Action-Learning Fellowship 2.0
In October 2018, six talented individuals from across the U.S. joined us in co-creating a world that works for all as the second cohort of Action-Learning Fellowship. From launching an umbrella organization for health equity in Louisiana to furthering an initiative enabling regenerative systems change, our Action-Learning Fellows were supported by each other and the BK Foundation’s Community Weavers with BK ideas, connections and seed funding to further their visions. As a celebration, we’d like to share with you the amazing work of our Fellows and their experiences with this second iteration of the Action-Learning Fellowship program.
Cheri-Leigh Erasmus serves as the Programs and Learning Manager at the Accountability Lab, a nonprofit aimed at building a new generation of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world. She’s spent a decade in the higher education and nonprofit management arenas. As a fellow, she creatively advocated for a learning organization culture and successfully communicated her vision in the space to her multi-cultural team.
Learn more about how Cheri promoted a culture of learning throughout her international team by watching her video here.
Learn more about how Cheri promoted a culture of learning throughout her international team by watching her video here.
Mansi Kakkar is the Chief Zentrepreneur of The Social Innovation Collective an experiment she is building to apply regenerative thinking in rural communities all over the world. She also works in Design & Technology Strategy at The Early Learning Lab in addition to developing and delivering experiential learning journeys for students for Stanford University (SPCS). As a fellow, she utilized the program’s extensive resources to help re-shape the Social Innovation Collective and came up with a metaphor that describes how regenerative systems should be built.
Learn more about Mansi’s journey to redefining the role of the Social Innovation Collective to the Fireweed Expedition by watching her video here.
Learn more about Mansi’s journey to redefining the role of the Social Innovation Collective to the Fireweed Expedition by watching her video here.
Graham Patterson is the Program Manager of the Center of Health Equity, a complementary program of a the statewide buildout program which educates Louisiana-based healthcare professionals in public health. As a fellow, Graham received support to help the center build from output to impact, leverage partnerships to connect the health ecosystem, and ensure connectivity to support access to resources.
Learn more about how the Fellowship supported Graham to build a better health ecosystem by watching his reflection video here.
Learn more about how the Fellowship supported Graham to build a better health ecosystem by watching his reflection video here.
Shalini Krishnan is a UX Designer by profession with a deep intent to use her expertise for social and environmental good. After spending 7 years with 3 major corporates, she took a year long break to utilize her problem solving skills in the Social Impact sector to found Kalpanadham, a Creativity Lab for immensely imaginative children living in under-resourced tribal communities in India. As a Fellow, Shalini and her team revived the Kalpanadham project and explored new possibilities for taking this creativity and connecting it to her new context living in the U.S.
Learn more about how Shalini revived Kalpanadham and meet the children and artists in the project by seeing her presentation here.
Learn more about how Shalini revived Kalpanadham and meet the children and artists in the project by seeing her presentation here.
Isaiah Johnson is the Founder of Project Beanstalk, a socially responsible video game company dedicated to diversifying the video game industry. As a fellow, Isaiah leveraged the access to BKF’s extensive resources like books, mentorship, and the opportunities to gain diverse perspectives from other fellows. Isaiah and his team were able to practice many of the techniques to build a happier team, striking the right balance between providing employees with enough space to explore their growth while still being efficient.
Learn more about how Isaiah grew in his leadership as well as how he leveraged BKF’s resources into his work by reading his reflections here.
Learn more about how Isaiah grew in his leadership as well as how he leveraged BKF’s resources into his work by reading his reflections here.
Mandip Kaur is the Founder of The Hungry Orchid (THO), a digital platform that educates about the unique social issues affecting marginalized women. Mandip and her team tackles questions like “How can we display authentic allyship towards trans women?” and “How do western beauty standards impact women of color?” Her work has gained a large following online as well as built a budding community both virtually and in person. Mandip has taken a small break from her project, but stay tuned later this year as Mandip returns to take her project to the next level.
We are incredibly proud of the progress and impact that our Fellows made in eight months. We are beyond excited to see where they will take the initiatives in the future.