Dear Bankless Nation 🏴,

Season 10 has officially kicked off, and the lively season kick-off call set the tone for what's to come. There was no roundtable discussion this time, but the agenda was packed, reflecting the buzzing activity across the DAO. Various departments and projects gave us a recap of the previous season and a sneak peek into their roadmaps for this one. Brace yourselves because there's exciting progress on existing projects, guilds, and departments. Also, be ready for a bunch of fresh ideas addressing various community matters.

This week's editorial delves into the extraordinary life of Bill Ford, also known as Marvel, a key figure in BanklessDAO. The article traces Ford's diverse experiences, marked by resilience, adaptability, and a passion for community. It is an inspirational testament to lifelong learning, embracing change, and selflessness.

Big news! Some projects within the DAO received allocations from Optimism through Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RPGF 3). This injection of funds is a game-changer, propelling these projects into action for this season. We commend Optimism for its dedication to public goods in the web3 ecosystem.

tlBANK is on fire! With 164 holders and 11.48 million BANK locked, the tlBANK team is gearing up to unveil some cool UI and experience features. Dive into the 'Making BANK' podcast for an insider's look at all things tlBANK.

As we dive into the weekend, take a breather, recharge, and get ready to contribute to making our community even better this season.

Cheers to an amazing Season 10!

Contributors: Boluwatife, Lucent1, Tonytad, Warrior, Paulito, Kornekt, WinVerse

This is an official newsletter of BanklessDAO. Please subscribe and share to help us grow our audience as we fulfill our mission to build user-friendly crypto onramps.

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🎙️ Stay Inspired by listening to the 50th Making Bank episode with Marvel

🏃‍♀️ Catch up: Listen to this week’s Community Call recording.

Proposals in Discussion

📃 Brand Clarity Between DAO and HQ

We are still having the brand clarity conversation between the DAO and HQ. Further discussions are ongoing and with more recent backlash on X, we see the need to settle things as quickly as possible. If you still haven’t shared your thoughts, please share them on Forum. Ryan will also be joining us for our Community Call on Friday, January 19 to discuss the brand clarity.

Marvel’s Inspiring BanklessDAO Journey

From the Marines to Being an 80-Year-Old Web3 Enthusiast

Author: Boluwatife

Origins of an American Original

In this issue of the Weekly Rollup, we explore the story of one of the most inspirational people in the journey of BanklessDAO — our very own Bill Ford. He recently appeared as a guest on the Making Bank podcast, so we decided to draw inspiration from that episode and write this piece.

The life of Bill Ford, better known by his nickname "Marvel", stretches across eras and experiences only few can imagine. Born in 1943 in the small town of Winnemucca, Nevada, no one could have predicted that Ford — starting out as a military man — would end up being a web3 enthusiast decades later (well except maybe Bill himself. He considers himself quite a nerd, which isn’t surprising considering all he has been able to do). But the origins of this American original foreshadowed his adaptability.

At 80, Bill has lived multiple generations and seen different things grow, crash, and succeed. From a 10-year-old who had to grow up early to take care of two women after losing his father, to the 17-year-old man who joined the Marines in 1961 and had a great career, and now the 80-year-old man actively engaged in making the BanklessDAO vision a reality.

Bill has always loved culture and the integration of diversity, therefore it isn’t surprising that he was constantly immersed in a vast pool of backgrounds. He recalled the joys of contributing to major cultural shifts after the Vietnam War within the Marines, including the incorporation of women into service and the settling of immigration issues. Change has always been ingrained in him and he loved that he had inputs that sponsored the change and adjustments that came with it.

Discovering Crypto and BanklessDAO

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Bill Ford had an introspection. He re-discovered his music — Marvel is a badass sax player — and was drawn to decentralization. Inspired, he dove into the cryptocurrency space. He became fascinated with Ethereum and its potential for transparency and decentralization. All the possibilities aligned with his forward-thinking nature.

A few months down the line, Bill Ford narrated that he was lying down on a couch in his cabin situated in the mountains of Idaho, which he got from his grandfather who was a veteran of World War 1 built in 1937, when he suddenly heard his name.

For more context, he was listening to a podcast by Ryan and David when at the end of the episode, David asked, “What are you excited about today Ryan?”, and Ryan answered “Bill Ford”.

"Ryan said one 76-year old man was teaching himself DeFi, and that if Bill Ford can do it, anyone can." — Marvel

Bill was amazed to hear the hosts discuss him, further strengthening his resolution to learn more and dive all the way into the rabbit hole.

Ford soon joined BanklessDAO, drawn to this grassroots community committed to creating user-friendly onramps for people to discover decentralized financial technologies through education, media, and culture. The DAO's diversity and innovation matched Ford's zeal for change. With nearly 3 years in BanklessDAO, Ford offers unique insights from his journey as a DAO veteran.

Navigating Growing Pains

Ford acknowledges the DAO's "growing pains" amid rapid progress. He believes occasional conflicts arise from the dizzying pace of change in the industry. But Ford maintains faith in contributors elevating BanklessDAO.

When asked about the scuffle on X a few months ago, he responded in his classic way “Trolls are gonna troll.” He stated that the issue was that the majority of people did not know the difference between Bankless and BanklessDAO. They also did not know how many countries have been touched and the impact the DAO has made far and wide. He expresses confidence in the contributors and states that the community is evolving to its next level. He also acknowledges that a need for brand clarity is necessary to ensure progress.

Advancing Progress Kindly

Despite challenges, Ford stays upbeat. He believes in advancing progress through kindness, saying: "It's not easy for the human mind to innately be kind when you're not necessarily getting returns from people, but it’s important to be kind." This exemplifies his wisdom.

Bill Ford states that there are a lot of complex problems out there that are not necessarily going to be solved directly and some are going to be harder to solve directly because they are not easily contextualised or defined. Some of the ways they can be solved are through consensus or drafting case study answers to a document. This is because of the different opinions and answers that different people provide. This is what gives Marvel hope in DAOs. He acknowledges that it is not like an LLC or a body corp, and that is why he loves it, because it gives voices to those that are not heard or are not heard as much as they need to be. Sometimes the solutions to some of the most complex problems come from a different perspective of the person really affected by it.

Balancing Past and Future

While excited by the future, Ford stays grounded in the past and present. He recalls founders and appreciates both new voices and those gone. This balance of past, present, and future mindsets serves the DAO well.

Guiding Insights From an Inspiring Life

Now in his 80s, Ford's varied journey offers invaluable insights:

1. It's Never Too Late to Learn

At 76, Ford dove into cryptocurrency. His story proves you can passionately pursue new skills at any age.

2. Approach Change with Openness

Ford welcomed major transitions like integrating women into the Marines and many other innovations. His open mindset allowed him to embrace blockchain technology.

3. Maintain Humor in Difficult Times

Ford retains his humour even amid "growing pains" in BanklessDAO. His lightheartedness offers lessons in persevering.

4. Look Beyond Yourself

Ford found purpose in social change and now community advancement. His selflessness shows the power of believing in ideals bigger than oneself.

Bill Ford's remarkable odyssey reveals the breadth of possibilities life offers. From military service to exploring blockchain's frontiers well into his 80s, Marvel's story inspires openness to new ideas, commitment to community, and fearlessness in pursuing purpose. The DAO is privileged to have Ford's continued contributions enlightening its journey. His presence is a reminder to live fully, kindly, and meaningfully.

BanklessDAO Projects Receive Optimism’s RetroPGF Round 3 Reward

Round 3 of the RPGF has recognized and rewarded contributors for their impactful contributions to the Optimism Collective, spanning categories such as OP Stack, Collective Governance, Developer Ecosystem, and End User Experience and Adoption. Noteworthy among these contributors are projects affiliated with the BanklessDAO Community, including but not limited to Crypto Sapiens, Naçion Bankless, Bankless Publishing, Bankless Africa, and Bankless Turkish. Additionally, BanklessDAO itself secured funding, presenting a significant advantage as we enter the new year. Heartfelt congratulations to all projects and contributors — a momentous achievement, indeed.

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