CGI to COMNET 010

Just the other day a friend asked me if I was ever home. It was (and still is) a legitimate question given that in the last three weeks I've been home just four days. But all the travel, chaos, jet lag and hotel hair are worth what I've experienced. First up was the UN MDG Summit, the Social Good Summit and CGI.

Nearly a full week of networking, listening, learning and absorbing all of the commitments made by companies, NGOs, foundations and philanthropists. Exhausting and inspiring, my head is still spinning with the world (literally) of possibilities that are opening up for girls, women, communities, and countries. We can eradicate polio; we can make sure that death isn't lurking in the kitchen; we can empower girls in the US to help girls in Malawi, Jordan, Indonesia; and we can end the trafficking of children.

I left New York and the celebrity-filled halls of the Sheraton (as well as the world leaders crowded into the UN) inspired and challenged by how to communicate all of this to the world.

Following a brief stop at home to repack (and attend my first meeting as a NARAL Pro-Choice America board member), I have landed in Los Angeles for the Fall 2010 Conference of The Communications Network. This is my first trip to this annual meeting of more than 200 communications specialists from the world's largest foundations and philanthropies. For the next several days we will listen, learn and share strategies about how to effectively communicate the work of that grantees do (and that are funded by the folks here).

I'm fascinated by the speakers the group has chosen and most interested in hearing from Neal Baer (the EP of Law & Order SVU), James Surowiecki who wrote "The Wisdom of Crowds" and Lucy Bernholz a consultant who helps foundations maximize their investment in applied research. These are only a few of the speakers but the fact that they aren't necessarily "on topic" will challenge us all to apply their successful strategies to our own work.

I suspect Baer will talk about leveraging pop culture and media to help drive change. Law & Order SVU has always been a strong supporter of RAINN and is tonight airing an episode on the delayed intake and processing of rape kits.  I look forward to asking Surowiecki a question about how his work is related to the age-old Roper model of focusing on "influentials" (a strategy I recommend often).

In all, it should be really interesting. First up, though, a little fun: a night of cocktails and music on the roof of the GRAMMY Museum (how cool!) and dinner with a few friends on another roof. I'm sure the conversations will focus on change, big and small, and how we can all work towards it.