Be Alive! Building The Capacity & Playlist for an Irresistible Revolution

Abstract

You will not be able to stay home, brother You will not be able to plug in, turn on, and cop out You will not be able to lose yourself on skag And skip out for beer during commercials, because The revolution will not be televised|…The revolution will be live.

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – Gil Scott-Heron

Have you ever wondered what is the process for building a revolution? I can tell you step 1 is having an intentionally strategically crafted playlist like you would need on a long road trip because “The Marathon Continues.” This capstone is the story of my journey of working to and through Rwanda, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Lebanon, and Jamaica as I sought to build a new entrepreneurial revolution for refugees globally alongside two refugee bachelor’s graduates. This capstone summarizes my work with Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Education Movement, and our program the Innovation Creation Studio. This is a story of what it means to attempt co-construction and building the foundations of an irresistible global movement, including the successes and challenges encountered on the journey. Two critical frameworks utilized as a foundation for the work are Emergent Strategies and Equity Meets Design. These two frameworks provide guidance for how to begin to first see the flaws in the design of the system and reimagine a new system that does not replicate the brokenness of the current education system. The most critical lesson through this journey is how one travels through The Marathon defines one’s success, in other words, the process is the product. The process within the project is largely defined by how one builds sustainable liberatory learning spaces. How do you include the voice of learners, and community members in designing structures that support development and growth defined by and for the community? Through this capstone one will come to understand that consistent and strategically chosen tunes, learner feedback loops, and multiple opportunities for differentiated stakeholder engagement are all critical ingredients needed to support the creation of a powerful revolution.