Why I'm Giving Away $1 Billion
"In 2007 the company I cofounded, the Blackstone Group, held a most successful public offering. I found myself, at 81, an instant billionaire. I wish I could've called my father, a Greek immigrant who had spent most of his life running a 24-hour diner in Kearney, Neb. The news might have pleased him as much as my being the first Greek cabinet officer, which he never hesitated to tell perfect stran... posted on Jul 02 2009, 5,448 reads

A Retired Teacher's Letters of Gratitude
Xu Niankui, a 76-year-old retired teacher in China, had just gotten on a bus when a young girl immediately offered up her seat for him. Xu began chatting with her, and though he couldn't get her name or age, he found out she was from Taopu Middle School, and so sent a letter to the school thanking the anonymous girl. The school identified the good samaritan and ended up recognizing her for her cha... posted on Jul 01 2009, 3,320 reads

The Blue Sweater
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there, the Cheshire Cat tells Alice when she asks for directions in Wonderland. But what if Alice had known exactly where she wanted to end up, and just didn't know which road would get her there? That is the challenge that entrepreneurs with a social mission face every day. In her autobiography, The Blue Sweater, Acumen Fund founder and... posted on Jun 29 2009, 3,020 reads

From Homeless to Harvard
"Khadijah Williams stepped into chemistry class and instantly tuned out the commotion. She walked past students laughing, gossiping, napping and combing one another's hair. Quietly, the 18-year-old settled into an empty table, flipped open her physics book and focused. Nothing mattered now except homework. "No wonder you're going to Harvard," a girl teased her. Around here, Khadijah is known as "H... posted on Jun 26 2009, 6,012 reads

Darius Goes West: An Incredible Journey
Teenager Darius Weems has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the #1 genetic killer of children with a 100% mortality rate. In the summer of 2005 Darius, 15 left home for the first time with eleven of his friends, and went on a cross-country road trip. Darius's friends captured his adventures on film -- the ocean, a hot air balloon ride, whitewater rafting, wasabi, homesickness, and freedom. Darius is 19... posted on Jun 22 2009, 3,516 reads

A Twelve Year Old's Forgiveness
The 12-year-old boy paralyzed by a robber's stray bullet as he was taking a piano lesson in Oakland last year had a message for the gunman Tuesday:"I forgive you." Christopher Rodriguez delivered his words after rolling in his wheelchair to the front of the Oakland courtroom where Jared Adams, 26, had just been sentenced to 70 years to life in prison. Then he shook the convicted man's hand. "I don... posted on Jun 21 2009, 4,196 reads

Alive in the World
There is something compelling about any act of genuine courage, perhaps especially on behalf of the voice of conscience. No such act is really a small act. Works & Conversations magazine interviews Audrey Lin, a college student who decided to take a three-day, 50-mile walk, as her way of experimenting with experiential education: "If I'm not living according to my values, if I'm not fully, to the ... posted on Jun 05 2009, 3,086 reads

Guardian Angel of Yangtse Bridge
A burly Chinese man with binoculars slowly scans the centre span of the massive Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, looking intently at people standing along the walkway, searching for the telltale signs he has seen so many times. The self-appointed guardian angel of the bridge, Chen Si has over the past five years coaxed -- and sometimes physically wrestled -- down no less than 153 people intent on lea... posted on Jun 02 2009, 4,049 reads

Purple Songs Can Fly
In her room at Texas Children's Cancer Center in Houston, eight-year-old Simran Jatar lay hooked up to a chemo drip to fight her bone cancer. Over her bald head, she wore a pink hat that matched her pajamas. But the third grader's cheery outfit didn't mask her pain and weary eyes. Then a visitor showed up. "Do you want to write a song?" asked Anita Kruse, 49, rolling a cart equipped with an electr... posted on May 29 2009, 3,114 reads

A Doctor-Poet's Birthday in Burundi
There are corners of the world whose struggles and triumphs seem hidden from view. Kigutu, is one of them -- a little village three hours away from Bujumbura, capital of Burundi. A DailyGood contributing editor, Sri, has called this place home for the last three months. As an American doctor and UCSF Faculty, Sri dedicates five months of the year to working abroad in regions of extreme need. Now, ... posted on May 19 2009, 5,061 reads