Citizen You: Doing Your Part to Change the World

by Jonathan Tisch, Karl Weber, Mayor Cory Booker (Foreword)

Just when the world needs it most, a new style of social engagement  is Active Citizenship.
 
A key member of one of New York’s  most civic-minded families—one that has supported many of America’s  notable institutions and deserving programs—Jonathan Tisch has devoted a lifetime to “active citizenship.” It’s an idea that uses the power of practical creativity and grassroots participation to solve seemingly intractable problems. In Citizen You , Tisch challenges readers to join this movement and points the way toward making our world a better place, one person and one neighborhood at a time. 
    
Tisch has filled Citizen You with accounts of people who you’ll meet, such inspirational individuals

Scott Harrison, who has used the networking and marketing skills he developed as a night club promoter  to help over a million people in the developing world get access for the first time to clean, safe drinking water.

Steffi Coplan, whose Broadway2Broadway project brought  out the hidden musical talents of kids at an inner city school.

Eric Schwarz, who decided to do something about America’s under-performing schools, and parlayed a single classroom mentoring project into the nationwide Citizens Schools movement.

Chris Swan, who is training a new generation of “citizen engineers” to make sure that the projects they build aren’t just structurally sound but also environmentally and socially sustainable.

Dave Nelson, who traded his role as an executive at IBM for a job at a struggling nonprofit that teaches kids about the power of entrepreneurship—and discovered a host of new challenges and rewards in the process.

Through these and many other remarkable stories, you’ll learn how today’s active citizens are  transforming thinking about social change. Rather than short-term fixes and hand-me-down charity, they’re striving to build sustainable, systemic solutions to our most challenging problems, building and empowering communities rather than fostering dependency.  And they’re using a host of new tools, from online networking and private-public partnerships to corporate engagement and social entrepreneurship, to redefine how change can happen. Citizen You is a potent antidote to pessimism. At a time of unprecedented challenges on the national and world stage, when active citizenship is not a choice but a necessity, Citizen You dares us to reshape the social, political, and intellectual structures that have long confined us, and offers fresh thinking that redefines the very concept of activism. For more information and ideas about how to be an active citizen go to www.citizenyou.org

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Kiara Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is introducing me to the world of social science,tips to making businesses in the future .

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some pertinent points, plenty of ideas, idealistic

Unfortunately much information is dated.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't fully finish this book, but I found it incredibly eye-opening in a number of ways. First of all, the new shift from a non-profit (donations-only) culture to a for-a-small-profit structure that combines business knowledge, donations and the heart of the non-profit world is pure genius. Integrating this method of active citizenship into college programs and corporations is clearly essential to our growth as a country and a culture. Secondly, I had no idea how many organizations are out there to help people, no idea at all. Many of them have already incorporated business philosophy into their operating model. It is truly astounding. This book has really inspired me to actually find a way to help and to actually DO IT. I have to admit, I think that I will be holding US businesses to a higher environmental and social standard having read this book, especially when so many are already doing their part to make the world a better place.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone engaged in communities and service at a high level, I had mixed feelings about this book. I think that if I were looking for inspiration or how to get involved, it would have been a great primer. That being said, the author's scope was a bit too high level and a bit too upper middle class involved. Those of us who can't afford a world class education at Tufts or afford to switch careers in our middle age, might feel that service is a bit out of reach for them. Even the perspectives on national service and public service were a bit too lofty. It is worth mentioning that a lot has changed since this book was published. Key resources and national organizations were left out of the book, which is disappointing.

I definitely recommend this book for those who work in the private sector, and for college students with disposable income. The road map is very clear for those folks!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a slog to read, but I eventually got through it. It got easier as I went along. It seems especially geared towards a (white, male) upper-level manager looking to do something else with his future. However, there are a number of fairly inspiring stories about particular people and their particular efforts, such as Chris Swan, who is training a new generation of "citizen engineers" at Tufts University. I would love to see a "where are they now?" addendum to the book, because it was published in 2010. Some of the projects that he trumpets or has high hopes for, such as "One Laptop Per Child" didn't live up to their expectations, and I wonder what he would have to say about his hopes for the Obama administration now.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book in the hopes that Tisch would offer some new ideas or insights into active citizenship. What I found was a series of narratives about programs that seem great but it wasn't what I was looking for. Around page 50, I decided that if I saw the phrase "seemingly intractable" one more time, I'd be done with the book. Then I hit page 66: "seemingly intractable." Maybe there was something great later in the book but there wasn't enough fresh or interesting going on for me to stick it out. What a bummer.

[Shirley Conley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took a little less time to read but still was not a page turner. Tisch/Weber are at their best when writing about NYC. They did a great job of writing about our government and even said some good that the government does. In the last chapter they list 52 ways to become involved as a citizen through both non- profits and government service. This book reminded me a lot of
Chelsea Clinton’s book It’s Your World Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going that she wrote for teens to become involved citizens.

[Mark Donovan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wouldn't suggest this book. The author doesn't delve deep enough into each subtopic. "Think about volunteering your time if you have a specialty. Think about working in the public service. Grameen... Yunus started a micro-lending bank. Bill and Melinda Gates... work for a non-profit before you retire. Omama is awesome for exploiting technology blah blah blah." But that's it. Example after example of people who are successful without any explication or special sauce on how to do it.

[Duane Alexander Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this book for teaching a course on civic engagement at a local university. I liked it and so did my students. But I will say it is heavy on anecdote and pretty light on theory and practical steps for application.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the type of book i used to read in college. so many different stories that were inspiring.

[Wendy Krizmanic · Rating 3 out of 5]

In spite of its politics I like this book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some practical tips and loads of inspiration for renewing your commitment to changing the world.... particularly through social entrepreneurship.

[Victoria Cumberbatch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it. Just wrote down the good organizations at the end

[Mckinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

The intention, the spirit of the book is good but the rhetoric was too much. At times I wondered if it was a promotional brochure for Tisch Center at Tufts.
Just say 'do some service to others' to the audience of elite white upper class for which the book is written. Also admit that money matters.