28 days until launch…
project thesis #2 - purpose-driven nft projects w/ values-based communities have the potential to re-shape global philanthropy.
*[insert] “love wraps” a kellan david nft project*
in honor of earth day, i want to briefly talk about two things: first, how much of a full-circle life moment this is for me…
years ago i left my active practice as an environmental attorney because at the time i believed two things: first, that there were too many limitations on the overall impact that i could have in my position as an environmental attorney. and second, that i was limiting my own potential by not leaning into the versatility of my abilities aka not actually using my complete range of professional skills in a way that best allowed me to do what i love while also fulfilling my life’s purpose.
so instead i decided to pursue new opportunities focused on purpose-driven creative expression with the hope that it would allow me to expand my ability to make a positive impact on the world. and now, here we are years later, after a lot of trial & error, endless exploration and even some success as a socially-conscious entrepreneur/artist/designer, with a project/opportunity that has the potential to really scale a culture of awareness and giving for critical environmental + social initiatives. in a way love wraps sort of represents the physical manifestation of what I was seeking all along - a proper outlet for my creative expression. and ironically this project will likely allow me to do more to save the planet as a creative than i was ever able to do as an environmental attorney. in hindsight, this is something that has been years in the making, which is why there have been so many lightbulb moments for me while deep diving the crypto/web3 space during the development of this project. that being said, i am never surprised by the opportunities the universe provides (if you know, you know). love wraps is only possible now as a result of my journey (aka the continuous expansion of my skillset, expertise, network, etc and the on-going exploration of new ways to maximize my impact). ultimately, love wraps is a kellan david love story about the power of love, and compassion, and art, and community. all of which has led me to this point, to this new frontier for purpose-driven creative expression. and, now we go...
*(2) why there was no other choice except for 1% for the planet when it came to deciding who i wanted the primary charitable partner to be for the love wraps nft project…
below is an excerpt that will provide some context around a partnership with 1%ftp
“. . .
I, and many others around the globe, believe cryptocurrency, the blockchain, NFTs, etc are the start of a massive shift in contemporary society, similar in scale to the impact of the internet. And I believe NFTs, in particular, have a tremendous upside due to their seemingly limitless applications across every industry, the most important of those applications being for philanthropic purposes. The concept of “NFTs as a force for good” has opened up a new frontier for purpose-driven creative expression that will allow impact-focused NFT projects (+art, utility, strategic partnerships, etc) to inject some life into an underperforming global philanthropy sector, while also helping the world re-imagine what philanthropy/social giving can look like at each step of the value chain.
that being said, when I was developing this purpose-driven nft project (called “love wraps”) and was thinking about the best partners for the project, 1%ftp was at the top of the list. of course there is the obvious connection to my work as an environmental attorney, but the alignment is deeper and much more meaningful than that.
starting with the fact that I have been obsessed with nature and wild places my entire life (makes sense because my mother was a wildlife biologist/member of peace corps). and still to this day, at the center of that obsession stands patagonia (place and brand), and that is in large part due to one particular documentary about patagonia from 2010, which has had a profound impact on the direction of my life and how I view my purpose. 180 degrees south is a modern day recreation of an epic 1968 trip to patagonia undertaken by [a couple legends] doug tompkins (who founded patagonia conservatory) and yvon chouinard, who, of course, is the founder of 1%ftp. there is a natural beauty, and purpose, in the fact that all of those years ago this documentary really inspired me to start down this purpose-driven career path that I am still on today, which has now led me to this opportunity. an opportunity to literally repay patagonia/yvon chouinard for that inspiration. so there is legitimate, authentic alignment with the project, but I also just want to partner with the best of the best, and in my opinion 1%ftp is one of the best + most effective environmental organizations in the world.
…”