Local Changemakers (part one)
How do we solve tough challenges? Often we are so busy dealing with the symptoms or consequences of existing systems, ideas and inventions that we fail to see the true source of our problems as well as the potential solutions.
Our lives are organized by many systems: family, education, work, culture, politics, economics and more. Humans create these systems to help us manage more effectively. However at times we get so entrenched in outdated methods that what was first set out to be an effective way now becomes a barrier, or a set of control mechanisms, that hinder positive change and thought evolution.
Have you heard the phrase “there’s no sense in bucking the system”?
Well think again, and bring in the changemakers!
A changemaker is someone who uses their ability to take ideas to action; a term coined by the social entrepreneurship organization, Ashoka, “meaning one who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources, makes that change happen.”
Meet four locals who are attempting to make systematic change in four different areas: the arts, sports, agriculture and buildings. Jason Sobottka: Professor/Artist/Gallery Owner, Vito DeSantis: PGA Golfer/Founder of Grips fore Good SPC, Becca Clark: Urban Farmer/Honey’s Healthy Hive, and Rick Gagliano/Founder at Pin Foundations Inc.
Q&A What led you to want to make change?
Jason- The investigation and the pondering of “what if” is really what drives me. We hope to do our small part to showcase the vast talent and diverse perspectives of local artists, emerging and mid-career; drawing more attention to the enormous cultural contributions that local artists make.
Vito- It’s hard to remember whether I was looking for an idea, or it just found me. I walked into work one day and watched an employee cutting the grip off, ripping it off and all in one motion throwing it in the garbage. Something inside of me said, “Why are we doing this? Why are we throwing rubber away?”
Becca- It started with our family, as a way for us to better ourselves and teach our young boys knowledge that’s been lost over the generations. We have a strong desire for change and have been putting together new ideas to help make those changes happen.
Rick- To me making change really means having it be significant enough that it is used broadly and a lot of people understand why and are willing to adopt it. When I got into architecture school in the 80’s, I realized that there was a gap; no one in the design world was even considering foundations. People thought it had already been solved so it wasn’t an aspect of design that we ever touched in school. So that was a light bulb for me.
Q&A How and when did you take the first step?
Jason- Fall of 2017, I asked my dean for a one-year leave of absence. During this year, my wife and I would transition our personal art studio into a larger and more public-facing studio, gallery and classroom. Our venture is called Tacoma Gallery.
Vito- It was 2014, I grabbed a box, cut a hole in it, wrote drop grips here and I handed it to my assistant. And I said, we are not going to throw rubber away anymore. So that’s how it started. The box was filled within a month. After six months, my office was full of boxes. I started calling around to recyclers and every one of them said they didn’t need it. So I started to experiment.
Becca- In 2015, our passion to teach ourselves and better our family with a personal garden and some mason bees grew into a business and pollination program. We began gardening on a larger scale and offering our overflow to the community.
Rick- It was the late eighties, we were talking about low impact and stormwater issues. People were working on how to improve or fix the impacts of construction without ever really considering whether the current construction was the right thing in the first place. That became my starting point. I knew that there was something frustrating me in building and if I could come up with a way of bringing us back to an efficient system, there was a very good chance it would fly.
Check out part 2 in next month’s issue to learn more about these local changemakers: their journey, what they are planning next, and what you can do to help!
