Spicer's Consulting Blog

Rolled the Film: Become a Backer Today!

2011-08-15T03:09:06Z

ABOUT THIS PROJECT When we were young we took risks like toilet papering houses just for the thrill. Who said we had to stop? In 1979 a kid from LA got together with three of his friends because he wanted to artistically toilet paper a house. They planned it out knowing exactly what they would do, how long it would take, and how it would look in the end. One of the kids filmed it. They continued this mischief throughout their high school years. When one graduated, they replaced him with a new member to carry on a specific job in the group. These jobs included the "historian" who photographed or filmed every house they hit. In the late 90s, I joined this group as the historian. I recently convinced my three compatriots to recount their experiences. They said yes, we collected some great stories, and we were also able to meet the group's founding member. What remains is to go to Los Angeles to meet and film the kids currently in the group, and see how it's doing since we left in 2000. The footage that was shot over the last 32 years also needs to be unarchived and digitized. To complete the film, donations are needed for camera, sound and lighting operators; city permits, insurance, motion graphics and post production.

Wanted: Team Member for The Spicer Show Fall Re-Launch

2011-07-24T15:49:00Z

Hello World Wide Web: This is a relatively brief note to share a few things that have been buzzing around social media and electronic mail regarding my interesting in finding someone to work with myself and a new co-host for The Spicer Show on Blogtalkradio's fall re-launch.

We are looking for someone to help us become triad that will spend the next month or so creating a new concept for the show currently focused on prevention, politics and today's culture. This person will serve as an intermediary between myself and our new co-host to talk about name, branding, marketing, episode themes, guest line ups, sponsorship, advertising and the whole package. It is a commission only position as we are all offering our free time through a free platform (that does provide click for pay advertising revenue) to help each other promote the work we're doing.

However, given that this is radio, internet and the advertising platform is already there, we will be generating revenue without fail. If you have a month to come on board with a 30 day trial volunteer period and potential for a paid contract starting this fall, please e-mail scott@spicersconsulting.com. This is an ideal opportunity for recent college graduates with a relevant degree and/or paid work experience or a seasoned professional who's interested in getting on board with an awesome team of motivated, giving and socially conscious business people. Be in touch!

Community Organizing 101: Don't Become a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

2011-07-03T16:48:00Z

The 2nd installment of perspectives on peace and non-violence for a ChangeMakers project funded by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. This project is also supported by Skyridge Church of the Brethren.

By Scott Spicer, founder and Senior Partner of Spicer's Consulting and its private social venture Reaching Inward and Seeking Empowerment.

When trying to make social change, we are often faced with the ongoing challenge of organizing people around a particular issue that everyone has a different interpretation of. Often times it may be very clear and logical to you regarding what exactly you are intending to change, how you'd like to accomplish it and what steps need to be taken in order to obtain a measurable success. Yet, as we all learn outside of the bubble of theory that the actual practice of this effort is much more complicated; creating an opportunity for beauty and chaos all within the course of one initiative.

I reflect in particular on this related to a new project I've started that is our current and first funded campaign for RISE. Having the opportunity to bring youth and adults together to talk about promoting peace and non violence is an amazing one and it is so, for many reasons. The most significant one is the learning experience that this will bring and for myself, the organizer as well in a unique way. What makes this different and applicable to the topic of this entry is that the focus for this initiative on social change takes the traditional learning model one step further. This is exactly what community organizing in today's era coupled with social change, entrepreneurship, social media and evidence based social marketing strategies can and will do.

source: google images via socialchangequotes.wordpress.com

So, while working on a way to effectively accomplish our goals on the topics of peace, non violence and cross generational dialog, we must remind ourself that although we need to acheive outcomes it is about the process. Sometimes this can feel like herding cats, but unless we intend to make everyone do things the way we want by functioning as a wolf in sheep's clothing, the negative side of these analogies will never change.

Instead, we can focus on the excellent group of individuals, agencies and community leaders who are helping to make this project a success. We can capitalize on the opportunities to host a 2 hour workshop where we will generate ideas and strategies based on RISE's model which are created by the people who live and understand the issue and not the machine that drives the social change engine. Stay tuned for more updates as our workshop is happening soon and we hope to share all the great ideas that came about right here on this site and through our social media networks. The culminating activity will be a billboard ad, running in August. Happy early Independence Day.

Keeping Post Conference Momentum Going

2011-04-07T17:09:00Z

Many of us have attended conferences where we found ourselves excited by the energy in the room and the passion of our colleagues. We get home or back to work, set down our notes, handouts and free stuff, go back to the normal routine and not much changes. It's human nature to keep doing what you're familiar with, but how do we take all these new ideas that conferences bring and put them into action? How do we bring this back to our organization as young professionals when we may not be in a position of influence and aren't sure if our ideas are well received?

Perhaps reminding ourselves of the unique opportunity that the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network National Leaders Conference provides, will help. From my perspective this conference is unlike any other. My first experience was this year in Grand Rapids and it proved to be just that. What makes it unique? As Rosetta Thurman said in her post a gathering where young professionals are the majority and are leading thought provoking conversations within our industry, this is a prime source for innovation. It was amazing to see such great speakers among my own peer network who are doing big things to change, grow and sustain our communities. It doesn't come as a shock, but it's so refreshing to see, especially at a conference.

While at the event, taking part ignites a fire and inspires you to do something with it. What do you do once you leave and get back to the normal routine. Here are 5 tips, especially for your YNPN chapter:

1. Share- make time for a post conference discussion amongst your chapter leaders, or even host a chapter event where those who attended can share their experience. At your job, ask if you can make a presentation to staff or discuss what you shared with your supervisor and team members.

2. Strategize- keep the dialogue going amongst those who attended from your community, by having a conversation about what aspects of the conference provided tools for bringing new ideas to the chapter. One example is a great workshop I attended on YNPN Twin Cities' blog.

3. Plan- come up with at least one new thing that you think you can implement this year, even if it's as simple as sending out a resource to your chapter that you got from the conference. Organizing a new event can be a one time thing to test the ground and see how well received it ends up being. You can always go big and do something that may take a lot of effort, but will pay off in the long run.

4. Implement- follow through with your new idea, program or resource and make sure to let people know that you got it from attending the conference. This helps others to see that it was a worthwhile investment for the Chapter and they might consider going next time.

5. Reach out- an opportunity to connect with Young Nonprofit leaders from around the country in person (and not just on a conference call or webinar) only comes a few times a year. Connect with your peers and let them know that you're taking their ideas and putting them to work. It's easier to do now more than ever, evidenced by the twitter dialogue that began day 1 and still continues today. Don't be afraid to ask for help either, they most likely have some perspective from implementing the very idea they shared with you.

This might seem simple, yet it can be a good reminder to do what you had been thinking about while adjusting to the normal rhythm of post conference activities. Take the time to reflect on what this experience did for you and come up with your own guide to keep the momentum going. Share what you've already done!

True Story Behind Earth Day for Peace and Justice

2011-03-15T23:27:00Z

An account by Robert Weir of how this international holiday actually came about. Mr. Weir along with Kevin Szawala will be featured guests on The Spicer Show this Saturday, March 19th

The original Earth Day is not on April 22 as is popularly believed but on the vernal equinox, March 20-22, depending on the year. The equinox is Nature's springtime global holiday when the northern and southern hemisphere's share sunlight equally. Earth Day was not established by Senator Gaylord Nelson as most people believe but by peace and environmental visionary John McConnell. In 1970, Senator Nelson created an "Environmental Teach-In" to raise awareness of the environment, particularly pollution. Also in 1970, John McConnell created Earth Day as a means to espouse his three-part philosophy of "peace, justice, care of Earth," stating that all three are necessary. John McConnell's philosophy establishes peace as a prerequisite for Earth care. John preached:

"Peace is not the absence of war. The absence of war is known as a truce or armistice or cease-fire, and is often a time when nations prepare for the next war. Rather, true peace comes from listening to and understanding the other person's point of view. "Justice is not an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth. That is legalized revenge based on the Code of Hammurabi and is the basis for many nations’ judicial system. Rather, true justice is an equitable sharing of the world's resources by all of the world's people. Both peace through understanding and equitable social justice are necessary before people will really begin to take care of the planet. Without peace and justice, the environmental movement is like a one-legged stool."

Both John McConnell's Earth Day and Senator Nelson's Environmental Teach-In originated in 1970, with plans for both announced in 1969. Nelson promoted his Teach-In through the media and the political system. His audience was the United States, primarily college students. McConnell worked through the United Nations and his personal international network to make Earth Day a global celebration. Nelson's message was primarily gloom -- we've polluted the planet, we better clean it up. McConnell's message was that of celebration for the "world's wonderful web of life," which he later related to the "WWW" like the internet.

There has been an Earth Day celebration at the United Nations every year since 1971 at which the UN Peace Bell has been rung by world dignitaries, including former Secretaries-General. When John McConnell announced Earth Day at a large United Nations conference in San Francisco in 1969, some of Nelson's political colleagues and staff were there. Three months later, some of Nelson's promotional material began to bear the "Earth Day" name; these included full-page ads in The New York Times and the Washington Post in January 1970. Nelson's full usurpation of the "Earth Day" name over the next five years created great confusion. Various U.S. Presidents, Congress, governors, and state legislatures passed declarations honoring both the equinox and April 22 as "Earth Day." Today, John McConnell, 95, lives a modest life in Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Anna. Senator Nelson is deceased. And the vast majority of people believe that April 22 is Earth Day.

I know otherwise. I've written John McConnell's biography, titled Peace, Justice, Care of Earth. I've researched his extensive documents, which are stored at the Peace Archives on the campus of Quaker-based Swarthmore College near Philadelphia. These papers include fascinating correspondence between Nelson and McConnell and their staffs in the late 1960s and 1970s. And that correspondence shows, as John McConnell still affirms, "April 22 is not Earth Day." Now, all of that said about the history of Earth Day, John McConnell's primary message, which I have also adopted, is that integral relationship between "peace through understanding, equitable social justice, and Earth care."

Robert Weir’s website can be found at: www.robertmweir.com. John McConnell has his own website: http://www.earthsite.org and he founded the Earth Society Foundation, a United Nations NGO: http://www.earthsocietyfoundation.org

The 2011 annual celebration of Earth Day on the March Equinox and the ringing of the UN Peace Bell is Sunday, March 20th. This year's event will be from 7-8pm, with the Peace Bell ringing at 7:21pm local New York time. The theme is: 2011 International Year of the Forests. Please feel free to share this invitation with others who might be interested in attending. The event takes place on the grounds of the United Nations, with the Peace Bell now located in the Rose Garden overlooking the East River. The UN Visitor's Entrance is at 46th Street at First Avenue.

Southwest Michigan Parents: Protect our Environment

2011-02-25T19:43:00Z

In the next 2 weeks we need to gather names of 25 parents of children with asthma to be published on an ad like this:

Here is some background information on this legislative issue:

Mercury and lead both are dangerous neurotoxins – brain poisons – that harm the developing brains of children and fetuses. Dioxins are known human carcinogens linked to birth defects, reproductive abnormalities, and lung and breast cancer. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen linked to lung and kidney cancer and PCBs are probable human carcinogens linked to liver cancer.

On February 17th, in a 250-177 vote, the House of Representatives approved an amendment by Rep. John Carter (R-TX) to deny any funds to EPA to “implement, administer or enforce” mercury and other toxic air pollution standards for all cement plants in the country. More information is available at this link: http://www.nrdcactionfund.org/updates/community-leader-spotlight-lee-geisse.html/

If you are a parent of a child with asthma, are in Michigan's 6th Congressional District and you would be willing to sign your name, or you know of parents that you think would be- please submit your information ASAP via the contact us section of our website: http://spicersconsulting.com/Contact_Us.html

No information will be share without consent

Sincerely,

Scott Spicer, MPH

Senior Partner, Spicer's Consulting

Think Globally, Act Locally

2011-02-24T01:28:00Z

This Week's Featured Episode: Think Globally, Act Locally

During this show we'll talk about how the concept of making a difference in the world can be applied to what we do in our every day lives. This will include discussion on civic engagement amongst young people, active voters and the broader community. Joining me will be Kevin Lignell who's an Americorps VISTA at the Poverty Reduction Iniative with expertise on the broader picture of poverty issues in Kalamazoo County Michigan and for our local spotlight: Chris Praedel, candidate for the 60th District State Representative seat in Michigan

Listen Now:

Listen to internet radio with Scott Spicer on Blog Talk Radio

This episode will be airing locally on WKDS 89.9 at 8pm nightly, this Friday through the following Thursday

Got Water? A Look at Water Privatization

2011-02-16T17:31:00Z

-Written by Associate Matthew Kern

During my time in Alaska, many of my fellow AmeriCorps and I would take advantage of our free weekend to enjoy some civilization. Living in a tent didn’t afford many luxuries, so I would regularly spend my afternoons surfing the internet and browsing through the periodicals section of our local library. Studying environmental science for my undergraduate at Western Michigan University had given me a taste for understanding and keeping up-to-date on pressing environmental issues. So naturally, the cover of October’s Newsweek magazine entitled, “The New Oil” displaying a drop of water caught my eye.

I was startled to discover the story’s focus was the small town of Sitka, Alaska, from which I had returned from weeks earlier. The town of Sitka is home to an incredible mountain lake containing trillions of gallons of fresh water fed from rainfall, snowmelt and numerous surrounding glaciers. With a population of less than 10,000 within 5,000 square miles, this vast resource goes mostly unused. In fact, almost 6.2 billion gallons of fresh water flows from Blue Lake into the Pacific Ocean every year. With millions around the world suffering from the lack of clean drinking water, the waste of this resource seems criminal.

To the rescue, two American companies, True Alaska Bottling and S2C Global are in the process of finalizing the contracts to transport 3 billion gallons of freshwater from Blue Lake giving the town a 90 million dollar industry. The water would go from Sitka, Alaska to a water-processing facility in India. Here, the water would be divided then reshipped to water stressed regions of the Middle East and North Africa. This would mark the first trans-global deal for fresh water. It is not the miles traveled that have caught the attention of economist and resource experts alike. The transfer of billions of gallons of public water into the hands of private corporations is troubling. Private companies are motivated by shareholder profit rather than ethical implications of people in need. Why would these private companies choose to sell to water stressed regions when a corporation like Aquafina will pay more? The idea that a free market will balance consumption to meet resources works for basic commodities, but this principal fails to account that there is no alternative to water.

It startled me that something elemental to our survival could be sold to the highest bidder. Water has historically been treated as a public good, but more and more of our freshwater is being held by private corporations. My experience in Alaska echoed a lecture I had heard at the University of Central Michigan. The event was sponsored by Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) featuring a presentation of their work and a viewing of the movie Flow. The film featured the plight of the MCWC. Afterwards, Founder Terry Swier spoke of the recent legal victory against Nestlé’s Ice Mountain bottled water plant in Mecosta County. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment had given Nestlé permission to pump 400 gallons per minute. But after a lengthy million dollar lawsuit by MCWC, the plant was reduced to 200 gallons per minute. Nestlé is looking to retry the case in hopes of being able to pump more water. MCWC was created to protect the community’s water supply. After Nestlé began pumping, the water levels of the surrounding marshlands began to drop and a number of individual wells had to be deepened to accommodate for a depleting ground-water table. Corporations like Nestlé have deep pockets affording them the luxury of spending years waiting out community organizations in court.

As stated earlier, the main purpose of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders, which does not necessarily align with what is best for the communities they operate with-in. Privatization will have dramatic impacts and create disturbances around the world before a balance is found. An ever mounting problem such as global water shortages seems like a monstrous issue to take on, but there are simple steps that all of us can take in our everyday lives to make a difference.

Drink tap water, this alone is voting for your public water source. Tap water is tested for over 280 contaminants; bottled water is exempt from these stringent health requirements. If you don’t like the taste, get a water-filter system and it will still be less expensive than consistently buying bottled water. Time your showers or get a low flow showerhead. The average shower uses 2 gallons per minute. You can drastically reduce your water consumption by limiting the amount of time spent showering, or better yet sharing a shower. Waterfootprint.org is a fun tool for tracking your own water usage. Lastly, educate yourself about the state of water in the world and your own community. I recommend Foodandwaterwatch.org as a good starting place. Think globally and support your local public water system.

Newsweek Article, October 8th, 2010
The New Oil
http://www.Newsweek.com/2010/10/08/the-race-to-buy-up-the-world-s-water.html

Nestlé: Draining American Bottle by Bottle: Rural Communities Take a Stand
http://www.storiesthatmatter.org/20090715177/NRNS-Stories/nestle-draining-america-bottle-by-bottle-rural-communities-take-a-stand.html

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation
http://www.savemiwater.org/

Documentary, Flow: For the love of Water
Flow is a documentary featuring water and community activist discussing their battle against public water privatization and its impact on communities.
http://www.flowthefilm.com/

Front Line Perspective on Food Security

2011-02-08T13:22:00Z

A Guest Writer Entry from Jessica Spenner

Throughout the month of January, I had the honor of documenting Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, an organization that provides emergency food to people in Kalamazoo County. They do this in several different ways including stocking twenty-six different food pantries, handing out free food, providing food for elders and mothers that do not receive WIC benefits and providing food packs to local children to help them get through the weekend.

Often times, people make the assumption that organizations like KLF are enabling homelessness, and not solving the problem. However, through the month I realized that KLF is simply helping them take the first step. If you do not have food, your body begins to shut down. How can we expect a homeless person to get on their feet, find a job and provide for their family if they are literally starving and their mind cannot function properly?

This is where Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes comes in. Not only do they provide food in so many different ways, but every program they create to provide food meets the USDA guidelines for nutrition. By providing healthy food for those in need, KLF is helping people get back on their feet. If you’d like to learn more, visit the KLF website at www.kzoolf.org or read about them on my blog at www.bethechangemakethedifference.blogspot.com

About the writer - Jessica Spenner is the author of the Blog Be the Change. Make the Difference. The blog is her journey into volunteering with a number of non-profits in Southwest Michigan. She hopes that the blog will give people the information to help these causes by giving time or resources. Many similar non-profits can be found in every community across the US giving us all an aveanue to help those in need.

Vote Now: Global Test Drive Challenge $10,000 for Charity

2010-12-27T02:53:00Z

Help me become a finalist by voting this week for my video entry supporting the American Red Cross and United Way. Click on "love it" here: Take a Risk to Help Others

I'm a risk taker and I work hard to give back. Volunteering and raising money for charity has helped to make me a better person and I want to keep finding new and innovative ways to do it. For my project I plan to give in 2 ways: I'm going to use the $10,000 to purchase 1,000 First Aid Kits that will be donated to the American Red Cross. The $5,000 that will be provided by Right Response through their Give a Kit Program will be donated to United Way. Help me help others and be the first to drive the new 2012 Ford Focus.

Take a Risk to Help Others

Study Finds Depression Related to Cholesterol Levels and Gender

2010-10-09T06:42:00Z

A Guest Writer Entry from Betty Doyle

www.depressionpills.net

College of Montpellier scientists display us how depressive disorder is related to cholestrerol levels and gender

Do you know the Institute of Medical and Health Research (INSERM) and College of Montpellier financed researchers suggested that controlling 'good' and 'bad' levels of cholesterol can help avoid emotional conditions among seniors?

In a recently available issue of the academic journal Biological Psychiatry (http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com) released in July 2010, leading researcher, Doctor Marie-Laure Ancelin of INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale www.inserm.fr) documented that gender-specific regulation of cholesterol levels can help avoid depressive disorders in the seniors.

French scientists observed women and men aged sixty five and older for 7 years. They discovered that depressive disorder in women was connected with lower levels of "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), which puts them at higher risk for coronary disease, including heart stroke.

On the other hand, depressive disorder in men was related to low levels of "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). This association was strongest in men with a hereditary vulnerability to depression related to a serotonin transporter gene. Therefore, the study concluded that proper regulation of HDL-C and LDL-C levels can help avoid depressive disorder in seniors.

The research was published in the July 15 issue of the journal Biological Psychiatry (Reference: www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(10)00393-8/abstract).

Major nutritional sources of cholesterol include dairy products, egg yolks, meat, pork, chicken, and shrimp. Plant products such as flax seeds and peanuts include cholesterol-like substances known as phytosterols. Total cholesterol means the sum of HDL (High-density lipoprotein), LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), and VLDL (Very-low-density lipoprotein). Usually, only the total, HDL, and triglycerides are tested.

It is suggested to have cholesterol tested more often than five years if someone has total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or higher, or if a man over age forty five or a woman over age fifty has HDL (good) cholesterol under 40 mg/dL, or occur other risk elements for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

So...exactly what can you do to increase your HDL (good) and decrease your LDL (bad) levels?

1. Physical exercise can substantially improve HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol.

2. Cigarette smoking has been shown to lower HDL (good) while raising LDL (bad) cholesterol.

3. Prepared, trans fats at the same time raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol.

4. Monounsaturated fats such as those found in essential olive oil and avocados increase HDL and reduce LDL.

5. Fatty fish like sardines and salmon contain omega-3 fats that raise HDL and lower LDL.

6. Whole, intact cereals contain dietary fiber and niacin, both of which raise HDL and may lower LDL.

Now it's all up to you...

About the writer - Betty Doyle shares knowledge for the <a href="http://www.depressionpills.net/">anti depression pills</a> blog. It's a nonprofit web site specialized in her personal depression journey. The blog is targeted on providing energy and hope to anyone who is suffering from depressive disorder and promotes those individuals to find the energy to fight against the effects of depression. In this manner she would like to assist alleviate some of the stigma mental illness depression can cause and help people perception of mood problems.

Sex- It's Just Not for Everyone!

2010-05-24T04:04:00Z

From Dr. John Beiter, clinical psychologist, licensed sex therapist, executive coach and human sexuality researcher

A former guest on The Spicer Show at Blog Talk Radio

Recently I was asked to speak on a panel concerning the lack of a sexual relationship in as many as 40 million couples in the United States. While many people believe that sex is natural and normal and vital for a relationship to survive, there are those do not. I guess if you are one of the ones experiencing a healthy sexual connection with your partner then you might find this notion to be untenable. Even though I am one of those in healthy sexual relationship, I could easily imagine those that are not. As I reflected on what might steer one away from a sexual union with another, it was not difficult to start listing what makes such a relationship unattractive.

I previously mentioned Zibergeld’s – The New Male Sexuality in another Blog and liked what he had to say about how our culture is dominated by a “Fantasy Model of Sexuality”. It was one that was based on performance, orgasm, passion and flawless forms as portrayed by the media, movies and the like. However, I find it interesting to note that “sex” as a human interaction is typically portrayed and experienced by many as purely physical, even though if you really think about it – sex starts and ends in the mind. After all, to begin one has to get in the “mood” by “feeling” erotically motivated and to finish one usually experiences a wave or waves of pleasure that equates to “feeling”. So for something we exponentially promote as physical – sex is really about feelings – a word that typically and unfortunately holds little value in our culture and society. If Zilbergeld was correct in his assumption about the “Fantasy Model”, then it seems apparent why many would choose not to play along.

Of course there are many other reasons as to why many would not find a sexual relationship appealing. For many their decision was based on unwanted sexual experiences in their life. For others, sex was just not that exciting, rewarding or gratifying. Many people have told me that sex is too much like work and not worth the effort. Others have stated that doing without eliminates any and all the anxieties they had previously experienced and were happy to be free of the constraints. Does it have to be that way? Of course not, but until we do something about changing what sex “looks like” and means in our society then many will choose not to engage.

Too Many Nonprofits or Not Enough Good Ones?

2010-05-18T02:14:00Z

This Week’s Guest Writer is Kelly Cleaver, Young Nonprofit Professional

Is It Possible To Have Too Much of a “Good” Thing?

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that there currently are more than 1.2 million charities and foundations in the United States. That means that there are literally hundreds of thousands of charities applying for grants, asking the public for donations and asking the government for assistance. At the same time, 1.2 million charities and foundations together make for one massive economic force. Nonprofits play a large role in our economy today, creating jobs and spending money. However, this fact is often missed because so many individual nonprofits are small and struggling to survive.

Lately, I often find myself involved in a conversation where someone makes mention of a new nonprofit, and I hear a wave of sighs and frustrated grunts. We don’t need more nonprofits. What we need is to focus on what has already been established and to make it better.

Typically, I am a huge fan of the social entrepreneurship concept. I am a firm believer that many of the same traits that drive a person to create and succeed financially as a capitalist can also drive a person to create and enforce social change. To me, an entrepreneur is someone who thinks of new and innovative ways to achieve a particular goal. What better goal could a person have to take risk and initiative than social change? However, I am wondering if some of our idealization of entrepreneurship is hurting the public sector. Why exactly are there so many nonprofit organizations? Is it because so many of us want to be the one responsible for the changes we desire? Are we more concerned with who creates change instead of whether or not any change actually takes place? Wouldn’t the people and/or causes we serve be better off if we worked together, instead of starting a new organization to do something another one is already doing?

Collaboration is a popular word these days in the nonprofit sector. I, myself, am a big fan. Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of it and fewer new nonprofit organizations.

Fighting Obesity with Fortitude: Food Revolution

2010-05-02T11:14:00Z

This week's guest writer is Whit Scott creator of whitscott.com. Here's his post originally entitled:

“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”: Stopping Obesity Through an Online Petition.

April 27th, 2010 · No Comments

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been inspired by Jamie Oliver and his ambitious campaign that I first discovered through his TED Talk. Every year TED awards one person the TED prize of $100,000 and “One Wish to Change the World” – which is basically the tools and connections that a conference like TED can provide. Jamie Oliver’s wish as quoted on the conference page reads “I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.” Jamie’s talk inspires for a few reasons. First you are blindsided by some serious statistics about obesity. Then you realize just how passionate he is about trying to fix the problem. The talk is quite moving and if you haven’t seen it, I recommend you take a look.

The campaign begins. In January, Jamie joined Twitter and started getting the word out. Now he’s trying to get one million people to sign an online petition that he plans on taking to the White House to present to the President. The word is out, the Tweets are being retweeted, the Facebook page points to the petition and his site which has everything you’d need to know about Jamie’s Food Revolution.

I also enjoyed this Mashable interview by Brenna Ehrlich where Jamie explains exactly what the food revolution is. Interviews like this just go to show how much of an effort the guy really is putting into his campaign.

I don’t have kids but some day I hope to, and when I do I’d like them to be served good food by the school system. I could write a whole post about the importance of eating healthy food, and how feeding kids properly not only benefits them, but all of us. Instead I’d like to support the movement by signing the petition and posting this for all of you to read in hopes that you’ll do the same.

Haiti: A Historical & Human Rights Perspective

2010-04-24T00:28:00Z

This week's guest writer is Yirssi Bergman, author of Breaking The Glass Ceilings, originally entitled:

The reasons Haiti is in the state it is

The fact that the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti createdmore damage than in practically any other part of the world is not news. In2009, an earthquake of the same magnitude hit Indonesia, and only 57 people died. In 1946 an 8.0 magnitude quakehit Dominican Republic, the country that shares Hispaniola with Haiti, and only 100 people died. In 1992 an 7.3 magnitudeearthquake hit California, which took one life and injured400 people.

So the question is, why did the earthquake in Haiti cause so many lost lives,and so much damage?
The main reason is that Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. According to a NY Times article, "four out of fivepeople living in poverty and more than half in abject poverty. " This issomething that many people know, but what most people don't know or understandis how Haiti became so poor in the first place. I'd like to explore the historyof Haiti in this post, in order to shed some light on the issue.

Richest Colony

Haiti Shares the island Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. ChristopherColumbus discovered the island in 1492. Around 1670 France claimed the westernpart of the island, and Spain ceded it.

"Four hundredyears ago, Haiti was the richest colony in the world, known as Le Perled'Antilles. The mountains were covered in rich mahogany treesand rain forest, the rivers ran deep and clear. When the French colonized thewestern third of the island, they were able to extract unprecedented wealth,but the day the ground was first broken to plant crops for export, the steadydecline of Haiti's soil and environment began."

In the 18th century Haiti was so prosperous and full ofresources that it produced over half of the coffee produced in the world,about 40% of the France's sugar, and about 40% of France's foreigntrade. Around that time Haiti had an import/export trade that wasworth an estimated $140 million a year.

The Haitian Revolution

In 1804 Haiti declared their independence, effectively becoming the first black independent state. This is where the rumorsstart flying. People say things such as "the Haitians made a pact with thedevil in order to defeat the French" and so on. I was talking with NehemieDestine for the story I wrote about the earthquake, and he gave me some insight thatalthough hard to prove (because, which country would admit it?) I completelyagree with.

Destine stated that he believes that when Haiti achieved its independence, theinternational world turned their backs on it. The United States itself didn'trecognize Haiti until nearly 60 decades later. At that time, when the rest ofthe entire world was built on slavery, the white colonists would not haveapproved of the fact that Haiti was independent. Not only that, but I believethat they would have said anything possible to assuage their fear that it would happento them: hence, Haiti must have made a pact with the devil.Right?

Political Instability and Corruption

After Haiti gained its independence (and France demanded 150 million gold francs to recognizeHaiti), years of political instability crippled Haiti severely. Many countries,after they gained their independence from whatever country wascolonizing/enslaving it, didn't have the education/knowledge to know how togovern themselves. The same thing happened to Haiti.

From 1822 to 1844 Haiti invaded the Dominican Republic. Atrocitieswere conducted by both sides: by Haiti when trying to control the Dominicans,and by the Dominicans when expelling the Haitians out of the country. Thispartly explains the animosity between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Throughout all of Haiti's history, they have had a series of corrupt leadersthat looked out for their own wealth, rather than the people of Haiti. Muchlike the French colonists themselves.

Deforestation and Lack of Natural Resources

(The border betweenHaiti and Dominican Republic.)

Throughout these years, without a government that worked on what was best forthe country, the country was deforested (less than 2%of the country is now forests). This deforestation has led tosoil erosion, which has in turn led to landslides, flooding, and to soil that can't now beworked.

Haiti Now

All of these things added together (the enslavement of the Haitian people + thecorruption of the government once it gained its independence + the literacy ofthe Haitian people once they gained their independence + a lack/abuse ofnatural resources) have made Haiti the country that it was before theearthquake, and made it weak enough for what happened to take place.

As dire as things may look, however, there is hope for Haiti. The Haitianpeople have proven to be strong and resilient, and I believe that if theinternational community helped to reconstruct Haiti by giving thereconstruction jobs to the Haitians, and by accepting more of what Haiti cantrade, as this Op-Ed article explains, with timethe Haitian people will create resources.

Sex and Public Health – My Sex::Tech 2010 Recap

2010-04-17T02:19:00Z

This week's guest writer is Andre Blackman author and creator of pulseandsignal.com

Recently I had the privilege to attend the 3rd annual Sex::Tech conference hosted by ISIS, inc. The conference was held in San Francisco, CA which is appropriate given the amount of work they have done in the area in regards to sexual and public health. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Sex::Tech (now, now – don’t blush too hard) is a meeting of the minds surrounding issues related to sexual health, technology/new media and young people. It was absolutely mind blowing to listen to the current state of sex education and related issues straight from the mouths of the young people that are being affected. Not from adults who think they know what’s going on – definitely a difference there. I mean seriously, I just turned 28 and I felt like I was a senior citizen with the things I was hearing. With all due respect, no 300 page CDC report could touch this kind of community/demographic insight.

Day one of the conference kicked off with a panel discussion consisting of college age students discussing their experiences with sex education growing up and relevant issues of how to reshape sex education in the classrooms of the future. Topics ranged from mixing boys/girls together for classes to incorporating attention to the growing number of openly identifying LGBT teens. No matter where you sit on the spectrum of acceptance – you cannot ignore the statistics and the issues taking place with our young people today regarding HIV/AIDS and other STD infections. The mere fact that many young people don’t consider oral sex as…sex….is a problem. As my college human sexuality professor would tell us: “Anything you can put something, you can get something”.

The rest of the day consisted of breakout sessions and a plenary session from sponsoring organizations discussing what they do and the relevant issues they are working hard diligently on. One of the organizations I was really proud of was MTV for becoming part of the engagement and conversation surrounding an issue that affects their core audience. Jason Rzepka, VP of Public Affairs at MTV Networks, (who also won a PopTech award that morning) was there to discuss their collaboration with the Kaiser Family Foundation (also in attendance) on their GYT (Get Yourself Tested/Talking) campaign. The day ended with an awesome wine tasting meet and greet at the Press Club in downtown SF. I hung out with one of my favorite people, Amy Jussel of Shaping Youth for most of the conference – this is definitely a relevant conference for her as she focuses on the effects of marketing and media on young people. Check out her three part interview with Deb Levine, Director of ISIS, Inc.

Alongside my friend Leslie Bradshaw, I gave a presentation looking at online engagement strategies for public health:

New Media Strategies for Public Health

View more presentations from Andre Blackman.

I was also really excited to get Deb on camera as she closed out the conference with some great thoughts.

And finally an interview with ISIS’ Youth Marketing Manager who is very into public health and new ideas, Margaret Lucas:

I thought the event was well organized with great opportunities to learn about fantastic campaigns and projects that are impacting the landscape of public health through sexual education innovation. I’m glad that this conference is moving forward because for alot of sexual health education and prevention initiatives, we have not been paying attention to the people that are in the middle of the problems. Sex::Tech allows an opportunity for those working in the field to hear about the experiences of young people and how to better shape programs for the future.

Addiction and Recovery in the Media

2010-04-07T01:58:00Z

An amazingly well said commentary from Emily Joye, author of the blog Know Noise

Something in me needs to "talk back" to all this media mess around Tiger Woods that continues to unfold. I read an article by a white straight man this morning who is promoting 12-step buddhist recovery for Tiger. You can read it here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/darren-littlejohn/year-of-the-iron-tiger-se_b_477627.html

Now: I'm all about recovery, but sex and drug and alcohol addiction don't just crop up b/c people feel like ruining their lives. Addiction is a symptom of our economic/social system that is based on material greed. The metanarrative about big bad black masculinity/sexuality and weakling white women conditions people into consumer (material and sexual) roles. When you're in a role, you're easier to control. And when you're in a role, it's easier to locate where you are and who you're with and why you're with them and what you might purchase or get addicted to. If you think addiction doesn't have systemic threads to it, just check out the location of liquor stores in neighborhoods all over the country. Check the concentration of fast food marketing to particular ethnic groups, or the proliferation of cosmetic surgery ads in places where women go looking for something, anything other than themselves for salvation. If you want to know how ridiculously "caught up" our media is with selling these stereo-types, just check out this cover of vanity fair:http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/01/annie-leibovitz-comments-on-tiger-woods-cover-photo.html
Photographer Annie Leibovitz is quoted as saying: “Tiger is an intensely competitive athlete—and quite serious about his sport. I wanted to reveal that in these photos. And to show his incredible focus and dedication.” What a crock. We had never seen images of Tiger like this until the "scandal" broke. While he was playing a predominantly white sport, we were seeing him in polo shirts and khaki pants. Then when he steps outside of his marriage with a bunch of Paris Hilton look alikes (oh yes: white feminity is being framed through this story too), we see him lifting weights, shirt-less, with vertical bars in the background?? Leibovitz is obviously owned.
So what i'm personally struggling with is the absolutely obvious need we have for recovery in this economic climate--ecologically, socially and spiritually--being talked about in terms of symptom alleviation. If we don't take the greed-based, material-focused, dog-eat-dog spirit out of our currency with one another, those symptoms will continue to pop up no matter how many individuals are admitting their powerlessness. So yeah, meetings and steps and service are important, but where's the discussion on and commitment to systemic, structural shifting??

Shifting Gears: A New Blog Venue

2010-04-02T10:27:00Z

Due to recent developments with the business that are shifting a focus towards what I came here to do and switching gears to my radio show after having enjoyed the growth of this blog, I've moved to a new venue: I'll now be posting my weekly entries on The Spicer Show page: www.blogtalkradio.com/scott-spicer.

For the past two weekly entries, I started by reposting an earlier entry on this blog about community organizing and relationships. Today is the start of another new writing and related to the subject matter of an upcoming live recording of The Spicer Show. So, this blog won't become stagnant; I'll be posting a brief note each week as an update to what's happening on my show page and in the mean time, will most likely solicit others to have their writing featured on here. Do still keep an eye out on here and I look forward to seeing your comments here, there or anywhere.

You mean taking a pill is not enough?

2010-03-14T23:15:00Z

I just saw a commercial for depression medication that said 2 out of 3 people being treated for depression still have unresolved symptoms. Of course, they want you to take more of their drugs, so they say that if you are one of those people, consider a second medication. What's my reaction? If people think that taking a medication will resolve all of their symptoms they need to get a new doctor or talk to a health educator. Being diagnosed and going on medication is an important part of the process to work towards better health. However, it is only one part of that process that allows people to move in the direction of behavior and life style change. For those who are diagnosed with a mental illness, having unresolved symptoms while on medication may mean that they have yet to look at the other factors in their life that are having a negative impact on their health. In a similar case, someone going on medication for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol will prevent them from being at unhealthy or life threatening levels. However, they will never get to a healthy range until they make adjustments to their diet and exercise habits.

I don't blame people for thinking that medication will solve all of their health problems, because that is the impression we get from most doctors. Many are working hard to change this through the promotion of preventive and lifestyle medicine, increasing access to preventive care and effective health education within our healthcare system. However, many cannot afford to see a therapist, nutritionist, or preventive care specialist even if they have insurance. So, what can we do? The first step is to acknowledge that when we make the commitment to taking medication for a particular diagnosis, we must consider other aspects of our life that we can change to work towards good health.

There are many health conditions that are not preventable and are simply related to genetics or an unexplainable occurence. Yet, all of us can make a adjustments to our lifestyle or look at other factors of our life that are not directly related to the symptoms of our health problems, that may still have a positive or negative impact on our health. This is where the idea of holistic health can be applied. Examining the aspects of our life that contribute to our overall health and wellness that include diet, activity, relationships, physical intimacy, spirituality and pyschological well being are important to this process. We must also acknowledge our readiness and capability to make changes and sustain them.

In our society, we often equate health with beauty, weight loss and always being under control. This can create unrealistic and unhealthy standards and ways of thinking. What I like to tell people is that your goal should be to get healthy. To do that you can eat a balanced diet, stay active and weight loss is an added benefit, not the primary goal. Just as taking medication will help you feel better, but much more is needed to live a healthier life. Start with small steps that are within reason. Examples are to drink water throughout the day and limit yourself to one non water drink a day (coffee, juice, soda). Try to work up to regular exercise if you don't already and set progressive goals for your work out regimine. In the mean time, find ways to stay active throughout the day. Take the stairs, park farther away from your destination and come up with ways to incorporate walking and getting up from your desk throughout the work week. The most important thing with diet is balance and variety in color and in addition to that, reward yourself every so often. Lastly, create a fulfilling life for yourself by enjoying the process, celebrating the outcomes and read up on all things beneficial for your health at The Kathleen Show Blog. Take a moment to complete the survey below and comment with your feedback.

Interested in hearing my thoughts? Listen to The Spicer Show on Blog Talk Radio and download my Free Podcasts

Mental Health: Everyone's Problem or Many People's Life Journey

2010-03-12T13:53:00Z

It's one of those health issues that still remains a taboo topic, yet in recent years our society has become more open to the idea that we need to talk about mental health and treat it like most other health issues. Over the past 3 years I've worked in underage drinking prevention and now am focused on peer support services and advocacy for mental health and disabilities. What I've seen both from my own personal experience and work with others, is that our view of mental health as a problem is what often makes it more difficult for others to deal with a diagnosis and maintain a healthy support system. In addition to that, our medical system is designed to focus on medication as a primary method of treatment and access to additional supports such as therapy and other preventive services is quite limited. Mental health parity is forging a way for those lucky enough to be insured, to seek care for mental health.

In the way of progress, we've seen in recent years a movement towards individuals diagnosed with a mental illness leading the recovery movement as peers who are trained to provide support to others. Movements like that led by actress Glenn Close to found Bring Change 2 Mind -which focuses on combating mental health stigma-have helped to bring to forefront the need to be open, accepting and embrace mental health as an issue that all should be supportive of. Yet, there is still much work to be done.

Mental health has been stigmatized through a long history of treating individuals with an illness by relegating them to institutions and deeming them unable to function as "normal" members of the community at large. However, after President Reagan shut down institutions in the 80's and through progressive movements to provide support and services that help integrate individuals into the community, we've come very far, with a long way to go. Although many people now are not permanently institutionalized, a large proportion are in jail -in many ways due to their mental illness- or are living off of social security disability benefits with a low likelihood of being "able" to work. Much of this may have to do with the way our system continues to "treat" individuals, the tendency to be on high dosages of medication that are often debilitating and a lack of encouragement towards the idea of recovery and self sufficiency.

There is hope. People in the media like The Kathleen Show who have promoted my writing on the Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday Blog, produced films like Side Effects with Katherine Heigl on the Pharmeceutical industry and talked about Depression, the word is getting out. The system is beginning to change, like here in Michigan where nearly 700 people have been trained and employed as Peer Support Specialists to promote recovery and systems transformation. Despite that, we continue to waste money through crisis intervention and treatment services as a primary mechanism under strict budget constraints. More efforts to continue finding ways of promoting recovery will prevent people with mental illness from relying on long term government support and ending up in jail or psychiatric treatment. What we must do-as with many of the issues I write about- is continue to challenge the system, fight for change and advocate for prevention. If we view this as a problem we'll make very little progress, but if we approach it as an opportunity to support the life journey of many -both with a diagnosis and in support of loved ones- we'll continue moving in the right direction. Take a moment to complete the survey below and comment with your feedback.

Interested in hearing my thoughts? Listen to The Spicer Show on Blog Talk Radio and download my Free Podcasts