Think you should wait until you’re rich to change the world?
That might not be the most effective approach. Here are my rough thoughts on the subject: The Karmic Capitalist: Should I Wait Until I’m Rich to Give Back? It’s from 2007, and a few things are outdated, but I still stand by most of it, and I’ve done my best to live by it.
From 2007–2017, I personally and primarily focused on innovation in education as a means of leveling the playing field. This includes K–12 and higher education, both in the US and abroad.
In 2012, I donated to the research of Dr. Adam Gazzaley at UCSF, considering it just as exciting as any startup in the world. That research ended up the “Game Changer” cover story of Nature in its September 2nd, 2013, issue (“Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults”). This encouraged me to think bigger.
In 2018, I created the Saisei Foundation to focus on ambitious scientific research and clinical treatments of “intractable” conditions, such as treatment-resistant depression, opioid addiction, anorexia nervosa, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This interest stems from personal experience, including childhood abuse, lifelong major depressive disorder, and the helpless feeling of watching multiple family members lose their lives to addiction from alcohol and opiates.
The Saisei Foundation has supported some significant firsts and early successes, including:
Imperial College London – Centre for Psychedelic Research — This became the world’s first dedicated centre/center for psychedelic research and focuses on the action and clinical use of psychedelics, with a particular focus on researching the treatment of depression. You can read the press release here. The centre has been featured in The New York Times and many other media. The centre’s current projects/studies can be found here.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine – Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research — This became the world’s largest and the US’s first psychedelic research center. Researchers are investigating the effectiveness of psychedelics as therapies or adjunct therapies for opioid use disorder (OUD), Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (formerly known as chronic Lyme disease), anorexia nervosa, and more. You can find the press release here. The New York Times wrote an article about the center (alternate link) and separately profiled me (alternate link) with respect to the project. Scientific American, Forbes, The Washington Post, and other media covered the center as well. The center’s current projects/studies can be found here.
“Mamakunapa” Civil Society Nature Reserve — Creation of the first Indigenous women’s reserve (“Mamakunapa”) in the northwest Amazon. The 18-hectare Civil Society Nature Reserve “Mamakunapa” is part of the 52-hectare “Chagra de la Vida” that is privately owned by ASOMI, the Association of Indigenous Women of Traditional Medicine.
The Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR) at the Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School — POPLAR is the first academic initiative focused on psychedelics law and policy, positioned to be a global leader for research and education in this space.
The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship — Done in collaboration with writer Michael Pollan, The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship offers fifteen $10,000 reporting grants per year to journalists reporting in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business, and culture of this new era of psychedelics.
Training for Psychiatrists in Psychedelic Medicine — Physician-scientists at three major US medical schools (Yale School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and NYU Grossman School of Medicine) will collaborate to develop a curriculum to train psychiatrists in the practice of psychedelic medicine.
In the last several years, the Saisei Foundation has expanded its scope to include other early-stage research and high-leverage nonprofit initiatives, including accelerated TMS and other types of brain stimulation.
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Prior to the formation of the Saisei Foundation, I supported educational initiatives, including the following:
Donorschoose.org (National Advisory Board; sample classroom projects) – DonorsChoose.org makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
QuestBridge (West Coast Advisory Board) – QuestBridge is a powerful platform that connects the nation’s brightest students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further opportunities. QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation’s best universities and the ranks of national leadership itself.
Room to Read (Schools in Vietnam and around the world; scholarships for girls) – Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.
BUILD (supporter and contributor) – BUILD’s mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the potential of youth from under-resourced communities and propel them to high school, college, and career success.
Culinary Careers Program (C•CAP) (supporter) – C•CAP empowers underserved youth through the culinary arts and has facilitated more than $76,000,000 in scholarships since 2009. Founded by culinary educator Richard Grausman and co-chaired by Chef Marcus Samuelsson, C•CAP partners with public high schools in nine cities and regions across the US to support more than 25,000 students nationwide each year to develop their interest and skills for careers in the culinary and hospitality industries. For incredible real-world examples, see the documentary Pressure Cooker or see this NYT profile of graduate Carlton McCoy (alternate link).
After-School All-Stars (supporter) – After-School All-Stars (ASAS) provides free, comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and life. ASAS is one of the largest free, school-based, after-school-program providers in the country.