Comedy Can Change the World
Hi! I’m Jess Agi, the creator of Stand Up For Change™ — and I’m so glad you’re here! This project was born out of my relentless belief that comedy can change the world – in more ways than you realize. Allow me to share a little context.
FROM THE BIGGEST STATE TO THE BIGGEST CITY:
I’ve been obsessed with comedy since I was a kid (I mean, a sense of humor was essentially a survival tactic growing up Jewish in Alaska). Not only was I raised on reruns of I Love Lucy, I saw firsthand how humor could diffuse tense situations when my parents’ big fights would be obliterated by a perfectly timed joke. They’d erupt in laughter, and I’d let out the biggest sigh of relief.
Perhaps this appreciation of laughter led to my 8th grade crowning of Best Sense of Humor, a credit I’m still tempted to list on my LinkedIn. By the time I was 16, I became a writer for Punchline Magazine, a digital website based in New York informally dubbed the Rolling Stone of comedy. I was in comedy-nerd heaven – interviewing popular comedians, reviewing the latest comedy albums, and building an enviable network of comedians and industry professionals. When I moved to New York City at just 17, with my growing network at hand, I began producing live stand-up shows throughout the city. By the time I was 19, I had my first full-time job as a comedy producer and tour manager at the then-mega-popular CollegeHumor.com (while I was still a wee college student myself!). That’s right: before I could buy myself a drink at the clubs in which I’d produce shows – shoutout to my trusty fake ID – I was working and traveling with the biggest and best comedians in the world.
FROM LIZ LEMON TO LESLIE KNOPE:
As a comedy producer, I learned early on how a good comic can make people laugh, a great comic can make people think, and the best comic can make people think differently about an issue or situation. In a world as loud as ours, humor is how they cut through the noise. And they do it expertly. We thank them for the gift of laughter without even realizing how much information we received.
Later in my career, I began working in with politics and nonprofits and was similarly awestruck by the passion, ideas, and perspectives of so many change-makers – yet too often saw their vision fall flat due to a lackluster delivery. Even in my own presentations or messaging, I’d try to channel my favorite comedians to take command of my platform. If I felt a bout of stage fright coming on (understandable considering that the National Institute of Mental Health estimates nearly 75% of the population has anxiety about public speaking, with many fearing public speaking over death) I’d imagine my comedian-friends chomping at the bit to get onstage night after night. I’d channel their energetic confidence, prepare and perfect my material, swap out punchlines for a fundraising ask or policy proposal, and voila!
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Comics are kind of like our modern-day philosophers. With just a microphone and their point of view, comics can speak truth to power, call out harmful institutions (and occasionally a heckler), challenge the status quo, and use the power of humor to unite total strangers in laughter and reflection. It all got me thinking: who could be better positioned to help empower progressive leaders to develop their voices and skills on and offstage?
That’s why Stand Up For Change™ partners with working standup comedians to deliver innovative and effective public speaking and messaging trainings that leverages their real-world expertise, tips, and techniques and the core concepts of comedy delivery. But we don’t stop there.
As someone who has produced countless nonprofit fundraisers and political campaign events, I understand more than most how important they are in creating community, building awareness, and raising crucial funds. However, I also know that these events can be dry and boring or so expensive that the events cost as much as they raise. There must be another way, I thought. That’s why live comedy benefits are part of our core programming. The comedians we work with are as talented as they are caring, eager to give back and make a difference. They deliver their impassioned views on everything from race relations and climate change to animal rights and democracy through their comedy. By uniting our nonprofit and political partners with network of comedians, we’re creating dynamic, engaging, and appropriately themed fundraising events that bring important causes to life, delivering big laughs and bigger impact.
WHERE WE GO FROM HERE:
As we expand our community of comedians and changemakers, our core programming also features original content. From our blog and social media to books and podcasts, we want as many people as possible to access our curriculum and materials – creating a world filled with inspiring communicators and more moments of laughter.
I am really proud of what we’ve already built, and we’re just getting started. There are so many ways you can be part of the Stand Up For Change™ movement, including reading this post right now! You can also sign up for our newsletter, follow us on social media, purchase or sponsor a training package, create a live event with us for a cause you care about, and more. If you have questions or other ideas, contact me anytime at hello@standupforchange.today.
With enormous gratitude,
Jess Agi, MPA, CAPM