My Name My Story
FAQ
FAQ
Who founded the organization?
My Name My Story was founded by then fourteen-year-old Amit Dodani in December of 2011. You can read his story here.
Who is on the My Name My Story team?
The organization is made up of the My Name My Story Advisory Board- including the Program Advisor and National Youth Spokesperson- and the Youth Leaders from across the country. The MNMS Team is made up of passionate individuals with years of experience in education, interfaith work, social enterprise, finance, and marketing. We constantly seek mentorship from some of the most respected educators, changemakers, and thought leaders in the disciplines of empathy and social entrepreneurship.
How does My Name My Story define empathy and changemaking?
We believe that empathy is the ability to share and understand another person’s experience. When that understanding moves an individual to take action, that person becomes a changemaker.
We believe that the lack of empathy is the root cause of many of the issues we see on school campuses today. Our team works relentlessly to create a community that is focused on empowering changemakers and inspiring empathy so that we can eliminate issues like bullying, apathy, and an overall lack of connectivity.
What is the My Name My Story School Program?
The School Program is designed to empower students to be changemakers on their campuses. These changemakers are student leaders who take action and shift perspectives, taking students beyond simply connecting to collaborating and co-creating.
The School Program includes a Changemaker Day, Resource Guide, and Program Adviser to consult with as needed.
Why should I bring the My Name My Story School Program to my school?
Our school program will begin the process of changing your school cultures. We train students in a new kind of leadership- empathetic leadership that seeks innovative, systemic, and sustainable solutions to issues on your campus.
The School Program creates leadership opportunities, builds community, and engages students in service projects. We facilitate dialogue on issues of diversity, respect, and inclusion, and empower students to take action to affect positive change in these areas. It also connects students to a larger network of changemakers, allowing them to share ideas and motivate each other. My Name My Story also introduces students to social entrepreneurship, teaching them 21st century skills that will help them to succeed in a digitally connected, culturally diverse world.
What sort of organization is My Name My Story?
We are a for-profit social enterprise. Organizations like us have been around since the 1960s, although the term “social entrepreneur” really gained traction in the 1980s when made popular by Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka. Today, Ashoka is the largest network of social entrepreneurs in the world- identifying and supporting changemakers across 20 countries.
My Name My Story is part of Ashoka Youth Venture, and has been recognized by organizations like Peace First, the Jefferson Award, and Disney Friends for Change for its work in the spaces of empathy, peace and justice, and changemaking.
Why “Hope-Believe-Succeed-Inspire”?
We believe that a spark of hope that is fed by an empathetic community instills confidence for an individual to believe. Once that person believes in themselves and surrounds themselves with the right peer group and resources, they can succeed. Once success is attained, we believe that by sharing that story they are able to inspire a spark of hope in others, beginning the process in someone new.
My Name My Story was founded by then fourteen-year-old Amit Dodani in December of 2011. You can read his story here.
Who is on the My Name My Story team?
The organization is made up of the My Name My Story Advisory Board- including the Program Advisor and National Youth Spokesperson- and the Youth Leaders from across the country. The MNMS Team is made up of passionate individuals with years of experience in education, interfaith work, social enterprise, finance, and marketing. We constantly seek mentorship from some of the most respected educators, changemakers, and thought leaders in the disciplines of empathy and social entrepreneurship.
How does My Name My Story define empathy and changemaking?
We believe that empathy is the ability to share and understand another person’s experience. When that understanding moves an individual to take action, that person becomes a changemaker.
We believe that the lack of empathy is the root cause of many of the issues we see on school campuses today. Our team works relentlessly to create a community that is focused on empowering changemakers and inspiring empathy so that we can eliminate issues like bullying, apathy, and an overall lack of connectivity.
What is the My Name My Story School Program?
The School Program is designed to empower students to be changemakers on their campuses. These changemakers are student leaders who take action and shift perspectives, taking students beyond simply connecting to collaborating and co-creating.
The School Program includes a Changemaker Day, Resource Guide, and Program Adviser to consult with as needed.
Why should I bring the My Name My Story School Program to my school?
Our school program will begin the process of changing your school cultures. We train students in a new kind of leadership- empathetic leadership that seeks innovative, systemic, and sustainable solutions to issues on your campus.
The School Program creates leadership opportunities, builds community, and engages students in service projects. We facilitate dialogue on issues of diversity, respect, and inclusion, and empower students to take action to affect positive change in these areas. It also connects students to a larger network of changemakers, allowing them to share ideas and motivate each other. My Name My Story also introduces students to social entrepreneurship, teaching them 21st century skills that will help them to succeed in a digitally connected, culturally diverse world.
What sort of organization is My Name My Story?
We are a for-profit social enterprise. Organizations like us have been around since the 1960s, although the term “social entrepreneur” really gained traction in the 1980s when made popular by Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka. Today, Ashoka is the largest network of social entrepreneurs in the world- identifying and supporting changemakers across 20 countries.
My Name My Story is part of Ashoka Youth Venture, and has been recognized by organizations like Peace First, the Jefferson Award, and Disney Friends for Change for its work in the spaces of empathy, peace and justice, and changemaking.
Why “Hope-Believe-Succeed-Inspire”?
We believe that a spark of hope that is fed by an empathetic community instills confidence for an individual to believe. Once that person believes in themselves and surrounds themselves with the right peer group and resources, they can succeed. Once success is attained, we believe that by sharing that story they are able to inspire a spark of hope in others, beginning the process in someone new.