Podcasts about civic dinners

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Overcast Support the Show. Get the NEW AudioBook! AudioBook: Audible| Kobo| Authors Direct | Google Play | Apple Summary Hey everyone. Stay tuned to the end of the interview where I'll give you some actionable insights that I learned from my guest. These insights are also in the show notes. As always, thanks for listening.  Now on to my guest for today, Jenn Graham of Inclusivv, formerly Civic Dinners. Jenn trained in design but describes herself as a community organizer at heart. She helped start TedX Atlanta and while she saw a lot of value in the messages the speakers brought, she found herself getting frustrated by the limitations of a model that was speaker-centered. Her search for other models of fostering discourses around significant topics led her to exploring models like salons, Jeffersonian dinners, and focus groups. From here she formulated what became Civic Dinners - a structure to bring a small group of diverse people together to discuss topics of importance in their community. The idea took off, generating interest from local governmental groups and nonprofits that were looking for a way to engage millennials. This is when Jenn realized she needed to start thinking of this project as a business.  Civic Dinners - now Inclusivv - has hosted numerous gatherings, providing the greater Atlanta community ways to talk, offer input, and share stories. It's given organizations at various levels critical feedback they haven't been able to get anywhere else. It has been a way to elevate consciousness around social issues, and that has been the most gratifying result for Jenn.  The organization successfully pivoted to going virtual in 2020 and has developed a library of 50 different topic series as well as a structure to ensure a sense of safety, trust, and connection. Jenn reflects on how learning to listen - and how to disagree with empathy - has made an impact on her community, but also on her understanding of how to be a good leader.  Now, let's get better together. Actionable Insights Graham recommends that leaders “walk toward” conflict instead of away from it. As your business grows, start to welcome and value a difference of thought. Recognize that every conversation operates on two levels: the spoken and the unspoken. Graham notes that when a group of people are diverse, the spoken - the content of the conversation - needs to be more explicit.  Graham offers data that points to a heightened sense of belonging after six months of participating in Inclusivv conversations. A sense of belonging can translate to partners and employees who feel more invested and are more productive.  Links to Explore Further Inclusivv  Jenn Graham on LinkedIn Inclusivv on Twitter  Keep In Touch Book or Blog or Twitter or LinkedIn or JSYPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jenn Graham's startup Inclusivv looks very different from when it begins Civic Dinners in 2016. The idea back then was to take advantage of small group dynamics around in-person meetings — and dinners in particular — to foster important conversations around difficult topics, originally focusing on connecting government with the community. Inclusivv took that model, shifted it to digital in the wake of Covid, and expanded the mandate to help big brands and companies handle the topics their employees and users care most about, like sustainability, diversity and belonging.Links for this episode:InclusivvConnect with us:On TwitterOn InstagramVia email: found@techcrunch.comCall us and leave a voicemail at (510) 936-1618

Jenn Graham is on a mission to design a more inclusive world. An activist, designer, and civic tech entrepreneur, Jenn is the Founder and CEO of Inclusivv (formerly “Civic Dinners”), bringing diverse voices together for conversations that matter. Since starting Civic Dinners as a social experiment in Atlanta, Jenn has built a global team and a digital platform that has already enabled over 1,800 dinners around the world—both in-person and virtual—and has a goal of inviting a million people to the table by 2021. Her clients range from Facebook to Coca-Cola, including beloved organizations such as The King Center, Sierra Club, and The Aspen Institute. Jenn was featured as a “2020 World-Changing Woman in Conscious Business” by Conscious Media Company, and last year she was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as a “Small Business Person of the Year – Rising Star.” Jenn’s work has also been recognized by President Obama and has received numerous awards for social impact and creative community engagement. What you’ll learn What inspired Jenn to start Inclusivv (originally as Civic Dinners) in order to spark community engagement and more meaningful conversations. Why it was important for her to empower businesses, communities, and individuals to create positive social change through small-group, structured environments. Jenn’s process of shaping her purpose, mission, vision and values in order to clarify how she would lead her team and create a positive culture. How Jenn overcame some of the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic forcing them to pivot their original business model into more digital vs in-person dinner experiences. How Jenn is working through the challenges of moving from the role of a founder to that of a CEO amid their rapid growth. Why it’s been important for Jenn’s team to start the journey of becoming a certified B Corp and how business leaders can follow her lead of scaling their for-profit businesses as a force for good. Hosted by: Nathan Stuck, Chair of B Local GA. Follow / Learn More Follow Jenn Graham on LinkedIn Follow Inclusivv on Instagram Visit Inclusivv.co Email Jenn@inclusivv.co Join our LinkedIn community and be part of the ongoing conversations by following Chat With Leaders on LinkedIn We Love Our Community PartnersB Local G Georgia: a collection of for-profit companies each dedicated to creating a future where businesses operate as a positive influence on societyInspiredu: Nonprofit Leaders Bridging The Digital DivideAppBarry: Custom Web And Mobile Application DevelopmentClassic City Consulting: WordPress Website DevelopmentStratfield Consulting: Consulting, Staffing, RecruitingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenn Graham is on a mission to design a more inclusive world. An activist, designer, and civic tech entrepreneur, Jenn is the Founder and CEO of Inclusivv (formerly “Civic Dinners”), bringing diverse voices together for conversations that matter. Since starting Civic Dinners as a social experiment in Atlanta, Jenn has built a global team and a digital platform that has already enabled over 1,800 dinners around the world—both in-person and virtual—and has a goal of inviting a million people to the table by 2021. Her clients range from Facebook to Coca-Cola, including beloved organizations such as The King Center, Sierra Club, and The Aspen Institute.  Jenn was featured as a “2020 World-Changing Woman in Conscious Business” by Conscious Media Company, and last year she was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as a “Small Business Person of the Year – Rising Star.” Jenn's work has also been recognized by President Obama and has received numerous awards for social impact and creative community engagement.   What you'll learn What inspired Jenn to start Inclusivv (originally as Civic Dinners) in order to spark community engagement and more meaningful conversations. Why it was important for her to empower businesses, communities, and individuals to create positive social change through small-group, structured environments. Jenn's process of shaping her purpose, mission, vision and values in order to clarify how she would lead her team and create a positive culture. How Jenn overcame some of the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic forcing them to pivot their original business model into more digital vs in-person dinner experiences. How Jenn is working through the challenges of moving from the role of a founder to that of a CEO amid their rapid growth. Why it's been important for Jenn's team to start the journey of becoming a certified B Corp and how business leaders can follow her lead of scaling their for-profit businesses as a force for good.   Hosted by: Nathan Stuck, Chair of B Local GA.   Follow / Learn More Follow Jenn Graham on LinkedIn Follow Inclusivv on Instagram Visit Inclusivv.co Email Jenn@inclusivv.co   Join our LinkedIn community and be part of the ongoing conversations by following Chat With Leaders on LinkedIn We Love Our Community Partners B Local G Georgia: a collection of for-profit companies each dedicated to creating a future where businesses operate as a positive influence on society Inspiredu: Nonprofit Leaders Bridging The Digital Divide AppBarry: Custom Web And Mobile Application Development Classic City Consulting: WordPress Website Development Stratfield Consulting: Consulting, Staffing, Recruiting See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this series on healthcare and social disparities, Dr. Jill Wener, a board-certified Internal Medicine specialist, meditation expert, and tapping practitioner, interviews experts in multiple fields relating to social justice and anti-racism. In this Season 2 Finale, Jill reflects on the first two seasons of the Conscious Anti-Racism Podcast. Season 2 took a deeper look into the work and lived experiences of people from many different identities and shared their missions to create a brighter future. LINKS Please send any future episode topic and interviewee requests to info@jillwener.com. Civic Dinners https://www.inclusivv.co/dinners Tema Okun's website https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/characteristics.html Anti-racism daily email https://www.antiracismdaily.com/ Our website www.consciousantiracism.com You can learn more about Dr. Wener and her online meditation and tapping courses at www.jillwener.com, and you can learn more about her online social justice course, Conscious Anti Racism: Tools for Self-Discovery, Accountability, and Meaningful Change at https://theresttechnique.com/courses/conscious-anti-racism. If you're a healthcare worker looking for a CME-accredited course, check out Conscious Anti-Racism: Tools for Self-Discovery, Accountability, and Meaningful Change in Healthcare at https://www.theresttechnique.com/courses/conscious-anti-racism-healthcare Find the Conscious Anti-Racism book at https://tinyurl.com/y689563j Join her Conscious Anti-Racism facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/307196473283408/ Follow her on: Instagram at www.instagram.com/jillwenerMD Twitter at www.twitter.com/jillwenerMD Facebook at www.facebook.com/jillwenerMDmeditation LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jill-wener-md-682746125/

On this episode, I have the great pleasure to talk with Jenn Graham, Founder & CEO of Civic Dinners. Civiv Dinners bring people together virtually or in person for structured conversations on the critical issues of our time. Jenn started the organization in 2016, and we talk about her journey, including the first time we met at Souper Jenny's in Atlanta, her big pivot in 2020, and the amazing growth they've had over the last 5 years. Civic Dinners: https://www.civicdinners.com Don't forget to subscribe! About me: Sign up for my weekly email newsletter! CEO: Dragon Army Author: The 5-Day Turnaround + The Crisis Turnaround Co-founder: Ripples of Hope + 48in48 + The A Pledge Blog: www.jeffhilimire.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeffhilimire Twitter: twitter.com/jeffhilimire --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jeff-hilimire/message

"Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters."This tagline is atop the Civic Dinners' website. And that's exactly what we did when I sat down with Jenn Graham, founder & CEO of Civic Dinners to talk family, childhoods, love, fuck-ups, business and loving yourself.As we are two days away from election day during a moment in time when our country has never been more divided, I am starting the Fuck "It All" podcast by sitting down with a woman who is working to overcome divisiveness by humanizing people and topics that are hard to talk about. This was born out of her own challenges following the 2016 election.Jenn shares her story as a female founder that built her business, including a capital raise and just hitting her $1M revenue mark, while also becoming a mother - twice. I talked to Jenn days before giving birth to her second child, and the conversation was like sitting down with your best friend and favorite leader, all wrapped into one.My favorite moment is when we realized that Jenn has built a business that has the potential to "mother the world." Join Jenn & me as we talk about how she is redefining what it means to have "it all," and building a business that seeks to make the world a better place.I hope you'll consider attending or hosting a conversation that matters at CivicDinners.com.X, KLG

Today's interview is with Rachel Neaman, a technology leader, Non-Executive Director, leadership mentor and coach with extensive experience in the technology, health, governmental, digital and not for profit fields. Rachel joins me today to talk about some of the organisational changes taking place that she has noticed over the last few months, some of the challenges facing us, how leadership has changed and why many female political leaders, in particular, have been so successful during this period. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Difficult conversations and building more inclusive and diverse organizations – Interview with Jenn Graham of Civic Dinners – and is number 355 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders that are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees. NOTE: A big thank you goes out to the folks at Amplexor for sponsoring my podcast for the coming month. Amplexor is preparing to launch a really exciting virtual series called: Ignite Revenue Through Content which will feature leading speakers and thinkers in short, punchy and thought-provoking bi-monthly episodes exploring and highlighting insights and best practices of how to leverage Content as a strategic differentiator. It'll run from August through mid-December and kicking it off on August 20th will be yours truly talking about “Unleash(ing) your Inner Punk: a Rebellious Take on Customer Engagement”. I think the session that we have organised will be awesome, it's a real honour and I'm really looking forward to it. So, go to Amplexor.com to find out more and register.

Today's interview is with Jenn Graham, Founder and CEO of Civic Dinners, who design and facilitate conversations on key topics that can help organizations build a more inclusive culture with employees, stakeholders, customers and the greater community. Jenn joins me today to talk about Civic Dinners, difficult conversations, what stops organizations having them, what are the benefits when they do tackle difficult subjects like discrimination and inequality, what they are doing to help and what we can learn from them. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Lessons learned from the move to remote working – Interview with Dean Robison of ServiceNow – and is number 354 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders that are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees. NOTE: A big thank you goes out to the folks at Amplexor for sponsoring my podcast for the coming month. Amplexor is preparing to launch a really exciting virtual series called: Ignite Revenue Through Content which will feature leading speakers and thinkers in short, punchy and thought-provoking bi-monthly episodes exploring and highlighting insights and best practices of how to leverage Content as a strategic differentiator. It'll run from August through mid-December and kicking it off on August 20th will be yours truly talking about “Unleash(ing) your Inner Punk: a Rebellious Take on Customer Engagement”. I think the session that we have organised will be awesome, it's a real honour and I'm really looking forward to it. So, go to Amplexor.com to find out more and register.

See Full Show Notes here: https://growensemble.com/civic-dinners-jenn-graham/ Episode 71 of the podcast welcomes Founder & CEO of purpose-driven nonprofit Civic Dinners, Jenn Graham. The goal of Civic Dinners is to inspire global impact through community, connection, and conversation. They do this by helping people transform dinner tables into forums for positive social change. However, in the midst of the current crisis facing us all, in this new phase of "social-distancing," Graham shares her thoughts on navigating a new reality, and what her and Civic Dinners is doing to keep the conversation going despite it all. In our talk with Graham, we dive into: The story and meaning behind Civic Dinners How She and the company are addressing and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic What's led to Civic Dinners' momentum and success, having over 1,500 dinners hosted, from New Zealand to Atlanta, and many cities in between since launch. Lessons and insights she has learned over the years on successfully fostering civic engagement and community  Links from the Episode: Jenn on Facebook, LinkedIn Civic Dinners on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn For the Love of Cities by Peter Kageyama The Emotional Infrastructure of Places by Peter Kageyama Jasmine Crowe of Goodr Techstars Social Impact Team Center for Civic Innovation Fellowship See Full Show Notes here: https://growensemble.com/civic-dinners-jenn-graham/

SUMMARY Melody Warnick's debut book, This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are, chronicles her experience navigating a cross-country move while also providing the rest of us a practical guide for loving the place we live—wherever that may be. With humor, candor, and loads of data, Warnick takes us through her personal exploration of the fairly new social concept of place attachment. Wanting to feel more connected to her new hometown of Blacksburg, Virginia, she fashions a social experiment, which she dubs “Love Where You Live." After creating a list of ten behaviors of place-attached people, she dives headlong into doing the very same things to see if she can make herself fall in love with where she lives. In the end she discovers how much relationships matter to be able to say, "This is where you belong!"  KEY POINTS Americans have a certain degree of restlessness, with 12 percent moving every year. They’re plagued with a fear of missing out. Apps and surveys about best places to live can confirm people’s choice to land in the “right place.” People tend to be either “Movers” or “Stayers.” When things don’t work out well, Movers are inclined to believe changing location will solve their problems. “Place attachment” – the emotional bond people develop with the place they live “Placemaking” – things people do in a community to make it better (DIY citizenship); usually done from the ground up (grass roots); on the rise “Place satisfaction” – never wanting to leave a place; feeling a place really works for you Examples of placemaking include sharing a Little Free Library, preserving green spaces, painting murals, repurposing abandoned buildings, etc. Walking is one of the most fundamental activities that makes us feel at home in a community. It forces you to slow down, notice things, and talk to people. “Windshield perspective” – found in people who are always driven places rather than walking the streets of their neighborhood Showing up for town events creates success and makes a town thrive. QUOTES FROM WARNICK “Places really are a little like people. They have different personalities. So, finding the right people feels a little like finding your tribe, finding the right friend group.” “Every time you move is kind of traumatic. You feel really lost and lonely and alone for a while.” “Two-thirds of college-educated Millennials say they’d pick the city where they want to live first, then find the job to get them there.” “No matter where you live, you have a hand in creating the kind of place you want to live in.” “Every town has something it’s good at. But we may have to shift our mindset about social offerings.” “Even in the Great Recession, the happier residents were with their town, the more the town prospered economically.” “’Falling in love with your town’ is a set of strategies that you can use wherever you live…even if you lived in a place a million years already.” BUY This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are RECOMMENDATIONS Warnick writes for livability.com, which often features “Top 10 Cities…” articles. The “CityData”website is now usa.com, which features forums by state and town. “The Soul of a Community” – a three-year study conducted by Gallup, Inc. that answers what makes people like where they live and that the town is providing for their needs. Determines the factors that attach residents to their communities and the role of community attachment in an area's economic growth and well-being. Insert your home address on the Walk Score website to get a sense of your town’s walkability. Civic Dinners is a website designed to help strangers get together for a meal and meaningful conversation to spark real and lasting change. ArtPlace America offers large grants for placemaking as do The National Association of Realtors, AARP, and many other organizations. Connect with us! Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Website Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit

Jenn Graham is on a mission to drive civic engagement. Her tool of choice: the dinner table. Graham is co-founder & CEO of Civic Dinners, a national organization that facilitates important conversations in cities across the country by bringing strangers together to share a meal and discuss specific topics affecting their communities. But the beauty of the Civic Dinners model is that the action doesn't stop when dinner is over. She and her team have created actionable steps to take after leaving these dinners, steps that are driving real positive impact — including people running for office, laws being changed, and more. On this episode, Graham shares her personal story of discovering the power of getting involved and explains how she's created a successful organization that helps others do the same.

Rita's first podcast from Atlanta, Georgia, USA!Rita and Jenn chat social innovation, following your passions and becoming a 'social innovation designer', a job title made-up to cater for the things that Jenn is most passionate about.

Jenn always knew she wanted to help people, but she wasn't sure how to do that and express herself creatively. Then it hit her. Literally, when a parallel grate collided with her bike's tire and sent her flying over the handle bars. Moving forward, Jenn made it her mission to solve the grate problem, and many, many others through design campaigns that would help make positive social impact. Thus, Aha! Strategy and Civic Dinners were born. With Aha! Strategy, Jenn wanted to create the bridge that takes great ideas and makes them a reality through "powerful messaging and well-designed communication." And with Civic Dinners, she wanted to create a space where anyone could start a conversation about any idea... over food! Learn more about Aha! Strategy and Civic Dinners at: http://aha-strategy.com https://www.civicdinners.com On The Dot Woman Content Corner Looking for more tips, motivation and direction? Subscribe to our daily email newsletter and audio brief, Four Minutes. You'll receive examples of relatable female role models in over 10 industries, plus quick stats on empowering women in the world, and to top it off, an inspirational quote that’s sure to jumpstart your day. Tune in to the audio brief—uploaded daily to all streaming apps— or check your email for a little daily boost of positivity and empowerment. Subscribe to Four Minutes today! We are focused on your success, so let us know what you think by chatting with us at @onthedotwoman (www.twitter.com/onthedotwoman) on Twitter, Instagram (www.instagram.com/onthedotwoman), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/onthedotwoman). Special Guest: Jenn Graham.

Welcome to Daring To, a podcast that finds out how CEOs and entrepreneurs navigate today’s business world – the conventions they’re breaking, the challenges they’ve faced and the decisions that they’ve made, and lastly, just what makes them different. Jenn Graham is the founder and CEO of Civic Dinners, an award-winning civic engagement platform that […] The post Jenn Graham with Civic Dinners appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

This week Jason welcomes Jenn Graham and Sabine Genet to tell us all about Civic Dinners, an organization that works with cities, regions, state agencies and nonprofits to design and launch conversations that spark real and lasting change.   Civic Dinners: https://www.civicdinners.com/ Watch on YouTube Follow Jason @JasonBinder on Twitter and Instagram @AhaStrategy @globalbine

Civic Dinners uses technology to bring diverse perspectives to the table over food and provide structured conversation to build empathy and trust. More about Jenn Jenn Graham is a community organizer, designer and civic tech entrepreneur. She is the Founder and CEO of Civic Dinners, bringing diverse voices together over food for conversations that matter. She is also the founder and CEO of Aha! Strategy, a social innovation design firm working with nonprofits and companies to design issue-based campaigns to drive social change. She combines her design-thinking background with her personal passion for community engagement to help communities build empathy, raise awareness, understanding, and collective action around critical issues from racial equity, to transit, affordable housing and more. Her work has been recognized by President Obama, and has received numerous awards for creative community engagement spanning from the American Planning Association to the Public Relations Society of America. Jenn is a 2019 Center for Civic Innovation Resident and City of Atlanta Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative 2019 Entrepreneur. She is also a new mother and resides with her Kiwi husband in Atlanta, Georgia. More about Civic Dinners Civic Dinners is in the business of changing hearts and minds in order to create a more inclusive and sustainable world. The platform makes it easy for cities, regions, nonprofits, coalitions, companies and brands to design and scale community conversations on issues that matter. The power of breaking bread helps break down silos, build critical trust and accelerate systems change on critical issues. Over 1,000 Civic Dinners have taken place around the world from Atlanta to New Zealand. Anyone can host or attend, by signing up at civicdinners.com. Website: www.civicdinners.com Facebook: Civic Dinners Instagram: @civicdinners Twitter: @civicdinners Jenn's TEDx Talk - Finding Common Ground Over Food and Conversation

Civic Dinners uses technology to bring diverse perspectives to the table over food and provide structured conversation to build empathy and trust. More about Jenn Jenn Graham is a community organizer, designer and civic tech entrepreneur. She is the Founder and CEO of Civic Dinners, bringing diverse voices together over food for conversations that matter. She is also the founder and CEO of Aha! Strategy, a social innovation design firm working with nonprofits and companies to design issue-based campaigns to drive social change. She combines her design-thinking background with her personal passion for community engagement to help communities build empathy, raise awareness, understanding, and collective action around critical issues from racial equity, to transit, affordable housing and more. Her work has been recognized by President Obama, and has received numerous awards for creative community engagement spanning from the American Planning Association to the Public Relations Society of America. Jenn is a 2019 Center for Civic Innovation Resident and City of Atlanta Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative 2019 Entrepreneur. She is also a new mother and resides with her Kiwi husband in Atlanta, Georgia. More about Civic Dinners Civic Dinners is in the business of changing hearts and minds in order to create a more inclusive and sustainable world. The platform makes it easy for cities, regions, nonprofits, coalitions, companies and brands to design and scale community conversations on issues that matter. The power of breaking bread helps break down silos, build critical trust and accelerate systems change on critical issues. Over 1,000 Civic Dinners have taken place around the world from Atlanta to New Zealand. Anyone can host or attend, by signing up at civicdinners.com. Website: www.civicdinners.com Facebook: Civic Dinners Instagram: @civicdinners Twitter: @civicdinners Jenn's TEDx Talk - Finding Common Ground Over Food and Conversation

Jenn Graham, founder of Civic Dinners and CEO of Aha! Strategies, talks about dining with strangers in a format where guests leave their egos, job titles, and religions at the door and show up as human beings. She explains how this can allow us to ask personal and value-based questions and have deep, rich, and… Read More » The post Jenn Graham: Conversations That Matter appeared first on Gareth J Young.

Jenn Graham is a social innovation designer that blends business strategy, behavior change theory, the art of storytelling and the power of design to build issue-based campaigns and community-based interventions that drive positive social change. Honored to feature Civic Dinners on #StartupFunding EnrichHER EnrichHER Edition: https://goo.gl/LACU8p   Roshawnna:    Hi. I'm Doctor Roshawnna Novellus, host of Startup Funding. Today, we are in the midst of our Enricher Initiative. We have Jenn of Aha! Strategy, who has this awesome program called Civic Dinners. Can you tell us more about Civic Dinners and what you're up to? Jenn Graham:    Absolutely. Thank you for having me, by the way. Civic Dinners is all about bringing people together around the table face-to-face to have conversations that matter. In today's day and age, when civility has hit a crisis level, we need more forums to bring people together face-to-face. What we hope to do is make significant challenges and the big issues of our time more accessible, more personable, more actionable so that we can activate a whole new generation of citizens. Roshawnna:    Right. How did you come up with this idea? Jenn Graham:    It started, honestly, as a social experiment. It was a few of my friends in my living room. We were wondering how do we find other people who care as much about Atlanta as we do. We know that they're out there, so we created a platform and a host tool kit to allow anyone anywhere to host a dinner and to bring people together to talk about what they love about Atlanta. It hit off. We learned a few things, like people wanted to make sure that they were heard by leaders. They wanted to know what was next. Where does the conversation go? How do we turn ideas into action?      That's when we partnered with the Atlanta Regional Commission to launch with the Millennial Advisory Panel and used dinners to bring 300 millennials together across the region to help plan what they dream, what they want for the next 25 years. Then that led to all sorts of other organizations coming to us, from non-profits and other governments saying, "How can we use dinners to engage younger audiences or a broad swathe of audience to bring people together to talk about issues that matter?" whether it's transportation or race or anything regarding ... Even bringing entrepreneurs together to share ideas, stories, and solutions to help make our world a better place. Roshawnna:    Yeah. I love having food as a startup place to bridge the gaps out there, because over food, people are more comfortable. Then they start talking about the things that really matter. Now, you've taken it from only food and that conversation to action. I really love that. Now, what are you most excited about that you're working on now? Jenn Graham:    I have to say, out of all of the projects, Civic Dinners is the thing that I'm focusing on most. What excites me the most is that, since the election and given our current times, a lot of people are finally woke. They've woken up to the tensions that are happening. More people are showing up. Actually town halls are finally being used. People are going to town halls. Civic engagement is a thing now, and so we want to try to capture that energy and enthusiasm and provide structure to it and some longevity, and create ... Basically become the platform for other organizations and cities to launch conversations that matter. Roshawnna:    What does success look like for Civic Dinners? Jenn Graham:    That's great. I would say three things. The long game is really about creating a culture shift, from trying to ... For example, right now, our face-to-face time has largely been replaced by Facebook feeds, and we're less likely to be friends with people who aren't like us. A, having more people reach out to the other, so to speak, and be comfortable in sharing ideas and hearing one another. A culture shift in that we don't try to separate ourselves. We seek out what's in common more than what's different.      That's the ultimate outcome, but I think another key factor to success is basically that serving dinners becomes the norm. Much like how Ted Talks helped bring structure and elevate the level of a presentation so that it's not just educational ... It's actually inspiring and delightful to be a part of ... we want to create that same experience around the dinner table, so that your average dinner party where you typically only talk to the people in front of you and aside from you, you actually create a whole table conversation. You hear from everyone, and you walk away feeling better than when you came in, not just with exchanging cards or information with just one or two people. That's the kind of the ... Making that. Finally, having Civic Dinners be the platform for cities and regions and companies to launch conversations that matter. Roshawnna:    Now, I can imagine when you started telling people you want to get different kinds of people together for a dinner, they were like, "Well, how is this the business? How is this going to grow?" Jenn Graham:    Yeah. Roshawnna:    Can you tell us more about how you overcame that obstacle and how you got so many organizations to team up with you so that you could be successful? Jenn Graham:    That's a great question. People have been coming together over the dinner table for a millennium, and other programs just like ours have been popping up all across the country, especially after the election. The big question is, "How do you make money? What is this? How is this a business?" Technically, it's not yet. We have two different versions of our platform that's available. We have free conversations that are going to be global that we end up having a dozen conversations that anyone anywhere can host for free and have those.      Then we use that as basically our calling card to say, look. We can also ... Any cities or big foundations or non-profits that really want to launch a conversation but don't want to necessarily manage it or have to organize it or even have the time and energy to dig in and figure out how to manage a program like that, we can do that for them. We have the platform. We have the tools and the host guides and the training all set up so that we can go in and target their particular constituents or their donors or anyone that they want to help stir up their existing fans and also create new fans by reaching new audiences. Roshawnna:    Now I know the people who are watching this video or listening on the podcast want to know how they can support you. What can they do right now to bring Civic Dinners to the next level? Jenn Graham:    That's great. Well, I would say if you know of an organization that is just rocking it, has energy behind it, but you feel like you can't quite engage with them. Maybe they're only sending you, "Hey, donate or volunteer this." Maybe suggest that they consider using Civic Dinners as a way to really get people to help understand what they do on a deeper level and help create more advocates in their community. That's one thing. The other easy lift is we have two conversations right now on our site. One's the beloved community, and one's the state of women. You can sign up to host or attend a dinner in your city or community and try it out. It's an amazing experience. You'll get to meet new people. You'll walk away with a whole new understanding of different perspectives and ideas and feel better for it. Roshawnna:    Will do. Thank you so much for participating in the Enricher Initiative. I know that so many people will be impacted by your ideas, and I just really appreciate you being here today with us. Jenn Graham:    Thank you. Thank you for having me. Roshawnna:    Of course.  Startup Funding is partnering with the Enrich Her Initiative to showcase the best women-led enterprises from the city of Atlanta. Go to startupfunding.co, and click on enrich her to learn about every entrepreneur that we showcase and how you can take part in this amazing initiative.