Q&A with Lara Stein of Boma
Chairman and Founder
Principal Series:
We are living in complicated times. It’s not just technological change. It’s climate change, geopolitical change, social change…our old systems aren’t able to keep up. To navigate our highly uncertain world, we need need systems and new conversations.
Boma’s global network enables business leaders, politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, young people, and change-makers to navigate this rapidly changing world so that they can be more intentional and intelligent about the future they’re creating. We help drive the conversations that we need and innovate novel systems through transformational learning experiences (summits, executive programmes, workshops, community debates, and action initiatives). But Boma is about more than events. It is about the network of individuals and organizations that are designing, educating, and driving change. Are our core, we are a community of partners working towards a common goal – a better and more sustainable tomorrow. Boma Website
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Why did you move from TEDx and Singularity University to Boma?
"I spent the last two years trying to drive change, and I realized that many countries sharing a common will to maximize both sustainability and positive impact. And that’s exactly what we want to maximize at BOMA. It's about creating a tangible impact from a human-centered approach. That impact is really the key.
I also realized that we needed a lot of stakeholders at the table. Something decentralized and collaborative, with a network of people who share the same vision. My goal with BOMA is to bring these people together and make a model that works overtime. I believe in a global system with local partners."
What does it mean to "be intentional about the future”?
We want to leverage collaboration and being a movement where people come together and get organized to help and act on concrete things. We need a clear path and destination, and we need to take action to get there. It's really just about planning and then executing on that, as opposed to stopping everything as soon as the conversation is done. We need to walk the talk, so to speak.
What are your most immediate goals?
We are already operating in seven countries. I would like to have 15 or 20 country partners in the coming two years, so we are looking for new partners on that front. We also really need bottom-up community events and projects associated with our lines of work, ones that can gradually be developed and scaled by the partners themselves in each country. This is a long-term project because talking and acting on systemic change takes time.
Lara Stein of Boma
Prior to founding Boma, Lara was the Executive Director of Women’s March Global, where she built the Women’s March Global platform and oversaw all Women’s March initiatives outside of the US. Previously, Stein was Managing Director of Global Development at Singularity University, where she was responsible for Singularity University’s global expansion and implementing the global vision and strategy. Prior to her time at SU, Stein was the founder and director of the TEDx program at the TED Conferences, creating and leading the effort to bring TED to the world by developing a program that granted free licenses to third parties to organize independent TED-like events. Stein also currently sits on the board of Equality Now, dedicated to creating a more just world for women and girls, and Lalela, a non-profit dedicated to education through the arts in South Africa. Contact Lara