Ashoka
Social entrepreneurs respond to “a molten lava moment”
Yes, we’re facing big problems right now. Acute problems stemming from the pandemic. Generational problems rooted in systemic racism. And yet we don’t have to start from scratch to begin to heal, fix what’s broken, and imagine a new world — one that is more caring, equitable, and creative. This is the basis for Welcome Change, a series of conversations with Ashoka Fellows. And as our latest conversation reminds us, social entrepreneurs like Rosanne Haggerty, Sonya Passi, Raj Jayadev, and David Bornstein have many of the answers and insights we need right now. They have been testing solutions for years, even decades. Here are short highlights from the full conversation:
Ashoka insight
We ask: what is your experience of this moment? “It feels like molten lava… things are burning, but also are fluid,” Raj shares. “At some point they will calcify and that will be our new reality.” Rosanne Haggerty is working to achieve “functional zero” homelessness — and showing results. Sonya Passi notes that many incentives, including funding incentives, are misaligned with this “moment of reckoning” that requires long-term vision and systemic change. David Bornstein reflects on how communities of color and communities in poverty are currently defined by journalism according to their deficits, not their aspirations and contributions — and what might be done differently.