Taz Tagore and Adam Bucko

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2007

Taz Tagore and Adam Bucko

The Reciprocity Foundation

http://www.reciprocityfoundation.org/

New York, New York, United States

Arts, Culture, Humanities

The Bold Idea:

More than 80 percent of homeless youth cannot find sustainable living and employment after leaving the shelter system—many return to the street, abusive family situations or accept heavy government subsidies.

The Reciprocity Foundation bridges homeless youth and the corporate sector, educational institutions, and creative professionals. Built on the belief that homeless youth are an untapped source of creativity with tremendous unrealized potential relevant to the fast-growth “Creativity Economy” (e.g., design, media, marketing, public relations and fashion industries), The Reciprocity Foundation aims to build a national network of programs to enable homeless youth to enroll in college, secure hands-on work experiences, and build a professional network in their fields of interest.

Biography:

Adam Bucko grew up under Communist rule in Poland and Taz Tagore’s family fled a politically unstable regime in East Africa. Having experienced life under authoritarian governments and witnessed the damage it can cause to personal development, Adam and Taz have focused their careers on helping individuals achieve their full potential. Previously, Adam led programs for homeless children and youth in India and America and Taz focused on teaching creativity and entrepreneurship tools to business leaders and homeless youth. Adam earned a BA and MA from St. John’s University. Taz received a BS from Queen’s University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Moment of Obligation: What experiences led to the desire to start your own organization?
The idea for the Reciprocity Foundation was born out of years of working and volunteering in the homeless sector. Adam helped build a homeless serving organization in India and then spent over five years working with organizations in Florida and New York. His primary frustration was that the homeless system was responsible for taking care of the basics (food, shelter and medical care) but little else. He realized that the future of homeless youth in America is not addressed by the current system of shelters or by its funders. Taz was working in the design industry and had been volunteering in the homeless sector for over a decade. She put the two together by realizing that she could help creative homeless youth prepare for careers in the creative industries such as design, fashion, media, advertising, public relations, and music.

Gall to Think Big: What has given you the ability to dream big and take on deeply entrenched problems in the world?
First, working in partnership has given us the courage to dream big and to take risks. Second, we stay focused on the homeless youth we aim to serve. We continually ask ourselves, “Will this program add something new and valuable to the lives of homeless youth in America?” If the answer is "yes," we pursue the idea no matter how large or daunting.

New and Untested: What's innovative about your new idea for social change?
Our theory of change is based on the understanding that long-term, sustainable change is only possible when you tap into the talents and gifts of an individual. Instead of forcing youth to join a higher-wage industries (e.g. security) or low-entry barrier professions (e.g. retail), we focus on awakening the youth’s talents so they can re-enter society from a place of strength and passion. Our innovative classroom-based curriculum is rooted in experiential learning where youth learn by developing marketable concepts, leading teams, collaborating with industry leaders, and launching creative projects.

Seeing Possibilities: What are the most important qualities to be a successful social entrepreneur?
The ability to build a strong, diverse community of people with shared interests and needs has been our greatest asset to date. Social entrepreneurs need to be able to tap into the gifts and passions of others in order to realize their visions. Persistence is equally important to develop a program model that is new and useful, to raise funds, and to build an organization you need to doggedly pursue your vision and gracefully accept the presence of hardship on the journey.

Which musical artists/albums get you going and keep you inspired?
Cinematic Orchestra, Ziggy Marley, Krishna Das, New Model Army, Skye, Antonina Krzyszton, Tracy Chapman, Les Nubians, Ben Harper, and Thievery Corporation.

What books do you recommend?
All About Love by bell hooks, Creativity by Matthew Fox, Reader by Cornell West, Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy, Reaching Out by Henry Nouwen, God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, Brave Hearts, Rebel Spirits by Brooke Shelby Biggs and Anita Roddick, Essential Gandhi by Mahatma Gandhi, I and Thou by Martin Buber, Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day, Let Your Life Speak and Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer, Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie.

Which websites do you visit often?

• beliefnet.com
• zaadz.com
• newyorker.com

What advice or quote do you keep close to your heart as a social change leader?
"Leap and the net will catch you."