Steve Sander was as much a constant as anything or anyone at the Global Livingston Institute (GLI) over the last 15 years. Not only was Steve our longest-serving board member, but he also went on one of GLI’s first trips to East Africa in 2011. On one of the final days of the trip, while he was on a run in Rwanda with our founder, he tapped into his marketing prowess to encapsulate our nascent organization’s aspirations in three powerful words: Listen. Think. Act.
Those three words – strung together in perfect order – quickly became the bedrock to GLI’s success. Like Steve, they are embedded into the foundation of our organization.
At GLI, Listen. Think. Act. is not just a slogan. It is not just a brand. Steve’s three-word mantra is at the heart of everything we do. We passionately believe that if more people put it into practice, the world would be a better place. That’s why we’ve used it to educate the 5,000+ students who have participated in our global classroom programs. That’s why we have recited it on stage in front of the hundreds of thousands of East Africans who have attended our HIV awareness concerts. That’s why you can’t go to any GLI event without hearing it echoed dozens of times.
To put it plainly: if you have interacted with GLI, you have interacted with Steve Sander.
As we mourn the tragic loss of our friend and colleague, we are comforted by knowing that the impact of Steve’s work – in Denver, in East Africa, and around the globe – is alive and well. Steve’s legacy at GLI is indelible – and our world is a better place because of this extraordinary man.
Rest in peace, Steve.
We miss you dearly.
Listen. Think. Act.
With Love and a Heavy Heart, Your GLI Family
