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This Labor Day blog post is the last of our 2026 Summer Reading With Meaning selections. At the end of a rushed visit to a dear friend, I spotting a volume on her coffee table while heading for the door. The book was "Noticing: A Selection of Haikus" by Jim Freiburger, a collection of photographs and accompanying poems in the traditional Japanese form of three unrhymed lines with a 5-7-5 syllable structure. Pressed for time, I quickly glanced through the slim volume before fi

Global Citizens Circle Emerging Leader Aliza Kopans is the Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellow at East Boston Social Centers. She’s dedicated to bridging community needs and legislative action, empowering people to shape policies that support children and families. In her role, Aliza has launched the Policy Corner newsletter—which reaches over 1,000 readers weekly, created the Policy Action Hub to put policy advocacy into people’s hands, developed Su Voz es Poder—an initi

Everyone has a story. We should all be so lucky to tell our own. My Dunfey story is not the story of the hotels. It isn’t about being the most charismatic person in the room, and it certainly isn’t about being the funniest. My story is about being a steady observer, someone who has watched generations gather around tables to talk about things that matter. Fifty-two years ago, New England Circle, now Global Citizens Circle (GCC), was founded around a simple but radical idea: t

It’s been a wild summer in New England—days of hellish heat and yellowed smokey skies followed by winds carrying sweatshirt temperatures. The weather is apt metaphor for the state of the world. Exhausted by ceaseless vigilance for what comes next and the constant refrain of “this isn’t normal”, it’s easy to lose one’s bearings. I’ve been especially gratified to find a book that proved shelter from the storm, Eleanor Dunfey-Freiburger’s Counter Culture: Clams, Convents, and a

This summer, Global Citizens Circle will be sharing books by incredible writers whose stories deserve to be read, reflected on, and talked about. Some are voices we’ve had the privilege of knowing, some are writers we deeply admire, and some are stories we simply believe need to be shared. I remember the day so well. I was driving down the highway, engaged in a series of errands that afternoon, and selected an episode of the “This American Life” podcast to keep me company. It

Continuing on with our Summer Reading With Meaning series, Global Citizens Circle recommends “Lighting the Fires of Freedom” by Janet Dewart Bell as your next read. You may remember Bell as one of our discussion leaders in October 2021 for our Circle on Critical Race Theory. The widow of the iconic Derrick Bell, recognized for his work in developing critical race theory, she is also widely known for her work as a social justice advocate, activist, executive coach, motivationa

Funny how certain stories hit differently depending on the moment in history. Recently, while revisiting J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings," particularly "The Two Towers," I found myself thinking less about the battles and heroes, and more about Treebeard and the Ents. For much of the story, Treebeard and the Ents see the growing conflicts across Middle-earth as distant problems. The wars of men, wizards, and kingdoms are unfortunate, certainly, but not truly their con

Global Citizens Circle is proud to announce an exciting partnership with Revo Casino and Social House in Manchester, New Hampshire, running from May 31st through June 9th. If charitable gaming is new to you, here's something worth knowing: New Hampshire operates the only model of its kind in the United States. Unlike anywhere else in the country, the state legally requires casino-style gaming establishments to direct a significant share of their revenues toward local non-prof

One morning about a year ago, I was drinking coffee in my Brooklyn apartment when there was a knock on the door. My wife had left for the day and we were not expecting any deliveries, so I was naturally perturbed by the disturbance to such a sacred morning ritual. Like most New Yorkers, I contain that paradox of being openly friendly to strangers, while holding any waste of my time in utter contempt. It’s the same trait that leads us to yield to a pedestrian with a pleasant w

We have it in our power to begin the world over again. — Thomas Paine I have been concerned for some time about the state of humanity. The feeling has increased over the last 10 years. I am concerned about the things that I care about most, like how we treat each other, the vast inequalities amongst human beings, the state of Mother Earth, democracy, and perhaps most important of all I am concerned about misrepresentations of the truth by those in power, those whom we shoul

Jerry Dunfey is the 1974 founding president of Global Citizens Circle. Nadine Hack has been actively involved with GCC for 42 of its 52-year history. They have been citizen activists for decades. We asked them to share their reflections about their friend Reverend Jesse Jackson, an international icon, who died at 84 on February 17, 2026. Reverend Jesse Jackson was a larger-than-life force of nature who deeply inspired people from all sorts of backgrounds, especially but not o

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash Sometimes, late at night when I’m studying or the internet is slow, I catch myself wondering about big things , like why people believe what they do, or how the world could be different. In those quiet moments, I realize curiosity isn’t just something nice to have. It’s actually a strong way to deal with a world full of arguments and divisions. We live in times where information comes at us constantly : news alerts, social media threads,

When someone gets the opportunity to travel, they’re agreeing to a life-changing experience, where cultural immersion, language barriers, and the ability to meet diverse people create an opportunity for a broader perspective. Travel changes us, and most would agree that change is for the better, but are the places we visit experiencing positive change as well? In some cases, the answer is no. A few of the world’s most beloved destinations are suffering from their own popular

In May 2020, my wife and I had to cancel our oldest daughter's first birthday party. The world was closed, and we couldn't give her the normal experience she deserved. The experience she deserved to look back on later in life when she needed comfort, knowing she had a big celebration surrounded by family and friends. Where she could have laughed at the fashion choices of the time and the questionable decision to choose a brewery for the party’s location (listen, first birthda

RIGHT We affirm that Right precedes Might. As citizens of humanity, we choose Right Action—especially in times when human rights are dismissed, distorted, or deliberately dismantled. We refuse the false doctrine that force determines truth or that dominance confers legitimacy. We bind ourselves to a moral code grounded in the inherent dignity of every human being, without exception—across borders, beliefs, identities, and legal status. Human worth is not granted by the state.

September 21st – International Day of Peace – Earth, Wind and Fire day – the birth of my first grandchild, Milo. Oh, how the confluence of these events gives me pause to reflect on this past year. You see, I became a grandmother on the 21st of September, a date I had forgotten, until a colleague reminded me, was established in 1981 by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace. It’s also a date that is recognized especially by my generation as the night when the ba

Reaching the midpoint of my master’s in nonprofit administration at Notre Dame has been a moment of profound reflection. Beyond the academic rigor, it’s the heart of this community that has truly filled my cup. The skills I’m gaining here feel less like 'tools' and more like a commitment—one I am eager to pour back into organizations like GCC that are changing lives. Artist Akosua Bandele, Stanley Thomas, and Marguerite Mariama A special shoutout to Marguerite Mariama, who ha

Webster’s Dictionary defines pivot as: to adapt or improve by adjusting or modifying something (such as a product, service, or strategy). At this stage in my mid-to-late career, after decades in higher education, nonprofits, and K–12 charter schools, I find myself reflecting deeply on that definition. My entire professional life has been rooted in expanding educational access for marginalized and underserved communities. I’ve been doing what we now call “DEI work” long before

My relationship with Global Citizens Circle started in 2023 while participating in the Young Leaders Fellowship program with MCW Global, one of GCC’s partner organizations. Instantly drawn to GCC’s mission and the vibrant community it fosters, I was eager to learn more and get involved. That curiosity led me to reach out, and soon after, I found myself leading a Circle focused on the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and mental health. But my journey with G

Over the past year, we’ve celebrated the 50th anniversary of Global Citizens Circle—reflecting with gratitude on a remarkable journey, the people who’ve shaped it, and the lasting impact of its work. As we honor this legacy, we are also looking ahead—committed to ensuring that our mission continues to thrive for generations to come. On May 23, so many came together globally to celebrate the 90th birthday of GCC’s founder, Jerry Dunfey. As part of this heartfelt tribute, a ver