The nonprofit Northwest Arkansas Council works to identify challenges and champion solutions to enhance the prosperity of the Northwest Arkansas region.

Key initiatives include work to advance quality of life, attract talent, improve the region’s workforce, create job opportunities, upgrade infrastructure and keep up with the region’s impressive growth. The Council's "Life Works Here" campaign aims to better tell the story of Northwest Arkansas to tech talent around the country.

Northwest Arkansas is home to three Fortune 500 companies (Walmart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt), the University of Arkansas, numerous successful businesses and a growing startup culture. The region boasts a vibrant arts scene and an incredible outdoor recreation economy that includes 500+ miles of world-class bike trails.

This week's speaker, Nelson Peacock, will discuss how the campaign came about and what it seeks to accomplish.

Peacock joined the Northwest Arkansas Council as president and CEO after working as a senior vice president of government affairs for the University of California Office of the President.

Prior to that, Nelson was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the Office of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where was responsible for all aspects of the department’s interactions with Congress on issues related to counter terrorism, immigration, cyber security and natural disasters. Nelson oversaw the congressional teams of seven operational agencies of Homeland Security, including the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Administration. Nelson also served as senior counsel to Senator Joe Biden on the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate where he advised the future President on homeland security, crime and intellectual property issues.

Nelson has a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas and Masters of Law from the George Washington University School of Law.

To learn more, go to:

The Northwest Arkansas Council - https://nwacouncil.org

Finding NWA - https://findingnwa.com

This episode refers to a number of visuals that are in the video version which can be seen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ezxqZIuL6OMFHC7dYLhNK or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/01m4ESMbn6s

We believe this story is an important one, even if you do not watch the video, and hope that you will enjoy this and every episode of our series.

Sueños started as an afterschool program in Antigua Guatemala for the children of street vendors, mostly migrant, indigenous families from rural regions.

Due to the pandemic, in which 95% of Sueños students didn’t have contact with a teacher, the program has blossomed into a small school, where we implement community-centered education.

This talk explores how Sueños has adapted its model in order to respond to the needs of the community, specifically through community-centered education.

We'll discuss what community-centered education looks like at Sueños from the bilingual, Spanish-Ki'che, classroom, to the Community Facilitators who implement programs, as well as the importance of parent participation.

Katie Korsyn is the founder and Executive Director of Sueños. She received her bachelor's degree in international affairs with a focus on international development and a minor in Spanish from The George Washington University in 2013. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she moved to Guatemala in 2013.

While living in Guatemala, she has taught preschool and elementary school, and has been involved in various education projects, where she specializes in pedagogic coaching. Katie has worked with Division Educativa as an Education Specialist collaborating with organizations such as United Way, Child Aid, and the Guatemala Ministry of Education. She has worked with Teachers2Teachers-Global as the Education Leadership Coordinator where she focused on mathematics education.

Learn more about Katie's work and Sueños:

http://www.suenosgt.org

http://facebook.com/suenosgt

http://instagram.com/suenosgt

In Kaqchikel, a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala, "Natün" means to unite, come together, or align behind a common cause.

Natün Guatemala is a majority Maya-led organization passionate about elevating Indigenous leadership, rights and capacity. They equip local change agents and use existing local resources to effectively and sustainably build healthy, vibrant Maya communities.

To view a video this podcast see: https://youtu.be/IOHmuIG5bVw

Natün has been through a period of intense transition in the last few years, moving from a problematic model of external intervention, hand-outs, and short-term thinking, to embody a locally-led, long-term systemic change model which centers Indigenous culture and expertise. Along the way, they have failed, learned, evolved, and ultimately stepped into doing impactful development work.

Our speaker, Elena Wason, has been Natün Guatemala’s Executive Director since 2023, after having worked in leadership in the organization for four years.

Prior to leading Natün, Elena served as Programs Director and Strategy and Operations Director in nonprofits in Guatemala, spent two years working on the ground in Honduras as a Field Facilitator, as well as multiple years in the UK’s non-profit sector and think tanks in roles ranging from fundraising to policy.

Elena holds a Masters’ degree in Governance, Development and Public Policy from the Institute of Development Studies as part of the University of Sussex. She has published a book and numerous articles about the development struggles faced by communities in Central America.

They post regular updates on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages, where you can find out how to get involved:

https://www.facebook.com/gtnatun

https://www.instagram.com/natunguatemala/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/natunguatemala

Some of the world's most difficult problems – like poor reproductive health and violence against women – are now being addressed through the medium of prime-time serialized dramas also known as: Soap operas and Telenovelas.

Population Media Center (PMC) uses a special type of serialized melodrama for changing behavior on such issues as family planning, elevation of women's status, girls' education, stopping child marriage, protection of children, and protection of the environment.

Characters in locally written and produced programs on radio, television, and social media evolve into positive role models for the audience and, in the process, lead to population-wide changes in behavior.

Bill Ryerson is founder and president of Population Media Center (PMC). He has a 52-year history of working in the field of reproductive health, including four decades of experience adapting the Sabido methodology of entertainment-education for behavior change communications to various cultural settings worldwide. PMC has broadcast its programs in 57 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. Bill will speak about the importance and effectiveness of PMC's work, including that of the shows.

Bill is Founder and President of Population Media Center (PMC) (www.populationmedia.org), an organization that strives to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world through the use of entertainment-education strategies. He also serves as Chair of The Population Institute in Washington, DC (www.populationinstitute.org), which works in partnership with Population Media Center. PMC creates long-running serialized dramas on radio and television, in which characters evolve into role models for the audience resulting in positive behavior change. The emphasis of the organization's work is to educate people about the benefits of small families, encourage the use of effective family planning methods, elevate women's status, prevent exploitation of children, promote avoidance of HIV infection, and promote environmentally sustainable behaviors.

He received a B.A. in Biology (Magna Cum Laude) from Amherst College and an M.Phil. in Biology from Yale University (with specialization in Ecology and Evolution). He served as Director of the Population Institute's Youth and Student Division, Development Director of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, Associate Director of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Executive Vice President of Population Communications International before founding Population Media Center in 1998.

To learn more, go to:

https://www.populationmedia.org/

Bill's slides: https://tinyurl.com/2fp82fpd

Erin Smith, a Paul Harris Fellow, who lives in Kenya and sometimes Florida, is a trailblazer in both the corporate and environmental sectors.

Erin is the CEO and owner of Ocean Sole, which is transforming ocean debris into awe-inspiring art, and championing environmental causes coupled with creating opportunities in Kenya's coastal communities.

Her career spans continents and industries, from high-tech to fintech. Gaining her education at George Mason, Georgetown, UVA and Pennsylvania, she now works to make a difference in people's lives and for our oceans.

She has appeared on CNN and the Oprah Winfrey Show, sharing stories which blend inspiration, innovation, and impact.
Her presentation today, "What the Flip Flop?," explores the mystery of millions of flip flops littering shores from Kenya to Malaysia.

Ocean Sole works to transform this challenge into an opportunity. They not only clear beaches and upcycle 1.5 million flip flops annually, but also champion marine conservation, empower women, and craft stunning art. You'll learn the journey of these flip flops, the threats they pose to our oceans, and the work Ocean Sole engages in to creatively address this global issue, offering paths for everyone to make a difference.

This presentation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yIAeu-pwbcU

To learn more, go to:

https://oceansole.com

The 60-second video about Ocean Sole:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZV9J62Z2Vk

Or watch this more detailed Business Insider Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK-BHZs7GxE
⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠   

• Website: ⁠⁠Rotary.cool⁠
• Meetings’ ⁠⁠Video Archive⁠⁠
• YouTubeChannel⁠⁠ 
• How to become a member in ⁠⁠this online Rotary eClub⁠⁠

⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠

• Website: ⁠⁠www.Rotary.org⁠⁠
• Find a ⁠⁠local Rotary club⁠⁠ 
• Find an ⁠⁠online Rotary Club⁠⁠

Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

With no experience Chris Temple produced a video that has changed thousands of lives.

But first, Chris survived for two months on $1 a day in Guatemala.

Here is his story.

Chris Temple is now an award-winning filmmaker and activist who demystifies some of the world's most complex situations, leaving audiences more connected and empowered to make a difference.

In this conversation, Chris will share his journey as a filmmaker and changemaker, and the philosophy that has guided him through everything: actionable optimism, the idea that we all have the capacity to imagine and help manifest a more equitable and empathetic future.

Chris is a film director and the founder of Optimist, a non-profit studio in Los Angeles. He's best known for directing the feature documentaries Living On One Dollar, Salam Neighbor, and Five Years North.

His films have been released globally by Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and PBS, and have premiered at Tribeca, DOCNYC, Full Frame, AFI Docs, & MountainFilm. His work has helped raise over $91 million dollars for poverty alleviation and refugee support efforts. He's been honored with the 2016 Muslim Public Affairs Council Annual Media Award; recognized alongside Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie as one of the top 100 visionary leaders of 2015 by YPO's Real Leaders Magazine; and accepted by the U.S. State Department into the American Film Showcase. His work at Optimist has won 1 Gold Telly Award, 4 Shorty Awards, 2 ADDY Awards, 1 Webby Award, and 2 AVA Digital Awards. He was also recognized as one of the 40 under 40 top documentary filmmakers of 2023 by DOC NYC and HBO.

Chris recently directed the feature film This Is Not Financial Advice with XTR and Cinetic exploring the psychology of investing in the modern digital era. Currently, he is making an as-yet untitled feature film about Ethereum and its founder Vitalik Buterin.

You can find his full filmography on IMDB. He loves the outdoors and is a founding individual member of 1% for the Planet.

To learn more, go to:

Optimist's Website: https://optimist.co/

Join the Monthly Doc Club (think book club, but for documentaries!):

https://optimist.co/doc-club/

Review our 10-year Impact Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JGUp_JKaQDm095x2n9HTnyS6ZYhBRx5W/view

Donate/Get Involved:

https://creative-visions.networkforgood.com/projects/207642-optimist

This week's presentation examines the unseen micro-enterprises of the South African township economy through a socio-spatial lens.

Through case studies, Andrew Charman will illustrate the surprising diversity of these small businesses, provide insights into the spatial patterns in which these micro-enterprises are organised, and highlight some of the barriers that hinder the growth and formalisation of businesses in this largely under-reported segment of the South African economy.

Andrew Charman is a Co-Director of the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation, a specialist research, advisory and policy engagement organization. He trained as a sociologist and development economist, studying at the University of Cape Town and Cambridge University.

Andrew has worked across the Southern African region on addressing socio-economic development challenges in a broad range of contexts, both rural and urban. His current work focuses on: i) influencing public policy towards the township economy in support of informal micro-enterprises, ii) implementing development projects to foster economic growth and strengthen social cohesion, and iii) designing and implementing area-based projects to support the development of micro-enterprises and build social cohesion.

With co-authors Petersen and Govender, Andrew has recently published Township Economy: People, Spaces and Practices (HSRC, 2020). The book brings together a decade of research on micro-enterprises conducted in 10 townships in South Africa and Namibia.

Andrew's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-charman-21ab7315/

Vahid Motazedian, serves as the executive director for Olinga Learning and the Foundation for the Application of Science (FAS), two California nonprofits dedicated to empowering youth to contribute to the social and economic development of their small, rural communities.

Vahid grew up in Iran, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Oregon. His father studied agriculture and dedicated his life to helping small farmers in rural communities.

Vahid got his BS in electrical engineering from Oregon State University and worked in Silicon Valley for companies including Advanced Micro Devices, Synopsys, Oracle, and Salesforce.

He left high tech in 2015 and moved to Salinas to devote himself to nonprofit work. He dedicates his time and energy to advancing educational programs that equip youth with moral and scientific capabilities and to developing technology solutions that help farmers.

The Wings of Knowledge Initiative, which we'll learn about in his presentation, aims to empower youth to improve their rural communities through participatory action research projects.

It began with simple projects designed to improve some aspect of community life, such as painting murals, planting flowers, teaching children, and trash cleanups.

Over time it grew in scope and complexity to include engineering projects designed to help local farmers.

This presentation shares the story of how small teams of youth in California's forgotten towns are working together to advance processes of science research and technology development within a wider context of improving their communities and the lives of their families.

Video: https://youtu.be/EwuB3pr4FQ4

To learn more, go to:

https://www.wings.ngo

⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠   

⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠

Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ 

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

Rainforest Connection (RFCx) is a science- and technology-driven nonprofit detecting and preventing deforestation and supporting biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring in 119 countries.

Founded in 2014, RFCx accomplishes this work by combining the power of acoustics, AI, an international team of field workers, scientists, engineers, and data scientists, and on-the-ground collaborators. By utilizing acoustic data and AI, they can gather data on the presence, distribution, and behavior of a wide range of species, from birds and mammals to insects and frogs, as well as patterns of threats. This information can then be used to inform conservation and management decisions, including identifying key biodiversity areas, establishing protected areas, evaluating wildlife management initiatives, and developing conservation strategies tailored to different species.

RFCx focuses on real-time threat detection of illegal activities, such as logging and poaching, using acoustic technology. To decrease illegal activity and protect threatened ecosystems, they developed recorders called Guardians, which are placed in the canopy and run in real time. The Guardians automatically detect the sounds of chainsaws or gunshots and send alerts to rangers or communities via the Guardian Mobile and Web App, who can then immediately take action to stop illicit activities.

The threat detection pipeline developed by RFCx has been adopted and successfully deployed across 25 countries.

To monitor biodiversity, RFCx aids partners end-to-end and/or in specific areas with their biodiversity monitoring projects using acoustics and AI with planning, executing, and understanding results. They produce long-term solutions to biodiversity monitoring by creating regional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) that automate species detections of hundreds of species from sound recordings; they have classified almost 1,500 species around the world for automatic detection from 16 CNNs their team has developed. This allows on-the-ground collaborators to detect species and monitor their behavior long-term for the purpose of enabling data-driven conservation decisions and actions. Their team also conducts ecoacoustic analyses, combining species-specific and soundscape results from acoustic analysis with climatic and environmental variables to model ecological processes.

Our speaker, Dr. Sarika Khanwilkar, has dedicated her career to conserving endangered species and improving planetary health through data-driven action. Before joining Rainforest Connection (RFCx), a conservation technology startup and nonprofit, she got her PhD in Ecology from Columbia University and was a Fulbright scholar.

Dr. Khanwilkar has conducted research on the illegal wildlife trade, forest-based livelihoods, and forest health.

She also is a founder of a nonprofit dedicated to tiger conservation and co-founder of one of India’s first research projects using sound to assess biodiversity.

Most of her free time is spent in the forests of central India looking for tigers and admiring trees.

At RFCx, she is Head of Partnerships and actively involved in using scalable technologies for high-impact conservation work across the globe.

To learn more, go to:

https://www.rfcx.org

https://www.arbimon.org
⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠

⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠

Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠

Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠

Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠

#PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

Students play an important role in the management of the school which empowers them to bring social and economic development to their communities, as well as learn leadership, empathy and compassion.

In 1974, our speaker, Mechai Viravaidya, launched the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) to combat Thailand's soaring population growth rate. Using unconventional methods and humor, he made contraceptives widely accessible, leading to a significant reduction in the growth rate to 0.5% by 2003.

The Bamboo School, founded in 2008, stands as a beacon of lifelong learning and socioeconomic advancement.

Mechai’s remarkable achievements have earned him numerous accolades, including the United Nations Population Award and the Bill and Melinda Gates Award for Global Health.

To learn more, go to:

http://www.mechaifoundation.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnmLeWYj6J0

https://youtu.be/iphYDcCNoR4?si=dTHqZa93EZHHs-G-

https://www.ted.com/talks/mechai_viravaidya_how_mr_condom_made_thailand_a_better_place_for_life_and_love?subtitle=en

https://tinyurl.com/MVFdocuments (a folder with articles and more)