In my previous blog-post, I talked about how I discovered the vitality of Hartford’s non-profit/community service scene. Since then, I refocused my work with The Purpose Project to doing research on Hartford’s most effective social leaders. Surprisingly, this task includes a lot less walking than one would expect - but much more talking. My research has already had a profound impact on me, because I am beginning to see the threads of some really interesting stories in the information I’ve been gathering on each person. As a hopeful up-and-coming social leader myself, I can’t help but be inspired. As I think about my own place in the world of social involvement, I’ve started to consider some of the characteristics that define a social leader, and how someone who wants to make a difference in the community can take the steps necessary to develop into that role. Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings, readers. I believe some introductions are now in order. My name is Jeff Ahking and I’m a new summer volunteer for the Purpose Project. How are you? Feel free to leave a simple “fine, thanks” in the comments section, or whisper the words softly to your computer monitor. Better yet, smile at somebody you pass on the street or say ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’ to someone you stand next to at the bus stop. Like gravity, interpersonal connections are what make the world go ‘round.

In fact, our purpose at The Purpose Project is to connect experienced social changemakers with the next generation of up-and-coming leaders. Our goal is to inspire and equip members of both generations to address the challenges facing our communities, country, and world. I chose to get involved because I like to think of myself as one of these up-and-coming leaders, but I suppose only time will tell. Read the rest of this entry »

“I’m comiiiiinggg!” Archbishop Tutu sings out from the adjacent room, the words rolling off his tongue in a playfully high-pitched refrain, before he comes wheeling and teetering—all 5’2” of him—around the corner of his suite at the Atlanta Grand Hyatt.

Deep breath in. The adrenaline unleashed by excitement and nervousness takes hold. Mouth is dry, heart is beating fast, and mind is racing, searching for the proper greeting for an Archbishop. “It is an honor to meet you, Father.” Or, should it be, “Your Grace?” “Your Holiness?”

Archbishop Tutu joins us at the dining room table. His smile is gracious and slightly mischievous, his eyes sparkle, and his face matches the image of a man who has been signing his emails to us “Love and blessings, Arch.” Formality fades, and we begin our conversation with a kindred spirit, a man far too excited about life and people to be bothered by titles.

Read the rest of this entry at The Huffington Post

Our generation is often referred to as the young and invincible–full of ambition, and ready and willing to throw ourselves headlong down the path of our dreams. Some may even call us brazen. We have entered the professional world with great expectations about what we will accomplish and plenty of energy to get us off to a good start. But how are our drive and dedication affected when things don’t go according to plan?

Recently, I have discovered that the path between our aspirations and accomplishments can be longer and more complicated than anticipated. And, as we move from inspiration to action, most of us will encounter at least a few detours and dead-ends along the way. The question that we must ask ourselves when this happens is, will we allow these obstacles to lead us off course, or will we use them as guideposts that reveal a more productive direction?
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The story behind the story of this year’s primary elections has been the power and influence of America’s youth vote. Record numbers of young adults are turning out to make their voices heard; in some states, turnout rates among young adults have doubled or even tripled. Barack Obama, in particular, has struck a chord among young adults with his message for change: among the under-30 crowd, voters are breaking almost 2:1 in his favor.* We’ve found these statistics interesting not only as indicators of political strategy, but as evidence of a new level of growing civic participation among young adults. According to Peter Levine, director of the civic engagement research group CIRCLE, rising youth turnout rates are reflective of this generation’s “deep concern about the critical issues at stake and the impact of this election on our country’s future.” Young adults are anxious for change and are now considering voting as one way to play a role in determining our collective future. Read the rest of this entry »

While getting to know some new friends, I was asked, “So, what do you do?” After explaining the framework for The Purpose Project, and our goal to inspire more young adults to take on the problems that are confronting our world, a conversation that started as small talk quickly turned into a spirited discussion.

Like many other members of our generation, the group around the table that day was frustrated by the issues that fill the news: the state of our environment, our political system, our economy, just to name a few. Momentum seemed to build as people took turns pointing out the causes or the implications of an issue and sharing the ways in which social issues present themselves in their lives. But after the venting subsided, the energy that had filled the conversation disappeared as quickly as it had come. What was the source of this sudden buzz-kill? That persistent, and difficult to answer question: “What can we do?” Read the rest of this entry »