Jordan Phoenix, author, speaker, scalability consultant and social entrepreneur, felt compelled to develop a philanthropic initiative, Project Free World, in late 2012.

The foundation was created with the intention of bringing social innovation projects to the needy and impoverished communities in the U.S. and abroad, helping to provide proper nourishment, rights, education and sustainability practices to those who need it most. The pursuit of these goals has also inspired Phoenix to begin a trek on foot, where he will journey from Vancouver, Canada to Tijuana, Mexico over the course of a year, in order to engage "like-minded people who are passionate about rebuilding their communities, in order to spark the creation of grassroots projects."

Phoenix recently published "It's All My Fault: How I Messed up the World, and Why I Need Your Help to Fix It," a memoir that critiques his and the human species' roles in the social, economic and environmental unraveling of the world. The book, like Phoenix's foundation, shares the importance of crowd-solving the biggest issues facing humanity and highlights that the alliance of local change-makers will create a network of individuals who have similar passions and complementary skill sets; thus, solving problems more effectively.

Phoenix's walk across the United States will put his personal philosophy into practice. His visits to Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tijuana will be punctuated with visits to multiple foundations and nonprofits in order to ignite an international, unified grassroots movement to counter poverty.

"I'm of the belief that all negativity in the world stems from individuals whose physical or psychological needs aren't being met. So, rather than focusing on assigning blame, a much more effective option is to band together to replicate the most effective ideas to meet people's needs ourselves," Phoenix told Latin Post. "My book details blueprints that anyone can use to begin creating change in their own local area, and discusses the stories and insights behind these ideas. I didn't want to bore people with dry facts and figures and instead wanted to discuss stories that truly move people."

Two organizations that Phoenix will link up with are DOXA and Esperanza de Mexico, which he will visit during the last leg of his journey in Tijuana. DOXA works to engage students and adults, encouraging service and investment within the greater Tijuana community.

DOXA facilitates trips for large groups to construct homes for disadvantaged families throughout Mexico; they leverage resources from churches and other groups to ease organization and home building; and they sponsor 50 children, providing regular afterschool tutoring administered by trained Mexican teachers. Additionally, DOXA has a 15-year relationship with Casa Hogar de los Niños, an orphanage in Tijuana.

Esperanza de Mexico endorses the construction of self-built housing and environmentally sustainable practices, empowering individuals and families and promoting the safe and dignified development of low-income communities. The foundation has developed an interlocking concrete blocking system, which increases the longevity of the self-built homes. It also raises awareness about environmental concerns and emboldens women in the community through leadership workshops.

"The reason for my journey is because I believe it's important to implement ideas and take action, otherwise it's nothing more than words on a page. My objective is to lead by example," Phoenix said. "I'm hoping to discover the communities where people are most interested in these ideas, in order to be able to spend time where I can create the biggest impact."

The two Tijuana-based organizations' missions align with Phoenix's way of thinking. He has a belief that accountability, along with a combination of 21st century technology and pre-industrial revolution self-sufficiency, will help reduce global poverty. His decision to embark on the cross-continent journey reinforces that claim, as he will work to build support in the creation of community incubators, utilizing those who are knowledgeable in construction, urban agriculture, real estate and law.

"Rather than people sending out resumes, looking for jobs that don't exist ... why don't we buy up land, teach people how to grow their own food; how to build their own shelter; how to create their own energy; and learn skills around optimal habits of productivity; skills around leadership; and skills around being entrepreneurs, so that they can create their own jobs, so they don't have to rely on others," Phoenix said during an interview with Abby Martin of RT's "Breaking the Set."

To learn more about Phoenix, his incredible expedition, and more, check him out on Twitter and Facebook.

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