The Resolution Project’s Tenth Annual Resolve Gala
The Resolution Project hosted its 10th Annual Resolve Gala at The Altman Building in New York City on November 14th, honoring and celebrating young social entrepreneurs who make an impact on sustainability around the world. The unique organization identifies and empowers undergraduate students across the globe who wish to launch new social ventures and positively impact issues affecting communities, while also giving them a pathway to do so. Through an international network of resources and Social Venture Challenges held at youth conferences, Resolution awards winners Fellowships that provide dynamic, hands-on support and mentorship, seed funding, and access to world-class global advisory resources.
Annually, the Resolve Gala is held to celebrate the inspirational Resolution Fellows and their accomplishments, which to this date include positively impacting more than 2.5 million people across 80 countries in areas such as women’s empowerment, water access, disaster relief, clean energy, and equality. Nearly 500 Resolution Fellows are working on over 300 diverse ventures creating a powerful force for good and source of lasting and exponential impact. Supporting Resolution Fellows are over 500 volunteers, a dedicated staff, and dozens of partners from both the public and private sectors. The event also brings together VIPs, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and business leaders to raise proceeds that will go directly toward supporting Resolution Fellows and their ventures.
This year a highlight of the gala was the “A World of Impact” exhibit which showcased four social ventures through interactive installations ranging from an eight-foot tower of water jugs to a ten-foot curtain of tampons, to a thermal dehydrator prototype imported from Uganda. Leftover food from the event was donated to local homeless shelters via a Resolution Fellow’s online food redistribution platform, Transfernation.
Guests got to enjoy food stations throughout the room, an open bar, live and silent auction to raise money, music by DJs for Climate change and an after party at The Box featuring Funk flex. The crowd came together for special music performances by Grammy award-winning artist Wyclef Jean and legendary DJ Funk Flex playing the ever-popular Santana’s Maria Maria, The Fugees’ Ready or Not, and Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie. Before Wyclef took to the stage, a new partnership between The Resolution Project and Wyclef Jean’s music program Wyclef Goes Back to School program was announced. This endeavor will inspire young artists to pursue cause-and mission-based work, bringing awareness to their efforts through music and a chance to win a Resolution Fellowship.
“Ten years ago, the first-ever Resolve event was held in Manhattan at the Jerome L. Greene Space. The event was attended by fewer than 100 people, celebrating a handful of Fellows. To have grown the event almost tenfold in 10 years is a testament to this incredibly phenomenal team” said Resolution Chair and Co-Founder Oliver Libby. “All of the contributions of the Resolution community have been instrumental in enabling the organization to grow to serve nearly 500 inspiring young leaders and counting.”
“This was an incredible gathering to celebrate the tireless work of our Fellows around the world and the growing impact of the Resolution community, including our volunteers and generous supporters,” said CEO and Co-Founder George Tsiatis. “Since our inception, we have evolved and expanded in ways we never could have anticipated, and that impact is ever-growing. We are so grateful to the many guests who have attended Resolve year after year, and we look forward to continuing to celebrate the global impact of our community in the future!”
Sponsors of the event included Aramark, Macquarie Group, Hatzimemos/Libby, Mastercard, DuPont, White & Case, Perkins Coie, JPMorgan Chase, and Kirkland & Ellis, Nue Agency, and Heads Music.
For further information, please view The Resolution Project’s website or follow @resolutionproj on Twitter, The Resolution Project on Facebook and YouTube, and @resolutionproject on Instagram.
Photo by Resolution Project