President Obama,

Step up, be the bigger man, and lead this great nation of ours.

Stop lowering yourself to his level.  Stop asking me for money with some joke of a solicitation talking about the good 'ole days and how I need to meet some smoke and mirrors deadline.  It's not working and you are better than that.


There are millions of us out there waiting for you to put all of this BS campaign jousting in the rear-view mirror.  Waiting for you to stop with the negativity and the attacks.

I made the trip to your inauguration a few years ago because I wanted to be a part of something significant.  I wanted to be able to tell my children and my grandchildren one day, that I was there when our world changed for the better.  You sold me on that possibility, and I bought into it.

I remember what it felt like to hope, and to dream, and to stand united under a common vision.  Remind yourself of what it took to get to that moment, but then move on.

It is time for you to take a walk, take a breath, and with that next exhale, endeavor to harness the power of a desperately hopeful nation that just wants to hear something positive, something aspirational, and something that will make them believe in the United States of America again.

Do that, and you won't have to send me some cliche, overused auto-email asking for my money.
Do that, and I will send in my support unsolicited.
Do that, and he won't have a chance.

Respectfully, and hopefully, yours,
Colin Brode Donovan

Be well Barack!

Nothing. Anything. Something.

I have started to think a lot about barriers recently. There are a lot of barriers disappearing these days. Borders. Walls. Fences. With every layer of protection that breaks down, it seems a slight whiff of some unknown stored energy is released out into the universe. It's getting increasingly more difficult to look at the person next to you without some shared sense of empathy in the light of the current state of affairs on this planet. We are all starting to pay attention.

Quite frankly, I am terrified. The world is a fucked up place. And yet at the very same time, we are interacting with people in a way that was, at one point in our species history, incomprehensible. I am an optimist. But I am also an advocate of experiential learning. You have to get knocked on your ass a few times, experience the broad side of ignorance to the face, before you really start to pay attention.

When before our penpals lived on the other side of town, we now collaborate on elementary school projects half a world away. This shared experience is quickly becoming the most powerful force in the world. It can be overwhelming at times. If you are "fortunate" enough to be plugged in to the web of relationships technology has allowed us to create, you see some pretty crazy shit. At times, it is easy to forget all of the good things that are happening out there. We are collaborating on a remarkable scale. As our awareness of each other and our ability to communicate continue to evolve, barriers start to break down. All of a sudden, dreams that once seemed but a passing cloud become our reality.

Stop and take a breath - we have the ability to change the world, we just need to start paying attention.

Nothing is anything until it is something.

-cbd

Khan Academy... Definitely tracking these folks. Has revolution written all over it.

Children Rise Trailer and NWP Phase 2 Annoucement

Friends,

my bad. life sidetracked me for a bit.

travel, new job, new digs, etc etc...

but all have inspired new thoughts, and more importantly, connected me to some new and cool orgs out there that are spreading the No Worries message(even if they don't know it...yet!)

needless to say, i have not been as diligent with the NWP blog as I would have liked...

But internet gets hooked up tonight, and we will be back on and runnng like Usain Bolt in no time.

Until then, check out the trailer (below) to my friend Billy Raftery's latest project, "Children Rise."

Get inspired, and then check out their webpage... http://www.childrenrise.org/

As always, thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned as I begin to rollout the second phase of the No Worries Project later this summer...

All my love,

cbd

A World Cup for Change: Part 1

With less than 100 days before the world's most gifted athletes take to the pitch to play the world's greatest game on the world's largest stage to compete for the world's most treasured trophy, I thought it might not be a bad idea to focus in on what will surely be one of the most significant events in the history of sport...the 2010 World Cup, hosted for the first time by an African nation: South Africa. This will be the first of a multi-part series that will focus on some of the storylines you probably won't see during ESPNs coverage.

World Cup 2010, part 1.

For most, June 11th will mark the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when host nation South Africa will take the field against Mexico. Buen Suerte Mexico, bring your ear plugs to the match, the Bafana Bafana supporters will be a fan spectacle like nothing we have ever seen.

What many people around the world don't know, is that the first world cup match actually commences next week, when 9 teams face off in the Street Child World Cup in Durban.
Endorsements from such footballing giants as David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson has given this project a stamp of legitimacy that will finally give street children around the world the voice they so desperately need. Perhaps no better endorsement is needed, however, then from one of my personal heroes - a man who means so much to South Africa, and an ambassador for peace the world over, Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

“The Deloitte Street Child World Cup demonstrates the tremendous potential of every single child, and especially street children, who are so often treated as less than human. I am proud that the first ever Street Child World Cup will take place in South Africa – and I urge all governments to guarantee the rights of this most marginalised group of their citizens to lives in which their promise is fulfilled.”

Next week's segment will cover Umthombo Street Children, the organization that is hosting the Street Child World Cup. Until then, please take a look at the promo video for the 2010 SCWC, and follow the links to get more info on the project.



As always, thanks for stopping by!
cbd and the NWP

Access to Education for All of Our Children...

Very simply, One Laptop per Child offers educational opportunities to the poorest children on this planet on a scale never before thought possible. Nicholas Negroponte and his team have found a way to put laptops in the hands of the forgotten future of our world. OLPC is taking big, bold steps to provide the tools necessary to connect and empower young students in some of the most disconnected parts of the globe.

If you are not familiar with this organization, check out the below video, jump to their website, and as always, spread the word about the incredible work One Laptop per Child is doing to make the future a truly brighter, and more connected place.

The Evolution of Philanthropy

A while back, I was cruising through the new releases section of the Summit Public Library and I stumbled upon a book called "The Blue Sweater," written by Jacqueline Novogratz. For anyone out there looking to supplement their latest vampire novel with something that offers a bit more substance, pick this book up. Now. Below is an excerpt copied from the the book's homepage:

"The Blue Sweater at once is a deeply personal coming-of-age story of a young idealist determined to change the world, and a call to action to all those concerned with growing inequality around the globe. Novogratz relates her experiences over two decades, first in Africa and later in India and Pakistan. Her story is a true testament to the indomitable quality of the human spirit and the power of hope and optimism to create real change."

The author, Jacqueline Novogratz, is the founder and CEO of Acumen Fund. Novogratz's visionary organization is a philanthropic endeavor that is changing the way people perceive the role of non-profits in combating poverty and offering tangible solutions to the problems facing sustainable international development.

A call to action! Friends of the NWP who are reading this blog:
Leverage your professional experiences, get involved, and change the world!
Check out the video below, get inspired...