‘What is the one thing we can take back from Haiti with us to tell people?”

That was the question I asked people while in Haiti over the weekend. For there is a lot going on. A lot of sadness. A lot of frustration. A lot of violence. Struggles to reconstruct, rebuild, take a country that was already the poorest in the Western Hemisphere and have it come back better than before.

“Tell the good. There is positive happening here. The (traditional) media only tells the stories of hardship but there are a lot of positive stories coming out of Haiti too.”

And indeed there is. Smiles and laughter. People helping each other. Community leaders stepping up. International aid organizations committed to helping in the reconstructions. Houses are being built. Schools are in session. A presidential election is right around the corner.

So that’s what I want to do. I want to honor the wishes of the people I met in Haiti during my trip last weekend. I want to tell stories that haven’t been told 100 times. It’s important for us – us in the privileged developed country – to remember that in the aftermath of a natural disaster most other countries don’t have the option to clean up like we do.

Sanitation is often said to be the No. 1 indicator of how developed a country is. Second is road infrastructure and the ability to get from point A to point B. Haiti is obviously behind the U.S., so is there trash in the streets and piles of rubble? Yes. But I expected that.

What was amazing was the bright colors! The creativity of the Haitians. The way they are embracing art as a means of expression. They are struggling, of course, but there is hope in Haiti. There is hope for the future. That is humankind, that is what makes us resilient. Hope.

I hope you’ll remember that when you think of Haiti, if nothing else.

I’ll be sharing more of that perspective of Haiti in the coming days. In the meantime, I’ve just started using Cinch to record audio messages to share. Click the link for a message I just recorded about Haiti and storytelling.

If you have specific questions about Haiti, please let me know. If I don’t know, I’m happy to help find someone who would. And for more information on the Heart of Haiti campaign visit Fairwinds Trading or follow the hashtag #heartofhaiti on Twitter.



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‘Be open to the possibility that something amazing can happen around any corner’

Ihave exciting news … and a bit of a story to tell you.

First, I’m headed to Haiti! I’m leaving early this Friday for four days. I’m really excited to be part of a small blogger team going to the capital of Port-au-Prince to meet with local artisans who are a part of Fair Winds Trading and capture Haiti in a post-earthquake environment.

How did this come to be? Last year, while living in New Orleans, I was asked by the amazing folks at Everywhere to help organize an event for the Pathway to Peace event. This was some time in December 2009. Pathway to Peace is an initiative by Macy’s to support women artisans in Rwanda. I clearly remember Tamara from Everywhere telling me, “We can’t pay you to help with this event, but it’s such an amazing campaign, and I know you’ll love it. We’ll find another way to make this work and work with you in the future.”

Lesson 1: Sometimes you do things for money. Sometimes you do things because you believe in them. Sometimes you ask for something in return. Sometimes you do something simply for gratitude. Know the difference between these scenarios, but make sure at some point in your life you do one of each.

I did help with the New Orleans event. And I did work more with Everywhere on other campaigns for Macy’s. As a digital strategist on the Culinary Council initiative by Macy’s, I worked with Everywhere on how to engage local bloggers in a series of in-store appearances around the United States featuring some of the most well-known chefs in the country.

It’s through Everywhere I learned about Willa Shalit and Fair Winds Trading. It was while reading about Willa that I was so moved by her story to write a blog post about Heart of Haiti just a few weeks ago. I shared the blog post with Everywhere and they wrote write back and said they were helping put together a trip to Haiti. If they could help find me a sponsor would I go?

Lesson 2: Write about the things you’re passionate about. Then share them with the people you are writing about and those who you think would be interested. You never know what will come from it. Be open to the possibility that something amazing can happen around any corner. Be ready to say “yes” to the experience.

Well, I actually didn’t practice what I preach in this case. I said I didn’t know if I could make it. I have too many clients and projects I said, I can’t get away.

I asked for details anyway.

Turns out it was only for a weekend, give or take. And that it was with a small team of amazing female bloggers and Willa herself would be there. Three days later, I had a sponsor and my flight was booked.

Sometimes things happen fast like that and you have to go with it and worry about exhaling after the decision has been made.

It helps (no doubt) that I’ve traveled a lot of places and I have all my shots, a current passport (everyone should have this) and a healthy knowledge of Haiti from my experience with CrisisCamp New Orleans and friendship with some incredibly Haitians in New Orleans.

Lesson 3: Value your relationships. You never know where they might lead, where the path might go, and when paths might cross in amazing and unexpected ways. Social media and technology are tools to stay in touch and communicate with the people in your life. Use them that way to make the most out of what technology can do for you.

It’s hard to know where to begin to describe Willa because she’s that awe-inspiring! Instead of a normal bio introduction, here is an excerpt from an article on her in Oprah’s Magazine:

Willa Shalit has been put on this earth, I think, to allow the rest of us to pretend that our most grasping, selfish impulses are actually noble. Through her company, Fair Winds Trading, she has managed to make shopping meaningful — a way to load up on gorgeous, exotic objects de lust while furthering peace and justice, not to mention improving lives around the world. Bless the woman.

A pioneer in a growing social-entrepreneurial movement whose mission in part is to provide unique products to U.S. consumers — and, at the same time, sustainable wages to the Third World artisans who make them — Shalit has been collaborating for the past five years with the women of Rwanda. As a result, Fair Winds Trading now imports their handwoven baskets, African-gemstone jewelry, textile bags, and table linens, and this fall will branch out with products from Tanzania, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

And a bit about Fair Winds Trading:

Fair Winds Trading is a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment of people, especially women, in the Majority World. The Majority World is where two billion of the world’s three billion people live, in poverty. Our focus on women as a preferred partner is based in part on our history, in part on our leadership as a woman-owned firm, and in part on evidence that raising the standard of living for women has the greatest positive multiplier effect within families, communities and cultures.

The company’s philosophy and business model embody a new paradigm for global economic empowerment. They recognize that compassionate aid, needed in moments of crisis, becomes culturally destructive if continued too long. They demonstrate that cross-cultural business partnerships, rooted in mutual learning and growth, can bring sustainable economic power to women around the world.

Our mission is to connect cultures through business, art and understanding.

I’m really excited to meet Willa and the Fair Winds artisans and have the opportunity to meet and connect with the other bloggers as well. This is an incredible opportunity to spend a few days on the ground with local artisans and hear first-hand about their experiences and see Haiti with my own eyes. For those who have been following me for awhile or reading my blog, you might remember that I produced the first CrisisCamp New Orleans in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.

I have passionately been following, giving my time and donating my resources to helping Haiti, and this opportunity to go in person absolutely astounds me. I will share more about the trip once I’m back next week. I’m also looking to sell a few stories/posts to blogs and publications to help pay for the part of the trip that I’m paying out of pocket, if you know of any that you think I should reach out to, please let me know!

Full disclosure: While Fair Winds products are sold in Macy’s stores, this trip is completely independent and not sponsored by Macy’s. While Macy’s has been a client in the past, it is not currently a client and I have no obligation or requirement to Macy’s on this trip.

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Help A Woman Out is your guide to finding organizations, events and nonprofits that support women and girls. Attend. Donate. Learn. Join. Jobs. Curated by your biggest cheerleader, me!

I released this site within three days of coming up with the idea. I found a domain name. Found a Tumblr theme I liked and customized it. Started seeding content and then pushed publish to the world. Sometimes we need to create just to create. The power to press publish is powerful and freeing. I am of the school that (in regard to personal projects) you can fix just about anything after it launches. Start small, start anywhere, see what happens … and then iterate to match the feedback. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit in me that wanted to put this site out there to share, and then get feedback and figure out what needs to change or be upgraded.

I learned a lot about customizing Tumblr themes for this site and also how to put the Facebook “Like” and Twitter buttons into the HTML. I’m working on learning more of the development parts of websites this year and this was a great introduction toward that goal.

I know many women would like to get involved and help but don’t know how — because they are too busy with their lives, careers and families. I wanted to create a place on the Web that would seem magazine-like. A place to flip through women’s organizations, inspirations, quotes by women, events listings and job opportunities that would focus specifically on girls and women. All of this content would create a portal to Help A Woman Out.

I really believe that woman are at a crucial point in history. Women are being recognized as the change makers for society, an emphasis on girls’ education exists in some countries for the first time ever, the UN recently joined all of their programs and projects for girls and women together into one platform called UN Women. The third Millennium Development goal focuses on gender parity, and there are only five years left until those goals are set to be met.

Three inspirations for the concept

I have three inspirations I’d like to thank that helped piece this project together first in my head and then in reality:

1. Help A Reporter Out is a site founded by Peter Shankman to help reporters find sources and sources get stories placed in a quicker and more efficient fashion. There are lots of projects out there that play off of the name and I hope Peter (who is an amazing guy I had the privilege of working with on My Mardi Gras Experience in 2010) doesn’t mind this flattery! I didn’t have a name in mind for this project and was out walking one night in my neighborhood, where I usually get my best inspirations, and playing with words in my head. It all literally happened in one hour. I thought of the name Help A Woman Out and came home to see if the domain was available (the real test) and was surprised that it was. I bought it on the spot — you never know when you’re going to want to use good domain names! I always believe in giving credit where credit is due, so thanks, Peter.

2. Nerd Valentine is a recent Web project from my friend Amrit Richmond. When I asked Amrit what prompted her to start this new Tumblr blog, she said, “Sometimes you just have to create something on the internet for fun. I wanted to create something people would love. Plus there wasn’t a good site of gifts for nerds.” I loved her attitude. I had the idea of a site focused on girls and women-based initiatives for a while but it was far down my to-do list. After talking with Amrit, it jumped to the top. I realized I didn’t need to create something complex and complicated. I could create just to create! I could create and not ask for anything in return. This was a huge wake-up call. The Internet pays my bills, but it also drives a lot of my relationships. I love it. I want to do more to show that respect by creating projects like Help A Woman Out.

3. Susan McPherson is a true inspiration. I’m so lucky to have been connected to her first through To Mama With Love (a 2010 EpicChange project by Stacey Monk) and then in person when I moved to New York. She is a true connector both through her work at Fenton and by being on the board of BPeace — and just by loving to put people together. She immediately included me into her circle of high-achieving women and a good part of my New York experience is thanks to her and the women she’s introduced me to. When I left Los Angeles after five years, I knew I was leaving behind a group of amazing female power brokers, and that has consistently been the No. 1 thing I miss about LA. Those women, some friends and some in my extended network, shaped my experience in Los Angeles. I’ll never forget the change that happened when I started cultivating a strong female network to be around. I know it will take time for that to happen here in New York, but Susan has helped a lot with the first hurdle. Her excitement about women’s issues and conversations about women, corporate social responsibility and the broader scope of business were a big inspiration to this site.

So thank you to those above. I hope everyone checks out this new site and gives feedback. I’m always looking for more to post on the site. If you have any suggestions for content, please submit the information here or leave a comment below.

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Calling all nonprofits that have made kick-ass videos this past year. See3, in partnership with YouTube, has announced that entries are now being accepted for the fifth annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards.

This year winners will again have the chance to win one of four $2,500 grants provided by the Case Foundation, video cameras from Flip Video, a free registration to next year’s Nonprofit Technology Conference provided by NTEN and more. The winning videos will be announced at next month’s Nonprofit Technology Conference and featured on YouTube’s home page in March.

For many nonprofit clients I worked with over the years, we’ve talked about the power of video. Video is a great way to share your mission, messages and goals. The medium educates, makes others aware of issues, progress that’s being made, and the work that still needs to be done. Awards like these recognize nonprofits that see the importance in video and inspire others to try telling their own stories.

Last year there were 750 entries, 17,000 votes by the public and 150,000 views. Wow, right? Now it’s your turn. Here are some details to get you started:

• Submissions for Best Small, Medium and Large nonprofit organization videos must be a video that was made in 2010. Entries for the Best Thrifty Video category can be for videos made any time before the end of the submission period. Each nonprofit can submit as many videos as they would like. No specific categories or missions are needed.
• Entries cannot exceed 10 minutes in length and are limited to nonprofits from the US, the UK and Australia.
• You can submit your videos from now through March 2. Starting March 7, voting is open to the public.
• Your organization must be a member of the YouTube Nonprofit Program.

Good luck! If you enter, let me know so I can help spread the word when voting starts!

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