Premal Shah, president of Kiva, talks at the Full Circle Fund "Imagining the Unimaginable" event to lead off a panel that also included Deb Levine of I.S.I.S., Inc. and Jim Fruchterman of Benetech - all of whom have found impressive ways of making technology work for the social good.

Kiva's method of allowing anyone to be a micro-lender to entreprenours across the world is a model that will bring prosperity to millions. This is the good globalization.

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$5 Drawings
Full Circle Fund
Community Organizations
Heroes

As the acting librarian at Galileo Academy I went to an information session about teen services as the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library about all different ways that they provide and coordinate services for our students.

Meagan Schneider of Tutor.com demonstrated the "chat live with a tutor" service that her company is offering for free through the San Francisco Public Library. You can go to the Library's Teen page and follow the link under homework help, put in your library card number if you're not at a library branch, and then choose what subject you need help in. In a few minutes, you'll have a trained tutor helping you with your homework in a live chat. They can show you other web pages on a built-in browser or they can diagram a problem on a digital white board.

This is the drawing of the week for September 16-22, 2007.

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$5 Drawings
Galileo High School
Community Organizations
Drawings of the Weeks

The ACLU of Northern California hosted a little focus group of young professionals with beer and Thai food to figure out how to energize a young (below 40) crowd to political action. Justine Sarver led the conversation. Look for future SF ACLU Happy Hours.

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$5 Drawings
Community Organizations
Political

The League of Young Voters threw an art auction party called "Picture Progress" on June 15 at Red Ink Studios. The League of Young Voters' long term strategy is to "build an inspired, engaged and effective culture and community around youth participation." I think that's a good plan.

I asked people at the event to draw a picture of themselves creating social change which I then incorporated into this "Collective Picture of Progress."

You can see close-ups of this painting in the "Picture of Progress details" topic gallery on this site.

Artists who contributed to this painting include Sergio Flores, Jamai Lowell, Karil Daniels, Lucas Thornton, Andy Goldman, Debra Bronstein, Alidra Solday, Ariana, Camille, Nicole Rivera, Agata Kamler, Ofra Fisher, Martha, Melita Morales, Razzu Engen, Esther Morales, Kell$, Henry Lyon, Laura Mason, Neil Pacheco, Jesse Allen, Arseno Smith, Peter Lyon, Lyndsey Chaille, Nykolas Mamula, Justin Wonge, Gabe Weis, Charity, Ezra, and Carolynn Box. In recognition of their help, a portion of the sale price of this painting will be donated to the League of Young Voters.

This painting is currently featured in The League's online art gallery.

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Paintings
Collective Visions
Protests
Picture of Progress details
Community Organizations

Marc Tognotti of SFNAN, stands at the easel to help facilitate a planning meeting for the June 9 Neighborhood Whole-Community Dialog in the southern part of the Mission.

As a neighbor, I'll be involved in making some art to enhance and record the event and am organizing an accompanying art show at Toad's.

This is the drawing of the week for May 20-26, 2007.

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$5 Drawings
The Mission
Drawings of the Weeks
Community Organizations

At small backyard soiree to support Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art (COCA), Elliot Lessing mixes a cherry cocktail.

Lessing is one of the chief architects of this new arts organization. COCA will bring new art to San Francisco's parks October 19-21, 2007 with the Open Skies project.

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$5 Drawings
Artists
The Art Biz
Community Organizations

Carin, a volunteer with Tax-Aid gets ready to do my taxes. With my many various revenue sources, I am very grateful for this program that provides full-service tax preparation services for low-income individuals.

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$10 Drawings
Community Organizations

Two girls for a change at a Girls for a Change informational reception co-hosted by Sharna Fey.

This is the drawing of the week for March 11-17.

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$5 Drawings
Community Organizations
Drawings of the Weeks

A pregnant Niko Everett tells us about the organization she helps lead, Girls for a Change, which organizes teenage girls into action teams that tackle community problems.

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$10 Drawings
Community Organizations

At a Young Nonprofit Professionals Network party to thank their volunteers, the art didn't stop. The young nonprofit professionals brainstormed about connections with markers on a piece of paper hung on the wall while I painted their ideas onto the canvas.

I don't know exactly how to read it - but it seems that the super volunteer is providing free beer, with love, to other volunteers who are greening business (utilizing the power of trends) which is also driving (or being driven by) other institutions while government seems mired in elitism and others work on building bridges.

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Paintings
Collective Visions
Community Organizations
Brainstorming
Collaboration