Conversations about Crowd-sourcing

It’s hard not to be inspired by our latest “The Atlantic Meets the Pacific” guests, both of whom have spearheaded crowd-sourcing endeavors that have changed the way people think of and use social networking. Tune in tonight (Dec. 10) starting at 8pm for some fascinating conversation with microlending pioneer Jessica Jackley and Change.org founder Ben Rattray.

But don’t stop there. There’s plenty more at “The Atlantic Meets the Pacific” series page.

Just a Dream and a Laptop: Microlending, the Developing World and the Future of Entrepreneurship with Jessica Jackley
Jessica Jackley describes her path to success as the co-founder and CEO of ProFounder, a pioneering crowd-funding platform for budding entrepreneurs that provides tools to access start-up capital. She also co-founded Kiva, the world’s first peer-to-peer microlending website, as she recalls in this interview with Alexis Madrigal, Senior Editor of The Atlantic.

Social Networks for Social Justice: The Power of Technology to do Good with Ben Rattray
Ben Rattray, founder of Change.org, describes to the National Journal’s Ron Brownstein how powerful this crowd-sourcing platform has become as millions of people advance local and global change through online petitions. Rattray points to the selection of Candy Crowley and Martha Raddatz to run the presidential and vice presidential debates as an example of its success, noting that 180,000 people used the site to campaign for female moderators.