I started Idealist in 1995 because ever since I was a boy growing up in Mexico I’ve believed that things don’t have to be the way they are.

Today I know with every cell of my body that we can do better than this.

Don’t you?

Don’t you often see or read something that makes you think, “It’s 2014, and this is happening? Why?!”

Probably for many reasons, all of which can seem beside the point. You know that this—whatever story or situation struck you—is wrong or sad or scary or a horrible waste, and that together we should be able to do something about it.

On Tuesday, March 11, Idealist will launch a new network—online and on the ground, in cities, villages, schools and workplaces—that will help people everywhere connect and take action on any issue that concerns them, locally or globally, online and in person.

The heart of this movement will consist of people all over the world who want to use every available tool—from social media to a bulletin board on a village tree—to inspire and catalyze action and collaboration in their own communities.

If this is you, if you like new ideas and you enjoy connecting dots and people, I hope you can join us.

We’ll start with a live online presentation, take your questions, and then start building this movement together.

To accommodate people in every time zone, we’ll do this twice, first on March 11 at noon EST (17:00 GMT), and then again that evening at 11:00 pm EST (04:00 GMT on the 12th).

For more details about this event, to sign up, and to see how other people around the world are responding, please RSVP here.

For a bit more about why I think real change is possible, and why we need your voice in this conversation, please click here.

And if you know other people who should also be at this table, please invite them, too.

Thank you, and all the best to you and yours in 2014!

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