GFM|CenterTable’s Post

Just a little over a month after Juneteenth, I am reminded of the urgency of radical imagination. Juneteenth offers a paradigm for us to continuously consider what might be and what can be when confronted with what is. It is what happens when folks refuse to stop imagining, refuse to understand themselves on white supremacist terms, and refuse to allow the conditions of the time to constrain their capacity to be present in their humanity. Juneteenth embodies an imaginative practice that recovers the possibilities and potentialities of Black life (what might be); it represents an imaginative practice that honors the ways Black folks insist on loving ourselves and each other (what can be); and it is an imaginative practice that reckons with the realities that work to violently undermine our liberation (what is). To radically imagine is to urgently love Blackness, and to value Blackness is to embrace the urgency of radical imagination. I reflect on both in my recent keynote at the University of Colorado Boulder: “Loving Blackness and Humanizing Imagination: (Re)engaging Shared Equity Leadership." I invite you to watch the address here: https://lnkd.in/gAy3bHUa   How are you radically imagining today? Nancy Maingi Ngwu, College of Media, Communication and Information, Communication Department #Juneteenth

I'm thinking about how the multi-generational experience of diaspora is as much about arriving and building community as it is about getting chased away. What can we learn about making community from diaspora tactics? What are the social technologies and the cultural infrastructures through which generations of displaced peoples, diaspora peoples, ground ourselves and set down roots? What are the lessons we can learn from all the communities who now share to these lands? How can we honour the sacrifices of our ancestors and make the cities we live in, more just, equitable and inclusive for those who will come after?

Such an empowering Workshop: Gaining Knowledge and Skills for Social Impact. Thanks to Roads to Reconciliation: Activating Multicultural Communities

Did you know our co-founder Crystal is half Irish? Read the blog post to learn more and discover how Inclusive Guide DEI Resources supports individuals on their journey of self-discovery and advocacy. #StPatricksDay #IrishHeritage #InclusiveGuideDEI 🌈📚

In our latest opinion piece, Tajh Morris writes on the decades-old injustice at the heart of the recent decision to celebrate the city's club culture.⁠ ⁠ Read the full feature here

Based on my experience and personal interaction with both of them, this article confirms what I already knew: they are definitely a Dynamic Duo and Harding University is blessed to have them.

#society #politics #unitedstates #nobelprize [David Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992, Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, and others, among the best of Hollywood. Many of you may have already seen it if you are of my GenX or earlier generation. Those of my children’s age have not. Caution ⚠️⛔️: Language. Abusive work culture. Do not click on the link if you think you will find the language deeply offensive or abusive. I do not use such language with people.] David Mamet is one of America’s foremost playwrights and this film is based on his play Glengarry Glen Ross which won a Pulitzer Prize. If you do decide to watch the attached clip featuring Alec Baldwin, one of three most powerful in this film, the other two featuring Al Pacino, watch very carefully for the symbolism in two dialogs, though on the surface you may be distracted by the negative power of the language: 1. Baldwin’s delivery of and the sales technique on the black board. The blackboard technique always works, not only in real estate sales, but in life, mostly by soft sell, which perhaps Harvard Kennedy School’s Joseph Nye would call soft power or the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or payment. It involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction as demonstrated by the more strategic and psych selling technique of Al Pacino playing Richard Roma, and on occasion by the pushy ‘bull in a china shop’ sell. 2. “What’s your name? …” exchange with Ed Harris. This is, in fact, deeply religious though it can be difficult to get it when you first watch it. Harris is being sarcastic with Baldwin, given his domineering style, suggesting to him if he is playing God because he is laying down the law as Moses asked YHWH on Sinai. Baldwin answers that the God is money from closing a sale. The point of this post is two fold to illustrate the hard charging culture of selling in New York where Goldman Sachs before the housing crisis used to think they are doing God’s work on earth. It was very difficult for Wall Street to understand why they had done anything wrong. The culture is to accept that the rich get richer and winner takes all. It is monopoly and domination. This psychology is worse now than in 2007-09, and tone deafness to the geopolitical and economic environment in denial. Baldwin can pass for Donald Trump. But Harvard’s Joe Nye, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama works a lot better provided you are authentic, credible, sincere, and honest in purpose to achieve win-win outcomes, and not deceptive, despite being brilliant, like Al Pacino’s Richard Roma.

REFLECTIONS Last Sunday, I travelled to Brighton for a memorial honouring a dear old North American friend who passed away on July 4th. We first met in London many years ago, and even after Alan moved to Brighton, we maintained our close friendship. I knew much about his friends and neighbours on a special street near the sea, but I had never met them until last Sunday. We gathered at a remarkable restaurant and music venue, which led me to reflect on the values we hold and the actions we take to build and create our lives. Alan was a man of brilliant intellect and practical skills, with a kind heart and sharp wit. He cherished his privacy and solitude but was also the life of the party when in the mood. He was always open to deep and inspirational debates, often exploring mad ideas with an intense focus that bordered on obsession. As an early IT developer and expert, he skilfully balanced the internet's benefits without becoming too attached to it. Spending an afternoon with 20-30 of his friends, I realised we shared at least three things in common: a great love and respect for Alan, his commitment to connecting people, and his ability to help with various life and work issues. Alan built a community within the wider community, a value and skill set we need to celebrate, recognise, and continue to cultivate. In a turbulent and ever-changing world, these connections make us stronger, more hopeful, and ready to face challenges and opportunities. They help us make the seemingly impossible possible, creating a safer, thriving world where we respect each other and embrace the complexities and joys of being human. Wishing you a great summer in the northern hemisphere and a wonderful winter in the south. #wisdom #curiosity #courage #friendship #leadership #change #growth

Did you know Butler Beach in St. Augustine, FL, was the first beach for African Americans between Daytona Beach and Fernandina Beach? Read about the incredible history of Butler Beach and its namesake, Frank B. Butler, in our latest blog. #StAugustine #Blackhistorymonth

The 2024 Great Places in Florida Award nomination window is OPEN! This year's theme is Great Places Exemplifying Safe Mobility for All! Award criteria, guidelines, and nomination form is found here: https://lnkd.in/egCejEBK APA Florida Chapter Gold Coast Section Orlando Metro Section - APA Florida Sun Coast Section - APA Florida Heart of Florida Section - APA Florida APA Florida-Atlantic Coast Section Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Florida) #planning #transportationsafety