Public Service

Our quick read on the top tweets, news, and buzz circulating in the field of changemaking for the past couple of weeks. Tell us, what's got you talking? And what do you want to be talking about?

Echoing Green is pleased to publish a guest blog post by 2009 Fellow Bethany Henderson about the realities of juggling parenting and social entrepreneurship. You can learn more about Bethany's work at City Hall Fellows.

After a few weeks off for the holidays and new year, we’re back with our quick read on the top tweets, news, and buzz circulating in the field of changemaking this week. Tell us, what's got you talking? And what do you want to be talking about?

These days, a lot of us talk big about failure: "Embrace it; share it; learn from it!" Funders (or at least some) are pushing for more transparency so that money can be allocated more effectively. Young people are beginning to take more risks, some that may lead to some big fails, to help find a career with meaning. FailFAIRE takes the notion of "learning from your failures" to a whole new level.

Books give us a chance to explore a whole new world, flex our assumptions, and discover inspiration. Rather than a traditional list of gifts of social change, we wanted to share some of our favorite books that we read this year. Some helped us to explore new ideas—or perhaps harness all of the ones we are thinking about—and to help align our passions with our purpose. Others encouraged us to think about happiness in a different way, while a few pushed us to take some risks as we continue to look for meaning in our career paths.

Julius Caesar first established January 1 as New Year’s Day in honor of Janus, a Roman god most often depicted as having two faces—one facing the future and other looking into the past. He is the god of doorways, passages, new beginnings, and completion. As you step through the doorway into the new year, what do you hope to achieve, and what will you leave behind? If, like many of us, you know you’re out-of-whack but cannot figure out what to do next, try this quick exercise. First reach back Janus-like in your memory to the past.