author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
visualize
Dan Bassill
mentor. future brightener. serial optimist.
Dan Bassill connects youth to a brighter future. He's the founder and CEO of Cabrini Connections, a one-on-one tutoring and mentoring program serving students living in Chicago's public housing. [www.cabriniconnections.net]
I’ve been accused of being a serial optimist and a visual thinker.
I get excited when I can bring an idea to life and when someone says, “Thank you for helping me.” I get tears in my eyes when I see people doing things to help other people.
I feel proud when I stand in a room full of young people and volunteers, or a gathering of Chicago area tutor/mentor program leaders, and know that we are more connected to each other because of the work I’ve done for so many years.
When students from past years tell me how much I’ve changed their lives, I feel my own life has been well spent.
Although I started this journey during high school, it was later, in 1973, that I was recruited to be a mentor for a fourth-grade boy living in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing projects. In 1975, I was given the job of leading that tutor/mentor program. Every year since then, for 35 years, I’ve been trying to find more ways to make this program work.
I’ve spent so much time thinking about how to recruit hundreds of volunteers and match them with kids in September when school starts, then keep them coming back week after week until the school year ends in June … and repeating that process over and over every year. I’ve also spent a lot of time thinking about how to make high-quality tutor/mentor programs available in more places.
I’ve learned a lot about making this system work better. I share my ideas with pictures, maps, videos, and new tools that have become increasingly available via the Internet.
I want to use the Internet to collect and organize everything that’s known about helping kids move on from being born into poverty, to jobs and adult lives outside of poverty. I want to create map-based directories that millions of people use to choose where to give time, talent, and dollars to support mentor-rich programs.
It’s a big world. Most people don’t know I exist. Much still needs to be done. But I’m still connected to that first boy I mentored 37 years ago. That’s one of the big rewards I’ve gotten from doing this work.
– Dan Bassill
Explore More Meaning
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youth activist. spiritual traveller. non-judger.
Human Rights Award recipient Gwen Olsen is a passionate activist for children rights who has published numerous health-related articles exposing the inherent dangers of pharmaceuticals. [www.gwenolsen.com]
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constant learner. memory catcher. inspirational artist.
Jenni Young is an award-winning film producer, professional photographer, and life coach who lives her dream daily, serving people around the world seeking health and inspiration. [www.simplereminders.com]
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happiness connector. thought shifter. soul communicator.
Technically speaking, Christina Rasmussen is a Grief Counselor she prefers to call herself a Strategist for Life After Loss. She crusades to change the way we cope with grief, devastation, and longing. [www.secondfirsts.com]
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dream cartographer. promise keeper. sayer and doer.
Madelin Adena Smith is a novelist, creative shapeshifter, and strategic visionary. She specializes in helping ambitious young women build road maps around their wildest dreams. [www.madelinadenasmith.com]
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writer. joyful experiencer. courage advocate.
Within six years, Debra Oakland lost her son, her unborn child, two brothers, and her father. Instead of giving up, she chooses to live in courage, joy, and power. [www.livingincourageonline.com]
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mindfulness coach. author. moment expander.
John Selby, author of more than twenty books, has worked as a therapist and mindfulness coach for two decades. [www.tappingdaily.org]
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listener. describer. activist.
Author Kirsten Olson is Chief Listening Officer at Old Sow Consulting. She's a founding board member of IDEA, a national not-for-profit that forwards democratic practices in education. [www.kirstenolson.org]
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social change creator. ego battler. heart follower.
Brenton Gieser is an entrepreneur who forgot about success a while back and is now focusing on creating value. He's currently building the community organization Be Social Change. [www.brentongieser.com]
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