Having been active in social justice movements since the 1960s, I would’ve liked for us to be further along than we are now. You might imagine that I’m a bit fatigued, even disheartened, six decades later. To the contrary, I’m as fired up as ever. I’m especially inspired by young activists around the world who are tackling myriad interrelated issues in new, dynamic, exciting ways. It’s called intersectional organizing, integrating, among much else: calls for an end to violent conflicts, enlivening the climate change debate, addressing gender inequality, demands for economic equity, actions for racial justice, demonstrations for LGBTQ rights, protests for gun control—all parts of a unified fervent appeal for a more inclusive, sustainable world. I had extraordinary mentors... more

Inspired by Einstein’s quote, I share highlights. I’ll be a featured speaker at online Collective Trauma Summit, talking about compassion and connection. Learn more here where you can register for free. A Forbes Councils member, I wrote articles and contributed to expert panels. I did several presentations and interviews, with more in the coming month. Jerry and I celebrated our granddaughter Taty marrying Derek and our grandson Teagan getting engaged to Meagan. beCause Global Consulting helps people and organizations connect with their core purpose and each other. Learn more about my company and me. Global Citizens Circle celebrates its 50th anniversary, please donate so future Circles will always be free to everyone everywhere. Join online Circle Sept 20 ‘Reclaiming our... more

2022: a year filled with sorrow and joy, losses and celebrations, tragedies and triumphs. We shared grief at the horrific toll of a pandemic, wars, environmental degradation. I was deeply honored to receive Catalyst for Change Award by Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute that inspires me to keep on keepin on… Jerry and I keep promoting social causes in the long relay race for a more just world. I welcome your ideas on how to create mutually supportive connections at a time of growing inequity. Do you have projects that you’d like to promote? See what I’ve written in Forbes Councils and other places. Amidst our sorrow at a broken world, we celebrated the marriages of our two eldest grandchildren. Braedon... more

With 2021 drawing to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the “new normal” (or not normal) wrought by the pandemic, climate change and growing inequity worldwide. Despite these crazy times, Jerry and I have continued to promote social causes in the long relay race for a safer, more just and peaceful world, understanding that all of us are inextricably interconnected, so we have a sacred obligation to bring love, hope and peace to everyone everywhere. The work never stops. So, when the temperature drops and sunlight wanes, we can all take heart in knowing that every culture celebrates the power of light over darkness near the winter solstice. As the Brits say, we have to calm down and carry on.... more

beCause CEO Nadine Hack’s opening keynote at Stockholm Philanthropy Symposium – Other speakers will address with great wisdom myriad specifics on philanthropy, impact investing, corporate responsibility, social innovations, digital platforms, partnerships, gender equity and more. So, to start, I’ll share a meta framework about what I call connectedness because I believe it’s at the core of all those topics and, actually, everything. You can watch video of presentation. First, please turn to someone near who you don’t already know and introduce yourselves. Take a minute max each so the two introductions will take two minutes max. Go ahead! [participants interact] How many of you basically shared your name, where you’re from and what you do? That’s kind of like the... more

by beCause CEO Nadine Hack – Welsh proverb: “She/he who would be a leader must be a bridge.”  What I call engagement leaders are, indeed, “bridges” connecting divergent types of people for the advantage of each and all.  They know that deeply engaging internal and external stakeholders in the co-creation of business changes and new initiatives is vital for any strategic action plan to be properly executed. Nelson Mandela is an archetypal engagement leader.  After 27 brutal years in prison, he emerged as a fervent advocate of engaging with the very people and institutions that oppressed him.  When released, he spent the next four years in negotiation with the stalwarts of apartheid.  As President, he continued to ensure that all... more

by beCause CEO Nadine Hack – A colleague once said to me, “I stand on your shoulders.”  I replied, “We all are part of a chain of progress that stretches far behind us and will continue long after us.”  This is how I view leadership in general and women’s leadership in particular. See video of presentation. Research by McKinsey, Harvard, Columbia, and myriad other consultancies, think tanks and universities show that organizations with diverse leadership are 35% more likely to have better financial returns.  So, advancing women’s leadership is a vital business imperative.  And, I hope men will share with all your male colleagues why “women in leadership” is not just a women’s issue. What’s valid for women’s leadership applies to all... more

by beCause CEO Nadine Hack – In his 1859 classic, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens compared life in Paris and London before and during the French Revolution when he wrote “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  And if you look at the history of humankind at any time – particularly when we’ve made tectonic global transitions: the Agrarian Age, the Industrial Revolution, and now the Digital Revolution – you also see the best and worst simultaneously. There always have been opposing forces: “dark” (e.g.: nationalism, tribalism, fear and hatred of “the other”) vs. “light” (e.g.: empathy, bridge-building, inclusiveness and striving for freedom and human dignity of all human beings). It’s no different... more

by beCause CEO Nadine Hack – We have just been at a back-to-back memorial services for two members of our family and, as we have recently learned about the imminent deaths of other family and friends, it is a moment to pause, to reflect on celebrating life and cherishing those we love, whether with us or passed over to the other side. As we do this, it happens to be when we say Happy Navrati to all our Hindi friends celebrating Navratras and Durga Puja.  And, we say Shana Tova to all our Jewish friends celebrating Rosh Hashana.  This is just weeks after we said Eid Mubarak to all our Muslim friends celebrating Eid al-Adha.   Every faith-based tradition has... more