Changemaker Institute is a student-run social venture accelerator program open to both undergraduate and graduate students here at Tulane.

Yeah, it’s a mouthful.

But what Changemaker Institute really is, in the simplest of terms, is a place where students come together to receive help and instruction on how to enact positive change in the most effective way possible. This is a much more complex task than one might think, and to accomplish it takes a great deal of self-awareness and critical thinking skills.

From day 1, we at CI are looking at broad and potentially vague concepts and breaking them down within the context of our aims and our ventures. Does my privilege play into how I see this problem? Do I have a savior complex? Am I designing my solution from a perspective where the needs of those facing the problem are considered? To answer all of these questions (and then some), we begin our process with an examination of empathy.

Empathy is often a misunderstood concept and comes into play in almost every aspect of our lives. It enables us to form important relationships, connect with others, broaden our perspectives, give meaningful feedback, and much more. Empathy is one of the roots of human connection and benefits work in the social sector even more than on average. In his TEDTalk Ernesto Sirolli explains the importance of not bringing your own ideas to the table, but instead shutting up, and actively listening to those around you in order to meaningfully understand and honor their passion. The concept may be small, but the impact of empathy grows larger and more relevant every day.

By Emma Lisec, Taylor Changemaker Fellow