On the evening of Wednesday, June 5, Dallas International School welcomed new alumni as the graduating class of 2024 stepped across the stage of the Eisemann Center to accept their diplomas.
It was a beautiful commencement ceremony, opening with national anthems sang by the General Director of Opera Arlington, Ms. Eliza Escalante. Senior awards were presented, valedictorians and salutatorians were acknowledged and the commencement address was then given by Deloitte University Greenhouse Site Leader and former Dallas Cowboys Coach, Mr. Joseph Baker. Graduating seniors were finally presented with their diplomas and celebrated onstage as they transition to the next stage in their academic and professional lives. Bravo class of 2024. Allez les Tigres!
#theDISdifference#internationaleducation#AllezLesTigres
Keep thinking about this. If as we know from endless reports, that the cultural, creative and museums sectors are woefully unrepresentative as regards the spectrum of diversity, then how can these “leaders” reflect this country in all its glorious diversity.
In her maiden speech at the Science and Industry Museum, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy sets out her vision for unlocking growth and opportunity in the UK’s £170 billion culture, media and sport sectors to industry leaders from across the UK. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gF6KekC7
🎉 Next month marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, a pivotal moment in the fight for civil rights and equality in education. While this decision aimed to dismantle the "separate but equal" doctrine, its legacy is complex and far-reaching.
I recently had the pleasure of teaching my students about this intricate legacy during our February Black History Month culture and diversity lessons.
The immediate backlash following the decision led to the unjust removal of educators of color from the education industry for decades, perpetuating systemic racism and inequality.
This is most evident in the persistent lack of diversity within the education sector. Before Brown v Board of Education, there were thousands of highly qualified Black and Brown teachers in segregated schools across the nation. However, following the decision, many of these schools were shut down, and there was a nationwide mass firing of Black and Brown educators. Despite their equal or even superior qualifications, they were often not hired in the newly integrated schools. Some districts even refused to integrate and instead closed all their schools for a few years.
As with many aspects of society, representation matters. The absence of educators of color likely discouraged students of color from pursuing education degrees, further exacerbating the lack of diversity in the profession. This vicious cycle has been perpetuated for 70 years.
As we celebrate progress, it's crucial to acknowledge and confront the ongoing echoes of this racist backlash that still reverberate today.
Let's honor this anniversary by learning and sharing the accurate history, while also reaffirming our commitment to creating inclusive and equitable educational environments for all.
#BrownvBoard#CivilRights#InclusiveEducation#EducationForAll 📚✊🏾
Lessons from Jackie Chan: Perseverance and Passion
I’ve loved Jackie Chan’s movies - especially the unique blend of comedy, drama, and action - like the Rush Hour series or even Karate Kid.
But beyond his on-screen prowess, what endeared him, is his humility and his perseverance.
Picture this: a young Jackie Chan, filled with dreams of becoming a martial arts superstar. He faced countless rejections, injuries, and setbacks. But instead of giving up, he embraced every challenge with unwavering determination. It takes a lot of strength, to stay 56 years, and act in over 200 movies, and yet have your eyes on the goal!
Here are some valuable lessons we can learn from Jackie Chan's incredible journey:
🌟Find your North Star
Discover what that excites you, that would keep you going when the going gets tough
🌍“Do not let circumstances control you. You change your circumstances”
We’ll face ups and downs, and realising that we are not just limited by those conditions can help us rise above it.
🤗Embrace your Fears
Fear isn't always bad. It’s an emotion to help us be alert and prepared for danger. It helps us understand when we are moving past our comfort zone. Like Jackie Chan said: “A lot of people ask me when I do a stunt, 'Jackie, are you scared?' Of course I'm scared. I'm not Superman”. Use your fears as fuel to push beyond your comfort zone.
🧑🤝🧑You are not alone
Your friends, family, and circle of trust are your pillars of strength. Just like Jackie Chan found his inspiration while at Sylvester Stallone’s house, your circle of trust can inspire you, hold you up when you are down, motivate you and be there for you through thick and thin.
Jackie Chan's story reminds me that true greatness can be seen when we look deep within. Sometimes the fruits may come much later. But by embracing our passions, overcoming challenges with unwavering resolve, and surrounding ourselves with people who care, we too can achieve extraordinary things.
To more folks like him, who inspire us to keep us going!
#Motivation#WhatInspiresMe#LeadershipLessons
https://lnkd.in/g-TdPGsQhttps://lnkd.in/gYZMK8M3
BLACK HISTORY MONTH POST!
JAZY Z wins historical DR. DRE GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD 2024! The magnificent thing is that the award even exist; yet, the award is more than worthy since Dr. Dre definitely made a musical impact on the nation, and we all know that whatever sells in America is normally benchmarked by most of the world. Definitely, not ALL, but surely MOST!
Plus, we do need to become more fair about awards analysis, etc., but it appears via “trial and error” that we humans overall are not exceptional at being fair in much of anything.
Thus, it is a good thing Jay Z made that comment; yet, all we can do is work to get closer to perfection.
NOTE: History was a second ago!
Juneteenth falls right in the middle of one of the world's most famous and largest creative festivals, Cannes Lions! For the advertising and creative world, there is no getting around it — it’s the busiest and most festive time of year for our industry.
So what happens when you need to work through an important holiday?
Earlier this year, our team spoke with the DEI team at Cannes about creative ways to honor Juneteenth when you still have to be on and connected for the international festival.
One idea was working with brands like Because Of Them We Can, whose main focus is to shine a light on Black History and to share stories of the world's first. What better way to honor the spirit of Juneteenth than celebrating the first creatives that paved the way so people of all backgrounds can attend Cannes, and achieve success in our industry.
How are you honoring Juneteenth at/during Cannes? Do you have any other ideas? Please share in the comments so we can continue the conversation.
As we step into the New Year, consider these 8 questions for arts leaders from Advisory Board for the Arts that uncover the important issues shaping the future of the art world:
1️⃣ Is the traditional arts playbook still relevant? 🎭
2️⃣ How can arts organizations reinvent their business models for sustainability? 🔄
3️⃣ What kind of art captivates audiences in today's landscape? 🎟️
4️⃣ Innovating the artistic product to welcome new audiences: What's the key? 🏛️
5️⃣ What are some strategies to engage and retain a talented arts workforce? 💼
6️⃣ Navigating the shifting funding landscape: Where to find financial resources? 💰
7️⃣ How do we craft effective and diverse boards for arts institutions? 🤝
8️⃣ How do we become a pillar of the local community? 🌐🏡
Dive into the dialogue shaping the future of the arts! 🎨✨ #ArtsLeadership#Arts2023#InnovationInTheArts#CommunityConnection
Honoring Black History Month 🖤Inspired by JAY Z's powerful Grammy acceptance speech, I'm reminded of the resilience within our community. From unequal opportunities to systemic biases, underrepresented individuals face challenges across industries—getting overlooked for promotions and roles, not receiving accolades, even with stolen ideas that they then pass as their own. Jay's words echo the importance of showing up and staying encouraged, even when their actions and words try to tell you that you're not worthy. Keep showing up until they get it right! We love you. We just want you to get it right.
It wasn't until witnessing his speech that I found the words I wanted to share this Black History Month. To my fellow trailblazers, keep pushing, keep striving – whether it's navigating unequal access, combatting stereotypes, or overcoming the hurdles of being overlooked. Your voice matters, your dreams are valid. Let Jay's success be a testament to the strength that lies within us. In every endeavor, from music to business, we navigate uncharted territories. So, to my community, stay up, stay resilient, and keep breaking barriers. Your journey is part of the rich tapestry of Black history, of American history, of world history, and your success is a beacon of hope for the generations to come. 🌟 (the opinions expressed within the content are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of any organization that I may be associated with) #BlackHistoryMonth#StayEncouraged#RepresentationMatters#Inspiration#InSolidarityhttps://lnkd.in/eQRE7eMD
Hedge Funds & trusts attorney. Proven record in establishing law firms. Love Scotland (Haplo E- BCE 1,000 Davidic Exilarch- black Hebrew Yahya & Al-ALI - Blue Berber-MENA). Post doc student of Hebrew & Islamic history.
We have so much global conflict today under crushing debt & few economic resources to meet present needs. Senseless crimes are escalating and traditional values have no place in our homes today.
Resolution comes with a massive dose of truth. We need to release primary sources to verify and confirm our true black history. American red Indians came from Mongolia 🇲🇳 in the 1800s and were never indigenous to America. The real American Indians were black when a black Columbus showed up from black Europe in 1492. Blacks lived in America over 2,000 years.
Equally, blacks lived in Europe for over 2,000 years. The Black Hebrews occupied Europe and Scotland. Ben Franklin's Essay of 1751 on the increase of mankind par.24 is the clearest statement on race with an extremely small white population tied to the Caucasus but housed in England mid 1700s when the global population was 600 million.
Today of 8.2 billion souls UN /CIA report 5 % is considered pure white. How can history be accurate? In North Africa this summer I was called a Berber blue man but quite content with the genetically proven black bin Yahya Hebrew / Al Ali label.
Blacks managed the planet as leaders for 5,800 years going back to a black Adam in BCE 4000. Today blacks are assigned to Africa which appears much smaller on a real map of the world, and is the only continent owned & controlled by other nations. In the Western hemisphere there are no known communities speaking an African language or dialect yet we are called African. There are many European languages spoken to this day in the West by black islanders. Why? Their black ancestors came from Europe.
So sad we are living in an extremist and white supremacist world influenced by twisted theories penned by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach b. 1752 and Georges Louis Leclerc b. 1707. But after closer inspection I find it extremely hard to accept these two whitewashed Euromoors had anything to do with racist ideologies conceived in the mid to late 19th century which influenced Darwin, and gave birth to Eugenics and Zionism.
The DNA, i.e. fraudulent Haplogroups R, J and I assignment to Europe and MENA, and primary sources like the Anglo Saxon Chronicles based on copies of unknown and unverified material need to be tossed out the window to make way for the real story of black mankind and humankind (not the same thing and read the writings of EG White along a timeline of circa 6,000 years).
Our black leaders and black academics have failed 95 percent or 7.79 billion melenated souls on our planet. They are either too lazy to read / think for themselves OR lack the courage to speak out !
As to primary sources I have over 5m records, 30k DNA matches, over 90 kits managed on both sides of the family. Incredible insights from my wife's Polish family with Haplos R, J, I, and H with strong matches among modern Jews & modern Western Europeans. Always remember black history is inextricably linked to Biblical Hebrew history.
Shalom.
The highlights from Black History Wales 365 launch on Saturday at @StFagans_Museum ! From inspiring speeches to lively performances. It’s amazing to see people from all walks of life come together to celebrate #BlackHistoryWales.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this day so special. The sense of unity was truly powerful.
A special thanks to our funders for Black History Wales 365 Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales for making this year's event possible! And a special shoutout to the best museum in Wales, @StFagans_Museum for hosting us.
Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales#BHWales365#BlackIconsOfWales#CelebrateCommunity
The 2024 #Oscar nominations just dropped, and I’m not going to lie: as a cinephile, I look forward to this day every year. And every year, I make it a goal to watch all the nominated films. I've ticked off a few so far, but still have quite a bit of ground to cover before the Academy rolls out the red carpet next month.
As a lifelong communicator and someone who's been in the #marketing game for a (long) while, today’s announcement has got me thinking: these films are the best of the best in Hollywood, but they’re not just about entertainment; they're masterclasses in creating captivating narratives, sparking emotions, and gripping audiences around the world. It strikes me how similar this is to what we do in marketing, albeit on a less glamorous stage. We weave narratives, evoke emotions, and strive to connect deeply with our audience.
So, here's a thought: If films like ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Barbie,’ ‘Poor Things,’ or my personal favorites (so far), ‘Rustin,’ and 'The Holdovers' can captivate global audiences, what can we, as marketers, learn from the way these filmmakers bring a story to life? Maybe it's the art of building suspense that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats or the way they bring to life characters (read: brands) that audiences want to root for?
Which Oscar-nominated film do you think really nails it when it comes to storytelling?