The Nametag Project

Nametag Project Update February 2008

Joseph Porcelli — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 01:36:00 -0500

Nametag Project friends,

In total we gave out 19,000 nametags in 2007, and yes, I wore my nametag everyday in 2007! I'm still dumbstruck that we accomplished what we did. Thank you again for all of your help! As to not spam you, this will be the last email I send out through this email address to update you about The Nametag Project. If you like to stay in touch, please create a profile on our new social network found at www.nametagproject.com.

In 2008, we're taking the project to a deeper level.

With the help of my friend Phoebe Landon, a sophomore at The Sharon Academy, in Sharon Vermont, we facilitated a thought-provoking workshop that challenged students by asking them to examine whether or not who they're being when interacting with others is reflective of their values.

In this workshop, students and faculty members wore nametags with their first names and one word (as their last name) that described what they thought the world needs most. Students then introduced themselves as their new identities to each other and explained why they chose their new last names. During the group reflection they reported that the exercise was "awesome." One student said "I learned stuff about friends that I had no idea about, it nice to know that we have important things in common." In the next couple of months we're going to repeat the workshop in an inner city school here in Boston. Our plans are to publish the results and create a workshop kit that can be downloaded and facilitated as a interpersonal appreciation and relating tool.

I am still wearing a nametag . . . almost all the time. I've chosen to allow myself, the pleasure of being 100% present with whom I'm with, and not distracted with, "what's up the nametag." Props to Scott Ginsberg from www.hellomynameisscott.com for wearing his nametag 2,648 days straight. Today my nametag reads "Joseph Love."

If you'd like to be involved by sharing your thoughts and helping us develop the workshop and explore this topic, please create a profile on our new social network found at www.nametagproject.com, and contribute in the forums.

Also this year, with the help of my neighbor Dan, we launched The Mug Project. www.mugproject.com. We're advocating the use of mugs to reduce waste. If you'll be in the Boston area on Super Bowl Sunday, Join us at the Milky Way for the Mug Project Super Bowl Party beginning at 6:00 PM! Watch the super bowl on the big screen, drink beer out of your mug, and get your "mug shot" taken. See www.mugproject.com for details.

Go Pats!

MEDIA ALERT FOR 1-29-2008

Joseph Porcelli — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:26:00 -0500

I'll be leading a workshop at The Sharon Academy beginning at 11:30 AM, Tuesday, Jan 29 that has high school students compare their values to how they project themselves as in social settings. My theory is, that who we really are what we believe in is not how we necessary act towards each other. When wearing a nametag, and swapping our last names for one word that reflects what we believe the worlds need most, we projecting who we really are, thus creating new realms of possibilities for our social interactions.

Introducing the Mug Project

Joseph Porcelli — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:51:00 -0500

Nametag Friends,

I been having so much fun doing the Nametag Project I could not help but start another project with my neighbors Dan.

It's my pleasure to introduce:

Check out the article about " The Mug Project" in today's Boston Sunday Globe titled In quest to cut waste, a modest proposal: Bring a mug by Amy Farnsworth, Globe Correspondent.

Also check and join Mug Advocates at www.mugproject.com.

The Mug Project is a community of individuals and organizations committed to transforming how beverages are consumed. We raise awareness about the unnecessary waste caused by the use of disposable beverage containers and advocate for the use of mugs as an alternative.

Nametag Project Nametags Half Lounge in Burlington VT

Joseph Porcelli — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 11:21:00 -0500

On Friday, I drove to Burlington VT my college stompin' grounds to visit my my friends Wayne and Pat. On the way up I learned my friend cRAIG mITCHEL (who helped me nametag Miami Beach in the spring) was spinning at Half Lounge, a cozy joint with a great sound system on Church Street. Soon after we arrived, I dropped a stack of nametags on the table and in about a half our the lounge was nametaged!

The was great to reconnect with old friends and making new ones.

Picture of Joseph and Tom Sander xecutive Director of the Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America

Joseph Porcelli — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 12:43:00 -0500

Neighbors,

On Friday, November 16, I was invited to participate as a panelist at the first ever MA Civic Engagement Summit featuring Gov. Deval Patrick. IT WAS AWESOME! To read my report click here.

Tom nice nametag!

NPR's Linda Wertheimer rockin' a nametag and Brian from NH

Joseph Porcelli — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:48:00 -0400

Nametag Project friends,

Yesterday, Linda Wertheimer, from NPR interviewed Neighbors for Neighbors members about their attitudes towards the presidential race and Barack Obama. I, of course had break out the nametags.

Here is the picture of Linda and I together.

Last week, while on our way home from my old ultimate Frisbee team UFX 7 year anniversary, Kate and I met Brian, an extraordinary teen from the NH/VT upper valley. Brian, sorry it took so long for me to post this picture and I hope you had fun at the Celtics game!

Digitally Dependent?

Joseph Porcelli — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:07:00 -0400

So for the "Digitally Dependant" what makes it possible to connect online? My best guess would be that is that the "you" can be controlled. The "you" does not depend on your approach, looks, vocabulary, coolness, confidence etc. Most importantly social networking sites inherently make it "ok" to connect and permission to say "whats up" is assumed.

Reflections of Nametagging the 136th Tunbridge Vermont Worlds Fair

Joseph Porcelli — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:34:00 -0400

This weekend we took the Nametag Project to the 136th Annual Tunbridge Vermont World's Fair. Before I share our experiences, I like to thank the warm and accommodating staff at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds including Mr. Euclid Farham, Ms. Rebecca Beguin, the Tunbridge VT Volunteer Fire Department, all the volunteers, Ambassadors, the USMC, Norwich University Student, vendors, fair goers and the Nametag Project volunteers including Mike, Phoebe, Cloe Landon, Cloe's friends Eduardo and Charlie, my mother Dorie Porcelli, Ernie “All I want to do is play with my chainsaw” LaBombard, Priscilla Geoghegan, James Geoghegan, Jen Waters and Frank Jen’s Man. You guys rock!

Nametagging the Tunbridge Worlds Fair was a different experience from other Nametag Projects initiatives. Instead of focusing on getting as many people as we could to wear nametags (my original plan which btw is exhausting - been there done that - see the National Night Out Nametag Day Fenway Park) we found that folks were less likely to wear nametags unless we engaged them in conversation about the purpose of the project. A result of these conversations we noticed the following:

Initially folks who were born and live in small towns like Tunbridge Vermont felt like they know almost all of their neighbors.

When the folks who were born and live in small towns like Tunbridge Vermont were asked if they knew the folks who had recently moved in most said they did not know who they are. If they had had a chance to meet their "new" neighbors more often then not because of a fire or an illness that brought neighbors together.

We did note that younger and newer the Vermonter the more likely they were to accept a nametag and vocalize their enthusiasm for the project.

The older and longer a person has lived in Vermont the more they expressed an appreciation for and seemed to be satisfied with their community.

Note: The above observations are we not conducted scientifically. They were reported back by the Nametag Project volunteers and documented on video. Coming soon!

I also wanted to compare and contrast the experience of distributing nametags at the Tunbrige Worlds fair compared to distributing them at the JP World's Fair (last weekend) and the socio and cultural differences and similarities.

A striking moment last night was when I approached "Rusty" a locally famous character about wearing a nametag who replied, "no way.” An older local gentleman asked me what I was doing, I explained, and then answered his next question where I was from, with "Boston," he half jokingly replied, "go back to Boston we don't need your nametags here". True, most of the folks in Tunbridge did seem to know each other. But what about the new folks who have moved into town?

In Jamaica Plain, MA where I live know, people in my neighborhood did not know each other until we organized Neighbors for Neighbors (which I founded in 2004 and led to my position as an organizer at BPD). Like Jamaica Plain, Tunbridge has many new residents in like Jared and Vika who recently moved from the South so Vika can attend the Vermont Law School nearby. Jared said he plans on joining the Volunteer Fire Department to get to know his neighbors. I did the same thing in 1992 when my family moved to Canaan NH from New Jersey and it was a good way for me to meet some of my peers. And for the record, I went to high school in Meridan, NH at Kimball Union Academy, and then to College in Winoski, VT at Saint Michaels College. Before the fair, I had a photo shoot at the Sharon Trading Post. There I met Rob, Cathy, Jim, Jennifer and handful of other folks (click here to see the pictures). But what if you don’t want to join the fire department and hanging out at the trading post in not for you? I'd be interested to know how folks in Tunbridge and Sharon meet their neighbors. I’d also be interested in seeing who would attend a Neighborhood/Town Social like we do with Neighbors for Neighbors? I also encourage Casandra, Gladys, Bev, and Brittany get to meet their new neighbors Jared and Vika. They may not know it yet but they all value community, connection, and compassion, and besides, their neighbors!

Funny thing is that never before have I seen as many people wearing their names on their clothing. Check out the picture of Randall and Amy who were hanging out next to one of the barns. I guess if you have your name written on your cloths in Vt, that’s cool. Maybe I should move back. I also love the picture of Haley and her cows Puss and Boots.

As Mike and I discussed they day’s nametagging, we both agreed that “born and bred Vermonters” are not likely going to be the ones to reach out and meet their new neighbors or wear a nametag. They will however, as we said yesterday, when approached, “break bread,” share a warm and authentic conversation about their lives, and in the case of some of the folks at the fair, their livestock, and the people they love in their communities who they’ve known their entire lives. Dig a little deeper as we did you also uncover some anxiety, like people all over America, about wanting to but not being sure how to approach or connect with their neighbors. Nametag anyone?

To date the nametag project's mission has been about encouraging people to get to know their neighbors to build community. Recently I’ve found myself asking what does this really mean and what does it look like? It means and looks like changing our behavior as individuals and a as society. It means looking up, saying hello, walking up to our neighbor’s porches and introducing ourselves for the sake of building community. Yes, taking action and stepping outside of our comfort zones, joining the volunteer fire department, gardening with your neighbors, taking care of elders, volunteering as mentor, playing community pick up (frisbee) celebrating life out loud inclusively with each other, and yes, maybe even wearing nametags.

Where you at the fair?
How do you meet your neighbors?
What do you think about nametags?
Do you know your neighbors to your left and right?
If not, why not?

Let us know what you think. Leave a comment below.

Click here to download high-res photos.

Note: More pictures to be added in coming days. If you don't seen you please check again shortly. Got a picture and want to share email me a joseph ( a:t ) neighborsforneighbors.org.

Thank you Jim Braude and Elizabeth Hayden from NECN

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:09:00 -0400

Thanks to NECN, host Jim Braude, and producer Elizabeth Hayden for having me as a guest on Wired today. Jim has been a great supporter of the nametag project and truly gets it.

Thanks for helping us encourage people to step into community.

Media Advisory, SAINT MICHAELS/KUA GRAD BRINGS HIS INTERNATIONAL NAMETAG PROJECT TO VERMONT

Joseph Porcelli — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:39:00 -0400

Nametag Project to Distribute Nametag at Tunbridge Worlds Fair, Tunbridge Vermont, Saturday September 15, 6 to 8 PM

The Nametag Project at the JP Worlds Fair

Joseph Porcelli — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:01:00 -0400

The Nametag Project's most recent initiative was to Nametag the Jamaica Plain World's Fair.

Special thanks to the Landon Crew from VT for coming down to JP. Be sure to catch us on Saturday, September 15, at the Tunbridge VT World's Fair. Press Release coming soon. Click on any of the pictures to be taken to the photo album where you can see them in larger versions and download them if you like.

Nametag for your iPhone!

Joseph Porcelli — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:42:00 -0400

I found a very cool little app that will create a nametag for your iPhone

Nametags at Spanish Meetup

Karin Broadhurst — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:49:00 -0400

So for the first time in the 3 years I have organized the Boston Spanish Meetup Group, we all wore nametags!

National Night Out Nametag Day at Fenway Park a HUGE SUCCESS!!

Joseph Porcelli — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:21:00 -0400

Friends,

On Sunday, July 15, over one hundred community and corporate volunteers and more than fifty Boston Police personnel handed out ten thousand nametags at the National Night Out Nametag Day at Fenway Park. They engaged roughly twenty thousand people in conversations about the importance of getting to know their neighbors and celebrating National Night Out.

Our accomplishment is extraordinary, especially given that it is the first time any one attempted to hand out as many nametags we did. The number of volunteers and nametags distributed proves that when given the chance to participate in a positive crime prevention and community building activity, they will. Congratulations to all involved and thank you!

Special thank you to:

The Boston Red Sox for their partnership!
Target, Equity Office Properties, Boston Cares, SCI Lynn, and Single Volunteers of Boston for showing up in force!
Going.com and Game On for hosting the Volunteer Appreciation Party
99 Restaurants for donating the water that kept volunteers hydrated
Sanford for the Sharpies
Brett Dikeman for his time and excellent pictures
The Command Staff and The Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit at Boston Police Department for believing in me.
The Neighbors for Neighbors board and membership for their ongoing support.
Kate, Mom, Dad, Marc, Scott Ginsberg, "That guy with a nametag", and all my close friends for the their encouragement and support.

Hello! My name is KARIN

Karin Broadhurst — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:39:00 -0400

On Sunday I joined 100+ volunteers in giving out nametags to baseball fans at Fenway Park. I love the way people laughed when we called out to them, "Hey George: enjoy the game!" I had such a good time I decided to take the name tag challenge and I have committed to wear a nametag every day for the rest if the year!

Also, thanks to this event I met some of my neighbors. I even met a woman who lives on my street: two doors down!

Were you there on Sunday too? What did you think? Leave me a comment!

Final Preparation for Nametag Day

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:04:00 -0400

Today, Casey K. and Loay A. came into the BPD Headquarters to help me prepare for Nametag Day tomorrow at Fenway Park. Thank you guys, you're life savers!

Here is picture of Loay with 180 clip boards holding 200 nametags each, and other needed supplies!

MEDIA ADVISORY: Boston, MA, July 15, Innovative Crime Prevention and Community Building Campaign, Boston Police to Distribute 40,000 Nametags at Nametag Day at Fenway Park

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:43:00 -0400

With the help of more than 150 volunteers, the Boston Police Department, in honor of National Night Out 2007, will distribute 40,000 nametags at Fenway Park to attendees at the Red Sox - Blue Jays Game on July 15. The Boston Police Department's Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit is embarking on this "Nametag Day" to encourage fans in attendance to get to know their neighbors. Neighbors who know each other are more likely to care for and watch out for each other.

A proud moment: my picture with Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis

Joseph Porcelli — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:05:00 -0400

A proud moment today: Below is a picture of me, Joseph Porcelli, and Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis wearing our nametags! Commissioner Davis will be introduced at Fenway Park on Sunday, July 15, 2007 during Nametag Day at Fenway Park where we will hand out 40,000 nametags!

Scott Ginsberg, That Guy with the Nametag, blogs about the Nametag Project

Joseph Porcelli — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:26:00 -0400

Scott Ginsberg from www.hellomynameisscott.com, who has been wearing a nametag for 2,445 days, has earned the right to be called "The authority on approachability" and has been "Dubbed as the World's expert on nametags." He wrote about Nametag Day at Fenway Park on this post to his blog.

Watch Scott's interview on 20/20!

Thanks Scott!

The Nametag Project featured on Call the Cops

Joseph Porcelli — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 01:04:00 -0400

This evening, I got to spend some time with Officer Jamie Kenneally, the host of BPD's "Call the Cops." We discussed the Nametag Project in details, how it (Neighbors for Neighbors)got started and how Nametag Day at Fenway Park came to be. Here is picture from the Show.

The official Nametag Day Nametag

Joseph Porcelli — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:23:00 -0400

Wondering what the official Nametag Day nametag looks like?

This was first Nametag of the 40,000 that I wore yesterday! Thanks to Liz in BPD graphics and Captain King for her design input!

Superintendent Robert Dunford

Joseph Porcelli — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:39:00 -0400

Hi Neighbors,

Check out this great picture of Superintendent Robert Dunford wearing a Nametag today!

And then it hit me, Nametag day is actually happening

Joseph Porcelli — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:45:00 -0400

Nametag day is actually happening. I was just visiting with my friend Loay, who is you don't know him, you should. We were having a drink and reflecting on the past few years of our lives. If he had asked me if I would be working for the Boston Police department two years ago I'd not know what to say. I had never considered it. I had just never considered it as a career opportunity. I joke with people that I went from Board Rooms to Living Rooms, which is really is true. I used to be the Senior Associate and CRM consulting firm ( one the best in the nation if you’re in the market), and now I help people realize their collective power and connect them to Police and City resources that reduce crime and build community.

So as we sat talking, it struck me, On Sunday, we are going to hand out 40,000 nametags, and at Fenway Park.!! I have to say, I can't believe this is actually happening! I mean come on, I starting this who thing because I wanted to find out what would happen if I wore a nametag all the time for a year.

Like most project, I start them, have no idea what will happen but go with my intuition and listen carefully. I shared my vision with as many people as I could, Superintendent Robert Dunford, Chief of the Bureau of Fields Services at BPD, saw the value of the project and made accepted my request for an introduction. The lesson, always as for what you need when believe in what is your doing.

What have you asked for that you believed in that blew your mind? Leave a comment.

Welcome Danielle

Joseph Porcelli — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 02:44:00 -0400

Danielle joined The Nametag Project a few weeks ago. I ran into her today at Beecher Park. Beecher Park is another Neighbors for Neighbors community project where we transformed an abandoned lot into a clean, well-kept, and dog friendly park.) As you can see Danielle has a great smile and excellent cell phone posture. Welcome Danielle!!

I hope to be introducing Lori and Beverly shortly.

Is anyone else wearing nametags I don't know about? If so, please register by completing the form found on the Join Us page. Thanks.

185 Volunteers, Sharpies, Clip Boards, and 40,000 Nametags

Joseph Porcelli — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:45:00 -0400

This has been one of the most intense and excited weeks of my life. 185 volunteers armed with Sharpies (Thanks Sharpie! - we'll be "building community out loud"), clipboards, and 40,000 nametags will make game-goers and passerby by smile and encourage them to get to know their neighbors at Fenway Park in here in Boston, when the Boston Red Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays, on Sunday July 15, 2007.

Over the weekend over 140 people volunteered to help distribute the nametags. Thanks everyone! Special thanks to Karen Boss from Boston Cares, Justin Vuylsteke from Target, Bob Tamulis from Single Volunteers of Boston, Jeff Culter from Going.com, and Daniel Dombak from Equity Office / South Station who together put teams together of over 70 volunteers. This put us way over our original goals of 106 volunteers. Now we can put additional nametag teams out on additional streets. Thanks everyone!

The nametags are set to be dye-cut (I think that is how you spell it) on Thursday, and everything else if in place. Now to pray for good weather.

I am curious to know what you think about the the nametag event and nametags in general. Please leave a comment.

The Nametag Project featured in Boston Now

Joseph Porcelli — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 23:52:00 -0400

Hi everyone,

Check out the great article in todays (7/9/2007) copy of Boston Now by Galen Moore titled Vision of Community.

If you from the press and would like to do an interview please call me at 857-222-4420.

Sarah and Free Huggers

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 19:01:00 -0400

This afternoon I had the pleasure of spending an hour with Sarah, the Nametag Projects newest member. Sorry about the picture quality. I broke the good camera and took this one with my phone. Everyone please welcome Sarah!

I met Sarah a few weeks ago at Pheonix Landing. She introduced her self as the friendliest girl in the world, I countered with "well you just met the friendliest guy." My nametag has just made me another friend! Woo Hoo.

On my way home from the other side of river, often referred to as Cambridge, I ran into Matt Porter who produced a you tube video about giving free hugs at Boston College. Here is a picture of us together on Mass Ave. And I got five hugs too.

The Nametag Project was featured on the Hallmark Channel

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 15:42:00 -0400

I just realized I forgot to the post this so here it is:

On 5/29/2007, The Hallmark Channel aired a segment on about The Nametag Channel on the show New Mornings with Timberly Whitfield. Check out the segment found a little ways down the page called Name tag, Joseph Porcelli.

Hello my name is Kate

Joseph Porcelli — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:35:00 -0400

Wait, no its not. But thats not what my nametag said. I went out for a beer with my friend Jenifer on Thursday night and noticed the bartender at the Behan, here in Jamaica Plain, looking at me really strange. I wondered what was up, it not like I have'nt received some strange looks since wearing my nametag everyday this year since I started the nametag project.

Thoughts about Commitment

Kelly Karius — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 23:51:00 -0400

I think it's interesting to read some the blogs and see the anonymity that we seem to crave when we are going through difficult times. For me as a social worker, it's a bit of an examination of the human condition. During times when we're having trouble, connection with others is probably the most important, yet it is during those times that the nametags come off - and sometimes it's during those times that we turn off the phone and pull down the blinds.