Tim Mapley, ICAAD Volunteer: New York City is normally a bustling place, but with the 2015 Clinton Global Initiative annual event going on there was electricity in the air. Although ICAAD has been invited to CGI events before, it was my first time personally and I was filled with a mix of excitement and nerves as I watched motorcades of world leaders speed by on the street. The Sheraton Hotel, which would become a locus for discussions on pressing world concerns and social progress over the next few days, was filled with security, and for good reason. In my first ten minutes in the lobby I saw more celebrities and world leaders in one place than I had in my entire life. It was a hot bed of prestige, and of progress. I felt like I was surrounded by super heroes who had committed their lives to bettering the world. I felt like I was visiting the Justice League.
The next few days were a whirlwind. ICAAD’s whole team was in and out of meetings, sharing our work and making connections. The smaller meetings showcased the amount of passion that was in the room. It was great to see that behind the fancy suits and security details there were people who really cared. People came from across the world from various backgrounds, and they came to promote progress. Covering every major economic and social sector, from large multinational businesses to small non-profits, to activists and scientists, to politicians and ex-Presidents, I witnessed a large and diverse group centered around the theme of the event: the Future of Impact. Certainly, everyone had their own agendas, but what united everyone was their interest in helping others.
It was an amazing conference, but there is one issue that I feel needs to be addressed. Too often in development, marginalized communities are underrepresented in discourse, and I found that trope to be present at the event. Although I wasn’t present at every meeting, and there were human rights defenders and local activists awarded and lauded for their efforts, I perceived the voices of the marginalized to be lost amongst the buzz of big name speakers like Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and former President Bill Clinton.
My time at CGI was wonderful. I was able to share knowledge, meet with my peers in development and contribute to the greater discourse of development. I look forward to going back next year, with a hope that there is greater motivation to make the event more inclusive of oppressed and marginalized communities.
Author:
Timothy Mapley is the Founder and Managing Director of Blackridge Marketing, an online marketing firm that has allowed him to develop the skills necessary to fight injustice through the use of targeted social media campaigns. Tim divides his time between managing his firm and helping ICAAD to increase awareness of its global projects and raise donations in order to support these projects. He also is an avid lover of nature, and an ambitious world traveler.
