A person who turns a desire for improvement into practical social or institutional action.
Reach for it when recognizing someone who causes constructive change rather than merely proposing it
The young change-maker persuaded three shops to offer refill stations.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
everyday
activist
Fits when organized public pressure is the main method
Careful Activist may misdescribe someone changing systems through design, business, or administration.
everyday
Fits when coordinating people is the decisive contribution
Careful An organizer can run an existing effort without changing its goals or structure.
warm
Fits when being among the first is worth celebrating
Careful Pioneering stresses novelty, while change-making stresses useful effect.
professional
Fits when a new method or product drives the change
Careful Innovation can be novel without making society fairer or better.
professional
Fits when existing systems are being deliberately improved
Careful Reformer can imply a political program or correction of wrongdoing that is not present.
formal
Fits when far-sighted imagination leads the praise
Careful Vision alone does not prove that any improvement was carried into practice.
literary
catalyst
Fits when the person sparks movement among others
Careful A catalyst may initiate change without personally guiding or sustaining it.
local change-maker
A local change-maker mapped every inaccessible bus stop.
young change-maker
The award supports each young change-maker with a small grant.
social change-maker
The social change-maker paired legal advice with neighborhood workshops.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated
Your browser isn't saving lists, so this one will be cleared when you leave the page.