our global garden of joy Hi 👋 I’m Jasmine, founder of The Bloom. We have a phenomenal selection of social impact resources this week for you to bloom & forward to your friends!
"supported with love by Algbra" "supported with love by Algbra" supported with love by Algbra
Welcome bloomers, Here is your summary of the newsletter this week: 🌱Interview with Zambian-American author 🌱Youth climate justice fund 🌱Impact entrepreneurship global fellowship with love & light, Jasmine 💌 Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to get your own copy of The Bloom to your inbox with top social impact jobs, uplifting stories, and global resources. 💚 Partner with us! We're looking forimpactful organizations to partner with The Bloom to bring connections, resources, and opportunities to our global community.
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fresh soil
Iris Mwanza is a Zambian-American author, gender equality advocate and the Deputy Director of the Gender Equality Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading strategy and investment for the Women in Leadership portfolio.
Born and raised in Zambia, her early exposure to inequality inspired a multifaceted career journey in systems change – from becoming a lawyer, writing a Ph.D. dissertation on women and children’s rights, a career fighting for gender equality, and now writing a thriller with gender equality as its heart. We had the chance to sit down and interview Iris in an intimate interview on her career journey and upcoming novel – rather than a transcript of the interview (you can watch the full interview in The Bloom community), we thought of something even more special to honor the wisdom Iris shared, with a personal curation of our team's most treasured moments...when those of us on the Zoom leaned closer to our screens with curiosity, care, & awe 🤎
🌱 Plant your seeds with purpose:
"I have a bag full of seeds, and I can plant them wherever I want, in any way I choose." Iris encourages us to think about the legacy we want to leave behind and to be intentional about the seeds we plant throughout our lives – and we have the ability to plant *many*. She recognizes that the world can be insistent in telling us we are only allowed to be one version of ourselves, but she emphasizes our strength is our multiplicity.
⛵️ Embrace the journey:
"It’s actually a long and winding road. The secret is to enjoy the journey." Iris's path took her from growing up in Zambia, believing it was the biggest country in the world, to traveling and discovering the broader world. Her pursuit of education and her various roles, including being a lawyer and working in gender equality, illustrate the importance of embracing each step of the journey and finding joy in the process.
🐝 Ask for community support:
"Women lifting each other up helped me. I had a mentor and a coach who helped articulate what I wanted to do." Iris recognizes how important it was to receive the support of mentors and a strong community. She highlights how having people who believe in you and help you clarify your goals can be crucial in navigating your career and personal growth.
☀️ Optimism in adversity:
Iris shares that even in her dream job, there are challenging days. Her optimism has been key to her resilience. She shares how staying positive, even when facing setbacks, is essential for a sustainable and impactful career in development. Her ability to see light and opportunities, and to derive strength from her mission despite difficulties, has driven her forward.
🦁 Say it out LOUD:
"Say it out loud. Vocalize your dreams and goals to many people. Someone saw the job description for the job I have now and sent it to me." Iris emphasizes the importance of being clear and vocal about our dreams. By openly sharing our goals, we invite serendipity and support for opportunities to flow our way that align with our vision. Her experience shows that expressing your ambitions can lead to unexpected and valuable connections that help realize those dreams.
⚡️Persevere with clarity:
"It’s going to work if you persevere with clarity. If you don’t have clarity, it’s hard to persevere because you’re all over the place." Iris stresses the importance of having a clear vision to guide your perseverance. She shares how clarity in her goals has helped her navigate rejections and setbacks. With a clear direction, it becomes easier to stay focused and motivated, even when facing obstacles. Listen to Iris' full interview and learn from her incredible career journey directly in our learning platform for social impact careers & apply for fully sponsored membership here💸 Inspired by Iris' career journey, here is a question to journal on: In this season of your life, what do you feel is particularly important for you to vocalize more OUT LOUD?
water your soul
Inspiring newsletters, documentaries, social media, and much more; we find media to brighten and enlighten your spirit.
Curated collection of Global South/Global North resources, programs, events – because there are many opportunities to branch out, beyond a traditional 9 – 5 jobs.
💸 Funds
Youth climate justice fund: Provides core flexible funding to emerging youth climate justice groups. Eligible groups can apply for grants of up to USD 20,000 until July 1st.
📚Fellowships
Women’s fellowship to address organized environmental crimes: This fellowship aims to directly address the lack of financial support for initiatives targeting gender-inclusive projects that address environmental crime by providing grants of GBP 12 000 to women leaders actively working to reduce environmental crime by empowering local women globally.
Technoserve fellows program: For business professionals to contribute their skills to help change the lives of those living in poverty. You will gain experience in the field of international development firsthand while building new skills and challenging yourself in a cross-cultural and entrepreneurial environment.
Early-stage impact entrepreneurship global fellowship: A 16-week leadership and venture development program for impact-driven entrepreneurs seeking to elevate your venture with access to a global network, training designed to strengthen skills, and mentorship with seasoned professionals, venture capitalists, and executives. Plus, receive USD 20,000 for your venture!
pollination partner
Our newsletter this week is supported by the phenomenal team of Ijeruka, a global Pan-African digital learning community. And at the heart of every revolution: the audacity to dream of a world radically different from the present. That's why we're thrilled to amplify their upcoming course: "Cultural Architectures: Building Afrocentric Realities."
Building Afrocentric Realities is a 4-week immersive course to empower you with the tools to not only dream but actively construct new realities where African and diasporic identities are not merely acknowledged, but positioned as the bedrock of societal progress: 🔥Lesson 1 – Foundations of Afrocentrism & cultural architecture 🔥Lesson 2 – Power & cultural confidence 🔥Lesson 3 – Cultivating afrocentric sensibilities 🔥Lesson 4 – Towards plurality: expanding afrocentric influence globally
This immersive online course will guide you through the intricate ways in which culture shapes our collective reality, empowering you to become an active participant in its evolution. You will explore how people of African descent have shaped and continue to shape the world. By encountering their rich histories, philosophies, and practices, you will master the art of infusing Afrocentric sensibilities into everyday life 🤎
grow new roots
Hand-picked job opportunities and employers we love around the world, selected from a diverse team of social impact leaders behind the scenes at The Bloom who are excited for you to grow new roots in your career.
Employer Spotlight☀️Mzalendo Trust
Mzalendo (‘Patriot’ in Swahili) is a Kenyan non-partisan Parliamentary Monitoring Organization started in 2005 whose mission is to promote ‘open, inclusive, and accountable parliaments in Kenya and Africa.’ They are hiring for multiple roles, including the Assistant role in our job board below 🇰🇪
For more hand-curated job openings, check out the job board of our careers platform!
Social Impact Career Rewards 🥳
If you know others who will love The Bloom's newsletter... Share your unique referral link & win rewards when your friends subscribe! Our team prepared unique career-focused gifts to support your personal and professional growth.
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