Dear colleagues, clients, collaborators, comrades…
Most of you know me as a socially conscious communicator, a PR "yogi" spreading progressive messages for nonprofits and foundations and authors and filmmakers.
But Antidote Collective has always been a platform for social impact through a variety of means, not just consulting for like-minded clients. Below, a sampling of how that's been manifesting (client work included).
Local Economies Project: Supporting Vibrant, Interconnected Communities
The Local Economies Project of the New World Foundation is a leading ally in the Localism movement, an innovative approach to sustainable economic development and community vibrancy.
I spent months diving deep into their mission and initiatives to craft a brand strategy, refine their narrative and messaging, and design a communications plan (among other things).
TEDxLongDock: Exploring the Impact of Arts, Culture, Creative Economy + Entrepreneurship
I coalesced a small, dedicated team to produce the inauguralTEDxLongDock, which convened a diverse group of doers, thinkers, facilitators and catalysts interested in making the Hudson Valley a better place to live: entrepreneurs, creatives and artists, economic development professionals, elected officials, community advocates, scholars and funders.
The June 7 event was the culmination of months and months of planning and hard, selfless work by this team. A perfect example of what community looks like.
Re>Think Local: Co-Creating a Better Hudson Valley
My colleague Ajax Greene coalesced a small, dedicated board (including me) last year to launch Re>Think Local, a nonprofit collaborative of locally owned independent businesses, artists, farmers, and nonprofits.
An affiliate of BALLE — a leader in the aforementioned Localism movement that represents 30,000 innovators and 80 other local business networks — our goal is to co-create a Hudson Valley that is vibrant, sustainable, locally rooted and human scale, with equal concern for people, planet, and prosperity.
I was recently elected as co-chair of the board, as we approach our one-year anniversary.
BEAHIVE: Collaborating for Community Impact (and Looking for Partners)
I started BEAHIVE, collaborative spaces for work and community, a couple years after moving to Beacon, NY, in part as a way to translate my vision and mission for Antidote Collective to a community level.
I'm now making a concerted effort to grow the BEAHIVE community and our physical presence — and allow us to better support the growing numbers of creatives and microbusinesses while helping to shape a Localist (or Local Living) Economy.
In true collaborative spirit, I'm looking for values-aligned partners to help.
Visioning + Yoga for Creators: One-Day Retreat in Beacon, NY — Oct. 26
Yoga teacher Amy Soucy and I are leading an intimate one-day retreat for entrepreneurs, creatives, yogis, teachers, dreamers and doers.
We've planned a transformative day of visioning exercises and mapping, yoga and meditation, mindful walking, and communing to help creators map out their future in words and images so they can manifest it in reality.
Tufts Talk: 'Communicating Your Message' for Social Innovators
In April Tufts University held its first annual Social Innovation Symposium, a student-run conference jointly hosted by the Fletcher School of International Diplomacy, Empower Program for Social Entrepreneurship, and Compass Partners. Its aim: to cultivate sustainable and innovative solutions to social problems by connecting student innovators and practitioners.
I was honored to speak, and I focused my talk on social media and branding and how communicating is really about connecting.
I may be busy, but I'm a meditator and a project management yogi and can always make time for an interesting, impactful project.
If there's a way I might help you, please reach out.
Peace + progress, Scott