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I can't tell you how many workshops, events, and conferences I have been to that.. well, to be blunt, glorifies the life of a social entrepreneur. There is an element of hollywood in the way our society raises up the players in the field, which is generally really positive. I am completely behind celebrating changemakers and introducing new heroes into our world. I am all for changing the culture in the United States so that the social change sector (with social entrepreneurs at the helm) is viewed with the same prestige as the medical, science, and business fields.

But, there is another side to the lives of social entreprneurs that is not highlighted enough. That is the everyday life of trying to bring a new and untested idea into reality, building a nonprofit, raising money, and you get the point. It's not all glamorous. I believe we can learn from understanding both sides (the glitz and the guts).

So, on Spark * Blog, our goal is to add a dose of real life perpective of our social entrepreneurs--what's really going on with our fellows right now. In their own words:

Maile Broccoli-Hickey - English At Work - Austin, TX
English at Work provides English language instruction to low-income workers at their job sites.

"For the last few months we have been brainstorming how to prevent students from dropping out halfway through the course. It occurred to us to create a "Speakers Committee" comprised of immigrants who have been successful in Austin's business community. We tried it out for the first time and it was a great success!"

Chris Myers Asch - U.S. Public Service Academy - Washington, DC
Modeled on the nation's five existing military academies, the U.S. Public Service Academy will offer a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum and a five-year post-graduation service requirement.

"Fundraising can be frustrating because there is no correlation between the work you put in and the result you get out. I have spent all kinds of time and resources cultivating a variety of dead-end sources and winding up with zip. Then, one elevator trip got me $10,000 and a couple of phone calls led to a $35,000 grant invitation. I appreciate the money, certainly, but I just wish I didn't have to rely on luck!"

Socheata Poeuv - Khmer Legacies - New Haven, CT
Khmer Legacies will empower young Cambodians to interview their own parents about their survival and disseminate these stories to educate the public about the genocide.

"I am already planning my annual Cambodian New Year fundraiser in April. This is our Fourth Annual New Year fundraiser - the first three benefited New Year Baby. Now all proceeds will go toward Khmer Legacies. We're creating a Southeast Asian street food event. I have the space and some interested sponsors. Our goal is to raise publicity for Khmer Legacies, introduce the organization to new donors and, of course, raise some money!"

George Srour - Building Tomorrow - Indianapolis, IN
Building Tomorrow empowers U.S.-based college students to rais funds and awareness to build schools for vulnerable Children in sub-Saharan Africa.

"Piecing together our board hasn't been as easy as I thought it would, but enlisting the help of one to two strong community leaders has been crucial in trying to move from a Founding Board to a more structured Board of Directors."

John Alford - NOLA 180 - New Orleans, LA
NOLA 180 tranforms failing public schools in New Orleans into high-functioning institutions that prepare students for college.

"Recently, we were selected as one of five new schools to be rebuilt in New Orleans in time for the 2009-10 school year! The state really believes in the work we're trying to do (turning around failing schools) but we were SHOCKED to read that we were selected for the state's Quick Start program. The new Langston Hughes facility will be the first new school building built in New Orleans in decades."

Tutu Alicante - EG Justice - Santa Fe, NM
EG Justice advocates for democratic reforms and raises awareness of past and present human rights violations in Equatorial Guinea.

"I got a $25 K grant from a Democracy-promotion organization. I got the email two days ago. So, I am still recovering from the happiness."

Emily Arnold-Fernandez - Asylum Access - San Francisco, CA
Asylum Access creates legal service infrastructure in the Global South to empower refugees to obtain legal status and assert their basic human rights in their countries of refuge.

"The U.S. State Department recently incorporated several Asylum Access recommendations into their instructions for reporting on countries' human rights records. Where before the annual Human Rights Reports were largely silent on refugee rights such as freedom of movement, employment and access to education, the revised instructions explicitly address these rights and others."

There are a few themes in these updates that I hear often from social entrepreneurs: the notion of always being on, always fundraising, and always problem-solving. I also hear that the more you do it (network, fundraise, solve problems), the more second nature it becomes.

Stay tuned to more posts in our fellows' own words.