March 2012
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Interview with Jordie Poncy about his Life in MS...
I had the pleasure of interviewing Jordie Poncy, a friend of a friend who is very, very funny and earnest. He writes a blog called Life in MS Paint, through which he tells well-crafted stories using Microsoft Paint as his tool. I’ve never seen anything like it; he’s truly a master of his craft.
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Jen Bokoff: Your blog is amazing. I love how simply enjoyable...
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WatchThis is where I live. The end result was a vote against a referendum. My buddy Chad also nicely summarized the debate and gave the play by play if you want to read more.
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Access ADL →
The Anti-Defamation League has a new blog dedicated to providing inside access to their work and perspective on some of critical issues our country faces including extremism, anti-Semitism, and racism. Their posts are thoroughly researched and linked, and provides a helpful lens to recognize and understand the bigotry that is unfortunately still very present in America and globally. Add it to your...
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Supreme Court considers core of health care law,... →
A good summary by my buddy Priyanka about the current hearings at the Supreme Court. Great to read if you don’t have time to weed through all of the other articles out there but want the key points.
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Why People in Cities Walk Fast →
This graph made from an observational study in 1976 started the theory, which has become more developed over time.
As one possible explanation for the relationship between city size and foot speed, the researchers suggested that economic factors might play a key role. When a city grows larger, they wrote, wage rate and cost of living increase, and with that the value of a resident’s...
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Many of you know me as a "connector"... you can...
That’s right, I’m teaching another class at the Brooklyn Brainery called How To Be A Connector. I know you can’t teach people to have a certain personality, but everyone can learn how to be smart with the contacts they have and connect more meaningfully. Here are the details:
Everyone knows that one person who knows everyone. If you want to learn gardening, they have a contact....
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“Trayvon Martin, God bless him, an innocent kid, a wonderful kid, a box of...”
– Geraldo Rivera, Fox News host
You can’t blame a hoodie; you just can’t. But, perhaps that’s the sad reality. Instead of following this statement by encouraging parents not to let their kids outside in hoodies, maybe we should change the conversation and culture. And start with...
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“Give me an artistic license so I can sing to my captors in Syria. Let me...”
– Karen Finley, performance artist and activist, in a speech made on March 21, 2012 at the opening of Because Dreaming Is Best Done In Public: Creative Time In Public Spaces, which features her 1998 work 1-800-ALL-KAREN.
Words can’t describe how moved I was both emotionally and towards action,...
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Consumer Reports fails miserably in the bagel...
Who makes the best bagels?
Bottom line. Dunkin’ Donuts, Lender’s Original, and Costco are the best choices, but be careful which Lender’s you choose: Its refrigerated Bagel Shop version was just so-so. Thomas’ Bagel Thins are a decent option if you’re watching your weight, though they taste more like rolls than bagels.
(Consumer Reports, May 2012 Edition)
ARE YOU JOKING?!?!?! Even if...
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Sugar v. Corn Syrup - the great American sweetener... →
In a lawsuit that goes before a Los Angeles federal judge Wednesday, sugar producers accuse their corn industry rivals of false advertising in a campaign that casts the liquid sweetener as “nutritionally the same as table sugar” and claims “your body can’t tell the difference.” Sugar forces argue that high fructose corn syrup is far less healthy than their product...
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“To radio listeners: I apologized in this week’s episode to anyone who felt...”
– Mike Daisey, in a post on his website about the recent Apple story controversy on aired on This American Life
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If you subscribe to jenbokoff.com using an RSS...
Please take a second to do so from here; then I can track you and know that people are reading! And, if you don’t already subscribe, no better time but now! Finally, in the vein of this rare shameless self-promotion post, do share content with others if you like what you read, ask me questions and/or suggest posts, and keep your ears open for neat writing or social media opportunities for...
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Philanthropy Jargon Generator →
This is really hilarious. Push a button and voila! A Verb + Adjective + Noun/Phrase is generated and you can use it! Here are some that I got:
quantify state-of-the-art stakeholder feedback
commission community-driven models
ramp up interactive listening tours
respond to inclusive change agents
explore emerging B corporations
You get it. It’s ridiculous - I hope people don’t...
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“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there...”
– Edwin Elliot
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“In the 1950s, having the Encyclopaedia Britannica on the bookshelf was akin to a...”
– After 244 Years, Encyclopaedia Britannica Stops the Presses, by Julie Bosman
This is sad, even though I understand all the reasoning and good that will come from pouring energy into the online and educational resources. But gosh, I used to LOVE spending hours reading our encyclopedia (circa 1996)...
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How to Calculate Pi →
Happy Pi Day!
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“Don’t worry, it’s ok to slow down. Sometimes if you run too fast,...”
– Wisdom from an amazing LIFT client
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Grant MADNESS →
Last year I blogged about Brackets with Benefits (and April Madness, too!), and this year, another great way to get psyched for the NCAA tournament is to enter the One Percent Foundation’s pool called Grant MADNESS. In this third annual competition for good, you donate $10 (the first 500 entries are matched by MerchSource… double impact!) to play. The winners get to contribute the...
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Interview with Deborah Block of Athlete Ally
Deborah Block, a fellow Tufts graduate with an admirable passion for promoting equality and understanding among peers, helped to found the nonprofit Athlete Ally. Along with founder Hudson Taylor, Deborah is committed to making sure that all athletes - regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or other defining trait - are treated with dignity and respect among their peers, especially in...
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“Tough. They just need to deal with it and wait for the next one. Whatever; I...”
– Mary, the driver of my Peter Pan bus to Hartford, about people who purchased a ticket for the overbooked 3pm bus online. Eticketed passengers were (for no clear reason) forced to wait until others with a ‘real’ boarding pass got a seat even though an eticket is, too, for that specific...
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A great rant about LinkedIn useage →
Simple etiquette for networking using LinkedIn. Why should I be in your network if I don’t know you AND you have nothing personal to say to me?
(Thanks for sharing, like-minded friend!)
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“A charming woman doesn’t follow the crowd. She is herself.”
– Loretta Young
Happy International Women’s Day! Be charming, ladies!
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“We ended up identifying our niche by that process of engaging the community in...”
– Laura McNulty, Executive Director of Health Horizons International, on how the programs were developed in an interview with WFYI public radio’s Barbara Lewis. Sounds smart to me!
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Nonprofit Data Visualization: a Gallery →
This is a good compilation of effectively constructed infographics and well-stylized reporting by charitable entities. Worth a look and some thought about how to apply the most resonant pieces to your own organizations.
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In New York City’s Fast Pace Culture, Should...
[Note: I wrote the below article for WECREATE NYC. They’re a super cool bunch of innovators interested in generating lasting economy and social change. Enjoy and share!]
By Jen Bokoff, a Brooklyn-based non-profit professional dedicated to facilitating discussions around philanthropy, sociology, and DIY ideas.
New York is inarguably a fast-paced city. From the way we walk to the...
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NPR's Ask Me Another gives fun challenges
I’m going to a live taping of NPR’s puzzle, trivia, and games show Ask Me Another, which is a lot of fun to listen to. You could check a box saying that you’re open to being a contestant, and I received an email with a (super long but really fun and humbling) quiz that runs the gamut of questions. I’m submitting it today, but wanted to share question 17 and my answer,...
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Thinking about "Networking"
My friend Alisha thinks very similarly to how I do about “networking,” and she just wrote a great post about it. Here’s an excerpt describing what networking should be and what a lot of people try to make it:
What is networking, even? To be honest, I hate the term. Networking to me is a couple of things:
connecting people through genuinely exciting ideas
being social and...
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New website alert! Done.com →
You find screened, skilled neighbors to help with tasks - grocery shopping, babysitting, fixing things, party planning, etc. - and then hire them. Once a task is complete, a task is also done for a child in need (sponsored by Unicef). I also love Done.’s values statement, which includes such items as assuming good intentions and judging themselves not against the status quo, but against the...
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Interview with Natalia Petrzela about intenSati,...
Natalia Mehlman Petrzela is an intenSati instructor, college professor, mom, and ambassador of awesome (just google her!). The next amazing event that she’s speaking at is less than two weeks away (March 11), and spots are filling up fast. I spoke with her about what it’s going to be like to celebrate our bodies and exercise in a high-powered workout-for-a-cause on the Intrepid.
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