SEA Massachusetts holds first event

The Massachusetts chapter of the Social Enterprise Alliance held its inaugural event on March 2 at the Microsoft New England Research & Design Center in Cambridge with about 100 people in attendance. The Massachusetts chapter is the first state chapter in the country.

Participants listened to Jerr Boschee, a SEA co-founder and interim president of the Social Enterprise Alliance, and Herman “Dutch” Leonard, professor at the Harvard Business School and chair of the HBS Social Enterprise Initiative, speak about the importance of social enterprises in tackling some of the most challenging social problems.

Jerr (pictured above, with microphone) spoke about the history of the movement and how heartened he is about how far it has come and how many young people are now involved.  Dutch talked about the evolving definition of social enterprise and how it is critical for the definition to be broad and inclusive.

Haley House Bakery and Café, Project Place and More than Words -- three local social enterprises -- provided food and drink for those in attendance, as other speakers, including Providers' Council President & CEO Michael Weekes, discussed the need to work toward real social change and be creatively disruptive. Frank Dailey talked about Riverbend Furniture, a social enterprise run by the Center for Human Development, and made a pitch for membership to the Social Enterprise Alliance.

After the speaking program, attendees broke up into working groups (pictured above) to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities facing different stakeholders in the world of social enterprise and ways in which the new chapter of the Social Enterprise Alliance could help in addressing some of these issues. 

For more information on the Massachusetts chapter of the SEA or the Providers' Council's involvement, e-mail Carly Burton or call her at 617-428-3637.