I attended Ignite Phoenix #3. I spoke at Ignite Phoenix #4. I volunteered at Ignite Phoenix #5. I’ve run the full gamut of Ignite experiences and have received different perspectives as a result.
There are lots of perspectives on Ignite – some critical and some in support.
They’re both missing something.
Ignite Phoenix is like watching The Discovery Channel or Iron Chef. We love watching great things being accomplished. We enjoy seeing people do what they are passionate about and we enjoy learning a little bit about something we didn’t know before.
But it’s passive. Ignite is for people who enjoy being inspired, but not necessarily for people who need to be hands-on.
As a speaker, I wanted my topic to “ignite” a teacher into action. I wanted to help create lesson plans, make education easier for both student and teacher. That never happened.
What did happen is I made connections that led to other things – whether that be personal relationships or projects like a special SMC Phoenix panel.
Ignite has to be part of the bigger picture to be successful. It gives people an initial welcome, but they need places to go to be hands-on. That’s why we need GeekWeek. That’s why we need events like StartUp Weekend or Gangplank’s #crowdpitch. That’s why we need an event like Seattle’s MindCamp.
Look at the comment by tonepoems on Tyler’s original post. That hits my point right on the head. By attending Ignite Phoenix #5, she moved out of her comfort zone to meet people. It may not have challenged her but it was an introduction.
Now we need to encourage her to attend other events to get the work moving. Look at the bigger picture.
That’s why I’m talkin’ ’bout, girl!
Everyone who watched my presentation is going to die, so my work is complete.
Didn’t anyone tell you that when you debate and/or argue on the Internet, you’re not allowed to be rational? We need you to rewrite your post with more animosity, more unreasonable generalizations, and for fun, throw in a few ad hominem attacks.
Well said! I agree that Ignite can be an entry point to the developing community which is Phoenix. But, people like @tonepoems need to take the initiative to get involved in the bigger picture.
There’s a lot of events going on in Phoenix, and I think the beauty of Ignite is that it isn’t focused on one particular segment of the community. The topics are wide-ranging and the event brings together community members from across the spectrum. That’s what I love about it.
How funny. I always ask (nag) people after each Ignite for what they liked and didn’t, and which presentations they liked and didn’t, and why. So it’s not a casual comment when I say yours was one of the 3-4 most often cited ones people liked from Ignite 4.
This includes at least three teachers at the event, and one afterwards that I sent to watch your video on Blip.TV. One said she was going to share it at her school with other teachers. You definitely made an impact and connected with people, and once we get your video on YouTube (was just working on this today) I hope you can reach even more.
I guess the core difference in much of the discussion today about Ignite are views about what changes it really brings. The idea that I nurture for Ignite (and see that I need to get off my ass and document somewhere here soon) is that of Personal Innovation. I’m still fleshing it out, but the core idea is that it changes something within people – makes them do or view something different – and connects them with ideas they didn’t know before. Where they take that is up to them. It’s a launching pad, not a destination.
I have a huge list of things that Ignite has accomplished in this regard, from connections to new people and groups, to taking new classes, to launching volunteerism campaigns, to writing books, to exploring different art. I just got an email yesterday about one talk that may be used as part of a college level class by someone who wasn’t even at an event, but discovered it online. Another extreme case here may be Tomas, who went from an Ignite presenter, to volunteer, to presentation coordinator, and then off to do TEDx Phoenix.
People take from Ignite what they will. It may just be conquering their own fear to get on stage, or it may be finding a new business they want to try. If it makes new people aware of things going on in the Valley, I’m happy with that.
“Should” it be something more? I’m not sure it needs to be, but no two Ignite Phoenix’s have been the same, and who knows where it will evolve as new people get involved. I – personally – have learned something new at each one. It’s why I keep doing it because, trust me, it is a lot of hard f***ing work.
Thanks for presenting and helping at Ignite 5 – both efforts helped other people considerably. And thank you for taking the time to write down your thoughts. This is a great post, it made me think, and I appreciate you taking the time to do it.
ultimately, no organized community event will “ignite” anything. human perception tells us to attribute certain feelings and emotions to certain arbitrary environmental factors, but at the end of the day…it all comes from within one’s self.
events are just something to do. true motivation comes from one’s own desire to improve themselves. Ignite might help spark that desire for some people, but one only needs to look to themselves for true motivation.
I just wanted to let you know that your presentation was one I remembered the most from Ignite Phx 4. I am going to school to be a teacher and have filed away your ideas to be used again in a few years.
For me, the spark is there; the timing is not. Thanks for sharing your passion and experience!