''A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose...
Greetings, all! It's been a while — We're thrilled to be back, with some exciting updates about all that's transpired in recent months!
FSINSPIRATION: ''A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may
shape our art.'' — Jorge Luis Borges FSBOOKS: Spoiler alert: you're going to start hearing a lot from us about aquaculture, specifically regenerative ocean farming. What is that, you
ask? Bren Smith's book, Eat Like a Fish, is a great story about his journey from commercial fishing to becoming a farmer of the sea. It also serves as a primer on the power of growing kelp — often along with oysters, clams, and mussels — to clean up our seas, sink carbon, provide sustainable jobs, and feed our growing population with a lower carbon footprint than the standard vegan diet. You can also learn more by listening to an interview with Bren Smith on the How To Save a Planet Podcast episode, Kelp Farming for the Climate. Long story short, we've become pretty obsessed with this jack-of-all-plants, the humble seaweed (a.k.a. macroalgae). You might too! FSEVENTS: In July, Willa had the honor of participating in a roundtable discussion with Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, Senator Dawn Euer, and a group of inspiring female entrepreneurs, members of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses community, to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities small businesses are facing on the road to recovery post COVID-19.
FSFAMILY: Introducing the littlest Firestarter team member, Bodin Kammerer Datseris, born on May 25th, 2021. Five months have passed so quickly! Congrats to our founder Willa Kammerer.
And a reflection from the front lines of navigating career and new motherhood (not to mention, the self-employed running a business type of career):
Last month our film Starting At Zero: Reimagining Education in Americascreened at the Block Island Film Festival, where it was honored with the 2021
Spotlight Lighthouse Award. Director Willa Kammerer also participated in a filmmaker chat about the importance of early learning and why now is the time to invest in children and families.
Since premiering last year, more than 75 organizations from 44 states have hosted screenings of our film Starting at Zero. Interested in bringing the film to your school, business, or community organization? Be in touch and we'll help you coordinate a free virtual screening, or you can purchase an institutional license here. Starting at Zero is also available on demand on a variety of platforms, including Apple TV and and
Amazon Prime Video.
Last but not least, we’re super excited to be in final stages of launching a project very close to our hearts, The Firestarter Podcast. On the show, Willa willinterview mission-driven entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and investors; thought leaders, researchers, and experts on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues about designing and thriving in careers of impact.
We always love any feedback and suggestions for this newsletter. You can simply hit reply to this email, or send us a note on Twitter or Instagram @firestarterix.
