprofits, Futurist and author, Trista Harris, helps organizations reimagine the future. In this conversation about leadership and philanthropy, Trista talks about the necessity for more organizations to embrace futurism as a way to solve social issues in the most impactful ways possible.

They say what gets measured gets done. A conversation with Sean Thomas-Breitfeld of the Building Movement Project shines a spotlight on the racial leadership gap in the nonprofit sector, as well as some specific measurable actions that can create much needed change in the leadership ranks. In the interview, Sean not only shares the cold, hard facts, he also takes us through his experience of presenting the data and the prevailing opinions of various audiences. This episode is a must listen for anyone that works within the eco-system of social change today.