Changing systems can be slow — and maybe it should be

At the Ashoka Changemaker Summit, women and queer entrepreneurs share wisdom for changing systems, shifting mindsets, and healing ourselves.

The term “systems change” is rising in popular use. It reflects a shifting conversation towards identifying root problems and working together to solve them. But it’s also difficult — and risky — work. What happens when “systems change” isn’t rooted in relationships, doesn’t take power dynamics into account, prematurely rushes into solutions, or marginalizes community voices in favor of dominant groups?

At the Ashoka Changemaker Summit, Zeynep Meydanoglu Ertan, Ashoka’s Turkey Country Co-Director & Next Now Gender Field Lead, speaks with three social entrepreneurs to go deeper on systems change and the time, care, resources, empathy, and healing it requires.

We hear from Aditi Gera, Ashoka Young Changemaker and founder of Empowerette, a mentorship program in rural India; Tatiana Fraser, co-founder of System Sanctuary, a peer learning platform for systems leadership; and Tarek Zeidan, Executive Director of Helem, the leading LGBTQ rights organization in the Arab world. Watch the full session here.

Full article on Ashoka Medium.