Boys of Steel at Books of Wonder

boys of steel, originally uploaded by lois.fanelli.

Speaking of bookstores as social enterprise, today I spent the early afternoon at the book signing for Boys of Steel at Books of Wonder, a most excellent NYC children's book store.

A fair part of my career consists of listening to do-gooders pat themselves on the back for discovering social innovation, but going to an event like this is a powerful reminder that artists & writers have been engaging commerce in creative and socially beneficial ways long before social enterprise was trendy.

Which reminds me. Hardly a week goes by when I don't hear some do-gooder telling me that the only thing that design is frivolous. As any graphic designer who has worked with nonprofits can tell you, all too many nonprofit leaders are utterly clueless when it comes to presenting a coherent corporate image--and they're equally blind to how this hurts them with donors, volunteers, employees and the surrounding community.