Month: January 2010

books, children, education

Step 31: Whatever It Takes

Christa Avampato

Yesterday on my blogging / computer break, I finished the book Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America, an intimate look at Harlem Childrens Zone (HCZ), a nonprofit run by Geoffrey Canada. If you are interested in the future of public education, this book is a must-read. Author Paul Tough could have easily made it a ra-ra HCZ book, and he would have been justified in doing so. He didn’t. He shows us the good, the bad, and the ugly, the organization’s great successes, the painful choices, and the grave disappointments. It’s a beautifully crafted book about an organization that is changing the odds for poor, inner-city children.

When I finished the last word of the book, I started to think about Geoffrey Canada’s strategy and mission statement for HCZ: “Whatever It Takes”. He is willing to do whatever it takes to not just improve the odds of success for poor children in Harlem, but to change the odds of the game entirely for poor children all over the country. He provides health services, nutritious meals, parent education, and even pays back-due library fines for families enrolled in his program so that they can take their children to the public library and read to them. His list of services strives to be comprehensive of every possible need a child could have so that they can focus on their studies. His unwavering confidence in his approach and his laser beam focus are inspiring, and they’re working in his favor.

What if we could all do that with the area of our life that we are most passionate about? What if we could commit to the “Whatever It Takes” philosophy? How would that change our odds of success and fulfillment? I can’t help but think that there is so much power in those three little words that it would be truly impossible to fail if we took those words to heart. In those three words, the sky ceases to be the limit because they obliterate any limit at all.

clarity, technology, yoga

Step 30: Hang On by Letting Go

Christa Avampato

I’m having a tough time concentrating this morning; there are a lot of thoughts and decisions swimming around in my head. Too many if, then, what if, what then, and how statements. Too many questions without enough answers. My brain is fuzzy and nervous.

I’m not usually like this. Usually, I’m very clear headed. I compartmentalize well. I manage my nerves so they don’t get the best of me. Sometimes writing helps me to get clear. Sometimes just allowing my mind to spin out the questions long enough will allow the clarity to rise to the top. Sometimes I just need a nap. Today, I need yoga, a walk (despite the cold temperatures outside), and a day of rest from this computer. I know, I know, I’ve got a lot to do. A lot to write and plan and prepare. I know. But today, I’ve hit that point of diminishing returns. More time at this computer will not improve my focus; actually, it’s making it worse. Even my computer is slowing down; it’s tired, too. I’ve got to give my weary mind a rest, the same way that a marathon runner takes a rest the week before the big race in order to recharge her body. So it’s time to climb down from my cyber chair and go “out there”.

My friend, Sharni, unplugged earlier this week because she was in the same state. Too many screens and not enough time out in the physical world. I’m going to join her for the rest of the day today. Sometimes when we need to focus, the best thing we can do is let go.

social change, social entrepreneurship

Step 29: Activism

Christa Avampato

“Activism is my rent for living on this planet.” ~ Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

Today I spoke with HopeLab, an organization I’ve been getting to know over the last year. Founded by Pam Omidyar, HopeLab uses technology such as video games to improve the health of children. We have been talking about our mutual interest in using social media to engage children and their parents in living healthier lives. This lead us to talk about our public education system and its role in improving child health.

As our conversation unfolded, I could feel my spirits rising. I could feel the emotion welling up in my voice, not causing it to crack, but causing it to strengthen its conviction. Talking about education puts me into a zone where I am my most articulate. On this subject, my thoughts weave together to synthesize powerful, passionate sentiments. And I don’t need prepare anything to talk about education. I just allow myself to show up and be; this is the height of authenticity.

While watching the news, I saw that President Obama showed up at the Republican meeting, allowing the party to fire questions at him. His spontaneous responses were taped live. He took no notes or prepared remarks with him; he showed up with only the information in his mind and his intense focus. Despite the difficult few weeks that preceded the talk, he was determined to hold his own. Another example of the power of authenticity.

Activism, at its best, is giving our authentic passion about social issues the center stage. So many social issues need our attention now: education, healthcare, clean energy, the environment. And the list goes on. Our world is getting to a point where we cannot afford to wake up, go to work, go home, and sit on the couch, hoping for a better tomorrow. As Alice Walker has so eloquently stated in years past, “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” The only thing that is going to create a better tomorrow is our ability to act.

education, worry

Step 28: Start. Now.

Christa Avampato

“The difference between getting somewhere and nowhere is the courage to make an early start. The fellow who sits still and does just what he is told will never be told to do big things.” ~ Charles Schwab, entrepreneur

Last night I went to the orientation for Citizen Schools in preparation for my pilot of Innovation Station, an after-school program to teach product development and entrepreneurship to under-served middle school students. I was reminded of my friend, Amanda’s, post about being a beginner. I have taught lessons in public schools, though always with an organization’s planned curriculum. For Citizen Schools, I need to build the content. Citizen Schools offers a lot of support, though ultimately the apprenticeship is only as good as the volunteer.

On my way to the subway last night, I felt an odd mix of determination and trepidation. I feel so compelled to help these kids, and yet I worry that I will not be able to do enough. The lessons won’t be good enough, comprehensive enough. The students won’t fully understand how critical it is that they stay in school and work harder than they ever thought possible. How can 10 weeks, 13 small hours, make enough of a difference?

And then I read this quote by Charles Schwab. I have to get going. Now. I’ve got to start somewhere to make some kind of difference for these kids, these kids who are so much like me in so many ways. Imagine if my teachers or guidance counselors or my mom didn’t have the courage to start encouraging me despite the tough odds, didn’t have the water-tight belief that yes, I could do anything. Where would I be now? What would have become of me? I certainly would not be where I am.

Now is not the time for sitting still and doing what that nagging little voice of self-doubt tells us to do. That voice will never tell us to step out and try. It will never tell us to begin. It will only tell us to stay small. And we can’t do that. Not now. The world needs us too much; we have too many somewheres to be.

entrepreneurship, Examiner, New York City, technology

Examiner.com: My Interview with Adam Rich, Co-founder of Thrillist.com

Christa Avampato

Looking for the latest great place to dine, shop, or hang in New York City? Look no further than Thrillist, a free daily email with one fabulous suggestion after another. I recently had the opportunity to connect with Adam Rich, one of the co-founders, to get the inside scoop on their start-up.

Many thanks to Flavie Bagnol, Director of Communications, for making the arrangements for this interview. For the full interview, click here.

choices, decision-making

Step 27: Non-negotiables

Christa Avampato

Yesterday, Brian and I had a discussion about anxiety and what causes it. Lately, I’ve been having some very vivid dreams about choices I’m making and how those choices will affect other areas of my life. I love to think about ripple effects, taking an idea as far down the road as I can to see how it may play out in the short-, medium-, and long-term. Of late, I’ve also been experimenting with working backwards, considering where I’d like to be and then working back to see what I should do now to get there.

I asked Brian for some other tools like the working backwards strategy that may help me with the current decisions on my plate. He suggested the idea of building a list of non-negotiables. I am a fan of pro-con lists, though the trouble with pro-con lists is that they are interminable. By contrast, a list of non-negotiables is finite and non-negotiables quickly help us get to our core values.

We can develop a list of non-negotiables for every area of our lives: career, relationships, where we live, our diet. And the genius of this type of list is that it prevents us from settling. There are certain things that are just unacceptable, and if we take each of the options before us and match it up against our non-negotiable list, we can more easily discern which options could work and which ones need to go to the trash.

I’m working away on my lists for different areas of my life. Here’s one for how I schedule my writing commitments:
1.) I must retain the rights to my work
2.) I receive credit for the work and am able to list my website’s URL at the beginning or end of the piece
3.) The piece must be about a topic that personally interests me
4.) The publication must broaden my reach to a new audience

That’s it. Now of course there are other things I’d like to have, though these 4 points are the must-haves. If an opportunity violates any of my non-negotiables, no matter how great the opportunity is, I know I will eventually be unhappy with it. Knowing our non-negotiables provides us with our greatest chance at happiness, ensures our authenticity, and presents the most efficient and fulfilling use of our time and effort. Who could argue with that?

government

Guest post on 92Y blog: Mario Cuomo

Christa Avampato

I had the opportunity to see Mario Cuomo at 92Y last night and write a blog post about it for 92Y’s blog. I’m absolutely thrilled to join the talented team as a guest blogger and promote their incredible programming. To read my review of Governor Mario Cuomo’s talk at 92Y, click here.

comedy, dreams, gratitude, television

Step 26: We Could Learn a Lot from Conan

Christa Avampato

Goodbyes say a lot about someone. Does he walk away bitter and angry? Does she simply just shrug off the disappointment that comes with every experience, recognizing that all our experiences are opportunities for great learning? Does he leave grateful for what was, and hopeful for what will be?

This last sentiment describes the very eloquent goodbye given by Conan O’Brien last Friday as he bid adieu to The Tonight Show, his dream job that he wanted for most of his life. For 7 months he got to do this job, and in a series of unfortunate events, he lost the show to Jay Leno. I won’t repeat all of the bumblings and fumblings of this incident – you know them from the massive amount of press coverage it received.

Similar to every late night talk show host, Conan could say anything he wanted to on air, and certainly could say farewell to NBC, his professional home for over 20 years, and to The Tonight Show viewers in any fashion he saw fit. No one, and I mean not a single person other than NBC executives, would have blamed him if he really let NBC have it. He didn’t. Instead, he thanked them.

Some people have commented that Conan whimped out, that he was forced to say something nice. Not possible. Watch the final goodbye. It was heartfelt and sincere and gracious. He feels extraordinarily lucky that he got to have his dream job for 7 months. So many people never get to have their dream job at all. And the part that really got to me was his adamant dislike for cynicism. “I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere.Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. It’s just true.” Conan is living proof that this formula works.

I never watched Conan’s shows. His brand of humor just wasn’t for me. However, after viewing his final sign off from The Tonight Show, I’m going to tune in to his next program, wherever he lands. His fond farewell speech may have just brought him a whole new audience. Grace always works in our favor.

yoga, Yogoer.com

Yogoer.com: Find a Sacred Place

Christa Avampato

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” ~ Joseph Campbell

At the suggestion of a friend, I’ve been reading a lot of Joseph Campbell lately. I recently watched his DVD interviews with Bill Moyers around the idea of myth and the hero’s journey. A piece of the interviews that really caught my attention is their discussion about the importance of having a sacred place in our lives.

For the full post on Yogoer, please click here.

blogging, writer, writing

Step 25: Writers Rising

Christa Avampato

I’ve always wanted to be part of a writers circle. When I first moved to New York 11 years ago, my friend, Neil, and I used to meet regularly to talk about our writing. We did okay, though our styles and genres were so different. I was interested in writing novels and essays and he wrote screenplays. At the time he was the only writer I knew, and vice versa, so we made it work. And then he moved to LA, in the era before cell phones were ubiquitous. Away went my writing circle of one.

Since Neil, I’ve considered joining a few other writing groups, though they didn’t have the right vibe. I felt like I was putting in more work than I was getting of value in return, and getting to the meetings was challenging with my schedule. So for several years now, I’ve just been writing on my own. Over the weekend, my friend, Kathy, asked me to join her online writers group, Writers Rising. I read through the site and quickly realized that this was exactly the kind of group I have always wanted to join. I accepted her invitation right away.

I like the easy flow of Writers Rising, the imagery it conjures up, and the variety of material that comes together when a group writes a blog together. I’m excited to get to know these other writers, to lift them up, and share in this wonderful process of creation. One tiny step toward my goal of working more with friends in the coming year. Thanks to my pal, Sharni, for introducing me to this wonderful group.

I just put up my introductory post, Happy to Be Here, on Writers Rising. Hop over and check it out!