I was biting my nails to see if President Bartlet would run for a second term or not. I cling to each word of Sam Seaborn’s speeches. I am definitely a Josh Lyman and Donna Moss fan. I am with CJ Cregg each time she steps up in front of the press corps. I did all of these… Continue reading My Obsession With The West Wing
Category: Blog
Redefining American Power
One of the most fun parts about traveling, for me, is learning about other nations’ image of the United States. They range from the amusing (nobody uses plastic bags for grocery shopping, only blank brown paper bags) to the alarming (nearly everybody in Texas walks around with a gun in his or her back pocket).… Continue reading Redefining American Power
Boston is not Powerless
Everyone in Boston feels pretty powerless right now. We are stuck inside our homes. We can’t take the T. We can’t go to work. We can’t get a coffee. We don’t know if we are safe. As the Boston manager of an organization that specializes in empowering the powerless, I have a few thoughts about our powerlessness… Continue reading Boston is not Powerless
It’s Up to Us to Save Congress
Being the Executive Director of a non-profit that prides itself of non-partisanship, I take care to never be overtly partisan or political in public spaces, like this blog. But I am pretty pissed off about Congress voting down the gun control bill. And, actually, I think it is completely a non-partisan issue. Universal background checks… Continue reading It’s Up to Us to Save Congress
Disparate Leadership
Disparate Leadership A few weeks ago, at a conference for Draper Richards Kaplan Fellows, we were asked to define our own leadership styles. We were then told that if we really wanted to know what we were like as leaders, we should ask our employees, who would have a better sense of our strengths and… Continue reading Disparate Leadership
The Introverted Leader
As the Executive Director of a non-profit, I spend most of my days with my “game-face” on. I manage, and attempt to motivate, our team, I attempt to impress potential donors, I give speeches. I smile, I laugh, I engage. And then, at the end of the day, I’m utterly exhausted, and there’s nothing that… Continue reading The Introverted Leader
What Stresses You Out?
I think that my job is stressful. And I think that too many social entrepreneurs are not honest and open about how this stress manifests itself. For a variety of reasons, the “myth of the social entrepreneur” has emerged, tying itself essentially to the passionate, incredibly hard-working, charismatic individual that will do whatever they can… Continue reading What Stresses You Out?
Talking About Money
When I first started Generation Citizen, as a senior at Brown, my primary concern with making it a full-fledged non-profit was fundraising- I had no idea how to do it, and the concept seemed terrifying to me, especially in the midst of the financial collapse. The only reason that GC got off the ground (and… Continue reading Talking About Money
Challenges of Consensus
Working at Generation Citizen has been, by far, one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. This is the first time I have ever had an opportunity to teach in a classroom, which is extremely helpful for my chosen field of education. I enjoy going to see my students every session and hearing… Continue reading Challenges of Consensus
March DCs of the Month
Time to introduce our March Democracy Coaches of the Month! BOSTON DC OF THE MONTH: PETER PETRIN, STUDENT AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY What brought you to GC? I originally found the Generation Citizen model appealing based on my interests in politics and service. I also found myself seeking opportunities to better understand the issues and challenges… Continue reading March DCs of the Month