five and dime’s Post

What a line up! Ticket link below 💥

Live in the #WashingtonDC area? Want to learn more about the first #DemocracyFestival in the #DC region, and how you or your organization can be involved?  Join Learning Life for our next #DMV #Democracy #Festival planning meeting tonight/Tuesday, July 9, 8:00-9:30pm ET, via this Zoom: https://lnkd.in/ei7tMUpy More about DemFest below.  BE PART OF THE DMV DEMOCRACY FESTIVAL   Dance, flowers, marijuana, beer and wine all get #festivals. If democracy is so important to Americans, why don’t we have democracy festivals every year in towns and cities across the country? If Washington DC is the capital of our country, and democracy is central to American freedom, why do we have folk, kite flying, and cherry blossom festivals, but no democracy festival?   In this election year, with democracy at stake, Learning Life, a DC-based nonprofit, is organizing the first DMV Democracy Festival or DemFest, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 19. We’re aiming for a festival with a range of engaging activities for youth and adults, including arts performances, exhibits, game rooms, workshops, round-chair discussions, a youth citizen assembly on mental health, and a democracy market. More about DemFest here: https://lnkd.in/dQNq2T6B    If you and/or your organization would like to be involved in DemFest in any of the above or other ways, please fill out our brief DemFest Partner Survey now:  https://lnkd.in/eB7WPDyg We'll then email you updates, including info on Zoom and in-person planning meetings upcoming you can attend to get details, ask questions, and figure out how you and/or your organization can be involved.  If you'd just like to attend DemFest in Oct, and want updates, RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eMFqBMXa

A privilege to be the B Lab UK Louder than Words festival - the largest gathering of B Corps in the world. The UK is now home to over 2000 B Corp businesses and the movement represents over 120,000 people working for B Corps. A wonderful gathering of friends - an opportunity to reflect on the progress made - to be surrounded by your tribe, the people who ‘get it’. And yet, I’m forced to pause … are we using this momentous gathering to define the ‘louder than words’ actions that will drive for change. As Rosie Brown from COOK Trading Ltd so eloquently said (using a phrase I also use commonly), what’s our JFDI? We risk in this gathering listening only to the voices that believe when - to make meaningful progress - we have to engage and challenge those who would oppose the movement, those who are invested in the status quo. My three takeaways from day 1: Inspired by Ruth Turner on the fringe session ‘After the general election: Putting ‘business for good’ at the heart of politics: We must be better storytellers than those who protect the status quo Energised, as always, by the powerful presence of Mary Portas and her vision for the business of Beautiful Business: We must match the ‘desire’ factor for better businesses as exists for those businesses that champion rampant consumerism Challenged by Charmian (Char) Love, who I’ll be on a panel with today, that as the problems of this world are connected, we must tackle them with the spirit of interdependence We must lead for change beyond what is our business, using our influence to drive change with government and with stakeholders Because the B Corp movement must be the driving force behind raising the bar and creating systemic change, especially with B Lab’s vision that within ten years we want to see every UK business acting as a force for good. If you want to hear about one simple, powerful action you can take to be a driving force for change, join me for today’s fringe session ‘Empowering Change: Advocacy from the Better Business Act’ with Charmian (Char) Love and Mhairi Littlewood #bcorpfestival #louderthanwords #betterbusiness #bcorp #bcorpfestivaluk

💬 “At the conference, Jess Hausti shared a cultural teaching that stopped me in my tracks: in her community, wealth isn’t measured by what you’ve hoarded but by what you’ve given away. Power is demonstrated through care for others and generosity. This was a radical shift from what I had been taught about power in capitalist and colonialist systems, where power is often seen as control over others.” 💬 In this reflective piece, Shurron Rosales shares how attending #BAMEOnline in 2022 (now known as #UncharitableFestival) led to a radical journey of transformation – breaking down beliefs and ways of being rooted in colonialist thinking to engage with anti-racism and the #CharitySector with integrity. Read the complete paper here: https://lnkd.in/eCV4YKvy Are you curious how events like #UncharitableFestival2024 can inspire change in yourself and others? Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to learn how to gain access to captions and recordings as a non-ticket holder and for the upcoming #UncharitablePapers! Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/dAVjwVB What's your key takeaways from this years #UncharitableFestival2024? Comment below and let’s keep the conversation going. 👇 #SocialImpact #RadicalTransformation

Art-tech platform Raknida has secured the princely sum of $100k in grants to expand its business into the United States of America as it seeks to take African arts to a global audience...https://wp.me/p6TSXP-1Y8F

Glasgow urged to focus on 'needs of residents' and not hosting another Commonwealth Games Activists working on the frontline of the city's homelessness and drugs deaths crises have questioned whether Glasgow should focus its attention on hosting another Games. Campaigners have questioned whether Glasgow can afford to host another Commonwealth Games after the last event in the city cost £543 million. It was revealed yesterday the sporting extravaganza could return to Scotland for the first time since 2014 if no other host nation can be found. Organisers are struggling to find a city willing to take on the Games in two years' time after Singapore, Malaysia and the Australian state of Victoria all ruled themselves out. Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) has now claimed a "cost effective" event could be staged in Glasgow for between £130m and £150m. Ian Reid, CGS chair, claimed yesterday the event could return without "significant sums of public funding" if established sporting venues were used and the number of sports scaled back. But campaigners working on the frontline of the city's homelessness and drugs deaths crises have questioned whether affordable Games could really be delivered. They argued public spending and political capital should instead be focused on delivering more affordable housing and treatment facilities. It comes after Glasgow City Council last year declared a housing emergency due to "unprecedented pressures" facing the local authority. Anne Marie Ward CEO of the Faces & Voices of Recovery UK charity, doubted whether the event could really be staged without any significant public funding. "The claim by Commonwealth Games Scotland that staging the event would require 'no significant ask of public funds' raises serious concerns, especially in light of Glasgow's devastating drug death crisis," she told the Record. "With limited resources allocated to support individuals in their recovery journey, the idea of diverting funds towards hosting the Commonwealth Games becomes even more troubling. "Moreover, Glasgow's infrastructure, including its roads and essential services, is on the verge of collapse. Given this precarious situation, it's imperative to prioritise investments that address these pressing issues before considering funding large-scale events. "Decision-makers must thoroughly assess how hosting the Commonwealth Games would impact Glasgow's well-being, conducting transparent financial analysis and ensuring that any benefits address critical issues like the drug death crisis. "Without solid evidence of significant public benefit, Glasgow should focus on investing in solutions that directly address residents' urgent needs, ensuring that any large-scale events truly benefit the city and its citizens beyond superficial appearances on social media or television." https://lnkd.in/eYfWxRth

I was thrilled to facilitate 2 workshops with JEF Europe as part of their Let’s Speak Diversity event series. In the first training, participants from around Europe devised a skeleton of a toolkit that youth organizations can use to be more inclusive. In the second, we drafted a skeleton of a policy paper to help policymakers foster more inclusive organizations and institutions. A takeaway from preparing these workshops: We need to talk more about inclusion and equity. These 2 elements, if implemented well, can drive innovation within not only our organizations but also our societies. There’s indeed a long way to go but the gains on a social and economic level are worth the try. Thank you JEF Europe for this initiative - towards a more inclusive Europe. 🙌

The FT’s weekend essay on Bailie Gifford and arts funding is well worth a read in highlighting just why this – pretty niche – topic has blown up as a news story. Having achieved the kind of cut-through that seems to have somewhat embarrassed Fossil Free Books, including headlining episodes of both The Rest Is Money and The Rest Is Entertainment (yes, my podcast listening is largely via Gary Lineker), hopefully the big winner in this debacle will be highlighting the state of arts funding. Particularly since the imposition of public sector austerity, some brouhaha around private sponsorship of culture has never been too far from the headlines. What makes this episode feel different is that Bailie Gifford has generated quite a bit of sympathy. But is the argument really (per the FT’s essay) about who is clean enough to fund the arts? Doesn’t this really come down to #purpose – that of Bailie Gifford, that of the festivals, and that of Fossil Free Books? If Bailie Gifford was sponsoring the festivals in keeping with its purpose as a business, did it cave too easily? What about the festivals themselves – is it feasible for them to stand their ground? And, surely, Fossil Free Books’ communications and advocacy strategy diverged from its intended outcome. As activism grows – in society, the markets, etc. – organisations need to find what they will stand for and speak out on – and, very importantly, how they go about it to achieve their actual goals. That can only be done with a clear and defined brand purpose. Bailie Gifford shows that a focus on #ESG alone isn’t going to cut it. https://lnkd.in/eSTuSi58 SEC Newgate UK | #StrategicCommunications | #PurposeCommunications

We are excited to announce that Wednesday, August 7, 2024, will be So Every BODY Can Move Day at this years’ National Conference. This special day is dedicated to celebrating movement, empowerment, and community engagement for individuals living with limb loss and limb difference. How You Can Participate: - Register: If you haven’t already, make sure to register for the conference on our Conference Portal. - Spread the Word: Share this exciting theme day with your friends, family, and social networks. Let’s make it a memorable event! - Engage: Attend the uninterrupted clinics on Wednesday, August 7th. There will be adaptive sports including pickleball, line dancing, yoga, martial arts, and creative sessions including theater/play reading, headshots and photoshoots, and several more. Get all the details here: https://bit.ly/3WVeeGG Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to learn, connect, and celebrate with fellow amputees and allies. If you haven't registered, you still have a chance to register! Early-bird registration is only available until Tuesday, June 4. We look forward to welcoming you to Atlanta for an unforgettable experience at #ACNC24. https://bit.ly/4cvpbnA #AmputeeCoalition #NationalConference #Amputee #Amputees #AdaptAndOvercome #LimbLoss #LimbDifference #DisabilityAwareness #Inclusion #InclusionMatters #AmputeeLifeStyle #AmputeePride #DisabilityInclusion #NoAmputeeAlone #AmputeeStrong #Atlanta #Community #Unity #StrongerTogether #CelebratingConnection

At the start of 2024, the Voices of Tomorrow project was still an ambitious idea to give youth a voice through the creative arts. Now, as we approach the end of year, we have launched the first virtual showcase on THE 4TH DIMENSION https://lnkd.in/ed3p2Thw and the project has evolved into a thriving network of 25 ambassadors from across the globe. These passionate individuals have come together to amplify the importance of young voices, each contributing their unique perspectives and talents to make a lasting impact. This network was built from the ground up, a testament to the power of the vision and collaboration, and the need for young people to have a place to express their ideas authentically. Over the past year, ambassadors have led initiatives in their communities, hosted conversations about youth’s future vision, and brought creativity to the Voices of Tomorrow project. None of this would have been possible without the hard work, resourcefulness and creativity of the Curriculum for Life team led by Oli Williams, the Youth Core Circle led by Raven Frias and now Nikolett Kerekes, and my colleagues in THE 4TH DIMENSION Tom Dale and Mark Tabbron (formerly Dodsworth), and our sponsors Alison James at BIC Foundation and Ormiston Academies Trust. The great thing about projects like this is the way in which they find their shape and form not in a set of rigid ideas, (although a good framework helps!) but through the contributions of everyone involved. It can be scary when projects take on a life of their own, but it can also be exhilarating. The process hasn’t been without its challenges. Different time zones and cultural contexts require patience and adaptability, and there is always more that we want to do. But the outcome speaks for itself. We are creating a community that shares a common vision to give youth a voice and thrives on creative thinking, resourcefulness and determination. What’s most inspiring is how this initiative has provided a vehicle for action. Ambassadors, artists, volunteers, sponsors and people spreading the word aren’t just talking about change, they’re driving it, empowering young people to speak up and influence the future. And this is just the start. It is our ambition to have submissions from every single country in the world. https://lnkd.in/ecwK3TvU #VoicesOfTomorrow #GlobalChangeMakers #YouthEmpowerment #ValuesInAction #values