 We are pleased to announce our second annual "Finger Lakes Social Entrepreneurship Institute" to be held at Cornell University and at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center from Friday, November 15 to Sunday, November 17, 2013. The theme of the Institute is "Creating local economies that are socially just and ecologically sound."
Social entrepreneurs are people with system-changing ideas that help resolve a social problem. They take their ideas and make them a reality by applying entrepreneurial skills---such as passion, persistence, innovation, solutions and results-orientation, and the ability to create something from nothing. This two and a half day event will be filled with valuable workshops for new and experienced social entrepreneurs to help them build their for-profit or nonprofit social ventures. Benefiting also from the advice of consultants and practitioners, participants will walk away from the Institute with a new set of tools as well as relationships with which to move forward with their plans, no matter the stage of their venture.
To see the complete schedule and to register, visit our website.
The Institute opens on Friday, November 15 at 2:00 pm. At 7:30 pm, Delmonize (Del) Smith will give the keynote address on "Creating a Thriving Local Economy through Urban Entrepreneurship." Del Smith is the Director of the Rochester Institute of Technology's new Center for Urban Entrepreneurship. The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship aims to develop a new culture of entrepreneurship in the region, with a particular emphasis on the most underserved populations in the region. Dr. Smith's research focuses on the growth of minority-based businesses. This keynote will be held in the Anabel Taylor Hall Auditorium at Cornell University, and is free and open to the public.
On Saturday, participants will hear from Judy Wicks, an entrepreneur, activist and author working to build a more compassionate, environmentally sustainable and locally based economy. Her memoir, Good Morning, Beautiful Business: the Unexpected Journey of an Activist Entrepreneur and Local Economy Pioneer, was published in March 2013. Judy is founder of Philadelphia's landmark White Dog Café known for its leadership in the local food movement, as well as community building and environmental stewardship. She founded several non-profits including Fair Food Philly and the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, and co-founded the nationwide Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), a network of 30,000 local independent businesses in 80 communities. In 2009, Judy sold the White Dog through a unique agreement that preserves local, independent ownership and maintains sustainable business practices, including buying from local farmers and fair trade purveyors, composting and using renewable energy. She will be speaking on "Creating value chains and collective impact in food systems." She will also assist in our small working group sessions, and will no doubt be a huge asset to the institute.
On Saturday evening, participants will attend the public screening of "The Barefoot Artist" at Cinemapolis. This documentary explores the methods and motivations of Lily Yeh and her revolutionary, community-based public art. It documents the two sides of Lily's life: her international ventures mending the broken and helping to heal weakened spirits in communities in North America, Africa, China, and India, and a personal journey within, to repair her own fractured family. Lily Yeh will be attending the entire Institute, and will give a "talk back" at Cinemapolis after the movie's screening.
The fee for the entire three-day Institute is $225 ($100 for students), and includes a local foods breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, plus snacks and drinks throughout the weekend. It also includes a ticket to The Barefoot Artist showing at Cinemapolis on Saturday evening, and a Post-Institute event on Sunday afternoon, which features 18-minute presentations by 9 innovative social entrepreneurs who will be speaking on "Creating communities that work for everyone."
Limited full scholarships are available by application. An early bird discount of 10% is available until October 9, for a total price of $202.50. After November 1, online registrations will be closed.
Register now to secure your space!
  
2012 FLSEI, photos by David Makar
We are grateful to our sponsors and supporters!
Supporters: Alma Sana; Alternatives Federal Credit Union; Amazing Taste; Barefoot Artists; Building Bridges; Business Alliance for Local Living Economies; Celia's Ice Pops; Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise; Center for Urban Entrepreneurship at RIT; Challenge Workforce Solutions; Community Foundation of Tompkins County; Diaspora Gallery; Dorothy Cotton Institute; EGBOK; eLab; Finlo Solar Powers; Groundswell Local Food and Farming; Illume Projects; Local First Ithaca; Nonprofit Finance Fund; Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives at National Credit Union Administration; Peaks; Ricefield Collective; Social Ventures; Sustainable Passion; Syracuse University NGO Clinic; THRIIVE; Wide Awake Bakery
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Nine Social Entrepreneurs Speaking at our Post-Institute Event!
CTA will host a public event dedicated to the transformative power of social entrepreneurship in the Barnes Hall Auditorium at Cornell's Ithaca, NY campus on November 17, 2013 from 1:00p.m. - 5:00p.m. A reception will follow the event.
It will feature nine exemplary social entrepreneurs and innovators. In light of Cornell University's upcoming 150th anniversary as a land grant university--a university that enhances the lives and livelihoods of people in New York State and around the world-- our dialogue will explore how social entrepreneurs are helping create inclusive, just, and sustainable communities.
The nine speakers are working in diverse areas, and will bring unique perspectives to this dialogue in their 18-minute presentations.
The purposes of this event are to:
- Honor diverse social entrepreneurs who have innovative, transformative approaches to resolving pressing social issues.
- Provide young change makers with inspiring role models and the confidence that this, too, is what success looks like.
- Enhance the visibility of individuals who exemplify CTA and Cornell University's commitment to social engagement.
- Lift our collective spirits and replace creeping cynicism and despair with visionary, yet realistic, plans for action.
This event is open to the public.
The honored speakers are:
- Lauren Braun, Founder, Alma Sana *
- Kirby Edmonds, Senior Fellow, Dorothy Cotton Institute *
- Natalie Bridgeman Fields, Founder, Accountability Counsel
- Rob Garrity, Founder, Finlo Solar Powers *
- Ben Justus, Founder, EGBOK Mission*
- Bill Myer, Founder, Alternatives Federal Credit Union *
- Liz Ngonzi, Founder, Amazing Taste *
- Meredith Ramirez Talusan, Founder, The Ricefield Collective *
- Lily Yeh, Founder, Barefoot Artists *
* These presenters will be available during the Institute as consultants, mentors, and participants.
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News and Events
Compassionate Communication Classes
Changing Anger Into Power
When we are angry we often react and say things that we regret or that are unhelpful. Yet our anger is trying to communicate something that is very important to us, something that we want someone else to hear and to understand. This workshop will help you express yourself in ways that people are likely to hear and increase the chances they will want to help you. The workshop will also help you hear what is behind other people's anger. Learn how to:
- Figure out what the important information is underneath your anger
- Communicate what is behind your anger in ways that inspire people to want to hear and help you
- Change patterns of reacting
- Hear the important messages behind other people's anger
- Handle feelings that overwhelm you
- Overcome getting defensive or withdrawn when others are angry
- Have fewer regrets and more productive outcomes from interactions involving anger
- Conflict offers the opportunity for increased trust and solutions that work for everyone.
Sat. October 26th, 10-4 pm
Fee: Sliding scale $40-$80
Register by Oct. 16th by emailing judyburrill@gmail.com
Creating Connections over the HolidaysI've created this workshop because so many of us struggle with hopes for connecting over the holidays, often with family members, but wind up feeling frustrated and disappointed with the outcome. Our chances for more satisfying holidays increase when we become clear about our intentions, communicate in ways others can hear, and become proactive around possible challenges.
In this workshop we will cover:
- Getting clarity about what you want regarding connection
- How to deal with the challenges to connection
- How to communicate what you want in a way others are more likely to hear
- How to hear what others are wanting behind their statements
- Specific strategies to help create the connections you desire
Sat. Nov. 16th, 10-4 pm
Fee: Sliding scale $40-$80
Register by Nov. 6th by emailing judyburrill@gmail.com
Judy Burrill has completed the Center for Nonviolent Communication's Parent Peer Leadership Program, a part of the Peaceful Families, Peaceful World Project. She has completed hundreds of hours of NVC workshop trainings and has led numerous classes, and also has been a mediator for seven years.
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Durland Alternatives Library
It's the fall semester up at the Alternatives Library-which means we stay open until 8pm on weekdays, adding the convenience of free parking for patrons. Did you know the library is open 7 days a week? To see the full schedule, visit our website.
What's more is that we're hosting & sponsoring events around town.
Alternatives Library Cider Chat
October 4, 6:30 pm
Following the Cider d'Or kick off, join cider makers for an agricultural discussion of cider's roots. Hosted by the Alternatives Library at the new DIY (Do It Yourself) Resource Center at the TC Worker's Center. The Alternative's Library's Mobile Circulation Desk will have books available for browsing as well as signing out.
Durland Alternatives Library - Tompkins County Worker's Center
115 E. Martin Luther King St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
For more Cider Week events, visit this website.
Mesoamérica Resiste!
A Graphic Exploration by the Beehive Design Collective
Tuesday October 8th at 7 pm
Come see the Beehive Design Collective's new campaign, Mesoamerica Resiste! in Textor Hall Room 102, Cornell University. The Durland Alternatives Library will also be presenting a collection of library materials to compliment topics explored in this event, showcasing the vast and relevant collection the library has available to the public.
The Beehive Design Collective, a non-profit arts and activism organization dedicated to "cross-pollinating the grassroots", is headed this way to share their recently completed work, Mesoamérica Resiste. The event is free and open to the public.
The Beehive is an all-volunteer swarm of educators, artists, and activists using images to communicate and educate about the complex realities of our times. The dizzyingly detailed, hand-drawn, large-format posters and banners they tour with are portable murals that come alive through storytelling, illuminating how single issues are interconnected and part of bigger systems. Join in as the Bees deconstruct often overwhelming global issues in an accessible and engaging picture-lecture presentation.
Mesoamérica Resiste is the final installment in a trilogy of graphics that began with posters about Free Trade and the Drug War, and reflects the bees' efforts to go beyond illustrating just the bad news to also sharing stories of grassroots organizing, collective action, and inspiration. The double-sided poster explores the legacy of colonialism in the Americas and the impact of industrial development plans and resource extraction today. It highlights many examples of resistance and alternatives to these plans throughout the region, especially organizing led by indigenous peoples. Celebrating the ecological diversity of Mesoamerica is also a goal of this graphics campaign; its cast of characters includes hundreds of endemic, endangered, and requested species of insects, animals and plants.
Solidarity Café - Letters of Support to Political Prisoners (weekly)
You are cordially invited to the Alternatives Library for "Solidarity Café", an event in support of political prisoners at Alternatives Library-Every Thursday at 3:00 pm. We will be serving delicious locally roasted coffee, a variety of delicious herbal, green, and black teas.
For more information on all these events, visit the Alternatives Library website.
Vitamin L
Vitamin L Celebrates the Milestone of 1,000 concerts and their music video premiere! Saturday November 2 Vitamin L invites you to a FREE community concert. Sing for Dr. King! A Vitamin L Concert for a Beloved Community
Celebrating 1,000 Concerts & the "Step Up! Speak Out!" Music Video World Premiere! With Special Guests, the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, Dorothy Cotton, and third graders from across Tompkins County.
Saturday November 2, 1:00 p.m. State Theatre, 107 W. State St./Martin Luther King St. Ithaca In advance of this concert, all area 3rd graders from the 22 public and private elementary schools in Tompkins County, Candor and South Seneca will receive a gift of Vitamin L's "Sing for Dr. King! Vitamin L Songs for a Beloved Community!" CD. The 3rd grade classroom teachers and music teachers will receive this gift as well. All third graders will be invited to join Vitamin L on stage at the State Theater for a song at the concert. Vitamin L has been dedicated to spreading love and goodwill, and encouraging positive character development through music for over 24 years. This free community event is made possible through the generosity of anonymous angels, The Ithaca Child, Alternatives Federal Credit Union, Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), and The Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), an affiliate of IPEI. Everyone's Invited! Bring your family! Bring the grandparents! Bring the neighbors! For more info, go to Vitamin L's website or call Janice Nigro at (607) 273-4175. |
 The Center for Transformative Action (CTA) helps to create communities that work for everyone. We do this by providing fiscal sponsorship to innovative social change agents in New York State, as well as financial, human resources, and grants management services. CTA is an educational non-profit organization affiliated with Cornell University.
Our Vision
We envision change makers everywhere engaging and strengthening the power of the heart to remake the world.
Our Mission
We are an alliance of individuals and organizations inspired by principles of nonviolence and committed to bold action for justice, sustainability, and peace. CTA supports change makers with the tools to build thriving, inclusive communities that work for everyone. We serve our projects, the public, and Cornell University by offering educational programs and strategic organizational resources.
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Project Partners
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Coalition for the ERA
CurrentCast
Human Rights Educators USA
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New Projects!
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Next deadline to apply to become a Project Partner with CTA is January 15. Please see our Fiscal Sponsorship Guidelines if you have or are starting a social change project in New York State that needs a nonprofit umbrella. |
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CTA Staff
| Anke Wessels, Ph.D. Executive Director
117 Anabel Taylor Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-5027
Della Herden
Director of Operations
119 Anabel Taylor Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-6202
Email
Lisa Marsella Assistant to the Director of Operations
119 Anabel Taylor hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-6202
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