YWSE's Take On... An Evening with Louise W. Knight

YWSE’s night with Louise W. Knight and Jane Addams

guest post by Darcie Polzien

    Monday evening, October 18th, at the SOMA office of Tech Soup, a group of about 10 women gather for another splendid YWSE event.  Louise W. Knight is in town, on a book tour, celebrating the publication of her new book, Jane Addams:  Spirit in Action.   After getting acquainted over hors d’oeuvres, we took our seats in a circle of couches and stuffed chairs.  YWSE chair Liz Zirk introduced us to Louise Knight, and Louise introduced us to Jane Addams. 

    Jane Addams was one of the nation’s first grassroots organizers and a founder of the fields of social work and sociology.  She was the co-founder of Hull House in Chicago, the nation’s first Settlement House, and co-founder of the first national women’s trade union organization.  She was a leader in the suffrage movement, international peace and women’s rights movements.  In 1931 she was the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.  At her core, she was a humanitarian, connecting people together as humans.  She was a consensus builder who brought people together across class lines.  She could certainly be called a social entrepreneur of her time.

    So would Jane Addams’ leadership style work today?  What would she think about the social and political issues of today?  Louise Knight helped us to explore these questions and more.  Addams’ thinking was responsibility-based, not rights based.  She saw rights as absolutes, thus not allowing for compromise.  We asked, so is that why we’ve seen such little movement in the abortion debate, with the right of women’s choice being countered with the right to life of the fetus?  Even in her argument for women’s suffrage, she advocated that it was women’s responsibility to their families, through voting, to elect the government that would best protect and care for her family.

    Addams led with an “intentional light touch;” she listened without judgment.  She served as a strong example, but she did not dominate.  She believed in the 19th century theory of cooperation where by she asked what she could do with you to help your cause.  She was mindful of other people.  At Hull House she brought residents together to live and socialize across class lines; to get to know each other on a social basis, beyond that of employer and employee.  She ran Hull House as a complete democracy, which gave the residents a lot of freedom.  This led to decisions she did not agree with and those that spurred controversy.  But she saw this as part of the learning process; the process of democracy being as important as the end results.  Addams was a patient woman; she had to be, as her methods were admittedly slow, yet effective.  So would Addams’ approach work today?  It’s a tough question; what do you think?

    Concluding the evening, Louise graciously signed personalized copies of her book for those who purchased it.

Louise K. Knight Talks Social Entrepreneurship in History!

Social entrepreneurship is something totally new, right? 

Not so, according to Louise K. Knight's book "Jane Addams: Spirit in Action"! And you have the chance to meet Louise K. Knight in person AND have her sign a copy of her book! On October 18th, YWSE hosts an interactive talk and book signing with the author herself. A talk about the spirit of Jane Addams, the first American woman to earn the Nobel Peace Prize!

Who is Jane Addams anyway...?

Like young women leaders today, Jane Addams -- the first American woman to earn the Nobel Peace Prize-- struggled to grow purposefully, collaboratively, and with integrity. Louise (Lucy) W. Knight, the author of the just-published Jane Addams: Spirit in Action, will discuss how Addams found mentors and mentored others and the kind of a consensus-building leader she became. Knight will also share Addams’s theory of leadership, which included the power of leading by example and the need to cooperate, not dominate. This interactive talk will offer women working in non-profit and for-profit companies in the Bay Area both some remarkable history and insights into modern day work and life dilemmas.

Read the live blog of this event!

 

Program Scholarship Opportunity for YWSE Members!

Do you know an outstanding YWSE Woman who is a budding Entrepreneur? 

Are you one yourself?

YWSE is proud to present the 2010 Summer Entrepreneur Program Scholarship for YWSE Women sponsored by Fearless Women Entrepreneurs and Wells Fargo!

The recipient of this Scholarship will attend 3 months of personalized Entrepreneurship Training and be featured in the Fearless Women Entrepreneur Network / Wells Fargo media presence.

Click here to nominate a standout YWSE woman you know for this 2010 Scholarship and/or nominate yourself by 11:59 PM on 12 July 2010. YWSE Finalists will be announced on 13 July 2010 at the Fearless Entrepreneur Pitch Night in San Francisco at The Hub!

About the Fearless Women Entrepreneur Network

Fearless Women Entrepreneur Network is dedicated to fostering emerging women entrepreneurs through education and community-building. Our mission is to provide programs, tools, resources and connections that enable women to reach their full economic potential through entrepreneurship.

Events you should come to...!

June 30th @ The Hub SoMa, 6:30-8:30pm :: Making The Leap - Stories of Successful Women Entrepreneurs

July 13th @ The Hub SoMa, 6:30-8:30pm :: Fearless Scholarship Pitch Night in SF

French social entrepreneur at Social Capital Markets Conference

By Emmanuelle Larroque

[Note on the author: Emmanuelle supports young social entrepreneurs at a French NGO in Paris called Entrepreneurs Sans Frontières (ESF, or Entrepreneurs Without Borders). She visited the Bay Area recently and reached out to YWSE-SF. Below is her report on the 2009 Social Capital Markets Conference held in San Francisco this September. She notes that this is her perspective as a French woman with degrees in business and innovation and a background in IT consulting and CSR. It's fascinating to think about the differences in social entrepreneurship around the world, and encouraging to be reminded this is a worldwide movement.]

I was thrilled to be part of a meeting of major players in mission-driven investments. An international foundation for the promotion of social business, Artemisia International, had invited Entrepreneurs Sans Frontières to participate in SOCAP to get an understanding of how the social capital market was being shaped.

Special Event: Women on Top - Lessons for Life and Business from the Mountaintop, July 23

Women on Top: Lessons for Life and Business from the Mountains with special guest Emilie Cortes, Mountaineer and Founder, Association of Women MBAs

What do you do when the going gets tough on a mountain?

Do you back down or charge forward one step at a time?

Do you assess the risk and retreat, cautiously continue, or blindly march on?

Join five amazing organizations for one special night.

RSVP now for the advance discount.

The same characteristics that make a strong climber also make a successful businesswoman. Young Women Social Entrepreneurs, Charles Schwab and the Women's Interactive Network, Future Women Leaders, and the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Professional Chapters of Net Impact have teamed up to bring you this inspirational event designed to inspire you higher in your career.

YWSE-SF: About Embarking on Entrepreneurship

This week's YWSE-SF event, Embarking on Entrepreneurship with Alison (Allie) Covarrubias, was a great success!  Thirty women met to discuss the challenges and the joys of being an entrepreneur.  We shared ideas, fears, and questions, and heard about the ventures and potential ventures of YWSE members and friends.

YWSE-SF: Embarking on Entrepreneurship with Alison Covarrubias, Feb 21

For several months, YWSE-SF has been talking with Alison about leading a conversation with women of the YWSE network. We're excited to say the date has been set — February 21 at 6:30 pm at the Ladies Who Launch office in the Marina / Cow Hollow district of San Francisco. Please join us!

Are you thinking of or have you started a business?  Let's talk about it! What are your ideas? Your fears? And what to do with or how to handle both!