Michelle Cote: Founding Director of The Purpose Project
- Wanting to make a change in the world, ideal scenarios, lots of energy, and the guidance they needed created the Purpose Project.
- The Purpose Project identifies those who have wisdom and connects them to the next generation
- The first Thursday of the month during the academic year, the Hartford Courant publishes their work on inspirational people
- Face to face dialogue is key. Once a month seasoned and emerging leaders come together to discuss issues of the community in the "Bridge the Gap" discussions.
- The best way to leave a mark is to equip those who come next. It's a great exchange.
- Making connections between youth and nobel laureates all around the world.
- For younger children it's about character traits of these leaders and inspiring them to take on these traits. Each laureate has a trait to study such as compassion or anger management.
- For older students it is the steps towards activism
- Peace Jam is involved in issues such as racism, equal access to health care, and women's issues
- It's about finding what you are passionate about and how to do something.
- For Peace Jam, former participants bring back great success stories to the organization and attribute their impact to their involvement in Peace Jam.
- The Purpose Project is still a young organization, still building their audience. Keeping track of those involved is the goal.
- Most powerful part is highlighting personal examples and making role models human.
- Change doesn't happen overnight. Michelle stated that, "It's the long arc of effor that yeilds results."
- Purpose drives you. It's the little wins along the way that make you continue.
- Sometimes issues seem so grand, we don't know where to start, and it's easier to put it off. It is important to understand the power of the individual.
- Work in schools, faith based groups, and community organizations. Networking!!
- Purpose Project's "Bridge the Gap" community discussion puts people of all ages together to encourage the next generation to make change.
- You look at character traits and methods of real activism to inspire action.
- Most have never had this experience; it is a learning opportunity. "There is no failure."
- Purpose Project has a curriculum to give students the opportunity to decide whether activism is what they want to do and find out what their passion is. It takes passion.
- Exposing children to other backgrounds can be done without travelling the world.
- Stereotypes, differences in language and expectations.
- Stripping away those divisions and coming together for a common purpose is the goal.
- You may have a different approach (social media vs. door-to-door canvassing), but you have a common goal.
- Networking and ginding people your work resonates with.
- Getting your messageout there, asking and providing an outlet opens it up to involvement.
- It's about embracing differeneces because they shouldn't be ignored, they should be celebrated.
- University of Hartford's class, Designing Global Change, brings art students together iwht social organizations.
- A non-violence mural project on Albany Avenue in Hartford brought together students, the local community, Hartford Police, and the Urban League.
- Communicating peace, hope, and community was the goal of the class' mural project.
- Some wonder why our country's youth isn't standing up the way they are.
- There's a breaking point people have to reach; there's a point where it becomes intolerable.
- We are too comfortable and our lives are not in jeopardy enough for an uprising.
- Hopefully it doesn't take hunger or suffering to get us to action.
- Climate change, oil, and economic instability are concerns we have limited time to address.
- Poverty is related to all of us. There are deep deep problems that need answers. The answer may be hidden, but we can find it. A national and global movement is needed.
- Take the risk to have dialogue. We need to make the effort to engage in conversation.
- Step outside your comfort zone. Start small.
- Reach out to children when they are young. Children soak up information.
- It's not dependent on one person, it takes spreading that persons words and actions.
- Solidarity, not charity. It's not enough to donate and believe you made a difference.
- Sacrificing some of your comforts and privileges to take action and standing in solidarity makes a difference.
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