Holiday Edition--His Toy Store and Hope for New York

Episode 12
By Bill Quinn

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

In a just few days, kids all over New York City will waking up early and jumping out of bed in search of presents.  Many of those boys and girls will happily find gifts because of the good people at Hope for New York who support 40+ faith-based, anti-poverty organizations across the city (remember Father's Heart?).  Earlier this month, they opened several pop-up toy stores under the banner "His Toy Store."  Their goal was to provide presents to families in "deep financial need."  In this episode, Katherine Evans walks me through how His Toy Store works and recounts some of her fonder memories of the program.

Download the episode here.

Want to know more?  Check out these links to learn about His Toy Store and Hope for New York!

• Hope for New York's page for His Toy Store.
• It's not too late to help--donate here.
• Kids these days with their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
• Hope for New York's home page.
• Binge watch all of Hope For New York's videos on their Vimeo page.

Here's a quick look at His Toy Story.

And that's it--last episode of the year!  My thanks to Kathrine Evans and everyone at Hope for New York for taking time to speak with me.  Additional thanks and shout outs to Jillian D'Angelo and Abigail Tseng for inadvertently (in one case) and... advertantly? (in the other case) connecting me with Katherine.  Happy Holidays everyone and see you next year!

Music generously provided by: http://www.bensound.com

"You don't teach at students, you do it with them!"--CityScience Extras

Episode 5+ (extra stuff!)
By Bill Quinn

Here at the Bill Quinn Podcast, one of our favorite organizations is CityScience for their role in supporting New York City STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. We featured CityScience in episode five but I had to cut some interesting stories and highlights due to time constraints.  Recently I went back, deep into the archives, and dug out those stories that got cut our first go-round. A few edits and voila--this week's episode!  You’ll hear the Founder and Director, Thor Snilsberg, talk about his favorite moments and projects including pickling food, advising students who led the first urban forestry study and a kid who hacked into a school's wifi.

Download this episode here.

Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiinks!

• Inspired to give on Giving Tuesday? Here you go!
• Learn more about the nuts and bolts of CityScience in episode five and by visiting their home page.
• Are you a science teacher? You’ll want to check this out.
• Here’s a tour of social media sites: Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.
• Maybe you’re into donating your time—they’re into that too!

My thanks again go to Thor Snilsberg and all the great people at CityScience who, even five years in, still have such enthusiasm and excitement for their work. Getting to be a part of that, for however briefly, makes running this little operation worthwhile.  And a shout-out to Kristen Cordero for connecting me with Thor. Thanks Kristen!

Theme song: Quittin' Time (Patrick Lee) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
Additional music: http://www.bensound.com

Helping Students Learn about Themselves--The Bloom Collective

“Anything goes!” Aaron Densham exclaimed when describing the the Bloom Collective's education philosophy.  Raised in an atmosphere of progressive teaching programs focused on self-reflection, Aaron went on to intern at an orphanage in Rwanda where he implemented similar innovative teaching methods.  Co-founding Bloom in 2014, the organization has brought the approach to communities and schools in Israel, India and of course his native Australia.  Speaking from Melbourne (and a whole day in the future!) we talked about what his young organization has already accomplished and what plans they have going forward.  I also learn why he enjoys spraying shaving cream at students.  You know, outside of the obvious.

During the interview, we refer to the Plato's Allegory of the Cave.  If you need a refresher here's a nice little video courtesy of TED.

Download the episode here.

Links!

• The Bloom Collective's home page goes into even more detail about what they do.
• It turns out I wasn't the first the first to get to Aaron--here is his interview with The Well.
• Their Facebook page is worth a look for some of the pictures alone! 

I was inadvertently dodging Aaron for a while but he stuck with me and I couldn't be happier.  It's always good to talk with and be inspired by a fellow teacher.  Plus it was great getting to know him and Bloom a little better.  My thanks to him for being gracious with his time.  Also, another thanks goes out to Babita Patel (learn more here) for continuing to connect me with exciting and engaging nonprofit leaders.  And I should mention I stumbled across the key to her wonderful connections: the Global Social Impact House in Pennsylvania.  Check out this video to learn more.  Keep an eye out for a cameo from both Babita and Aaron.

Music Credits:

Opening/Closing song:  Tales Of A Dead Fish (The Freak Fandango Orchestra) / CC BY-SA 3.0

Additional music: http://www.bensound.com

Improving the Quality of Surgery in Developing Countries with Mentors--Mission: Restore

Episode 9
by Bill Quinn

Last week I sat with Karina Nagan in a quiet Brooklyn coffee shop to learn about Mission: Restore, an organization dedicated to supporting surgeons around the world with knowledge and skills to improve treatment of their patients.  As Executive Director, Karina has helped to send veteran doctors to Myanmar, Tanzia and Haiti among others where they train and work with local surgeons to manage the complexities of their job.  This episode we learn more about how mentors, like Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh, founder of Mission: Restore, impact local doctors and their community as well as use teleconferencing technology to maintain their mentorships after the trip has ended.  Plus learn about the upcoming "Fall Soiree" and an opportunity for listeners to support the training of one particularly talented doctor in Tanzinia.

Download this episode here.

We just scratch the surface of their work--learn more by following these links:

Start with their home page.

Have a great night at the Mission: Restore Fall Soiree on November 13th!

Follow them on social media like Twitter and Instagram.

Get involved!  Internships, fellowships, volunteering all available by emailing.

MISSION: RESTORE in Myanmar from Lena Rudnick on Vimeo.

Many thanks to Karina Nagin for spending some time talking with me.  And thank you to Babita Patel for introducing us--learn more about Babita's organization the KIOO project here.  And I'm testing out a new theme song--let me know what you think!  

Theme song: Quittin' Time (Patrick Lee) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
Additional music: http://www.bensound.com

"What Stories Would They Tell?"--the KIOO Project

Episode 8, October 6, 2015

by Bill Quinn

Humanitarian photographer Babita Patel tells a story of a boy laughing and pointing at the image of himself on the screen of her digital camera.  It turns out that he and other Haitian boys like him rarely if ever get to see what has become ubiquitous here in New York--a picture of themselves.  This small moment has launched an exciting nonprofit called the KIOO Project which runs photography programs for students in some of the world's poorest countries.  They not only teach students new skills but empower young people to express themselves.  This episode Babita shares stories from the work she has done in Haiti and Kenya.  And if you like what you hear, be sure to support the KIOO Project on Indiegogo by October 8th!

(Technical note:  Due to some major computer-related hurdles, this episode is very late in being posted.  Some of the times mentioned, such as two weeks left in the Indiegogo campaign, are considerably off.)

Download this episode on Pod-o-Matic

Learn more about all the great work of the KIOO Project in the links below:

• Help this excellent program on Indiegogo before time runs out on October 8th. Your money will support their work with students in India.

• Here's the KIOO Project's excellent web site with a lot more information plus pictures from Haiti and Kenya. 

• Purchase some of the photographs discussed in this episode, plus other great pictures, to support the organization.

• Follow the project with regular updates from India on Instagram.

• Connect with the KIOO Project through the other usual suspects of Facebook and Twitter.

• Watch videos to see KIOO in action!

• Learn more about Babita Patel by visiting her web site.

A huge THANK YOU and shout out to Julia Firestone for supporting the podcast and connecting me with Babita and the KIOO Project.  And another big thank you to Babita for being a fantastic guest, for patiently waiting for me to figure out technical issues (a reoccurring theme here at the BQ Podcast) and for not openly judging me when I didn't realize my web cam and microphone were broadcasting as I ranted to myself about the less-than intuitive Google On Air controls.   And lastly, thank you NOFX for not bothering me about stealing your song.  However your unresponsiveness to my requests for permission may have finally wore me down.  I will have to find a new song to lead me to the promised land: Itunes.

Music: http://www.bensound.com

"I still feel the roof crashing over me." -- After Rana Plaza

September 17, 2015

Ending this Sunday, September 20th, is a photo exhibit from Bangladesh as part of the Photoville project in Brooklyn Bridge Park. It documents the aftermath of the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster and the ongoing experiences for victims, families and the community. With each photograph comes a carefully documented account connecting the image to the collapse.  The pictures are striking, tragic and touching yet vivid and beautiful.  One of the organizers, Thahitun Mariam, graciously answered several questions about the exhibit.

Update:  If you click on the picture you will be linked to the corresponding story.

Bill:  What is "After Rana Plaza?"

Thahitun:  After Rana Plaza" is a year-long documentary photography project to shed light on the lives of people who remain deeply impacted by one of the world's deadliest industrial catastrophes. It is a collaborative project between Bangladeshi photographer Ismail Ferdous and The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  

Bill:  How did you get involved?

Thahitun:  I am involved with "After Rana Plaza" because I was one of the main content writers for the stories being told. The interviews and photographs are captured by Ismail Ferdous, and then sent to us writers to understand and explain the narratives of many people who were involved in the collapse - whether it be the survivors themselves, or the organizations that are working to provide services to them even till now.

Bill:  What are some of the more memorable stories to come out of the exhibit.

Thahitun:  Visit the web site here. Feel free to shift through the pictures to get a better idea of the stories being told.

Bill:  When and where can people see the exhibit?

Thahitun:  "After Rana Plaza" is being exhibited during the Photoville festival which happens yearly in Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City. It is happening from September 10, 2015 — September 20, 2015. The Hours of Operation for the festival can be found on the Photoville website.

Bill:  If someone wants to get involved with your project in one way or another, what should they do?

Thahitun:  They can get involved with the "After Rana Plaza" project by emailing us at afterranaplaza@gmail.com.

Bill:  What have you learned from organizing photography exhibits such as this one that you can pass on to others who might want to do something similar?

Thahitun:  From my experience working with "After Rana Plaza" we have realized that it is always best to have a vision and work towards it slowly. "After Rana Plaza" is a vision of Ismail Ferdous's to follow up and tell the stories of people who may otherwise be forgotten. As a writer, it is important for me to provide dignity and honor to the stories being told as stories of survival, and not as tales of defeat. "After Rana Plaza" was approached to be exhibited during Photoville since Ismail Ferdous and his work was selected as one of the three recipients of the first Getty Images Instagram Grants.

My thanks again to Thahitun for taking the time to answer my questions.  If you miss the last few days of the exhibit be sure to check it out online at the official page for After Rana Plaza where you can click on pictures for their story.  You can also go learn more about photographer Ismail Ferdous's work by visiting his web site.  

How to Build Outstanding Schools in Rural Africa--The Impact Network

Episode 7
August 25^th
by Bill Quinn

From her small office in Brooklyn, NY Reshma Patel is tackling the difficult problems confronting schools and students in Zambia with new technology and innovative teaching methods.  She is the Executive Director of the Impact Network and I was lucky enough to talk with her a couple of months ago in episode three.  In order to keep the episode around ten minutes there were a lot of interesting things I had to cut.  But since I’m currently struggling to find someone to interview, I thought I'd put the whole interview together.  In this episode Reshma talks about the education system in Zambia, what the Impact Network’s schools do differently and how they are able to be so successful for so much less.  If you’re inspired to get involved, Reshma describes many of the available opportunities to be a part of the organization.  One quick note on the recording quality; this was one of my first efforts so I clearly had some issues.  Full apologies and thanks for your patience.

Download the episode here.

The interview was in early June so we didn’t get into much detail about the gala but since November is just around the corner I’ll mention it here.  Expert chefs from around the city come together for one big international culinary blowout to benefit the Impact Network.  And since a child’s education can be funded for $3 a day, the money raised at this event can go very far. 

A overview video of the 2013 event.

Has this only whet your appetite to learn more?  Here are some links for more about the Impact Network and Zambia’s education system.

A good place to start: The Impact Network’s web site.
 
Do you like what the Impact Network does?  Make it official on their Facebook page.

Don’t want to read?  Here’s the Impact Network’s Youtube page.

Learn more about one of New York’s more unique fundraisers—Chefs for Impact.

Get an overview of the education system in Zambia from The Ministry of Education.

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about education in Zambia.

My thanks to Reshma and the Impact Network for their time and support of the podcast (episode 3 is currently holding the title for most views).  I’ve been out of the loop for a bit between a small vacation and a large cold that took me out of action for a while but I’m back and should have episodes up more regularly going forward.  And there’s this song I like and keep using (pirating apparently) from NOFX.  Thanks fellas!