Adventures of a Pro Bono Hero: New Orleans Edition

Making it matter in the Big Easy

New Orleans, a city of true culture: raw jazz, free fun, and an amazing sense of pride and appreciation by tourists and locals alike. My ticket to this fantastic city came by way of becoming Taproot’s Pro Bono Hero Contest. It seems like just yesterday when my friends and colleagues voted for me via Facebook, I was awarded the title and given access to the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. This gathering is attended by over 5,000 individuals, imagine all that change energy in one place at one time! Last night, I was formerly announced to a room of corporate executives, nonprofit professionals and foundation leaders. The setting for the proclamation was just as exciting–The Pro Bono Penthouse: A super-swank space right on the river.

Being around such amazing life changers, I feel re-inspired, really grateful to Taproot, and excited to be a techie that does Pro Bono.

New Orleans Rocks for Five Reasons:

1. I’m surrounded by like-minded, socially conscious individuals who are working day in and day out to bring about positive social change.
2. I get to network with leaders of organizations and corporations such as Intel, Gap, VolunteerMatch and Deloitte who are all connected to using the Pro Bono ethos to influence change.
3. I’m meeting individuals who have dedicated their life and time to volunteering around the world: from building playgrounds throughout the US via KaBoom to bringing school supplies to schools in Africa by way of buildOn.
4. I get to dance the Lindy Hop with locals I’ve never danced with before! Dancing with folks in the birthplace of Jazz is like having a dynamically silent conversation of a lifetime in just 5 minutes!
5. I get to participate in all of the cool plenary sessions, including those promoting Taproot’s cool new tool, BUILD.

This summer, I’ll be Making it Matter by participating in a weekend hack-a-thon in Denver, CO called Project Fresh Kicks where both nonprofits and techies will work throughout the night to create technical solutions for problems. That is the future of self-empowered social & tech change!

I’ll have more from New Orleans in a few days. Come back and check for more.

Join James in becoming a pro bono hero! Sign up to volunteer your skills now on Taproot+.