Upswell’s final day began with a Main Stage moment that might have seemed implausible a few years ago. Stephen Heintz – who as the head of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund represents one of the most influential philanthropic organizations in the country, resourced by the accumulated wealth of one of the richest men in history –…
As this year has reminded us so frequently, there’s no substitute for being together in person. Yet there is a silver lining to Upswell 2020 being entirely virtual: we can record things. Day 2 of Upswell felt like an experience of hardwiring oneself directly into the collective mind of the social sector. It was a…
// by Debra Rainey, Independent Sector The troubling events of the last week are demanding that we take an immediate and actionable look at our belief systems and values — as individuals, as a community of changemakers, and as a nation – and how each of us can help provide the thoughtful leadership that is…
2020 is not the year we expected it be. For any of us. The pandemic has severely disrupted our routines and rhythms, put enormous strain on our resources, and devastated our communities – especially those already disproportionately suffering from systemic inequities. That’s the bad news. And it’s news to none of us. As for routines…
Everything feels uncertain at the moment. That’s the reality. And with widespread cancellations and postponements happening at an unprecedented scale, you’re probably wondering what’s going on with Upswell. So, we want to share a few important updates. Most importantly, we’re still putting every ounce of energy we have into designing a powerful experience for this…
First things first: The co-creation campaign for Upswell 2020 is now officially open through April 24! That might be enough to cause you to do a fist-pump and sprint straight into a creative brainstorm. But if you’re still reading – especially if you’re new to Upswell – read on to learn everything you need to…
Upswell is going to look a little different this year. Actually, scratch that. It’s going to look (and feel) a lot different. With two years now under our belts, we’ve been brainstorming and blueprinting a year three that will launch Upswell so much higher than to the next level. Year one was about re-engineering the…
/ by Victor Reinoso / We know what you might be thinking: didn’t Upswell Chicago just wrap up? If there’s just one thing to know about Upswell, it’s that it’s an ever-growing wave of energy. Or to put it another way, it doesn’t start and stop. Our shared opportunity — at Independent Sector and throughout the…
On the final day of a massive event, you might imagine that folks are a little drained. But as we all know, changemakers are nothing if not resilient. True to form, the Upswell community brought with them a final, powerful surge of energy and passion to cap off three days of incredible impact in Chicago.…
If you’ve gotten an email from Upswell (and we bet you have), you’ve probably noticed a tagline: boundless potential. We love that concept, perhaps obviously, because it’s both the perfect descriptor of a changemaker’s value in the world and a challenge for us to collectively strive for more. And that spirit was captured in moments big…