By Caraleigh Holverson (IL ’08)

When we think about Harry Truman’s legacy, an enterprising entrepreneur may not be the first image that comes to mind.  In fact, Harry knew first-hand about the challenges that come with taking a leap of entrepreneurial faith; before his public service career, he actually started up both mining and men’s clothing businesses that didn’t quite take off.  While we’re all fortunate he didn’t have more success selling dress shirts and ties, I’ve no doubt that Truman’s experience of having taken those entrepreneurial risks contributed valuable lasting lessons for his later leadership.

I would submit that the lessons of social entrepreneurship – a term not yet in vogue in the early 1900s – are not such a far cry from the lessons Truman no doubt learned from attempted business endeavors.  The analogy of a business entrepreneur is quite apt to understanding the innovative dynamism that undergirds social entrepreneurship:

“Just as entrepreneurs change the face of business, social entrepreneurs act as the change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss and improving systems, inventing new approaches, and creating solutions to change society for the better. While a business entrepreneur might create entirely new industries, a social entrepreneur comes up with new solutions to social problems and then implements them on a large scale.”  (Source: Ashoka)

The concept is of course nothing new to the dozens of Truman Scholars who have struck out as social entrepreneurs of their own, like Indra Sen (NC ’07), who founded Inspire Dreams, Inc, and many others.

I’m no enterprising social entrepreneur myself (…yet!), but I am proud to say that I currently work to support the efforts of young social entrepreneurs at Ashoka’s Youth Venture.  Youth Venture is the sister organization of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, the global organization of the world's leading social entrepreneurs.  Over decades of Ashoka’s work, a pattern was discovered:  The world’s most successful social entrepreneurs had a transformative experience of leading change at an early age.  Accordingly, Youth Venture’s mission is to support young people (ages 12-24) in launching and leading their own social ventures – and to help them realize tangibly their own capacity to create change. Our vision is to help build a world in which everyone is a changemaker and where the power of youth is universally acknowledged.

As many Trumans know, the experience of launching your own venture is uniquely empowering.  Something important happens when you are able to identify a problem, come up with an idea to fix it, mobilize your community around it, and get support from the outside to see it through. For our youth, these entrepreneurial and leadership skills carry forward – like so many Scholars, they will lead again and again to make their schools, businesses, and communities better places. 

Creating a society where youth-led changemaking is recognized and valued requires all of us to shine a spotlight on the power of youth – and to share their stories.  Storytelling is an immensely powerful (and universal) way of sharing not just our identities, experiences, and values, but a way of inspiring others to see themselves and their world in different way.

On November 13 in Washington, DC, Youth Venture will host an event to share these powerful stories of youth-driven change.  TEDxYSE: Unleashing Young Social Entrepreneurs will be an all-day event that brings together young social entrepreneurs and individuals interested in social innovation.  Our goal is to spark inspiration and action that creates positive social change.

Truman Scholars and friends in the DC area, you’re invited to get involved and join us to:

• Hear the amazing TED-model stories of eight of the most inspiring young social entrepreneurs from around the world
• Listen to speeches from actor James Cromwell and other professionals, including the founder of GlobalGiving, Dennis Whittle, and the founder of Making Cents International, Fiona Macaulay
• Learn about social entrepreneurship and using entrepreneurial principles to create social change 
• Meet and network with others interested in social entrepreneurship and innovation
• Enjoy music by talented performers, including internationally acclaimed Jourdan Urbach
• To learn, be inspired, have fun! (And enjoy the free food!)

For more information on anything (including the complexities behind hosting an independently organized TEDx event!), I’m always happy to talk. To learn more – or register for the event! – visit our website at www.tedxyse.com. For all in our Truman community that aren’t able to join us in DC that day, stay tuned for inspiring talks to be posted online afterwards!

All of us are driven by our core commitment to public service and our fundamental desire to see positive changes in our world.  I know each Scholar out there has his or her own inspiring story of how they’re working to create change, and I look forward to hearing more stories of how each you are a powerful changemakers.

Caraleigh Holverson (IL ’08) works at Ashoka’s Youth Venture as a fellowship and community builder.