The First Bank’s Post

Really looking forward to attending some key seminars and catching up with familiar faces at the National SEND Conference tomorrow. 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨! 👋 Jordan Groves Athena O'Connor-Lindsey Simon Floyd Sarah Williams Claudia Cafferata Ema Antalova Nicole VanderMeulen 🍁 Louis Jory #baltimoredna #baltimoreconsulting #nationalSENDconference #SEND #instituteofgovernmentandpublicpolicy

A great organization and a highly worthwhile focus.

Ever considered an Internship? Can you believe that Michael Lake was my first intern decades ago? Maybe we both made our own luck, but Michael genuinely transformed our business within a couple of months, coming in with zero domain knowledge. This was before he got his triple degree and was asked by Chelsea Clinton if my kids in the photo on his White House desk were his. That experience set my reference point for what an internship can be. So much so that I share with new Interns the concept of Imposter Syndrome very early. My experience is that when given the right environment interns consistently exceed everyone’s expectations, especially their own. It helps that we are never afraid of the brightest person in the room. Thanks to Rob Metcalfe, we use this simple BECKS model – Behaviour, Environment, Clarity, Knowledge & Skills. We interview for specific behaviours and all we ask is that each individual brings their authentic self to work (the behaviours are already baked in). It is our job as a business to deliver the E, C, K&S: - create the environment for success through people, processes and technology - be clear in our expectations, objectives, norms of behaviour etc - create a learning environment that delivers, at a minimum, the requisite knowledge and skills. When the internship is over, these highly capable interns have their journeys to traverse and like any parent encouraging their children to travel it is with mixed emotions when they inevitably leave (sometimes years later). In start-ups compounding is key. By living vicariously through the lives of our interns, I feel luckier every day. I’ve got to watch Michael create LeadingCities from a concept to a network of cities focused on collaborative urban research. The direction, vision, tools and opportunities are then accessible to any municipal government in the world. Keep smiling and making the world a better place every day, Michael.

My leadership model has always been to be lead by the most impacted. I always pass the mic to my Latine community, so they may speak about the solutions they need in their communities. I am doing the same in youth justice. One of the biggest challenges in the Latine community and in youth justice is housing. Housing is one of the most fundamental human rights and needs for people to be safe and thrive. I’m excited to say that I’m officially back in housing justice work as a board member of the Tenants Union. Picture from when I was a panelist for: The Power of Organizing: the impacts of organizing in creating policy change, equitable development and anti-displacement strategies.

The Union League and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge were both formed in times when America’s founding principles were at risk: the Civil War in the 19th century and the threat of totalitarianism in the 20th century. As Founding Forward President John Meko reflects: Today, in 2024, America faces a new crisis. One that calls into question the American experiment. Civil dialogue is in decline. Trust in our institutions, both governmental and private, is fading. Trust in the media is at an all-time low. Many of the fundamental rights associated with America are no longer considered important. … So what can you do? How will we confront this new crisis as our predecessors have? How can we ensure the future of the United States and encourage responsible, informed leadership? … The solution to our country’s crisis is to invest in and expand civic education on a national scale. In his thought leadership article, Born in Crisis, John explains how Founding Forward is leveraging the assets and strengths of the Union League Legacy Foundation and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge “to become the leading voice and nation’s premier civic education institution, promoting civic responsibility and the principles of freedom and liberty preserved in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.” Read more (https://lnkd.in/ejv7Wfdf) to learn how Founding Forward is continuing and expanding the work of both organizations, including programs, collections, buildings, and volunteer chapters. #FoundingForward #civiceducation #US

Our survey, The Civic Outlook of Young Adults in America, showed that 57% of young people are dissatisfied with our political system. What can we do to help turn this around? Jessica Sutter, Chief of Civic Learning Initiatives, led a roundtable with two college students to find out. Trenton Eilander, a student at the University of Iowa and Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute Fellow, shares with Jessica that political leaders can better model civility and optimism. Watch the full conversation: https://buff.ly/3xZvr7k #GenZ #civiclearning #civicengagement

For many researchers living in the D.C.-area, the connection between their work and public policy is extremely clear, but there's a steep drop off when it comes to local policy in D.C. and state policy in Maryland. That's why Nora Gordon, Jaime Lee, and Elizabeth Rigby founded the Maryland-Washington D.C. chapter. Learn more about their launch & plans for the future in this chapter spotlight: https://lnkd.in/eMqgymXe

#Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865 – when the news of freedom arrived in Texas and reached the last remaining enslaved individuals.    Today is a day of celebration, marking the end of chattel slavery in the United States and the freedom of future generations. Today is also a reminder that there is so much more to be done in the name of justice and equality.    At MN8 Energy, we know that diverse perspectives drive innovation and propel us towards a brighter, more sustainable future. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion starts in the workplace and extends into the communities we serve and beyond, as we work to create a more inclusive and equitable tomorrow.’  If you’re looking for an avenue to support change in your community, we suggest working with organizations like Black Girls Code, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Harlem Grown,The Carrie Meek Foundation and the South Florida People of Color, all of which are catalysts for progress for their local communities.    As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us renew our commitment to building a future where energy equity is a reality for every individual, regardless of background or circumstance.    Learn more about the history of Juneteenth below, via a powerful set of resources assembled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture: https://lnkd.in/gqvPZFF

Exciting news from the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies! Last week, a new cohort of students kicked off their journey to become social justice and labor leaders. The group includes native New Yorkers, students from other states, and international students from China and Israel. During orientation, they got to know each other and interviewed with some of New York's top labor unions and nonprofits involved in exciting projects in the fabric of the labor and social justice movement of our city. Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience in labor and social justice activism in New York? Check out the Union Semester and Community Semester programs at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. This one-semester-long experiential learning program offers a Certificate in Labor Studies or Community Leadership, 16 undergraduate credits or 12 graduate credits, and an educational stipend of $7,000. Contact unionsemster@slu.cuny.edu or communitysemester@slu.cuny.edu to learn more. #highereducation #certificateprograms #Labormovement #socialjustice #laborunions #activism #nonprofit #college #education #labor #community

From our great partners at the Mellon Foundation: “Sometimes, the numbers really do speak for themselves. ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, an ambitious program to increase young voter turnout and civic engagement, has reached more than nine million students at over 960 colleges and universities in all fifty states and Washington, DC.” CC: Civic Nation #Vote #Youthvote #Democracy #CivicEngagment #CivicEducation