Living in a world where hurricanes, acts of terrorism, and a range of threats and challenges can occur at anytime can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
The ability to bounce back more “quickly and effectively can help build resilience socially and economically, according to Judith Rodin, president of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Rodin, has written about, “Being Strong in a World Where Things Go Wrong” in her latest book called, the Resilience Dividend, in which she uses numerous examples of how cities and organizations have emerged stronger from shocks through resilient planning.
The book opens with a compelling story about Superstorm Sandy, which became the genesis for the idea of building greater resilience. As the author of thirteen books, Rodin says, “people can grow more adept at managing disruption in their lives when they hold five characteristics of resilience such as
being: aware, diverse, integrated, self-regulating and adaptive.”
In an interview with WGBH Morning Edition host Bob, Seay Rodin applies her concept of resilience with Boston’s MBTA struggles during this past winter’s snowstorms that shut down the transit system for a time period.
She addresses her theory again with host Seay, when discussing the Boston Marathon Bombing attacks and how Boston might be more resilient should it win approval of the Summer 2024 Olympic games.
As an example of being resilient, Rodin cites in her book Medellin, Colombia, once the drug and murder capital of South America and now host to international conferences and an emerging vacation destination.
