Category Archives: Social Innovation

Action, Not Talk, is Needed to End Gun Violence

Written by . Posted on 21 Dec ’12. Filed under Barack Obama, Citizen Movement, Civil Discourse, Democracy, Politics & Elections, Social Innovation, We The People. Tagged . 1 Comment.

After the unspeakable massacre of twenty children in Connecticut, some people seem to think that just speaking about it will solve the situation that led to such devastation. Barack Obama has called for a national conversation on guns. As has nearly every public leader and […]

Make Like a Tree, Everyone: Constructivist Success

Written by . Posted on 23 Jun ’12. Filed under Citizens, Civic Science, Community, Constructivism, Democracy, Environment, Social Innovation, Social Organizations. 2 Comments.

Related article at Forbes. ©2012  Andrea Morisette Grazzini As it turns out, thriving social systems act a lot like healthy trees. Both “ends” of a tree—like human social systems—serve complementary roles as both “vessels” that contain growth producing materials, and “venues” or places where more […]

The Radical Humanity of Citizen Professionalism

Written by . Posted on 11 Mar ’12. Filed under Academic & Research, Citizens, Community, Constructivism, Healthcare, Professional, Social Innovation. 11 Comments.

  Also published in AOL’s The Patch. By Andrea Morisette Grazzini Betty GreenCrow has a presence so striking it’s hard to miss.  Balanced measures of wisdom and curiosity, connection and boundary seem to emanate from people like her.  Emerging unbidden from somewhere integral—their soul, perhaps. Whatever […]

Big-boy NASA and small Girl-led Biz launch jobs

Written by . Posted on 3 Feb ’12. Filed under Academic & Research, Charles Bolden, Darlene Miller, Economy & Business, Education Policy, Professional, Social Innovation, STEM. Tagged , , . No comments.

By Charles Bolden and Darlene Miller  Seattle, Washington February 3, 2012 You may be wondering what the owner of a small, Minnesota-based, woman-owned machine parts company has in common with the Administrator of the world’s premier space exploration agency.  The answer was made clear this week […]

Obama and Boehner as running mates? Maybe not, but…

Written by . Posted on 25 Jul ’11. Filed under Media & Culture, Nonpartisan Productive Dialogue, Politics & Elections, Social Innovation. Tagged , , , , . No comments.

Also published in MinnPost. And as comments to “Make Way for the Radical Center” in The New York Times. Andrea Morisette Grazzini, July 2011 When Tom Friedman foresaw a flat-world fueled by globalization, one wonders if he could have envisioned how scorched-earth political posturing would […]

Civilized Compassion: Not Detached, Engaged.

Written by . Posted on 15 Jun ’11. Filed under Academic & Research, Citizens, Dalai Lama, Education Policy, Faith and religion, Politics & Elections, Social Innovation. 2 Comments.

Also published in Twin Cities Daily Planet. Andrea Morisette Grazzini June 15, 2011. Spiritual leaders are rarely invited to do stadium-sized talks at public universities.  Mostly because they don’t deliver butts-in-seats sales like, say, basketball. Plus there are risks of violating boundaries separating government-funded academics […]

Heart Doc’s Healthcare Solution: Human Connection

Written by . Posted on 3 Jan ’11. Filed under Academic & Research, Healthcare, Human Rights, Politics & Elections, Professional, Social Innovation. No comments.

Robert Frantz MD is one of the most respected cardiologists in the world. In his travels around the globe and his own life and work this past year, he see reasons for despair. But this physician, a caregiver by heart and in work, is also quite clear — miracles are very much possible. Here Dr. Frantz shares his very personal and moving reflections on a critical cure–hope found in unlikely places and people. Excerpts from his stunning New Years letter, below.

Empowered to Restore Sanity

Written by . Posted on 22 Nov ’10. Filed under Media & Culture, Nonpartisan Productive Dialogue, Populism, Social Innovation. No comments.

DynamicShift leaders Alan and JoAn Paymar joined the Rally to Restore Sanity, where they found, in the “sea of people” the collective strength of shared ideals. In people who like themselves “empowered to express their concerns.” Here, they share their observations of the public launch event — a key call-to-action for a critically-needed new national attitude.

Immigrants = Economic Assets

Written by . Posted on 6 Aug ’10. Filed under Athletics, Burnsville, Community, Culture & Children, Economy & Business, Ethnicity, Immigration, Leadership, Social Innovation, YMCA. 1 Comment.

Also published in TC Daily Planet. I missed my bicultural neighbors when I moved from Eagan, Minnesota. Among them were Ukranian and Ghanaian immigrants, both two-parent families led by business owners. They didn’t speak perfect English, but were great neighbors. They brought my family home-cooked […]

Secret Lessons for Parents and Policymakers

Written by . Posted on 20 Jun ’10. Filed under Academic & Research, Burnsville, Community, Education Policy, Nonpartisan Productive Dialogue, Social Innovation, Standard Measurements. 1 Comment.

Also published at TCDailyPlanet: Here’s a secret parents and policymakers haven’t heard. Last week, while most educators were scrambling to stuff last-minute lessons in before summer break some Burnsville, Minnesota teachers bucked the system (just a bit) for big-picture sake.