We recently learned of a Canadian holiday called Family Day, which is celebrated in many provinces on the third Monday in February. We second the notion that recognizing the importance of family is, well, important, and are pleased to pay homage this week to clans large and small, given and chosen, with Family Week on Idealists in Action.

—

Idealist founder Ami Dar is a pretty special guy.

Israeli-born and raised in Mexico, he backpacked through South America as a young man with an idea reverberating in his mind: what if there were a global network that could help connect people and organizations, so we could do more with all the resources we have?

As soon as the Internet was ready, Idealist was born.

Now, as we get ready to launch a new global network on March 11 (when you can see Ami for yourself in a live presentation he’s making to the world), we’d like to revisit a commencement speech he gave at the City University of New York a few years back.

Guess where a lot of his big ideas and values came from? His mama.

“My mom taught me a few important things through her words but mainly through example… Keep fighting, cut through all those fears, treat each other well, and never stop laughing.”

Here’s to all the mothers out there who are leading the world with persistence, love, and strength.

—

What did your mama teach you? Enlighten us in the comments.