Julie Burstein introduces us to people who are creatively engaging with the challenges and pleasures of work and life.

Spark

With the money she'd saved from babysitting jobs and a sewing machine her parents gave her for her birthday, Liz Forkin Bohannon began Sseko Sandals, a company in Uganda where women earn the money they need to go to university.  

Liz Forkin Bohannon was just named as a finalist in Cartier's Women's Initiative Awards.  Liz was my first interview for Pursuit of Spark, here's her delightful and inspiring story.

Right after college, Liz went to Uganda to work for the Cornerstone Leadership Academy. She fell in love with the students, who came from poor families, and asked the school's founder what she could do for them once she returned to the US. He asked her to figure out a way to help young women earn the money to go on to college.

Liz's first idea was a chicken farm -- and we're lucky she quickly abandoned that concept and moved on to create sandals that could be made in Uganda and worn by women all over the U.S.


Spark: Liz Forkin Bohannon and Sseko Sandals

Ed Zimmerman is a lawyer who specializes in tech deals. He's happiest in gatherings where he's the host, so for many years he's organized conferences and workshops for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists so they can get to know each other, and he can get to know them. Ed came up to me at TED right after I'd given my talk, and invited me to one of these meetings, where I got to see up close the informal and engaging way he gets people to talk about what they do. I was interested in how he chose this kind of work, and in talking with him found that the answer is complicated and fascinating, and that part of it comes directly from his father. Here's the entire interview, which is full of Ed's humor and generosity.


On being a pattern interrupt

Photographer Joel Meyerowitz and writer Maggie Barrett talk about their life together, and their collaboration on their new book Provence: A Lasting Impression.  Their honesty, about the pleasures and challenges of their creative partnership in life and in art, is an inspiration.

Spark: Joel Meyerowitz and Maggie Barrett

Last fall when I spoke at Middlebury College, my hosts told me about a fascinating program at the vocational/technical high school in town, where students learn how to weld, paint, sew, hang lights, and build just about anything, all in service of theatre.  Alumni from the program are mixing sound for Motown the Musical, rigging Cirque du Soleil, and acting on TV shows such as The Office.  I'm thrilled that NPR's Weekend Edition asked me to report a story about the Addison Repertory Theater high school program at the Hannaford Career Center.  Here it is.

Thanks to Sarah Popov for production assistance on this story, and Laura Bertran at NPR for her insightful editing.  And thanks to Steve Small and all the students and teachers at A.R.T. 

A.R.T. in Middlebury Vermont

Daily tea meditations, listening to the world. jb@julieburstein.com