How did I become involved in Citizen Effect? I was working for Specialized Bicycles, one of the leading bike manufacturers in the world serving as their Director of Advocacy & Environment when I met Dan. Specialized and Google co-sponsored the Innovate or Die Pedal-Powered Machine Contest, http://www.youtube.com/groups_layout?name=innovateordie to inspire innovation and environmental change by highlighting the benefits of cycling in an unprecedented way. The challenge was to invent and build machines that transform zero-emission human energy into new and useful purposes, one pedal stroke at a time. The Aquaduct took first place, a pedal-powered vehicle that transports, filters and stores water for the developing world. This project in many ways foreshadowed my friendship with Dan as Citizen Effect supports projects in the developing world—more than serendipity.


Connie Fails, the manager of the Clinton Museum Store in Little Rock, Arkansas read about the Aquaduct and contacted me at Specialized. We were invited to bring the Aquaduct, and the winning team (who was coincidentally from the Bay Area, designers at IDEO, to the Clinton Foundation Earth Day celebration, this was 2007, http://www.clintoncenterearthday.com/ where we met Dan. Over dinner one evening Dan shared his idea for Citizen Effect—a dream come true that was launching. I expressed an interest in becoming involved. From there, Dan sent the website that featured all the projects that were available to adopt. The photo of Jogad Village captivated my imagination of how the villagers were living and what they had to overcome—the challenges of the salt flats, wild animals rampaging their homes during darkness—the need for light, sustainable light. The photo of the bike was very symbolic—they use bikes to get around. I called Dan and told him I was on board to help.
Dan and the Citizen Effect Team made this happen. They motivated the SVC’s with constant feedback on the projects, sending photos and blogging live from India on a visit to many of the projects, sending video clips etc. The project website was constantly updated with news and photos. I couldn’t wait to get the updates and see them posted. Dan hosted conference calls for the SVC’s to share feedback, obstacles and challenges and successes. I was totally inspired by all the other projects and how they each made it happen, one step at a time, one fundraising event at time to reach their project goal. 1well had created greeting cards and I modeled a postcard after that to promote Jogad Village. I baked homemade chocolate chip cookies, attached a postcard and gave them to all my family and friends, not soliciting money but the donations followed, from $5.00 to $500 and more.
The “cookie-idea” worked especially well during the holidays—rather than gift-giving, I invited people to join me in supporting those that needed help and delivered cookies and postcards far and wide—at farmer’s markets, lunch breaks at Stanford and every family and friend gathering.
Jogad Village doesn’t have an ending point, it is constantly renewing itself, turning and spinning like a wheel gaining momentum, it’s a great analogy to the wheels of a bike—I feel that I am a part of the village and can’t wait to visit one day to meet the villagers and share their endurance and perseverance and cottage industry. In many ways they are living a more sustainable life than we are for sure (although I have been car-free for 20+ years, I don’t light up my life with solar lanterns—yet) but want to learn more about how they do live and how the build the lanterns.