Beverly Schwartz, VP of Global Marketing at Ashoka, will hold the official release of her new book-length work, Rippling: How Social Entrepreneurs Spread Innovation, on April 11, 2012 at the FHI 360 Globe Theatre in DuPont Circle.

The event, hosted by FHI 360 and Ashoka in partnership with Politics and Prose, will feature a discussion and Q&A moderated by Gregory R. Niblett (Chief Strategy Officer of FHI 360) with Schwartz, Bill Drayton (Founder and Chair of Ashoka), and Aleta Margolis (Founder of the Centre for Inspired Teaching).  The discussion will be followed by a reception and book signing. http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2590901456

Urgent social and environmental challenges require a collective re-imagining to foster widespread, systemic change.  By drawing on a wealth of insights offered by some of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs, Schwartz provides a colorfully illustrated blueprint for visionary thinking, and demonstrates how everyday people can drive meaningful change.

Schwartz cites five time-tested principles that define successful models of changemaking for both organizations and individual leaders, including 1) restructuring industry norms, 2) changing market dynamics, 3) using market forces to create social value, 4) advancing full citizenship, and 5) cultivating empathy. She demonstrates how these principles work with moving accounts about social entrepreneurs who are applying them and literally re-structuring the world, creating a powerful, positive effect.  Each section includes reflections from thought leaders such as Arianna Huffington, Geeta Rao Gupta, Esther Dyson and Peter M. Senge.

“Rippling’s concepts are relevant and accessible for business of all sizes, from individual entrepreneurs to global corporations. Organizations that tap into the changemaker vision can spark innovation, engage employees, and better meet customer needs while improving the bottom lines for business and society as a whole,” explains Ronald L. Sargent, chairman and CEO, Staples, Inc.

The book clearly demonstrates that when empathy, creativity, passion, and persistence are combined, significant, life altering progress is indeed possible.  To learn more go to www.ashoka.org/rippling

About Ashoka

Founded in 1980, Ashoka is the world’s working community of nearly 3000 leading social entrepreneurs. It champions the most important new social change ideas and supports the entrepreneurs behind them by helping them get started, grow, succeed, and collaborate. As Ashoka expands its capability to integrate and connect entrepreneurs around the world, it builds an entrepreneurial infrastructure that is supporting the fast-growing needs of the citizen sector.  Ashoka’s vision is to create change today, for an Everyone A Changemaker™ society to become the reality of tomorrow.  For more information, visit www.ashoka.org.

About FHI 360

This nonprofit human development organization is dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in education, health, nutrition, economic development, civil society, environment, gender, youth, research and technology – creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries and all U.S. states and territories www.fhi360.org

Politics and Prose

This is the most respected independent book store in the Washington DC area. Politics and Prose offers superior service and unusual book choices while also serving as a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. The owners pride themselves in having built a community and having the community build the store www.politics-prose.com

Ashoka: Innovators for the Public

Ashoka: Innovators for the Public

Ashoka is the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs - men and women with system changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems. Since 1981, Ashoka has elected over 3000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 70 countries. Working with these social entrepreneurs, Ashoka builds communities of innovators who work collectively to transform society and design new ways for the citizen sector to become more productive, entrepreneurial and globally integrated. For more information, please visit www.ashoka.org.

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