Throughout his career, Alan Khazei has pioneered ways to empower citizens to make a difference. His work as cofounder of City Year, the model for President Clinton's AmeriCorps, and with his second start-up, Be the Change, have put him at the forefront of a generation of innovators who have revolutionized social entrepreneurship.
Big Citizenship tells how, in the face of drastic budget cutbacks, Khazei led the effort to save AmeriCorps by convincing a huge coalition of people -- members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, governors and mayors from around the country, private sector leaders, editorial boards of major newspapers, and thousands of American citizens -- to lend their support to the fight. His journey -- from the most local of grassroots engagement to Washington, D.C. -- is an extraordinary story, and a vital model of idealism in action.
Alan Khazei is an award-winning social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life and work to strengthening American democracy through the engagement of citizens in service and public policy. He is the founder and CEO of Be the Change, Inc. Prior to that he was cofounder and CEO of City Year.
Table of Contents
Introduction The Highest Office: Citizen 1
1 Starting Close to Home 17
2 Be Prepared to Give Up Your Shirt 47
3 Boots on the Ground 79
4 An "Action Tank" 109
5 Social Entrepreneurs around the World 125
6 Saving AmeriCorps 153
7 Service Nation 173
8 A Short, Spirited Special Election 207
9 The Long Campaign for Big Citizenship and Common Purpose 227
