Last November, when Reverend Jen Bailey came to Chicago from Nashville, Tennessee to attend Upswell, she expected to meet up with old colleagues, and learn from leaders that she’d long followed as executive director of Faith Matters Network. She also works with the Greater Good Science Center on how changemakers can bridge differences, and is…
Details
/ by Debra Rainey / Upswell is about reimagining — how we think, collaborate, and develop solutions to community challenges. It’s also about reimagining where we do those things. Pittsburgh’s Nova Place is the site of Upswell 2020, October 14-16. But don’t think of it as our meeting place. Instead, it’s where we’ll start and go…
Details
By Christina Hachikian The following blog is adapted from a recent presentation at Upswell Chicago. When community organizers, philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, artists, and corporate CSR leaders gathered at Upswell Chicago, a central theme was how to build a more diverse and inclusive world. These days, it’s actively being discussed in company, nonprofit, and government…
Details
/ 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…
Details
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.…
Details
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…
Details
For months, we’ve been promising an immersive Chicago experience. What we didn’t anticipate was a mid-Autumn arctic blast that plunged the Windy City into the low teens! But when it comes to changing the world, cold weather is a minor inconvenience. So, on the first morning of Upswell, hundreds of folks from across the country…
Details
Mindful leadership is rooted in self awareness. And the inner work you do directly impacts your outer work — not only how you show up at work, but also how you show up in your life. But what happens when changemakers — who focus squarely on improving the lives of others — feel dry and…
Details
Human-centered design grows ever-more important as the social sector struggles to do more with less, and sector leaders search for new and different ways to gain greater access to the communities they serve. But how do you identify a designer who is aligned and in-tune with your organization’s mission and needs? George Aye, co-founder and…
Details
George Aye found he had a lot to learn when transitioning from commercial design to human-centered design. And what he’ll share with sector leaders in his workshop will inform their decisions when selecting designers best-suited to help them meet the needs of the communities they serve. Learn more about George, including how what many would…
Details