A version of this article was originally published in Spanish in the January edition of Capitales by ProCapitales and is being republished here in both English and Spanish with their consent. Una versión de este artículo fue publicada originalmente en español en la edición de enero de la revista Capitales…

Last January, I decided to join the small but mighty team of a truly revolutionary non-profit, Spark. For years, I had heard of Spark from friends and acquaintances, who described it as a space where young people not only had a voice in the grantmaking process, but actually got to…

Growing up, it felt like every seasonal change must also come with change of wardrobe. Fall was the beginning of the school year, so of course everything had to be new — new grade, new you. Winter brought with it holiday dresses. Spring was the beginning of sundresses and shorts…

President of Michael Stars, Philanthropist & Honorary Host of Spark’s 2018 Black & Pink Ball — Spark is about getting young people involved in giving back to advance gender equality. Nothing is more inspiring to us than learning from the women leading the movement through their philanthropy and business acumen. Our 2018 Black & Pink Ball Honorary Host, Suzanne Lerner, epitomizes our ideals. Suzanne has been…

My top takeaways from a week immersion in Lima’s entrepreneurial ecosystem — I have written before on the theme of necessity as the mother of invention, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you when I repeat it here. Living in San Francisco and working with entrepreneurs in emerging markets, I am privileged to have a unique view on both what’s…

A lesson on the importance of the 14th Amendment from ACLU of Northern California ED, Abdi Soltani — On a recent Thursday evening in June, I had the opportunity to hear the Executive Director of the ACLU of Northern California, Abdi Soltani, speak as part of the San Francisco Global Shapers Hub’s series of Shaper Talks. The room was full, and it was clear from people’s body language…

Entrepreneurism and Design Thinking in Cuba One of the most beautiful things about life is that if you open yourself up to possibility, those possibilities will come. After an amazing trip to Cuba this past April, during which I met many local entrepreneurs, including the inimitable Marta Deus (Founder and…

Three years ago, I moved back to the US, having lived for five years in the UK. Ever since, I have wanted to go back. I was a broken record, not even happy in San Francisco, a city most people would love to live in. …

Feb 14, 2016 Dear Ma, We spoke this morning — like most mornings — during my 40 minute walk to work. I, navigating the traffic — both food & vehicle — of San Francisco, and you, sanding down caulk in the house you and my step-dad are building in the…