Uprise Co-Founder and award-winning documentary filmmaker, Marco Ríos Bollinger, takes you on a journey to meet inspiring change-makers around the globe and guides you through a step-by-step process to find your own path toward building a better world. What are you waiting for?

  • On Demand

    Course starts any time you want and go at your own pace.

  • Impact

    50% of your course fee supports the Uprise scholarship fund.

  • Scholarships

    Can't pay? We approve 100% of scholarship requests. Apply here.

Let's Go!

Watch the Intro

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Chapter 1: Let's Get Started

  • 2

    Chapter 2: Understanding Your Passion & Purpose

  • 3

    Chapter 3: Defining Your Why

    • Introduction

    • Case Study: Lessons From an Old Peruvian Man

    • Exercise 3.1 Instructions: Write Your Why

    • Assignment 3.1 - Writing My Why

    • Exercise 3.2: Choose your North Star

    • Assignment 3.2 - Choose Your Northstar

    • Field Trip to Nepal: The Community Homestay Network

    • Assignment 3.3 - Field Trip Reflection

    • Assignment 3.4 - Taking Action

    • Assignment 3.5 - Writing Polish & Submission
  • 4

    Chapter 4: The Courage to Start & Keep Going

    • Introduction

    • Case Study: From Bankruptcy to Beyoncé

    • Exercise 1: Sources of Strength

    • Assignment 4.1 - Your Sources of Strength

    • Exercise 2: Approaching Everything As A Learning Experience

    • Assignment 4.2 - Approaching Everything As A Learning Experience

    • Field Trip to Mexico: Ancient Canals & Modern Resilience with Ricardo

    • Assignment 4.3 - Field Trip Review

    • Assignment 4.4 - Writing Polish & Submission
  • 5

    Chapter 5: Owning Your Story

    • Introduction

    • Case Study: Stepping Up for Syria's Refugees

    • Exercise 1: What's Your Story

    • Assignment 5.1 - What's Your Story

    • Assignment 5.2 - Tighten Up You Bio

    • Exercise 2: Finding Community

    • Assignment 5.3 - Envisioning Your Ideal Community

    • Field Trip to Lebanon: Youth Refugees Leading the Way with Rana

    • Assignment 5.4 - Refugee Story Reflection

    • Assignment 5.5 - Writing Polish & Submission
  • 6

    Chapter 6: Mentors & Manifesting

    • Introduction

    • Exercise 1: Finding Advisors & Mentors

    • Assignment 6.1 - Research How to Participate

    • Exercise 2: Making the Ask

    • Assignment 6.2 - Clarifying Your Ask

    • Conclusion: The World Needs You!

    • Assignment 6.3 - The Journey Ahead

    • Assignment 6.4 - Writing Polish & Final Submission

Meet Your Instructor

Marco Ríos Bollinger

Co-Founder @ Uprise and Creator of Hidden Heroes

Peruvian-American Marco Riós Bollinger has directed projects for the UN Refugee Agency, worked with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and photographed Beyoncé and Barack Obama. He’s produced award-winning social issue documentaries on subjects ranging from the plight of refugee kids (SAFE ZONE), the healing power of dance (Dance Is My Gun) to the impacts of tourism (2.5%). His most recent project is the documentary series, Hidden Heroes. He has also moved to scale his empathy-building advocacy work by co-founding social enterprises Lokal Travel and Uprise.

This Class Makes an Impact

Uprise Scholarship Fund

At Uprise, we are committed to making our world-changing courses available to anyone and everyone so we approve every single scholarship request we receive. If you are able to pay for this course, know that 50% of the course fee you pay will help cover the course fees for those who can't afford it. The Scholarship Fund also helps us donate equipment - like laptops or simple VR glasses - to schools, nonprofits and families so they can get the most out of the Uprise learning experience.

Request a Scholarship

We believe cost should never be a barrier to our courses so we approve 100% of requests. Just answer 2 quick questions and you are in!
Apply Now