Starfish Circle

Oprah's Big Give FINALLY ends

As a non profit professional, I can't tell you how irked I was watching Oprah's Big Give reality show. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Oprah.  I love that she started this national discussion about philanthropy and reminded us all that we ALL can give.  But wow, this season was horrible.  I cringed watching two episodes and then could not bring myself to watch any more.   Check out this article written by Joshua Horwitz, the executive director of the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence and his thoughts on this lost opportunity in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. 

Though Oprah, if you are looking for contestants for next season, I'm IN!!

Looking to start a career in the arts?

I started out as a art history major in college.  I was always fascinated by art and the art world, but my mother discouraged me from becoming a starving artist.  sigh! Probably best since I really didn't have any artist talent. Instead, I started my career in the non profit world.  Funny, huh?  Regardless, the fine folks at the Arts Council are hosting a roundtable discussion to encourage people to think seriously about a career in the arts.  Silicon Valley is notorious for our high tech expertise.  Wouldn't it be great to also be synonymous with a vibrant arts scene and incubator for arts management talent?  Check out the event  here. 

This event is put together by Silicon Valley Emerging Leaders for the Arts. Creative Conversations are local gatherings of emerging leaders in communities across the country and are part of a grassroots movement to elevate the profile of arts in America during National Arts and Humanities Month every October.  To learn more about creative conversations in other communities across the country, visit the Americans for the Arts website.

The details about next week's San Jose program:

Do you currently work in the arts? Are you interested in pursuing a career in the arts? Have you always wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of an arts organization? Well this is your chance. This event involves a series of roundtable discussions that will enable you to talk with established arts leaders and find out what it takes to work in arts management, what to expect and explore the different career paths you can take in the arts. 

Hear from eight established local arts leaders through two, 30-minute roundtable discussions in the following careers: Executive Director, Development Director, Artistic/Program Director or Curator, and Marketing Director and get a chance meet and share ideas with other future arts leaders.

Navigating a Career in the Arts:
A Conversation with Local Arts Leaders
A Creative Conversation Hosted by Silicon Valley Emerging Leaders in the Arts
When: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Where: San Jose Repertory Theatre, Rehearsal Hall
Time: 5-7PM
Cost: FREE Space is limited.

To RSVP, please send an email to jrussell@artscouncil.org by Friday, October 5. 

Current List of Panelists:

Executive Director
Jeffry Walker, Executive Director, Community School of Music & Arts; Cathy Kimball, Executive Director, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art;

Marketing/Communications Director
Lee Kopp, Director of Marketing and Publicity, Ballet San Jose;
Shannon McDonnell, Marketing Manager, San Francisco Symphony;

Development Director
Anne Holmes, Director of Development, TheatreWorks;
Monika Churchill, Director of Development, San Jose Repertory Theatre;

Artistic Director
Chike Nwoffiah, Executive & Artistic Director, Oriki Theater;
Elisa Marie Alvarado, Artistic Director, Teatro Vision.

1st Act Silicon Valley awarded $3.5 million

Yesterday, the Knight Foundation announced a $3.5 million dollar investment in San Jose. Awarded to 1st Act Silicon Valley, this challenge grant is intended to help local leaders develop capacity and structure for local arts and culture organizations. Click here to read the press release.

I’ve been intrigued by this group since last summer, as they presented to the San Jose City Council a vision for downtown. It was inventive and ground breaking. The short sighted council’s response, “Great, but show me the money!” Well the folks at 1st Act now have the money and will hopefully leverage this to pull others into the fold - obviously no small task. However, choosing Connie Martinez, former Exectuive Director of the award winning Children's Discovery Museum as the efforts Managing Director, showcases their saavy and powerhouse line up of supporters.

As a San Jose resident, who frequents downtown, I am excited to hear of the things to come. It is certainly long over due. Forcing arts organizations to squabble over crumbs is just bad practice. If we expect to harness the Valley’s creativity to bring us into another golden age, then we should be doing what we can to incubate the arts and programs that encourage us all to think differently.

Once I figure out how to help, I’m there and hope some of you will join me. Thank you Knight Foundation for believing San Jose!
Download 2007_KnightFdnPressRelease-1.pdf

Silicon Valley Ways to Make A Difference

Philanthropy in the Valley in many ways happens much like anywhere else in the world - special events, churches and bakes sales.  Certainly there are grant cycles and individual donor drives and capital campaigns, but has there been anything new in the field to get regular ol' people to give, when they are struggling to pay their mortgages, car payments and put food on the table? 

When is a dollar worth more than a dollar?  Easy, when it's leveraging power buys you more than a pack of gum.  You may have caught this on Oprah the other day or read their blog at the social networking site, Social Edge, Kiva.org has built a great tool to engage every day folks into major philanthropists.  Essentially, Kiva.org lets you lend money to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world to help them lift themselves out of poverty.   The Kiva.org team did a great job of making the process user friendly and compelling.  Moreover, the site is a compedium of compelling stories that make you want to give. They use technology wisely to help you spread the word, so that your $25.00 gift can actually leveraged by others.  For example, the provided the badge you see on this site, so you can see who I funded.  Great idea!  They also provided a pre-written email I could send to friends.  I LOVE this site. 

A microloan is not a new concept. Mohammed Younus received the Nobel Peace Prize last year for putting the concept on the map with Grameen Bank in Bangladesh.  There have been many organizations and foundations that have pioneered this, but the folks at Kiva.org have been able to harness technology to engage the general public internationally.  Lenders for Community Development for example, uses this concept to help individuals save for home or launch businesses within the United States. On the other hand, portals like Changing the Present.org present you with thousands of opportunities to make a difference by donating to nonprofits.  All models are great, but Kiva.org allows anyone to jump in and be an international banker and philanthropist.  Check it out and let me know what you think!  I made my first loan to Pham Thi My, a farmer from Vietnam who plans to put her $625.00 loan back into her rice and poultry farm.

Another Silicon Valley way to make a difference?  Shopping!  Silicon Valley Moms Blog, where I am also a contributor, are sponsoring a The Hip Kids Boutique. Local vendors are getting together to showcase all that is hip and hot in kiddie clothing.  Proceeds will go to local charities, Innvision and Project Warm Hug. Cost of admission is waived if you bring gently used children's clothing or diapers in any size.  Come ready to shop till you drop and benefit two great organizations.