Renjie Butalid

TEDxWaterloo – Tomorrow Started Yesterday

renjie — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:22:05 +0000

After months of hard work, we’re coming down to the wire with the organization for TEDxWaterloo, finally happening next week on February 25 at the Gig Music Hall in downtown Kitchener – and we’re definitely super excited!!!

On a personal note, it’s been quite the journey for me from my initial blog post on a possible TEDxWaterloo event last summer, to opportune meetings with an amazing group of people who are equally as passionate about ideas worth spreading. Credit for putting TEDxWaterloo together really has to go to the entire team of volunteers behind the event, who have collectively given hundreds of hours of their time, energy and commitment towards making TEDxWaterloo a success.

Our diverse range of speakers, all of whom are well recognized and respected in their fields, are also giving us their time and energy because they truly believe in sharing their ideas and experiences with the broader community.

We will be live webstreaming the entire event beginning 2pm EST on February 25 at www.tedxwaterloo.com. All of the TEDxWaterloo Talks will be made available online after the event.

For more information on TEDxWaterloo, please visit: www.tedxwaterloo.com

TEDxWaterloo Speakers

Terry O’Reilly – Advertising visionary and host of the CBC award-winning radio series “The Age of Persuasion“.

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Philip Beesley – Professor at Waterloo Architecture creating vastly complex ‘living’ environments that can breathe and feel.

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Raymond LaFlamme – Founding Director of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing whose insight changed Stephen Hawking’s mind and theories about our universe.

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Paul Saltzman – Beatles photographer and two-time Emmy Award winning film & television producer-director.

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Caroline Disler – A master of translation with working knowledge of ancient languages including Sumerian, Akkadian, Edomite, Ancient Hebrew, Egyptian, Sanskrit, Latin and Greek.

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Madhur Anand – Internationally recognized scientist, poet, and professor of Global Ecological Change at the University of Guelph.

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Michael Sacco – Chocolatier and social entrepreneur promoting the diversity of production of organic cacao through a structure defined as “horizontal trade”.

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Darren Wershler – Canadian experimental poet, non-fiction writer and cultural critic.

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Marty Avery – A connector and catalyst whose strategic approach offers remarkable insight into the human side of business.

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Amy Krouse Rosenthal – New York Times best-selling children’s author, radio host and creative filmmaker.

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Below is a video segment of Jaclyn and I discussing TEDxWaterloo that appeared on the Waterloo Region Record website, courtesy of Philip Bast.

The full interview with Chris Meidell of Waterloo Tech TV can be found here.

TEDxWaterloo on The Record from Renjie Butalid on Vimeo.

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Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

renjie — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:23:07 +0000

Im definitely getting the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics fever, after watching the (at times) visually stunning opening ceremonies on Friday, Jen Heil’s silver medal win in the women’s moguls Saturday (she didn’t lose gold, she won silver), and yesterday’s golden boy Alex Bilodeau breaking Canada’s dry spell of no gold on home soil since the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal.

In case you missed it, watch Bilodeau’s gold medal run in the men’s moguls here.

I even went as far as giving in and buying a Vancouver 2010 sweatshirt at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto earlier this afternoon. Im glad that I did however, because the Olympic Torch was on display at the Eaton Centre and I was able to get a photo with it. I have to admit, a part of me was disappointed when I missed the Olympic Torch relay when it passed through the Toronto/Kitchener-Waterloo area at the end of December (I was out west in Cranbrook, BC for the holidays then), and I missed it again when it passed through Cranbrook, BC at the end of January (I was back in Waterloo already).

GO TEAM CANADA!!!

Of course, I would also like to express my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the friends and family of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the luger from Georgia who died in that horrific Olympic training crash just hours prior to the start of the opening ceremonies. Shame on CTV for needlessly showcasing video footage of the horrific crash, sensational journalism at its worst.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Photos Courtesy of the Toronto Star

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Happy Valentine’s Day Monika!

renjie — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:06:58 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day baby… I love you!

And a happy Chinese New Year to everyone as well, I hope you’re all spending today with your loved ones.

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Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation (full video)

renjie — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:06:34 +0000

This blog post originally appeared on SiG@Waterloo’s blog on February 2, serving as a quick recap to the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation. David Yoon and Hilary Abel also have their take on the evening. Feel free to leave other blog post recaps of the Waterloo Lecture in the comments section. That said, the video of the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation featuring Adam Kahane is now online and I have re-posted it from the SiG@Waterloo website below.

I am currently reading Adam’s book, “Power & Love: A Theory & Practice of Social Change”, and will post a book review and my thoughts when I am done. My review of his first book, “Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities”, can be found here.

On Wednesday January 27, over 200 people gathered in the packed atrium of the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario, for the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation featuring Adam Kahane. A further 150 people were able to join us online for the live webcast of the Waterloo Lecture.

A social innovator, once praised by South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, we were pleased to have Adam Kahane join us to deliver the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation and to launch his new book, “Power & Love: A Theory & Practice of Social Change”.

As a partner with Reos Partners, an international organization dedicated to supporting and building capacity for innovative collective action in complex social systems, Adam has worked with a diverse range of colleagues and organizations in more than fifty countries on a variety of challenges all over the world. Some of these challenges include addressing critical developmental issues in the transition from apartheid in South Africa; implementing the peace accords that ended the civil war in Guatemala; reducing child malnutrition in India; unblocking political stalemate in the Philippines; as well as accelerating the shift to a low-carbon economy in Canada.

At the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation, Adam drew on his experience with leading multi-stakeholder change processes to offer practical guidance for effectively balancing power and love, two-always present, usually polarized, often undiscussable-drives.

All tweets with the #waterloolecture hashtag can be found here

Photos from the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation can be found below.

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My take on carpe diem

renjie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:55:15 +0000

Photo courtesy ahisgett on Flickr

My absolute favorite quote in the world that captures my passion for life:

“Those who dare to discover the ocean must have the courage to leave the shore”
- Andre Gide, French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1947.

Seize every moment, cherish every relationship and try your best to not live with any regrets. Enjoy what you do and the company you keep, for life is too short to be taken too seriously.

Enjoy the ride!

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A tribute to Sigma Chi brother Jeff Aho

renjie — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:02:57 +0000

Sigma Chi Wine & Cheese, January 2007: (L-R) Kiran Narayansingh, Matt Colphon, Michelle Zakrison, Levi McCulloch, Jeff Aho, Swiss Nanton Gill, Renjie Butalid

It is said that nothing brings family together more than weddings and funerals.

This could not be more true for the Theta Psi chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Waterloo, who lost brother Jeffrey Aho last week. Outside of Sigma Chi, Aho truly had an impact on Greek university life, the Engineering Society, as well as student politics on the University of Waterloo campus as a whole. I was privileged to have known Aho, as a brother, friend and colleague, having worked with him when we were both on student government at UW several years ago, and more closely as a brother when he pledged and joined Sigma Chi close to three years ago. (I joined Sigma Chi in April 2005)

Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, once said that “University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small”. This could not be more true of Aho, who truly embodied the principles and steadfastness of student politics, even right up to the very end when it was revealed that he was indeed behind the @fakefedspres twitter account.

Although there were times when we did not see eye to eye on issues related to governance policy and business operations of the Federation of Students, I have always had a deep respect for Aho and his well-thought out and reasoned arguments, and often sought out his advice on such matters. Rest in peace brother Jeff Aho, I truly hope that you have found the peace that you were always searching for. You will be missed.

Guard well and strong arms around you.

In hoc signo vinces,

Renjie Butalid

Memorial Service – February 8, 2010

Sigma Chi brothers at Theta Psi’s 20th Anniversary, March 2007

A memorial service for Jeff Aho has been organized by the Theta Psi Chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Waterloo. It will be held on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 7pm on the UW campus.

Details below.

In accordance to Jeff’s wishes, a secular memorial will be held for friends and family to honour his life. The ceremony will commence on Monday, February 8 beginning at 7pm in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall at the University of Waterloo.This is meant to be a celebration of his life providing the opportunity for friends and family to reminisce and rejoice. The atmosphere is intended to be similar to that of Wine and Cheese, one of Jeff’s favourite events. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided and formal attire is encouraged. Wine and drinks will be available from a cash bar.

A memory box will be present at the ceremony for loved ones to share stories, photos, and other memorabilia to later share with the Aho family. Jeff’s Fraternity brothers will take part in the White Rose ceremony in accordance with his wishes.

A similar memorial service will be held in Jeff’s hometown of Thunder Bay later this week. His obituary can be found online (http://www.erbgood.com/Obituary.php?id=5078)

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by the loss of Jeff.

Strong Arms,

Theta Psi Chapter of Sigma Chi

Time: 7pm

Date: Monday, February 8, 2010

Venue: Festival Room – South Campus Hall, University of Waterloo

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WLU Global Citizenship Conference 2010

renjie — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:24:23 +0000

WLU Global Citizenship Conference January 2010

View more presentations from Renjie Butalid.

I was invited to present a workshop on social innovation/social change this past weekend at the Wilfrid Laurier University Global Citizenship Conference 2010, where past keynote speakers have included Stephen Lewis and Romeo Dallaire. This year’s keynote speaker featured Andrea Smith, professor in the Department of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside, and a nominee for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.

My workshop at the WLU GCC was largely based on the workshop that I developed and delivered in July 2009, entitled Opportunities to Create Social Change, building on the work of Frances Westley and Brenda Zimmerman and their work on complexity and resilience theory. Of course, I tailored it to fit the context of the conference, discussing ways the individual person can adopt a complexity and resilience lens, as well as use the adaptability cycle in a practical manner, to better understand the process of social innovation, or transformative social change.

After I posted a recap and shared the slides from my workshop on my blog last summer, I got a response almost immediately from Melissa Richer, Executive Director of the Ayllu Initiative in Brazil (whom I had previously connected with on Twitter), clearly articulating why young people want to change the world, not out of ‘youthful idealism’, but rather, as an imperative need to survive in a world faced with intractable and increasingly complex social problems.

If you haven’t read Melissa’s guest blog post yet, I would recommend that you read it here.

And finally, I would like to thank the organizers of the WLU Global Citizenship Conference 2010 for the invitation to present my workshop and for putting on a great event.

I would also like to highlight an organization called NationWares, a social enterprise based in the Waterloo Region founded by Amie Sider, an undergrad student at Wilfrid Laurier University, that promotes the pillars of sustainability through micro-enterprise and fair trade.

Thank you for the amazing speaker gifts!

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Leveraging Technology for Positive Social Change #EpCon

renjie — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:58:01 +0000

Leveraging Technology For Social Impact

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Pleasantly surprised to find my talk from the EpCon conference in Waterloo last week featured on TechVibes today.

From the article by Karim Kanji

When it comes to technology I’ve always been of the belief that if it can’t make life easier or simpler, then who cares. So, when it comes to creating positive social change, I’m all ears. Last Friday, Renjie Butalid, Communications Coordinator for Social Innovation Generation at the University of Waterloo, spoke at EPIC’s EpCon 2010 event in Waterloo, Ontario.

Renjie challenged the delegates to question how they could use their education to use technology to transform social dilemmas. Renjie, himself, is passionate about using online communities, technology and social media to create positive social change. Furthermore, he is convinced that young people have the power and opportunity, like never before, to affect positive change in the world.

During his presentation he cited four examples of companies and initiatives that have used technology to create meaningful societal change:

KIVA - A dream of lending to low-income entrepreneurs via the internet is now one of the largest and most successful micro-lending programs in the world with thousands of people now able to live in dignity.

Cell-Life – The vision of Cell-Life is to improve the lives of people affected by AIDS in South Africa through the use of mobile technology.

SIMpill - According to their website, the SIMpill Medication Adherence System monitors the patient’s medication schedule and intake of medication and reminds patients and carers as necessary by sending a text message to the patient and/or carers mobile phone if the patient does not take their medication as prescribed.

MoCa - MoCa connects health workers in developing nations to medical professionals around the world via mobile technology.

To date, more than $10 million has been raised via SMS for Haiti earthquake relief. With two-thirds of Africa’s 4.5 billion people using some sort of mobile technology in the next 2 years, the opportunity for social change is not just a hope anymore: it’s real.

Nick, Mike and I also had a great time capturing video and doing interviews with all the delegates, organizers and speakers at #EpCon last weekend, as part of We Move Media.

We’re hoping to have the videos edited and released in the next week or so. Stay tuned for more details!

Congratulations to the EPIC team for doing an amazing job with running the conference!

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TEDxWaterloo – February 25, 2010

renjie — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:27:28 +0000

Full disclosure: I am one of the lead organizers behind TEDxWaterloo, taking place on February 25, 2010.

If you are a big fan of TED and find yourself watching TEDTalks videos on a seemingly regular basis, why not come out to TEDxWaterloo on February 25, 2010 to experience a TED-like event in the company of like-minded, passionate individuals who believe in ideas worth spreading.

Applications to attend TEDxWaterloo are now open and you can apply to attend here

If you are not located in the Waterloo Region or surrounding area, you can still follow the proceedings of the day’s events on Feb 25 by watching the live webcast on our website www.tedxwaterloo.com

The theme for TEDxWaterloo is Tomorrow Started Yesterday, and will feature an amazing line-up of speakers discussing a broad range of topics and ideas touching on this theme. The speaker line-up for TEDxWaterloo will be announced in the coming weeks, stay tuned!

Why do I have to apply to attend TEDxWaterloo?

I have seen a number of comments to this effect on twitter as well as on facebook, following the announcement yesterday on the TEDxWaterloo twitter account and facebook fanpage. For the sake of openness and transparency, I wanted to clarify a few of the key issues that have been brought to our attention.

To provide a bit of background to the event itself, TEDxWaterloo is organized as an independently organized TED event.

From www.ted.com/tedx

TEDx was created in the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading.” The program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level.

At TEDx events, unique talks given by live speakers combine with TEDTalks videos to spark deep conversation and connections. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis.

There are some guidelines as well as recommendations that TED provides to organizers to help re-create a TED-like experience at TEDx events. For example, TED encourages prospective TEDx attendees to fill out applications forms in order to showcase their commitment to attending the event.

From my own perspective as one of the organizers of TEDxWaterloo and discussions with other TEDx organizers, this approach also allows organizers to deeply and more meaningfully understand what motivates the audience members. Of course, there are also some practical considerations to this approach, such as capacity limitations of the venue (to be announced soon for TEDxWaterloo!) as well as budget considerations.

Taking the cue from the upcoming TED 2010 conference happening February 9-13, 2010 in Long Beach, CA, it seems to me the purpose of curating both the speakers roster as well as the audience members comes down to ensuring a rich and stimulating exchange of ideas among a diverse group of peers.

There are major differences between actual TED conferences (TED 2010, TEDGlobal 2010, TEDActive) and local TEDx events held in cities around the world. I would like to note that it is free to attend TEDxWaterloo and the application process is open to all, everyone is invited and encouraged to submit an application to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

N.B. If you’re interested in reading more about this discussion, I would encourage you to check out this page on TED’s website, that addresses a number of probing questions including, ‘Is TED elitist?‘

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Bolivia and Climate Change

renjie — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:48:54 +0000

via euronews.net

This is perhaps THE most compelling video showcasing the urgent need for collective action on climate change that I have come across to date.

Courtesy www.euronews.net

“In 1998, scientists predicted that the Chacaltaya glacier above La Paz would have completely disappeared by 2015. Now experts say it will already be gone completely early this year.

The 2 million residents of the city of La Paz and its suburb El Alto depend on the surrounding glaciers for some of their water needs. El Alto has expanded from 220,000 residents in 1985 to almost one million today, increasing the demand for water. Half the electricity of the country is also produced from hydro-power, meaning the lack of rain and disappearance of glaciers may create an energy crisis in the future when the glaciers have gone.

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