MTP 2015 // MAY 21-31 // LA > WASHINGTON, DC
Los Angeles // Austin // San Antonio // New Orleans // Atlanta // Washington, DC
MTP 2015 PARTICIPANTS
From every corner of America and the world, our participants are traveling with purpose. Meet them here.
GETTING ON BOARD
Participants get on board by pitching a project they want to advance across the communities where our train stops, and then racing to crowdfund the cost of their ticket to ride. A limited number of fellowships are offered for social innovators courtesy of NBCUniversal, and for foreign Fulbright Scholars courtesy of the U.S. State Department. All spots for MTP 2015 have now been allocated.
MENTORS
The interdisciplinary line-up of mentors on each of our journeys are leaders within their professional realms: architects, policy makers, academics, journalists, designers, entrepreneurs, sustainability experts and city officials. Whether guiding us through a new city or leading on-train discussion as we traverse the American landscape, these mentors help expose our participants to new frontiers.
MINI-DOC: A LOOK INSIDE MTP
A TYPICAL DAY
6:00 AM // WAKE UP!
We know its early. Rise and shine!
7:00 AM // MORNING BRIEFING
Morning briefings provide an introduction to the economic, political, and social geography of the locality where participants will spend the day exploring local examples of innovation and advancing their projects.
8:00 AM // LOCAL SHOWCASE
In each city where we stop, we establish a local hub (usually a creative design studio or startup space) where we host morning workshops led by local leaders. Here, we learn about local innovation and where the city is headed from a creative development perspective.
10:00 AM // PARTICIPANT-LED PROJECTS
Participants are allotted 5-6 hours in each MTP destination to advance a project that benefits, serves and inspires others.
MTP staff and local host committees are committed to supporting participants in these efforts.
6:00 PM // THE PIONEER'S JOURNEY
Each evening, MTP participants will take part in an hour-long set of leadership and reflection exercises to attend to their inner journey, which MTP has designed in partnership with City Year and adapted from their Idealist Journey curriculum.
7:00 PM // DINNER
Prepared with local ingredients gathered by our on-train chefs in each MTP destination, our regionally-inspired meals nurture and build fellowship among passengers, mentors, and staff.
8:00 PM // LECTURES + SEMINARS
Participants attend office hours, panel discussions, and lectures given by our distinguished on-train mentors.
11:00 PM // SLEEP!
LIFE ON THE TRAIN
The dome car is the center of community life onboard our caravan of vintage rail cars.
An Amtrak official and former local Mayor hops on-board to lead a group discussion and offer mentorship to participants on our “back porch” as we ride through Montana.
A late-night jam session breaks out in our on train maker space. The space includes four 3-D printers, computers, 3-D scanners, a guitar amplifier, and a 3-D-printed electric guitar.
Each day, MTP participants take part in our custom leadership development curriculum, the Pioneers Journey.
Mentor Andy Rabens, Special Advisor for Global Youth Issues at the State Department talks to group as we pass through Puget Sound, WA.
Our on-train chef prepares meals with ingredients sourced from local farmers and food purveyors in each city.
EXAMPLES OF IN CITY PROGRAMMING
ADX, a maker space in Portland, Oregon gives a tour of their community-focused workspace and a talk on how to blend career and hobby.
St Paul, Minnesota city officals board our train for appetizers and group conversation on how new initiatives in their city corresponds to our participants project work.
Nancy Hales, First Lady of Portland, Oregon gives our group a walking tour of her city that includes a ride on the lightrail and a view of Mt Hood after a gondola ride over the city.
Third Street Market in Whitefish, MT helps source food and prepare an outdoor picnic for our group along the lake where we listened to local farmers and small business owners discuss food security and local economy.
Eric Liu, Founder of Citizen University, talks to us about effective citizenship and building culture in Seattle’s coworking space, WeWork.
NEWaukee, a social architecture firm in Milwaukee, organizes a day of lectures from local leaders and museum tours in Milwaukee. Transport is provided by Milwaukee bike share system, Bublr.
TRAVEL AS DISTINCT FROM TOURISM
City of Compton, CA