Autonomy and self-determination in people and communities

Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. Empowerment as action refers both to the process of self-empowerment and to professional support of people, which enables them to overcome their sense of powerlessness and lack of influence, and to recognize and use their resources.

As a term, empowerment originates from American community psychology and is associated with the social scientist Julian Rappaport (1981).[1] However, the roots of empowerment theory extend further into history and are linked to Marxist sociological theory. These sociological ideas have continued to be developed and refined through Neo-Marxist Theory (also known as Critical Theory).[2]

In social work, empowerment forms a practical approach of resource-oriented intervention. In the field of citizenship education and democratic education, empowerment is seen[by whom?] as a tool to increase the responsibility of the citizen. Empowerment is a key concept in the discourse on promoting civic engagement. Empowerment as a concept, which is characterized by a move away from a deficit-oriented towards a more strength-oriented perception, can increasingly be found in management concepts, as well as in the areas of continuing education and self-help.[citation needed]

Robert Adams points to the limitations of any single definition of 'empowerment', and the danger that academic or specialist definitions might take away the word and the connected practices from the very people they are supposed to belong to.[3] Still, he offers a minimal definition of the term: 'Empowerment: the capacity of individuals, groups and/or communities to take control of their circumstances, exercise power and achieve their own goals, and the process by which, individually and collectively, they are able to help themselves and others to maximize the quality of their lives.'[4]

One definition for the term is "an intentional, ongoing process centered in the local community, involving mutual respect, critical reflection, caring, and group participation, through which people lacking an equal share of resources gain greater access to and control over those resources".[5][6]

Rappaport's (1984) definition includes: "Empowerment is viewed as a process: the mechanism by which people, organizations, and communities gain mastery over their lives."[7]

Sociological empowerment often addresses members of groups that social discrimination processes have excluded from decision-making processes through for example discrimination based on disability, race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Empowerment as a methodology is also associated with feminism.

Empowerment is the process of obtaining basic opportunities for marginalized people, either directly by those people, or through the help of non-marginalized others who share their own access to these opportunities. It also includes actively thwarting attempts to deny those opportunities. Empowerment also includes encouraging, and developing the skills for, self-sufficiency, with a focus on eliminating the future need for charity or welfare in the individuals of the group. This process can be difficult to start and to implement effectively.

One empowerment strategy is to assist marginalized people to create their own nonprofit organization, using the rationale that only the marginalized people, themselves, can know what their own people need most, and that control of the organization by outsiders can actually help to further entrench marginalization. Charitable organizations lead from outside of the community, for example, can disempower the community by entrenching a dependence charity or welfare. A nonprofit organization can target strategies that cause structural changes, reducing the need for ongoing dependence. Red Cross, for example, can focus on improving the health of indigenous people, but does not have authority in its charter to install water-delivery and purification systems, even though the lack of such a system profoundly, directly and negatively impacts health. A nonprofit composed of the indigenous people, however, could ensure their own organization does have such authority and could set their own agendas, make their own plans, seek the needed resources, do as much of the work as they can, and take responsibility and credit for the success of their projects (or the consequences, should they fail).

The process of which enables individuals/groups to fully access personal or collective power, authority and influence, and to employ that strength when engaging with other people, institutions or society. In other words, "Empowerment is not giving people power, people already have plenty of power, in the wealth of their knowledge and motivation, to do their jobs magnificently. We define empowerment as letting this power out."[8] It encourages people to gain the skills and knowledge that will allow them to overcome obstacles in life or work environment and ultimately, help them develop within themselves or in the society.

To empower a female "...sounds as though we are dismissing or ignoring males, but the truth is, both genders desperately need to be equally empowered."[9] Empowerment occurs through improvement of conditions, standards, events, and a global perspective of life.

Before there can be the finding that a particular group requires empowerment and that therefore their self-esteem needs to be consolidated on the basis of awareness of their strengths, there needs to be a deficit diagnosis usually carried out by experts assessing the problems of this group. The fundamental asymmetry of the relationship between experts and clients is usually not questioned by empowerment processes. It also needs to be regarded critically, in how far the empowerment approach is really applicable to all patients/clients. It is particularly questionable whether [mentally ill] people in acute crisis situations are in a position to make their own decisions. According to Albert Lenz, people behave primarily regressive in acute crisis situations and tend to leave the responsibility to professionals.[10] It must be assumed, therefore, that the implementation of the empowerment concept requires a minimum level of communication and reflectivity of the persons involved.

In social work, empowerment offers an approach that allows social workers to increase the capacity for self-help of their clients. For example, this allows clients not to be seen as passive, helpless 'victims' to be rescued but instead as a self-empowered person fighting abuse/ oppression; a fight, in which the social worker takes the position of a facilitator, instead of the position of a 'rescuer'.[11]

Marginalized people who lack self-sufficiency become, at a minimum, dependent on charity, or welfare. They lose their self-confidence because they cannot be fully self-supporting. The opportunities denied them also deprive them of the pride of accomplishment which others, who have those opportunities, can develop for themselves. This in turn can lead to psychological, social and even mental health problems. "Marginalized" here refers to the overt or covert trends within societies whereby those perceived as lacking desirable traits or deviating from the group norms tend to be excluded by wider society and ostracized as undesirables.

As a concept, and model of practice, empowerment is also used in health promotion research and practice. The key principle is for individuals to gain increased control over factors that influence their health status.[12]

To empower individuals and to obtain more equity in health, it is also important to address health-related behaviors.[13]

Studies suggest that health promotion interventions aiming at empowering adolescents should enable active learning activities, use visualizing tools to facilitate self-reflection, and allow the adolescents to influence intervention activities.[14]

According to Robert Adams, there is a long tradition in the UK and the USA respectively to advance forms of self-help that have developed and contributed to more recent concepts of empowerment. For example, the free enterprise economic theories of Milton Friedman embraced self-help as a respectable contributor to the economy. Both the Republicans in the US and the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher built on these theories. 'At the same time, the mutual aid aspects of the concept of self-help retained some currency with socialists and democrats.'[15]

In economic development, the empowerment approach focuses on mobilizing the self-help efforts of the poor, rather than providing them with social welfare. Economic empowerment is also the empowering of previously disadvantaged sections of the population, for example, in many previously colonized African countries.[16]

The World Pensions Council (WPC) has argued that large institutional investors such as pension funds and endowments are exercising a greater influence on the process of adding and replacing corporate directors as they are themselves steered to do so by their own board members (pension trustees).

This could eventually put more pressure on the CEOs of publicly listed companies, as more than ever before, many [North American], UK and European Union pension trustees speak enthusiastically about flexing their fiduciary muscles for the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, and other ESG-centric investment practices [17]

Legal empowerment happens when marginalised people or groups use the legal mobilisation i.e., law, legal systems and justice mechanisms to improve or transform their social, political or economic situations. Legal empowerment approaches are interested in understanding how they can use the law to advance interests and priorities of the marginalised.[18]

According to 'Open society foundations' (an NGO) "Legal empowerment is about strengthening the capacity of all people to exercise their rights, either as individuals or as members of a community. Legal empowerment is about grass root justice, about ensuring that law is not confined to books or courtrooms, but rather is available and meaningful to ordinary people.[19]

Lorenzo Cotula in his book ' Legal Empowerment for Local Resource Control ' outlines the fact that legal tools for securing local resource rights are enshrined in legal system, does not necessarily mean that local resource users are in position to use them and benefit from them. The state legal system is constrained by a range of different factors from lack of resources to cultural issues. Among these factors economic, geographic, linguistic and other constraints on access to courts, lack of legal awareness as well as legal assistance tend to be recurrent problems.[20]

In many context, marginalised groups do not trust the legal system owing to the widespread manipulation that it has historically been subjected to by the more powerful. 'To what extent one knows the law, and make it work for themselves with 'para legal tools', is legal empowerment; assisted utilizing innovative approaches like legal literacy and awareness training, broadcasting legal information, conducting participatory legal discourses, supporting local resource user in negotiating with other agencies and stake holders and to strategies combining use of legal processes with advocacy along with media engagement, and socio legal mobilisation.[20]

Sometimes groups are marginalized by society at large, with governments participating in the process of marginalization. Equal opportunity laws which actively oppose such marginalization, are supposed to allow empowerment to occur. These laws made it illegal to restrict access to schools and public places based on race. They can also be seen as a symptom of minorities' and women's empowerment through lobbying.

Gender empowerment conventionally refers to the empowerment of women, which is a significant topic of discussion in regards to development and economics nowadays. It also points to approaches regarding other marginalized genders in a particular political or social context. This approach to empowerment is partly informed by feminism and employed legal empowerment by building on international human rights. Empowerment is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human rights and development. The Human Development and Capabilities Approach, The Millennium Development Goals, and other credible approaches/goals point to empowerment and participation as a necessary step if a country is to overcome the obstacles associated with poverty and development.[21] The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) targets gender equality and women's empowerment for the global development agenda.[22]

According to Thomas A. Potterfield,[23] many organizational theorists and practitioners regard employee empowerment as one of the most important and popular management concepts of our time.

Ciulla discusses an inverse case: that of bogus empowerment.[24]

In the sphere of management and organizational theory, "empowerment" often refers loosely to processes for giving subordinates (or workers generally) greater discretion and resources: distributing control in order to better serve both customers and the interests of employing organizations. It also giving employees the authority to take initiatives, make their own decisions, find and execute solutions. Data from survey research using confirmatory factor analysis, empowerment can be captures through four dimensions, namely meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact; whereas some exploratory factor analysis identifies only three dimensions, namely meaning, competence, and influence (a conflation of self-determination and impact).

One account of the history of workplace empowerment in the United States recalls the clash of management styles in railroad construction in the American West in the mid-19th century, where "traditional" hierarchical East-Coast models of control encountered individualistic pioneer workers, strongly supplemented by methods of efficiency-oriented "worker responsibility" brought to the scene by Chinese laborers. In this case, empowerment at the level of work teams or brigades achieved a notable (but short-lived) demonstrated superiority. See the views of Robert L. Webb.

Since the 1980s and 1990s, empowerment has become a point of interest in management concepts and business administration. In this context, empowerment involves approaches that promise greater participation and integration to the employee in order to cope with their tasks as independently as possible and responsibly can. A strength-based approach known as "empowerment circle" has become an instrument of organizational development. Multidisciplinary empowerment teams aim for the development of quality circles to improve the organizational culture, strengthening the motivation and the skills of employees. The target of subjective job satisfaction of employees is pursued through flat hierarchies, participation in decisions, opening of creative effort, a positive, appreciative team culture, self-evaluation, taking responsibility (for results), more self-determination and constant further learning. The optimal use of existing potential and abilities can supposedly be better reached by satisfied and active workers. Here, knowledge management contributes significantly to implement employee participation as a guiding principle, for example through the creation of communities of practice.[25]

However, it is important to ensure that the individual employee has the skills to meet their allocated responsibilities and that the company's structure sets up the right incentives for employees to reward their taking responsibilities. Otherwise there is a danger of being overwhelmed or even becoming lethargic.[26]

Empowerment of employees requires a culture of trust in the organization and an appropriate information and communication system. The aim of these activities is to save control costs, that become redundant when employees act independently and in a self-motivated fashion. In the book Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute, the authors illustrate three keys that organizations can use to open the knowledge, experience, and motivation power that people already have.[8] The three keys that managers must use to empower their employees are:

According to Stewart, in order to guarantee a successful work environment, managers need to exercise the "right kind of authority" (p.6). To summarize, "empowerment is simply the effective use of a managers authority", and subsequently, it is a productive way to maximize all-around work efficiency.[27]

These keys are hard to put into place and it is a journey to achieve empowerment in the workplace. It is important to train employees and makes sure they have trust in what empowerment will bring to a company.[8]

The implementation of the concept of empowerment in management has also been criticized for failing to live up to its claims.[28]

Empowerment in the study of artificial intelligence is an information-theoretic quantity that measures the perceived capacity of an agent to influence its environment. Empowerment is an approach to modelling intrinsic motivation where advantageous actions are chosen by agent with just knowledge of the structure of the environment, rather than satisfying an externally imposed need as in homeostasis.

Experiments have shown that artificial agents acting to maximise their empowerment, in the absence of a defined goal, exhibit advantageous exploratory behaviour that, in a range of simulated environments, resembles intelligent behaviour in living things.[29]

Marshall McLuhan insisted that the development of electronic media would eventually weaken the hierarchical structures that underpin central governments, large corporation, academia and, more generally, rigid, linear-Cartesian forms of social organization.[30] From that perspective, new, electronic forms of awareness driven by information technology would empower citizen, employees and students by disseminating in near-real-time vast amounts of information once reserved to a small number of experts and specialists. Citizens would be bound to ask for substantially more say in the management of government affairs, production, consumption, and education [30]

World Pensions Council (WPC) economist Nicolas Firzli has argued that rapidly rising cultural tides, notably new forms of online engagement and increased demands for ESG-driven public policies and managerial decisions are transforming the way governments and corporation interact with citizen-consumers in the Age of Empowerment [17]

Continue reading here:

Empowerment - Wikipedia

There is more to plastic surgery than meets the eye just ask award-winning Joburg-based surgeon Dr Brian Monaisa. Monaisa is the founder of Smile Artists Africa, an initiative that raises funds for breast reconstruction surgery for cancer survivors. As one of just 14 black plastic surgeons in South Africa, Monaisa runs Marang Aesthetics Clinic in Krugersdorp, and heads up the plastic surgery department at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. His work, he says, is about restoring hope.

This theme of hope is one that runs throughout Monaisas career, from his days running an HIV clinic at the height of South Africas HIV crisis and working with a large pharmaceutical company to ensure ARV access, to his current portfolio which includes reconstructive hand surgeries for children. There are few things more inspiring than the ability to return function to little children who have been impacted by a disability for so long, and for them to see a new world opening up for them, he says. The same is true for the trauma and cancer patients I work with.

Fear, loss and femininity

Breast cancer ranks in the top five most common cancers for women in South Africa, and is a fear-riddled diagnosis to receive. You fear for your life, and you fear for what will happen to your family if they were to lose you, but you also fear the losses that might come while you are still alive the loss of your breasts and the perceived loss of femininity that accompanies that.

Will I ever have sex again? Will I feel comfortable naked in front of my partner? Am I still a mom to my children if I cant breastfeed them? Monaisa says these are just some of the questions that women grapple with as they come to terms with their diagnosis, and with the possibility of a mastectomy, a life-saving intervention in which the affected breast tissue is removed. It often feels to them like an attack on their femininity and a loss of feminine identity, because breasts are linked to body image, self-esteem and sexuality, he says.

Breast reconstruction, in this sense, can be a reclamation of self and a celebration of life. It can be an act of self-love, and of restoring hope and joy; it can be an act of empowerment, and its a privilege for me to be trusted to walk that road with someone, he says.

Access and affordability still a problem

While strides have been made in cancer diagnosis and treatments, most women still struggle to access reconstructive surgery. The decision to have reconstructive surgery is a personal one, he says, and there are no right or wrong choices; however, many women are stripped of the opportunity to choose, simply because they cannot afford it.

Depending on the type of procedure, it can set a patient back anything from R70 000 to R250 000, and the surgery is not covered by most medical aids. Some women do not have any funds for reconstruction, while others are able to partially fund their surgeries, but not pay the full cost.

This, says Monaisa, is where the Smile Artists Africa initiative comes in: The money raised aims to reduce this burden and help empower female cancer survivors to live life to the fullest.

Art for social good

Monaisa is an avid art collector, and has rallied renowned and rising artists to donate work to be sold in aid of reconstructive breast surgery for cancer survivors who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Im passionate and vocal about my reconstructive work, and a few of my artist friends came to me and asked how they could get involved, and how they could contribute, he explains. Im a problem solver, so I thought about it, and after some deliberation the idea of an art auction came to me.

From humble beginnings the Smile Artists Africa Art Auction has grown into a star-studded extravaganza, and is now one of South Africas most high-profile charity events of the year: Its such a positive opportunity to contribute and to collaborate with so many people from different walks of life, and while it is a glamorous occasion and an exhilarating experience last year we had luxury cars donated for the day and sculptures coming out of the walls we never lose sight of the message. And that message is that ordinary people can join hands to do something amazing, and make a positive impact by doing what they do best.

The funds also go towards raising breast cancer awareness. This is particularly important in the case of triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive type of breast cancer that is increasingly found in young black women, who have historically been considered a lower risk group. Its not enough to just deal with the aftermath of cancer, Monaisa explains. Were not raising enough awareness, were not screening enough, and by the time we detect the cancer it is often quite advanced; this needs to change!

The decision to go under the knife is a very personal one. While vanity may motivate some, few people are striving for magazine-model perfection. Most women see cosmetic enhancements as a way to address long-standing insecurities and gaining a level of confidence that only comes from being comfortable in ones own body.

Often, the surgery aims to address problem areas that have not been responsive to diet, weight loss or non-surgical treatments, says Dr Brian Monaisa, a plastic surgeon who runs Marang Aesthetics on Gautengs West Rand. Around 95% of the patients he sees in his practice are women, and one of his most popular options is the mommy makeover, which focuses on physical aspects affected by pregnancy and motherhood.

Monaisa says this has emphasised to him something that is often overlooked pregnancy and motherhood, childbearing and childrearing, impacts women in ways that go far beyond their physicality. We always think you get pregnant, have babies, breastfeed and then that is it; after a too-short maternity leave you go back to the way things were. But, he says, that is not the case. Adjusting to motherhood and its demands mean less focus on appearance, less time for self-care, and less time (or inclination) to prioritise diet and a fitness routine. These things add up, and can have a lasting effect on self-esteem, self-worth and confidence.

Common requests include liposuction, tummy tucks and breast rejuvenations. His clients partners are often hesitant; they worry about the safety of undergoing elective surgery and are happy with their wives just the way they are. You will hear husbands tell their wives how much they love them, and how they dont need surgery to be attractive, but after surgery, two things happen, he explains. First, the husband still finds his wife incredibly attractive, but more importantly, she feels very attractive, and this changes everything. This new sense of confidence empowers women and can have a monumental impact on their general wellbeing and quality of life.

Marang Aesthetics also employs a number of scientifically proven non-surgical treatments and therapies, such as body contouring and facial and skin rejuvenation. Vaginal rejuvenations are also popular, especially among the women who have had other surgeries. Women come back to me saying they look great, and want to know what I can do to make them feel even better, he says.

There are a number of non-surgical interventions available to enhance sexual pleasure and boost sexual health, he explains: Our main goal is to empower our clients. We want people to feel good, because we believe that when youre confident and happy, the people around you will be happy too. It has a ripple effect, and that is how we spread joy.

And this, he says, is why cosmetic surgery is not just skin deep. People make fun of plastic surgery as a vanity exercise, but I was approached in a restaurant the other day by someone who wanted to tell me that I bring so much joy into so many homes, and thats the truth of it. I help people find comfort and happiness in their bodies, and that happiness seeps into other aspects of their life too.

More:

Plastic surgery can be an act of self-empowerment - Mail and Guardian

Could-have, should-have, would-have stories are particularly painful when they were easily preventable. Then, self-blame hits hard and sets in. As a tax and financial planner, I compulsively wish for anyone to make informed financial decisions leading to their desired future. Yet, regrets are all too common, especially with health and wealth.

TurboTax Live experts look out for you. Expert help your way: get help as you go, or hand your taxes off. You can talk live to tax experts online for unlimited answers and advice OR, have a dedicated tax expert do your taxes for you, so you can be confident in your tax return. Enjoy up to an additional $20 off when you get started with TurboTax Live.

Graphic:Tax and Financial Regrets? 5 CPA Tips to Break the Cycle

For health matters, we intuitively understand what we should do to avoid and remedy problemssuch as self-care and timely checkups. To help us, our brains, finely attuned to our biological wellbeing, give us bio-alerts like thirst or pain. We may not always be disciplined or proactive about health, but we generally know how to care for ourselves. As such, medical regrets are often expressed as: I wish I acted sooner. By contrast, what will get us in trouble with money isnt always clear. The complexity of financial life keeps growing fast, and the rules regularly change.

Investing among the universe of retirement accounts alone can seem as complex as a moon launch. Then, making that money last a lifetime can feel as hazardous as safely landing back on earth. To boot, our complex and often nonsensical tax code is full of traps for the unwary. Its unfair or it doesnt make sense are words tax-preparers often hear. Sadly, the missteps people make generally have good alternativesif only they had been aware of them. Therefore, financial regrets are often expressed as: I wish I had known sooner.

Bio: Jean-Luc Bourdon, CPA, PFS, Wealth Advisor

To make informed decisions, we need to understand the pros and cons of the possibilities available to us. For financial and tax matters, thats rarely obvious and commonly counter-intuitive. Informed decisions shed light on the forks on the road. They replace guessing with intentionality, confidence, and peace of mind. Thats why we cant afford to ignore tax and financial planning. Its not about money as much as its about avoiding setbacks and securely pursuing our desired future.

One of the saddest client meetings Ive witnessed was with a client who had ignored money matters her entire life. She always got by and felt her lack of financial interest was virtuous. But with her health failing and retirement looming, she started learning about her financial planning options. Mostly, this was very late. As she suddenly realized how mindful financial decisions over her life could have dramatically improved her current options, the weight of that realization had her sink low into her chair. Such heavy regrets were heartbreaking to see.

Today, there are more financial resources than ever before, both good and bad. To make informed decisions, the problem is no longer access to information but finding reliable ones.

Scroll to Continue

The next challenge is applying reliable information to our personal circumstances. There always seem to be exceptions that make rules-of-thumbs unreliable. Yet, for those committed to financial self-care, resources exist to make it possible.

To get professional care, the financial planning profession is offering a greater number of well-trained planners than ever before. Once a rarity, financial planners with a college degree in financial planning, or a related field, are now common. A wide range of fee arrangements is increasingly available, such as hourly fees for example.

Tax is always the most pervasive element of financial planning. Its like a parasite feeding on every aspect of financial life. Consequently, many CPAs naturally develop financial planning expertise, sometimes adding the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential which is exclusive to specialized CPAs. Similarly, many financial planners add tax planning expertise, generally with the Enrolled Agent (EA) credential.

Here are 4 things you can do right now:

Regardless of the options, you choose to make more informed tax and financial planning decisions, remember theyll help you avoid regrets. Most importantly, theyll empower you to intentionally choose a desired future. The winds of financial empowerment are constantly blowing.Dont ignore unfurling your sail.

Jean-Lucs articles are not intended as tax, legal or financial advice for any particular individual. Theyre information only. The ideas mentioned may not be right for you.

More Tax Advice From Our Partners at TurboTax.com:

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. The content was reviewed for tax accuracy by a TurboTax CPA expert.

Zachary Faulds contributed to the writing of this article and produced the video and/or the graphics associated with it.

See the rest here:

How to Avoid Tax and Financial Regrets - 5 CPA Tips - TheStreet

Olusegun Samuelin Yenagoa

Eight corps members would start their service year afresh while seven others have theirs extended out of the 1,831 that participated in the 2021 Batch B, Stream 1, service year in Bayelsa State.

They were sanctioned by the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) for misconduct bothering on absenteeism and outright abandonment of their one year compulsory national assignment.

Speaking at the passing out parade, the Bayelsa State Government reassured the NYSC of its continued support for the scheme to achieve its set objectives in the state.

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Douye Diri, gave the assurance during the passing out parade ceremony of the 2021 Batch B, Stream 1 corps members held at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Governor Diri, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, pledged commitment to improved welfare and security of corps members posted to the state for the mandatory one-year service.

He said that Bayelsa ranked among the best in terms of monthly remuneration and other welfare packages for youth corps members because of the importance the state government accorded to the national civic duty.

He also described the scheme as the shining light of the nation, which boasted of highly educated and patriotic youths, adding that the NYSC represented the countrys hope for a united, peaceful and egalitarian society.

He charged the corps members to remain diligent and patriotic, and to avoid actions that would bring shame to themselves, their families and the NYSC scheme.

According to the governor, Bayelsa is home to all Nigerians, and therefore, encouraged the corps members who had just completed their national service to stay back in the state to pursue their personal and legitimate goals.

He charged them to make best use of the vocational skills they acquired during their service year and be good ambassadors of Bayelsa State wherever they go.

Our government will accord the NYSC scheme all the necessary support it needs to achieve the objectives of the scheme while giving our commitment to the improved welfare and security of corps members still in service. As you get set to be demobilised from service, I charge you to remain diligent and patriotic. Avoid any action that will bring shame to your families and the NYSC.

Let me assure those of you that wish to stay back in the state that Bayelsa State will continue to be a home for you all. For those of you that will return to your states of residence, I charge you to be good ambassadors of Bayelsa State. Tell your people the good stories of this state that had become your home in the past one year and whenever you have opportunity of giving back, dont forget Bayelsa State, he said.

Follow this link:

Tambuwal: Only NYSC Member with Skills ll Benefit from Empowerment Funds - THISDAY Newspapers

by Sarah Anne Rennick

What are the various consequences on a young persons life trajectory when she or he comes into adulthood in a context of conflict? What happens to anticipated plans for the future education, marriage, first employment when they are profoundly disrupted by the eruption of conflict, and what types of coping mechanisms and strategies are adopted by youth in the face of such disruptions? And how does the transition into adulthood in a fluid normative context where violence can be abundant, gender traditional roles can be upended, and trauma widespread shape individual political values and beliefs as well as social relations with the community and within the family?

In exploring how youth navigate their own lives and construct themselves when the transition to adulthood occurs in a context of conflict, evidence shows that conflict acts as both an opportunity and a constraint to youth in terms of livelihood opportunities, pathways for wellbeing, experiences of political inclusion, and feelings of empowerment and disempowerment. At the same time, though, youth trajectories during contexts of conflict are neither linear nor strictly dependent on the structure of available opportunities. Indeed, how youth make decisions with regards to their own lives, and the factors that influence their decision-making, demonstrate complex processes involving specific contextual factors, the configuration of social relations, and positionality within conflict dynamics, among others. In this sense, youth trajectories in contexts of conflict are both highly diverse and often unexpected but also, critically, can shift repeatedly. Unpacking this complexity is of critical importance, though, if we are to grasp the multiple and even contradictory ways in which conflict impacts the trajectories of young adults. It also critical to understanding the broader implications at the societal level in terms of future patterns of political participation, beliefs, and attitudes as well social and gender relations within and between communities and generations.

From 2020-2021, the Arab Reform Initiative undertook a broad research program to investigate the personal trajectories of youth in conflict, focusing on those who have come into adulthood since 2011 in Libya, Iraq, and Syria. This research, based on 75 qualitative semi-structured interviews in each country and, where possible, focus group discussions, has investigated the perceptions and decision-making processes of youth and broader-term implications in political, economic, social, and personal terms. More precisely, this research investigated youth trajectories and broader social and political implications through analysis at three distinct levels. At the micro-level, the research investigated the personal narratives of youth and how they view the impact of the conflict in terms of personal self-construction. This included investigating their decision-making matrices and aspirations, the coping strategies they have found, as well as how they have felt empowered/disempowered in the context of conflict. At the meso-level, the research explored the contextual factors mediating youths decision-making and their margins of maneuver, including war and peacebuilding economies, existing programming and external aid for youth, shifting power structures and social hierarchies, and normative fluctuations, conducting intersectional analysis to understand how different social positions (ethnicity, religion, gender, class, etc.) shape different narratives and strategies. Finally, at the meta-level, the research sought to assess the diverse political and peacebuilding content with regards to youth values, agency, and forms of engagement, focusing in particular on youth meaningful political participation, everyday practices of peacebuilding, and the establishment of gender equality if and where it occurred.

The study presented here relays the outcomes of the research undertaken with Iraqi youth, where field interviews took place in 2020 in the cities of Mosul and Basra, sites where different types of conflict have occurred, ranging from the violent conflict with ISIS to the transformative social conflict of the Tishreen protest movement. In taking stock of these in-depth and highly personal interviews, this study contributes new knowledge and insights regarding how the transition to adulthood under conflict has impacted the acquisition of experiences and skills, needs and aspirations, and changes in perceptions and perspectives of Iraqi youth. The research presented here thus explores how youth narrate their personal trajectories and the impact of events on their own lives, but also how they understand the countrys political evolution and the nature of the conflict itself. The study explores what factors (moral, ideological, political, social, economic, personal, or other) motivate or drive their decisions, how they perceive of opportunities and constraints for their own pathways, and how they find or create opportunities for themselves. The study also investigates how gender norms and gender performative roles been transformed as a result of the conflicts and the impact of these changes in their own social relations and aspirations for the future. Finally, the study sheds light on Iraqi youths personal attitudes towards violence and non-violence, what concepts such as peace, justice, and reconciliation actually mean to them and what they look like in practice, and the extent to which youth perceive of agency in their own lives and the roles they seek to play in renewing the political order and social contract of Iraq.

In exploring these variety of themes, this study also has crucial policy relevance. Youth face particular forms of precarity that render them among the most vulnerable population groups in the transition out of conflict and reconstruction phase, yet at the same time they are a key demographic in sustaining stability and peace and in leading broader conflict transformation processes. Despite this, youth as a particular population subset are often under-investigated, and under-serviced by policy-makers and external stakeholders implementing programming for conflict relief and post-conflict recovery. Much attention is paid to children (meaning those in adolescence or younger), given the rights-based approaches that have been adopted in the global arena and the existence of large-scale policy frameworks and organizations that care for them such as UNICEF. At the same time, transition process in post-conflict contexts are often dominated by adult gatekeepers (such as regional elites, village elders, etc.) that limit youth participation, in particular in political processes. As a result, youth can find themselves doubly excluded. Just as importantly, discursive notions of youth in contexts of conflict are often understood within ideological frames and definitions that push forward certain lines of programming that can be detached from their actual lived experiences, needs, and understandings. The dominant discourses surrounding youth in contexts of conflict tend to focus on youth as development investments, or as threats to security, or as agents of change. Such discourses largely guide the types of interventions made by external actors seeking to mitigate conflict or promote peacebuilding. Yet, such interventions and vocabularies can be tinged with paternalistic attitudes and the imposition of social and cultural norms and expectations that are disconnected from how youth themselves view their lives, their interpretations of their context, and their ambitions for themselves and their communities.

In publishing this study, the Arab Reform Initiative is contributing new knowledge on Iraqi youth in the context of the post-ISIS conflict and current Tishreen uprising, taking as its point of departure how youth themselves narrate and navigate their trajectories, choices, aspirations, and interpretations and the heterogeneity of youth lived experience. In turn, this ground-up, evidence-based research can be utilized to adapt policies, programs, and responses designed for, with, and by youth to ensure that they account for the diverse realities of Iraqi youth today, and to ensure that they are not left behind in the post-conflict period.

The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.

Read more:

Iraqi Youth in Contexts of Conflict: Fragmentation, Divergent Strategies, and the Impossi-bility of Inclusion -

The spiking cost of living impacts people with disabilities equally as much as people without, creating a need to seek supplemental income.

Despite this need, people with disabilities experience higher unemployment rates and face barriers to employment which contribute to a significant discrepancy in employment for people with disabilities when compared to those without.

According to the Bureau of Labor, in 2021, 11.9% of all people surveyed had a disability, half were over the age of 65, but only 19.1% of the people with disabilities surveyed were employed. The unemployment rate of people with disabilities seeking work was twice that of individuals without disabilities.

There are many Michigan agencies with work programs to assist individuals with disabilities. However, these agencies are not immune to the staff shortages that plague every industry in todays economy, often causing minimal assistance and delays in aiding people with disabilities seeking employment. Disability Network strives to bridge the gap in employment for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are often qualified to fill employment positions, yet face barriers to joining the work force, from the initial job-seeking stage through the application and hiring process and continuing throughout the employment period.

Disability Network created a program called Job Club in response to these barriers. Job Club is designed to assist individuals with disabilities who are contemplating employment or preparing to begin new employment. The program is divided into two series which focuses on career assessments, accommodations, skills, applications, mock interviews, resume and cover letters, self-employment and social security benefits planning.

The creation of Job Club has provided an interesting perspective on themodern trends ofobstacles whichprovide challenges in obtaining employment for people with disabilities. One obstacle isrelaying work history and relevant experience on applications and resumes. Gaps in employment or late admission to the workforce are common with disability and can be difficult to explain on a resume.

One Job Club participant needed a lengthy break from paid employment to provide care for her ailing mother for many years. Eventually, the time came to rejoin the work force, but she was concerned about the 10-year gap in her work history. She joined the two series of Job Club to assist her in preparing for employment to create a resume and complete applications in applying her education and experience despite the break in employment history.

Job Club helped her to realize that her volunteer work during the break and the direct caregiving duties she provided for her mother were all relevant experiences that the right employers would be interested in. Furthermore, she disregarded her nursing degree received over 20 years ago because she hadnt worked in the nursing field. Job Club taught her that this was still appropriate to list on her resume and applications. After this individual completes the two segments of Job Club, she will work with Disability Network staff on finding employment.

Another obstacle that many people face in seeking employment when they have a disability is a lack of confidence in presenting employable skills and presenting themselves confidently in an interview. Job Club helps individuals to understand their skills and abilities and how these are valuable in employment settings, allowing participants to become more confident in discussing these with potential employers. One common example is skills with computers, programming and technology. But because these skills are often developed outside of work experience, many individuals overlook this as a skill that employers might find valuable.

A second Job Club participant worked at a large agency as a COVID tester. The position was this individuals first job and he had no further experience in competitive employment. As the COVID rates improved in his county, he was informed that his services as COVID tester would be unlikely to continue much longer. He joined Job Club to assist him in entering competitive employment so that he could look for new work.

Before beginning Job Club, he reported having no employable skills and lacked confidence in his ability to hold any other work. After completing Job Club, he learned that his skills in customer service and volunteer work running another program the agency offered were skills that he could report on applications and resumes. This encouraged him to speak with his employer and the human resources department to inform them he was looking for new work, but wanted to advocate for the creation of another position within the agency because he enjoyed working for them.

He reminded them of his skills, that he had never missed a day of work, that he completed all the work he had been trained to do pursuant to his job description and then took on many additional duties as was asked of him. As a result of his self-advocacy, the agency created a new position to keep him employed with the agency. He would like to continue working with Disability Network to learn more about self-employment to fulfill his life dream of owning and running his own store.

Disability Network encourages employers to remember that people with disabilities are employable, and to be as open to accommodations in the application and interviewing process as you would be during employment. If you need any assistance or are interested in learning more, please visit disabilitynetwork.org.

Alanna Lahey is the associate director for Disability Network of Northern Michigan in Traverse City.Disability Network Northern Michigan is the first stop for people with disabilities and their families in northern Michigan with a mission to promote personal empowerment and positive social change for people with disabilities.

comments

The rest is here:

Job Club: Creating independence in employment for people with disabilities - Traverse City Business News

Nearly a year after Tina Tchen resigned amid controversy from heading a national charity aimed at fighting sexual harassment, the Obama Foundation on Wednesday announced it has tapped the longtime Chicago attorney to serve in a new leadership role.

Tchen will lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of the foundations strategy, as well as working with alumni from President Barack Obamas White House and a program that seeks to empower adolescent girls around the world, according to a foundation release.

After advising the foundation informally for months, Tchen, beginning Monday, will be its executive vice president and chief strategy and impact officer, according to a foundation spokeswoman. In the release, Tchen said she was honored to join the Obama Foundation as we work to realize the legacy of President and Mrs. Obama, to inspire, empower, and connect those working for change around the world.

The move to hire Tchen follows local and national controversies, most notably her role advising disgraced New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo during a #MeToo scandal that ultimately led to her resignation as president and CEO of the nonprofit Times Up.

Tchen was criticized following reports that Cuomo and his aides sought her advice on how to handle a growing harassment scandal while she simultaneously led the nonprofit, which was founded to help those who have been sexually harassed or assaulted.

Tchen at first apologized and said she was used as cover and that she only got involved because she thought Cuomos office was interested in doing the right thing for women.

She later resigned from Times Up at the end of August 2021, saying she wanted to end battles between women and activists involved in the #MeToo movement who should be working together to fight for change.

Tchen also faced criticism from some Chicago-area #MeToo advocates for endorsing Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle when she ran for Chicago mayor in 2019. Preckwinkle faced scrutiny over her handling of sexual assault accusations against her former chief of staff. The Tribune revealed Preckwinkle knew about an alleged assault for six months before firing that staffer one day before launching her mayoral bid. Tchen said the endorsement was made in her personal capacity, not as the head of Times Up.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

Tchen worked in the White House for all eight years of Obamas administration, first as director of the Office of Public Engagement and then as chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama. While there, she also was executive director of the Council on Women and Girls, a program designed to ensure that federal programs addressed gender inequalities in wages, work and health. That work has continued under the foundation as an adolescent empowerment program called Girls Opportunity Alliance.

Asked why Tchen was tasked with this program given the controversies, Obama Foundation spokesperson Courtney Williams said, Tina has spent a career fighting for positive change for women. Her lifes work has been geared toward making workplaces fair and equitable and safer for women.

Daily

Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon.

Fellow Obama White House alum Valerie Jarrett, the foundations CEO, described Tchen in Wednesdays release as an accomplished lawyer, an advocate for gender equality, and a longtime adviser to the Obamas and the foundation. Her commitment to creating the next generation of leaders coupled with her vast experience as a national changemaker will help drive the impact of our work.

Tchen also made news for her involvement in the Jussie Smollett scandal. Early in the investigation involving Smollett, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx withdrew from overseeing the prosecution, revealing shed had contact with a member of Smolletts family at the request of Tchen. In correspondence provided to the Tribune, Tchen said that she was acting on behalf of Smollett and his family. A relative later exchanged texts with Foxx.

After leaving the White House but before working for Times Up, Tchen headed the Chicago office of the Buckley law firm, where she founded a practice advising companies on corporate culture, according to the foundation release.

According to an American Bar Association biography, Tchen helped author a 1983 bill in the Illinois General Assembly that helped modernize Illinois rape laws to include sexual assault and other abuses and worked on the National Organization for Womens campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Illinois.

Her legal career began at Kirkland & Ellis. She went on to clerk for District Court Judge John F. Grady and work for two decades at the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom before joining the White House.

aquig@chicagotribune.com

ayin@chicagotribune.com

Read this article:

Obama Foundation taps Tina Tchen for new role, a year after she resigned from Time's Up following Gov. Andrew Cuomo scandal - Chicago Tribune

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is in the process of completing the formalities of his departure from the Rajya Sabha and the Union Cabinet, including vacating his official residence. The exit of one of the BJPs most prominent minority faces for the last two decades means the party has no Muslim minister at the Centre nor a Muslim MP now.

Naqvi, who has been in the Rajya Sabha since 2002 and is a one-term Lok Sabha MP, says he would rather not dwell on the speculation of him being picked as the NDA vice-presidential candidate. Nor would he be disappointed if the Narendra Modi government didnt choose him. As per many senior leaders in the BJP, at 63, Naqvi is too young to be considered for the post.

To those who see his long career in the BJP as tokenism, which has also come to an end now, Naqvi counters that filling up posts for the sake of symbolism was not a guarantee of secularism and development. Excerpts:

What, according to you, is your biggest contribution towards minorities, especially Muslims? And what do see as the highest and lowest points of your career?

The highest point to me was Prime Minister Modi asking me to take over the sensitive and crucial Minority Affairs Ministry at a time when there was a perception that Modiji would not do anything for the minority Muslims. But this government has proved that development can be done without discrimination, and I have fulfilled that commitment with his support. Even opponents cannot allege that we have discriminated against Muslims on development.

During my term, around 5.5 crore minority scholarships were distributed, which then resulted in reducing dropouts, especially among minority girls, from 73% to 32%. I am confident that it will soon reach zero. I set up Hunar Haats that gave a platform to artisans and craftsmen from minority communities to market and sell their products. Today there are 41 Hunar Haats there across the country and more than 10 lakh artisans got employment through these. More than three lakh have enrolled for them, and can set up stalls free of cost. They are also benefiting from government e-marketing places.

My role as Parliamentary Affairs Minister (in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and the Modi government) was also challenging. In the Rajya Sabha (Naqvi was the Deputy Leader of the House), the BJP was in a minority, but with coordination and communication, we could get all the Bills passed. I managed to have cordial relations with other party leaders.

As far as the lowest point is concerned, I think there are always challenges and we have to handle them carefully and effectively. There are attacks and expectations from all sides and I always tried to have faith in what I do.

Did the association with the BJP also lead to criticism against you in your personal life?

Its always there. As far as I am concerned, I have always tried to do things properly and as advised. Ahead of the Babri Masjid verdict, I called around a hundred people to my residence. The instruction and appeal to them was that no one should overreact. Na jeet ka jashn, na haar ka hahakar (Neither will we celebrate if the verdict is in our favour, nor create an uproar if it isnt) this was the appeal. That really helped. I feel happy about it. See, there is a perception about the BJP that it will not get Muslim support. But see the Rampur (bypoll) result. I was given the responsibility of that constituency which has more than 55% Muslims, and it was a BJP vs SP fight. Still, the BJP won. (Rampur is considered the bastion of SP leader Azam Khan; the BJP fielded an old aide of his in the recent by-election).

Did you know that you would not be given a fourth term in the Rajya Sabha by the party?

I knew that. I am satisfied with the work I have done. The Prime Ministers trust in me and his support makes me happy. As far as new responsibilities are concerned, I think its just an issue of your feelings about what you do. I always feel my responsibility is to work for the people, especially for the downtrodden.

Were you asked to contest the Rampur bypoll (Naqvi won his only Lok Sabha election from the seat, back in 1998)?

Yes, there were some discussions initially. I told the party I would do whatever it wanted me to.

You have been the minority face of the BJP at the Centre for long. How do you see this situation where the party no longer has a Muslim face in Parliament or Union Ministry?

I think people who are in the Cabinet are sensitive about development and empowerment of all weaker sections. I do not think symbolism is a guarantee of secularism and development.

Do you think the BJP should have one Muslim face? And should the post of vice-president of India be given as a tokenism?

I have never expected any particular position for myself in my public life. Whatever is given to me I have fulfilled to my best effort.

You worked with an NDA government under Vajpayee and now Modi. Has the BJP changed over the years?

I started in the BJP in the 1980s and had different roles as a youth wing leader, general secretary, vice-president and then minister. There is not much difference in the BJP. In the name of secularism, some have exploited minorities. Modiji has not exploited minorities in the name of secularism, but he has empowered them.

How do you see the recent controversies regarding the statement made by BJP leader Nupur Sharma against the Prophet, her suspension, the Udaipur killing as a fallout, and the reactions to it?

The BJP took the right stand at the proper time against (Sharmas) remark. But the way radical organisations like Al-Qaeda reacted to it (threatening attacks) is not acceptable. Such threats are unacceptable in any democracy. And the Udaipur killing (where a tailor was killed for supporting Sharma) is absolutely condemnable.

Why do you think Muslims dont vote for the BJP? Do others in the party share your view?

Its not like that. It depends on the capability of a candidate. The party chooses candidates based on winnability. The BJP does not believe in ticket tokenism. What you need is efforts to empower and help them. The previous governments brought out reports, but what did they do for minorities? The BJP has been holding progressive panchayats in Muslim-dominated areas to convey the message that our government is for everyone.

Continued here:

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: Modi Cabinet sensitive about all weaker sections, symbolism no guarantee of secularism - The Indian Express

CHICAGO, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransUnion (: TRU) announced today a partnership to make data from Epsilon, a global advertising and marketing technology company, available via the TruAudience Data Marketplace.

The relationship marks one of the largest audience targeting partnerships across Connected TV, smart speakers and gaming consoles. Brands and agencies can now access audience insights from Epsilons top-ranked consumer database of 250 million U.S. consumers mapped across TransUnions household identity graph covering more than 80 million U.S. connected homes. Through this partnership, brands and agencies can create custom audiences based on thousands of attributes, thereby allowing them to reach each person with personalized messages across channels.

Approximately 80% of OTT viewing time occurs on home-based devices like connected TVsi and 100 million Americans own at least one smart speakerii, neither of which generate cookies and often do not have device IDs.

TransUnions patented method combines many digital signals and identifiers from these connected devices as well as personal devices to create a view of each connected household. This makes the audience-verified integration of Epsilon data into the TruAudience Data Marketplace ID-agnostic and able to withstand the deprecation of cookies and other identifiers across streaming media.

"As mobile IDs and cookies continue to deprecate, having the ability to leverage audiences from Epsilon in an ID-agnostic way across our leading activation partners will enable greater scale and reach, said Michelle Swanston, VP of Media and Entertainment and Head of Data Marketplace at TransUnion. This relationship will help meet the ever-increasing demand for advanced audience targeting across streaming media.

The TruAudience Data Marketplace is a privacy-conscious, end-to-end solution for executing high-fidelity streaming and omnichannel campaigns with consistency and scale. The marketplace is the most leveraged audience targeting solution across leading streaming publishers, demand-side platforms (DSPs) and supply-side platforms (SSPs). Clients can create custom audiences and reach consumers with the right message across multiple channels.

Epsilon has developed the most complete set of transactional data assets to be used across all marketing channels. Epsilon also hosts one of the largest cooperative transactional database in the U.S. with more than 3,000 contributing brands in key B2C and B2B categories. Epsilon data covers demographics, lifestyles, financials, market indicators, healthcare, automotive, propensity models/market trends, and opted-in survey data.

"Marketers must have data thats protected, relevant and actionable. Most importantly, it has to be connectable across devices and channels, said Kyle Antoian, Managing Director of Data at Epsilon. Our partnership with TransUnion gives marketers the ability to tap into high-fidelity audiences and reach people across connected TV and streaming audio in the moments they are most receptive.

About TransUnion (:TRU)TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good. A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

About TruAudience by TransUnionPowered by a three-dimensional view of people, households and devices, TruAudience solutions provide scalable identity to enable audience targeting and consumer engagement across offline, digital and streaming environments. To learn more visit: http://www.truaudience.com

About EpsilonEpsilon is a global advertising and marketing technology company positioned at the center of Publicis Groupe. We connect advertisers with consumers to drive performance while respecting and protecting consumer privacy and client data. Epsilon accelerates clients ability to harness the power of their first-party data in order to enhance, activate and measure campaigns with confidence. We believe in an open, privacy-first advertising ecosystem. Over decades, weve built the industrys most comprehensive identity graph to give brands, agencies and publishers the ability to reach real consumers across all channels and the open web. For more information, visit epsilon.com.

David BlumbergTransUnion312-972-6646[emailprotected]

i Convivas State of Streaming Q4 2021, Conviva, 2021

ii Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2022

Go here to read the rest:

TransUnion and Epsilon Collaborate to Bring ID-Agnostic Audiences to Connected TV and Streaming Audio Campaigns - GuruFocus.com

Do you recall the screenshot of a PowerPoint slide titled Who led your digital transformation? which made rounds on social media as lockdowns intensified and virtual meetings and remote work became our reality?

Under the title were three options:

A. CEO

B. CIO

C. Covid-19

C was circled, in essence implying that for some businesses, it was only once the crisis began and trade became virtual that some companies started to make some of the required changes necessary to optimally function in a digital era.

The vast majority of the worlds political leaders responded to the pandemic in a shocking and disappointing way, leaving their people with little or no trust in them. I am of the opinion that leaders in the private sector should not be spared from accountability either.

It has been 33 years since the origination of the term VUCA: an acronym first used in 1987 and based on the leadership theories of Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.

If you are in the private sector anywhere in the world, especially in a leadership function or responsible for the lions share of the decisions about the parameters that define how your organisation operates, you should be familiar with the term. Although the VUCA concept is over three decades old, it gained popularity in recent years when conversations around technology, digitalisation and the New World of Work began to take centre stage in business. According to the VUCA world, the essence and framework of the VUCA concept takes a fresh approach to management and leadership to guarantee positive results under changed circumstances.

In a VUCA world, leaders are challenged to find their own way. They will need to understand the psycho-logic of (and develop empathic behaviour for) humans and their needs. From this premise, meaning and purpose take a central role in business activities, and the willingness to engage in genuine cooperation and take on clear responsibilities are a basic prerequisite for innovation. This requires freedom, creativity, speed, flexibility and a corporate culture that connects people with the organisation.

Having entered the first Half (H1) of 2022 with yet more UNCERTAINTY was enough to push even the strongest to their limits, providing greater evidence as to why human-centric workplaces have an advantage and continue to enjoy better returns over those that are still stuck on a capitalist approach and profits at the expense of their people.

As a Strategist and a Leadership and Entrepreneurship Development professional, my focus throughout the pandemic has been on finding practical ways to alleviate the burden on leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa. I do this by equipping them with the necessary tools, skills and exposure to be the type of leader their people need, especially at times like these. There are many other unprecedented times to come this is a VUCA world brace yourself, more crises are underway.

At SAWIL we focus primarily on women, but we do cater to and accommodate men. In my upcoming book You Survived, Now What, I explore various leadership traits and their impact on the bottom line. There are several variants of the leadership debate, based essentially on the traits and characteristics of a leader. One observer associates it with different phases: the first phase refers to the traits of a leader, the second to styles of leadership, the third to a contingency approach, which distinguishes between people-oriented and task-oriented leaders. Studies have also been conducted on charismatic and transformational leadership, and the success of many female politicians in managing the Covid-19 pandemic has started a gender-based leadership debate.

At both the organisations that I lead, greater focus has been placed on solutions that will drive conscientious leadership. Women have demonstrated throughout the pandemic that indeed, not only are we capable, but we are what the world needs now from a leadership perspective. This is not to say that men cannot learn and use the same skills in fact, we encourage men to dig deeper and find meaningful and impactful ways to lead. However, for the purpose of this deliberation, I will focus on our efforts at SAWIL.

Let me start by sharing some of the milestones from the first half of 2022:

The SAWIL Journal:

Leadership Training and Development:

Global Board Training and Placements:

Networking, Masterclasses and Golf:

SAWIL Leadership Team Highlights:

We began the year by bidding a bitter-sweet goodbye to Dr Tebogo Mashifana (my first CEO since the foundation of SAWIL), who accepted a senior role with the University of Johannesburg as Head of Department: Chemical Engineering. Mashifana, who was also a Top 10 SAWL Trailblazer in 2020, continues to blaze new trails. She recently obtained her first Board Seat when she was appointed Editorial Board Member with the Chemical Engineering Journal. Has also been appointed as an Accreditation Assessor with the Engineering Council of South Africa. She is a Rising Star Awards Semi-Finalist Most Talented Young Professional Under 40. To name but a few!

Marie-Rose Daya, SAWIL Cameroon Head and Francophone Regional Director, is the General Manager; Customer Experience & Service at MTN Cameroon, where she was appointed by the CEO as Vice-President for their Women Development Programme, which now has 180 MTN women since its inception in March 2021. SAWIL Cameroon continues to boast the second-highest number of members after our home country, South Africa.

Nollie Maoto, a 2020 SAWIL Trailblazer Top 10 winner, was appointed to head up South Africa, then promoted to Interim CEO, succeeding Mashifana. Maoto recently made waves when she was promoted from Executive Head of Business Intelligence, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring at First National Bank South Africa to Chief Data and Analytics Officer. She was also recently recognised as a 2022 Global Top 100 Innovators in Data and Analytics Leader by Corinium Global, made the Global Data Power Women 2022 list and was named the CDO Ambassador for South Africa by MIT CDOIQ Program, CDO Magazine, and the International Society of Chief Data Officers (isCDO), and she is also a finalist in the inaugural Data Analytics Leader of the Year awards for South Africa.

Ncumisa Hlapo, whos first interaction with SAWIL was at the Inaugural SAWIL Trailblazers Awards in 2020, was at the beginning of the year appointed as the acting South Africa Head for SAWIL, succeeding Nollie Maoto. She continues to blaze trails as a Data Analytics professional. Hlapo has enjoyed an illustrious 12 months of career growth since her first leadership role as a Senior Specialist Business Intelligence Lead with Medscheme in 2021. She is a renowned speaker in the Data Analytics space, where she has graced and shared stages with experienced captains of industry.

Dr Malebogo Bakwena, a Top 10 SAWIL Trailblazer 2021, was recently appointed as the SAWIL Country Head for Botswana. She is the Head of Department at the University of Botswana, as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Competition and Consumer Authority, among others.

We continue to amass greater support from our community of trailblazers. The likes of Mapule Bodibe, MTN SAs Chief Consumer Officer, who has afforded various members of our community opportunities in their private capacity. Gwendoline Abunaw, MD of Ecobank Cameroon and CEMAC Cluster Head, who graciously supported our Lean-In-Circle on Authentic Leadership. Patricia Pedhom Nono, Transformation and Technology at PWC Francophone, was a trailblazer highlight during our nominations run in May 2022, where she shared pearls of wisdom with our community.

Finally, our partnership with the Mail & Guardian, made possible by my champion and a member of my advisory board, Janine Hills, is certainly a highlight worth noting (wink!)

These are only a few of the highlights that immediately come to mind and can be shared without jeopardising our own privacy and that of our members and community at large.

The object of sharing this is to showcase what women can achieve when given the opportunity to grow. Africa does not lack talent: what we lack are leaders who are passionate and intentional about diversity, inclusion, and the gender equality agenda. We have shared at length and demonstrated in our capacity as SAWIL and through other research bodies that companies that prioritise diversity and inclusion achieve better results than those that do not. In a country such as South Africa where 96.6%of all CEOs on the JSE are male, 87.2% of CFOs are male, and 91% of executive directors are male, its evident that very little is being done about the status quo. How can we prosper as a country when the minority of the minority are the majority decision makers?

My advice and plea to corporates is for them to stop with the excuses and start putting meaningful strategies in place to address the leadership transformation gap in our country.

In closing, I will share this extract with you from a dear brother and fellow African champion on all things progressive and beneficial to our beloved continent, by NJ Ayuk:

I lived, studied and worked in the United States and one thing that stood out to me was this: The American sense of optimism and a belief that women can lead. Even now, during these troubled days, that mindset is still there. Living in America offers unique opportunities. People can start with very little, work hard and make a better life for themselves, their children and the generations that follow.

Achieving those things the American Dream doesnt happen for everyone. But it does happen enough to make it more than a myth or fantasy. In May 2020, aNew York Timesarticle assured readers of that very fact, noting that 86% of Americans raised in low-income brackets now earn more than their parents did. Capitalism isnt broken, the editorial states. Hard work does pay off. Workers do enjoy the fruits of their labor.

I saw it with my own eyes. So, can Africans aspire to the same things? Can African women dream big dreams like their American counterparts breaking the glass ceiling orBreaking the Gas Ceiling,as author Rebecca Ponton calls it in the title of her book? Can we achieve an equally powerful African dream that includes or is led by women? A dream of stability and prosperity? My answer is a resounding YES.

After all, Africa has plenty of unique strengths and resources, from our talented young people to the oil in the ground. The African Dream is within our reach if women take charge and lead it.African men certainly need to adjust our thinking.So, what is holding us back? Ourselves.

If we want to see widespread change for the better, we need to stop dwelling on our obstacles or blaming people, governments or circumstances for our difficulties.

If we want to make things better, then we need to be the ones to make it happen. We need to find unique solutions for our unique challenges and work as long and hard as necessary to make our strategies successful. Essentially, we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. We need to let women lead the way. Seriously, men need to step back a little. Ive shared those ideas in the past, and people dont like them.

They tell me Im failing to consider Africas history of colonisation and oppression. They tell me I dont understand the corrupt government systems we have in Africa put in place by the colonial powers. They say poverty, lack of infrastructure and dangers are everyday realities for many. You cant just say, Women cannot take on these challenges and fix them. Women are not ready to deal with this.

My response to that is, Im not for a minute diminishing Africas painful history or dismissing the problems the continent faces today. I just wonder, how long are we going to use our hardships as excuses not to move forward? Women can lead us out of this mess, so why stand in the way? Because, if we can agree we want more and commit to doing the really hard work that it takes to get it, we can make transformational changes in Africa.

SAWIL is a vehicle for women leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals in Africa seeking to advance their careers through leadership training, executive coaching, entrepreneurship training, masterclasses, board training, mentorship and networking. With the sole objective of transforming and diversifying leadership composition, particularly in the private sector, our ultimate goal is to bring a more strategic approach towards womens development and empowerment.

What we offer

We aim to be a leading world-class example of what women can accomplish when given equal opportunities to lead!

Executive Coaching

Training and guidance by experienced professionals aimed at helping you excel.

Networking

By accessing our community of SAWIL members, you can share ideas, insights and opportunities.

Business Matching

Connecting businesses with mutual interests for business development, partnership and other opportunities.

Personal Branding

Opportunities for you to build your personal and professional brand.

Board Training

Knowledge and skills needed for you to effectively carry out your role as a board member.

Brand Exposure

Providing exposure opportunities for your brand across all our platforms.

Access to Talent

Access to the top women talent on the continent for all your recruitment and placement needs.

Chapter Launch

Visit http://www.sawil.africa to register for the much-anticipated SAWIL Flagship Chapter launch to be held at the JSE, with Professor Bonang Mohale doing the keynote address.

Promotion:

A ticket to this event or a membership subscription gives you a complimentary three-month subscription to the Mail & Guardian. Already an M&G subscriber? Dont worry well freeze your subscription for three months.

Seipati Mokhuoa is Founder and Executive Chairperson of SAWIL

See the rest here:

Economies thrive when men champion diversity, inclusion and gender equality and women lift as they rise - Mail and Guardian

Over the last five years, London has emerged as one of the worlds leading hubs for impact tech, and ... [+] VC investment into Londons purpose-driven companies has been growing rapidly.

Londons Social Entrepreneurs are blazing a path with innovative new impact tech. For Part One of this interview click here.

Another social entrepreneur, Alex Stephany from Beam agrees with the thesis of community self-empowerment. Beamis the world's first crowdfunding platform for homeless people a truly innovative solution.

I started Beam because I feltpowerless: how could I make areal difference to people affected by homelessness? With Beam, I and over ten thousand other peopleare able to virtually 'meet' people affected by homelessness on our websitebeam.organd can fund the specific financial barriers they face.We're trying to create an amazing donor experience interms of transparency and efficiency: you can see exactly where your donation goes via transparent budgets, share the journey of each person you support through email updates, and have the peace of mind thatevery single penny goes towards lifting someone out of homelessness for good.

Alex Stephany, Founder of Beam

Another terrific new technology platform that is helping Londoners feel safe and supported is Safe and the City, a personal safety navigation app.

Jillian Kowalchuk, the Founder shared more. Safe & the City is a free mobile application available in all UK cities and Berlin, Germany. The app looks and feels similar to other navigation apps, but there are a few distinct features. Straight away, youll see your position on the map, a red SOS button to reach Emergency services and a Report button. You can enter your destination and youll receive walking or public transit directions.

As you take the journey, Safe & the City scans millions of data sources to inform you on whether youre heading into a dangerous situation or a crime hotspot. We provide in-app notifications along your journey with safety tips to keep you aware and how to protect yourself. When you finish your journey, you can score it to help improve the safety of these spaces, such as street lighting. When you Reportan incident, like catcalling/commenting, it stays anonymous unless you choose to share it with friends. We keep the app free for people by working with organisations, such as the police, mobility operators, technology companies, local businesses and cities, to improve the safety of the people in their spaces.

Jillian Kowalchuk, the Founder of Safe & the City

Its a brilliant idea and one that should be available in all cities worldwide. I asked her about the response to the app so far. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. People generally are surprised an app like this hasnt existed until now, especially focusing on addressing normalized forms of abuse in public spaces, such as street harassment. Were constantly getting requests for our app to expand to more cities worldwide.

Safe & The City Map

Finally, I caught up with May Al Karooni, Founder and CEO of Globechain which is leading anew market in reuse for enterprises in retail, construction, and hospitality, to reduce global waste and generate social, economic and environmental data on the impact. She shared how her journey started.

I was working for an investment bank and we moved offices across the road. I found out we were disposing of perfectly usable furniture and office equipment, costing 50 000 per person for the move! I was shocked and began wondering why no one had digitised waste and connected enterprises to non profits and businesses to reuse and redistribute unneeded items measuring the ESG data impact. From there I set up Globechain with 800.

May Al Karooni, Founder and CEO of Globechain

Since then, the business has expanded at a staggering rate. Over the past six years, Globechain has grown a network of over 10 000 members, redistributed 472 000+ items and diverted more than 7 750 000 kgs of waste from landfills with savings of over 4.1m to non profits. We provide internal reuse and loaning globally, with our external reuse solution in the UK, New York and Spain.

She reflected on the journey, We have so many incredible success stories, from medical equipment being used in hospitals and emergency relief camps in Africa, to furniture and kitchen equipment helping local charities set up community cafes and food banks to mannequin parts used in art projects to bring awareness to social causes. I am always amazed at how quickly the items are requested on our site (average 20 minutes in the UK) and what they are used for. Globechain is now expanding internationally and is looking for purpose-driven partners to collaborate with.

Globechain is a data-centric reuse solution making waste a resource for everyone

For the final word, I turned back to Natalie Campbell from Belu. There are so many systems shifts going on that I believe we'll see even more purpose-driven businesses that look at growth with fresh eyes because we're all entering a world we've never lived in before. Businesses are also providing a moral compass, more so than any time I remember before, not just in what they say but what and how they sell. We'll be rethinking business solutions for many years to come, and the climate emergency and powering an equitable world will be at the forefront, I hope and believe.

See more here:

How Londons Social Entrepreneurs Are Leading The World, With Impact Tech And Innovative Purpose-Driven Companies (Part 2) - Forbes

The MED Foundation of Mercer Health recently applied for a $25,000 grant from State Farm to bring COPE into each Mercer County school and was chosen as one of 200 finalists out of more than 2,000 submissions. The final recipients are chosen via online voting from the community and the top 40 receive $25,000 in funding.

Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE) is an evidence-based cognitive behavioral skills building program offered through Mercer Healths Center for Healthy Weight and Wellness that helps children, teens and young adults develop skills to stop negative thoughts and to think and act in more positive ways. Limited access to mental health care, cost, insurance coverage, transportation and the time commitment related to taking children out of school to see a professional create barriers that can often prevent the youth in our community from receiving support that they need. Receiving the grand funding to bring COPE into local schools would remove many of these barriers for the children who actively need this support while providing preventative coping skills in order to help them become healthy, positive, productive teens and adults.

By bringing COPE into the schools, we remove the access to care barriers so many students face, Jennifer Bills, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and certified COPE provider, said. By proactively teaching kids how to interrupt negative thoughts and focus on healthy coping mechanisms, we can positively impact the overall health and wellbeing of students in our community.

The MED Foundation is seeking the communitys help by voting for this program to receive one of the forty $25,000 Neighborhood Assist grants from State Farm. Starting today, August 18, U.S. residents who are 18 and older with a valid email address can vote for the cause at neighborhoodassist.com.

About State Farm Neighborhood Assist

State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a crowd-sourced philanthropic initiative that empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods. The State Farm Review Committee selected the top 200 finalists from 2,000 submissions.

About the MED Foundation

The MED Foundation of Mercer Health was established in December of 1988 by a group of community leaders and hospital administration to provide enhancements and educational support for the future of health care services within our community. Our mission is to cultivate philanthropic relationships that enhance Mercer Healths ability to fulfill its mission and vision. The MED Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

Visit link:

The MED Foundation of Mercer Health has been selected as a State Farm Neighborhood Assist Top 200 Finalist - Mercer Health

Menachem Forester is a student at the Chabad Yeshiva nestled in the ancient Venice Ghetto, established in 1516. The Ghetto, no longer designed to lock up Jews, is the vibrant center of Jewish life in the ancient Italian city. Every night, Forester makes the twenty-minute walk from the Jewish Ghetto to the pillars in the central town square, Piazza San Marco. Imported from Turkey in the 12th Century, the pillars rise high as a symbol of the political power of a trading center that linked the east and west.

But Forester sits at the pillars of another part of their symbolism. In 1533, it was the site of the mass burning of the Talmud. Venice was an early center of Jewish printing, home of the Bomberg Talmud, whose iconic layout became the standard to this day. Besides copies of the Talmud, other priceless manuscripts and Jewish books were burned on a quest to destroy Jewish knowledge, sparked by the hatred of the Spanish Inquisition.

When Forester arrives at the square, he opens his Talmud and spends an hour in Torah study. This is my way of responding to the tragedy of almost 500 years ago, he says. What better way than to study Torah and our Jewish tradition in the very place which our enemies sought to destroy it.

cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });

Forester represents the remarkable era that we live in as Jews. Beyond the doom and gloom that Jews love to focus on and there are serious challenges we live in a remarkable time. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks would say: almost all Jews live in free countries where they can openly practice. We have a country where Jews have sovereignty. We are equipped with modern weaponry just over a month ago, while on a rabbinical solidarity mission in the wake of the most recent Gaza conflict, I got a glimpse of Israels newest weapon: the state of the art F-35 combat aircraft. Today Jews can defend themselves against our enemies and are free to study Torah where its books were burned some five centuries ago.

Lying at the core of what drives us as Jews is a sense of personal empowerment, the guts to stand up for ourselves, the guts to learn Torah in the very place that symbolizes its destruction.

Some years ago, I visited the British Museum. I wandered through the exhibits of ancient peoples like the Hittite and Babylonians. I saw the massive stone reliefs of Sennacherib exiling the Ten Tribes, the statues of the Greeks, Romans, Persians and others. Each empire rose and fell, and today their cultures exist in museums and archaeological sites. I stood there as a Jew, not very different from the ancient Jews who challenged these empires with the ideas of monotheism, justice, compassion and the mission to infuse the world with Divine purpose.

These superpowers had might that dominated the world for a few centuries, but each had its sunset. Yet the ideas that stand at the center of Judaism have the staying power because they transcend the limitation of time. Given by God at Sinai, they have meaning and are relevant every time and every place.

The lesson is clear. The ideas of the Torah are the core of our identity. If we care about a Jewish future, we dont need to change Judaism to fit a popular agenda of political-social action, even though Judaism does teach compassion. Nor is the answer to a Jewish tomorrow a secular nationalism devoid of the spiritual bond to the Jewish homeland. What we need is to teach the next generation authentic Torah. We need to instill in them wonder for Jewish knowledge, so they can find modern relevance to the ideas of this era. If they deeply appreciate it, they will pass it on to the next generation.

If youre looking for a place to start studying, drop by the Piazza San Marco at 10:00 PM every night. Menachem would be delighted to have a study partner.

Rabbi David Eliezrie is president of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County California. His email is rabbi@ocjewish.com

Read this article:

Despite predictions of doom and gloom, Judaism is thriving - The Jerusalem Post

Peter Williams "The Arrest of George Floyd" (2020) oil on canvas, 48 in. x 60 in.

Peter Williams, a pioneering painter who transcended genres and created vibrant, fervent boldly-colored figurative and abstract paintings that burst with emotion and socio-political passion, died Thursday at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.He was 69.

Every charged brushstroke underscored Williams self-described liberal, progressive African-American point of view.

Fellow artists and his students in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Delaware expressed an outpouring of grief and gratitude for the prolific painter who invested as much into mentoring fellow artists as he did into composing every large-scale canvas.

Peter Williams is one of the forefathers of Afro-surrealism visual art, and his work should and always be celebrated for its beauty, message, and creativity, said Williams friend and fellow Afro-surrealist artist Alim Smith.

Photographic artist Lisa Nebenzahl said Williams was her first friend when she moved to Minneapolis in 1976.

Im heartbroken to hear of Peters death. Peter was so incredibly talented and prodigious then and very much so to the end of his amazing life, Nebenzahl said. I will miss the support he's shown me recently as I re-entered my art practice, describing us in a note last month as the messengers.

Williams most recent work featured an explosive and visceral depiction of racial strife, black power, and police brutality. The white gaze magnified by brazen images of white police officers as pigs, blue eyes leering, and white hands grabbing, Williams detailed work incorporates symbols of unfair wealth distribution, greed, and religion, underpinning the rampant racism that permeates this nations systems of power and authority.

Peter Williams "The Death of George Floyd" (2020) oil on canvas, 48 in. x 60 in.

My work has always had a political ethos, it comes out of my self-awareness as a black American. This work is a compendium of modernist form and the politics of right now. I had been working, shifting the work toward a more abstract base. I had always been a figurative narrative painter, Williams told me in an interview last June. The composition of stripes represent the hegemony of corporate thinking and the symbols of linear thinking that comes from formalism. I am trying to combine the organic quality of violence/race, justice and what was broadly avoided in modernist art, content.

Despite the intensity and moral gravity of his work, Williams approached life and teaching with levity and dark humor that accompanied a smile as wide as his world view.

His humor, while not for everyone, was perfect for me: good sarcasm, honest and often self-effacing, especially as he faced so many health issues in the last few years, said Nebenzahl.

Born March 18, 1952, in Nyack, New York, Williams, who earned a B.F.A. from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art, was an artist for more than four decades, creating a multitude of stunning new works even as his health deteriorated. His tireless work ethic and pervasive spirit could never be vanquished. Williams spoke with eloquence and conviction, and sought to impart his skill, knowledge, and enthusiasm onto future generations of artists.

Peter Williams (1952-2021) in front of his painting.

Williams credited his high school art teacher Joe McDowell as a primary influence, and always recognized the support of his mother and family.

Williams, who cross-referenced subjects and styles, described his process as experimental with regard to content and traditional form. His complex paintings explored color, structure, and form as genuinely as his later works scrutinized social and racial injustice amid a pervasive collapse of humanity.

My career has been full of a variety of directions that proved to be of interest. The most cohesive part of this journey has been work about the life of African-American as subject, Williams wrote. I made images of Black cowboys while living in New Mexico. Now I find the subject of my Negrotude reasserting itself and is still a powerful device to try to express and expose to an audience.

Williams broke into the art world at age 17 with his first solo show at the Pat Merenstein Gallery in Nyack, quickly leading to more exhibitions, including at the Woodstock Music Festival. He won the Artists' Legacy Foundation's 2020 Artist Award, a $25,000 prize granted annually to a painter or sculptor who has made significant contributions to their field and whose work shows evidence of the hand.

Williams never let pain and struggle compromise his ability to create. An amputee after surviving a car accident in Mexico while he was a college student, Williams said this experience has always influenced my interest in the figure and the use of narrative space in my story telling. There is an immediacy I am constantly thinking about, through the use of color.

Thinking of Peter now, I can't help but see him as our Shaman of Intersectional-Trauma, said American artist Michael Kalmbach (University of Delaware, MFA 2008). I remember him telling me about how losing his leg in that car accident in Mexico probably saved him from a worse fate in Vietnam. How the hum of a highway near one of his homes helped him understand the power of meditative states, and then there was the daily transformative power of his artistic practice. Peter showed us how to transform pain, and how to give a shit.

Kalmbach, founder and director of The Creative Vision Factory, which provides individuals on the behavioral health spectrum opportunities for self-expression, empowerment, and recovery through the arts, described Williams as a painter's painter to the very end.

I'm grateful for all the studio visits, all the conversations at openings, and the one time I joined him and other members of our faculty for dinner with (American artist) Trenton Doyle Hancock, but most of all I'm going to remember his humanity and humor in the face of tremendous pain, Kalmbach added. Like other great mentors and teachers, he led by example, making it clear that it's our job to stir up the color and to sublimate all this anguish, love, and grief into our tradition.

Read the original:

Remembering Trailblazing African-American Artist Peter Williams, Who Painted Every Personal And Collective Experience With Passion For Social Justice...

At Black Girl Nerds, we are focus on the empowerment and uplift of OUR Black communities. We are constantly looking for ways to bring positive assets and opportunities to all of you. So, when Amazon announced that they were bringing back the upcoming Represent the Future Summit, we knew we wanted to partner in getting the word out and connecting our audience to this great opportunity. We spoke to Erin Dowell, who is Amazons Global Leader, Diversity Conferences, about the Summit, how it did last year, and their continuing commitment to the Black community.

Hello Erin. Were excited to talk to you today. Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and your role at Amazon?

Thank you for having me. Ive been the leader of Global Events in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion organization at Amazon after (virtually) attending Represent the Future in 2020. oversee the strategic vision and execution of our external events, and Im responsible for ensuring these experiences are authentic and inclusive for diverse customers, which ultimately strengthens Amazons brand trust and standing as an employer of choice in diverse communities worldwide.

Amazing. Tell me, was last years Summit a success?

My personal story is a great testimony to the power of this program. This time last year, I was attending Represent the Future as a prospective candidate and today, Im here talking to you.

WOW! What an empowering. story. What I love is that you are doing more than just talking the talk, you are really is walking the walk. Can you talk a little about the Summit? What it is and why it is important?

We are very excited about the return of this event. Amazon is hosting its second Represent the Future summit on August 24-25, 2021. Represent the Future is a free, virtual career enrichment experience, designed to uplift Black, Latinx, and Native American/Indigenous professionals. The Summit will offer two days of speakers and sessions highlighting Amazons global business ecosystem, customer-obsessed culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the role innovation, invention, and intrapreneurship play in building the future. Its going to amazing.

As a Black woman, you must recognize how decimating these last years have been to our community. What position does Amazon take during what some might call, Uncomfortable Conversations?

Simple. The inequitable and brutal treatment of Black and African Americans is unacceptable. Black lives matter. We stand in solidarity with our Black employees, customers, and partners, and are committed to helping build a country and a world where everyone can live with dignity and free from fear.

Erin, this has been great. How can our audience participate?

Thank YOU! Visit https://www.amazonrepresents.com to register. You DO NOT want to miss this incredible experience.

Link:

Amazon's Represent the Future Summit is Back Black Girl Nerds - Black Girl Nerds

Bakhtiyor Isoev released two new episodes of his Education & Empowerment Podcast - Powered by Mission Matters

Bakhtiyor Isoev released two new episodes of his Education & Empowerment Podcast - Powered by Mission Matters

Beverly Hills, California, Aug. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Higher education expert Bakhtiyor Isoev released two new episodes of the Education & Empowerment Podcast. The episodes feature interviews with Andrea Kemp-Ford, Chief Operating Officer for The University of the Potomac in Washington, D.C., and Anna Esaki Smith, a Global education expert who advises higher education institutions, private companies and education organizations on international strategies and thought leadership. In the just-released episodes, Kemp-Ford and Smith discuss the post-pandemic future of higher education and how universities can adapt their academic and operational strategies to support students' long-term success in and out of the classroom.

Customer Service is Key to Student Success During Challenging Times

"We are obligated to help one another", says Andrea Kemp-Ford, the Chief Operating Officer for The University of the Potomac based in Washington, D.C. Ford believes that customer service is one of the factors that contributes to the university's 96% retention rate, along with dedicated faculty and relevant degree programs. When the Global pandemic hit in 2020, the University of the Potomac was well-suited to support students throughout an unprecedented time because of its already-robust online and hybrid course offerings.

But it was still a challenging year for faculty and students alike. The university worked to meet that challenge by paying attention to individual students. "If a student reaches out and says, I don't have food, we're going to give them food," Ford says. This kind of personal touch extends to all aspects of the university's operations--from course design to technology use to degree offerings to student housing. For example, the university continues to offer online and hybrid course options to accommodate students who still don't feel comfortable attending in person. And perhaps most important, Ford says, the company is actively working to keep online instruction engaging and innovative.

Story continues

"The industry has changed," Ford says. The higher education industry must adapt in order to support students. Ford recommends preparing faculty to deliver courses online in order to ensure that students get the same experience they would get in person, supporting students and staff who may be struggling with mental health, and partnering with third-party companies when possible to help grow the institution. She emphasizes choosing relevant degree programs to address gaps in our country's infrastructure made plain by the pandemic, such as early childhood education and medical assistance.

The bottom line, though, is human connection. "I have two sons," Ford says. "If they ran into difficulty while they were at school, I would want someone at that university to help them if they could."

Listen to the full interview of Andrea Kemp-Ford with Bakhtiyor Isoev on 4stay.

Weathering a Pandemic: The Future of Higher Education

"With challenges come opportunities," says Anna Esaki Smith, a Global education expert. Because of her vast experience advising higher education institutions and organizations, Smith understands the challenges both students and institutions face during what she calls "enormous disruption."

However, Smith believes that both domestic and international students can capitalize on an opportunity to ensure their own success by articulating what they want out of an education. On the institutional side, colleges and universities have a chance to hone their messaging and outreach strategies, develop online programming, and manage funds more efficiently.

Smith calls the question of how to define students success a "deeply profound one"--indeed, it's a question that individual students may answer differently. The first step is supporting students as they "articulate" what it is they want in a college experience. Smith then helps institutions tailor their messages more specifically to students based on what students want. For example, in an increasingly competitive market, universities must think about recruitment of international students more strategically.

Though students are more empowered than ever, Smith acknowledges the toll the pandemic has taken on young people's mental health. The stressful life of a university student becomes even more stressful when students are worried about the physical and/or financial health of their communities. One way institutions can help combat anxiety and depression is by bolstering online course offerings. Along with regaining sources of revenue and finding ways to manage funds more effectively, investing in online learning is the most important thing to consider when planning for an uncertain future, Smith says. "Universities who do will thrive."

Listen to the full interview of Anna Esaki Smith with Bakhtiyor Isoev on 4stay.

About: The Education & Empowerment Podcast explores success and advancement through education by interviewing today's top leaders in the fields of education, business and technology. This show is brought to you by 4stay, a SaaS-enabled Online Booking marketplace for student and intern housing. Learn more at: https://4stay.com/

Want to partner with 4stay? Explore our Turnkey All-in-One Solutions at offcampus.4stay.com or landlords.4stay.com.

Email us at ibr@4stay.com or learn more at 4stay.com

More episodes may be found here:https://podcast.4stay.com/

Media Communications

Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com

Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media KISS PR Brand Story PressWire

Brand Publicity Partners KissPR.com

For more details, visit Kisspr.com [PR Distribution]. KISS PR Digital PR & Marketing powers the Mission Matters Business podcast with brand storytelling. T: 972.437.8942

Attachment

Read the original:

Moving Forward After a Pandemic Year: Student Success Experts Discuss the Future of Higher Education - Yahoo Finance

19-year-old singer-songwriter Billie Eilish sends powerful messages of female empowerment and perseverance in her new album Happier Than Ever.

The album consists of 16 honest and personal tracks that Eilish wrote and produced with her older brother, Finneas. Eilish explores themes of female empowerment and finding personal strength a departure from her previous album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? which features a dark, less hopeful tone touching on heavier themes like mental health and drugs.

I cant even process it. This was the most fulfilling, most satisfying and profound experience Ive ever had with my music, Eilish wrote in an Instagram post marking the release of her sophomore album.

Eilish begins the album with vulnerability, singing in a soft, calm voice about the struggles she has faced in her career and personal life, in the song Getting Older. Starting with a note of gratitude despite her struggles, she slowly opens her heart to her listeners, saying that she crave[s] pity and would lie for attention, only to get rejected in return. In the chorus, her smooth voice gets higher as she reflects on her life as a singer. The song progresses, and she shares that she has grown as a person while cleverly nodding to the title of her album: Im gettin better at admitting when I was wrong / Im happier than ever, at least, thats my endeavor / To keep myself together and prioritize my pleasure.

Getting Older ends with a note of reassurance: Eilish concludes that she will find happiness despite the hardships that accompany spending most of her teenage years in the public eye. I love the honesty, hope and beauty in this song. Although she doesnt sing loudly against a dynamic, electronic beat like in other parts of her discography, Getting Older holds even more power with its soft, stripped-down instrumentals.

The albums ensuing tracks explore the end of a relationship and the start of a new one. Then comes track four, My Future, which was originally released as a single exactly one year before the albums release; this song chronicles Eilish leaving a relationship and finding herself. She sings of her newfound independence and hope: Im in love / With my future / Cant wait to meet her Im in love / But not with anybody else / Just wanna get to know myself.

I adore the inspiring and refreshing nature of the lyrics in My Future. Eilish sings in what almost sounds like a lullaby, her voice layered soothingly in the background. Then, the beat changes to a faster rhythm, and drums join the accompaniment, signifying a sense of empowerment in a song sure to resonate with fans.

Eilish continues to explore the theme of female empowerment in the ninth track of her album, Not My Responsibility. But the songs style sharply diverges from the albums other tracks. Rather than singing over an electronic sound or soft beat in the background, she speaks over a static synth tone. Speaking rather than singing helps her emphasize her message and distinguish Not My Responsibility from the rest of her tracks. Denouncing how she is often judged by her physical appearance, she stresses that women should not be reduced to their bodies and clothing.

In the music video for the track, Eilish also departs from her omnipresent baggy clothing (which she wears to avoid sexualization of her body), and takes off her outer garments in a powerful statement. In reference to body-shaming she has faced for wearing oversized clothing, she sings, Some people hate what I wear / Some people praise it / Some people use it to shame others / Some people use it to shame me / But I feel you watching / Always / And nothing I do goes unseen.

Later, she speaks softly yet captivatingly as she poses rhetorical questions about her body to the audience: Do my shoulders provoke you? Does my chest? / Am I my stomach? My hips? / The body I was born with / Is it not what you wanted? As a young woman, I feel intimately impacted by Eilishs message in Not My Responsibility. She leverages her musical talent to speak truth: women should never be judged by their physical appearance.

Eilish sends another powerful message in Your Power, which was released as a single in April. In the song, she reflects on an abusive relationship, singing, I thought that I was special / You made me feel / Like it was my fault, you were the devil. She sings hauntingly and beautifully with the sound of soft strumming in the background. Throughout this track, she tells her ex-boyfriend, Try not to abuse your power. On Spotify, under the Storyline, Eilish wrote, I hope that all young women who have been taken advantage of feel heard. I am awed by her ability to share her story so intimately she once again sends a powerful message in reflecting on her personal experiences.

Happier than Ever is my favorite Billie Eilish album yet. Though each song is unique, she incorporates themes of female empowerment throughout. I would strongly recommend this album not only because of Eilishs beautiful vocals and heartfelt songwriting, but, perhaps most importantly, because of her sheer vulnerability.

See original here:

Billie Eilish's 'Happier Than Ever' is both powerful and vulnerable - The Stanford Daily

Greg Stewart talks about heightened awareness and mindfulness.

Gratefulness is tip of tongue, anger is no longer jet fuel, gratitude is propellant and medals will not define him.

The Tournament Capitals 7-foot-2, 350-pound friendly giant seems to be in a zen-like head space, now only days away from accomplishing a goal 20 years in the making, with mens F46 shot put action at the postponed 2020 Paralympic Summer Games in Tokyo slated to begin at 6:33 p.m. (Kamloops time) on Tuesday, Aug. 31.

Relief washed over Stewart last month, when he was one of 16 athletes named to the Canadian squad.

It was gratitude, gratefulness, he said. But I still have mixed feeling on a part of it. Its like, making these Paralympic Games still doesnt define me, but it does, in a way. Its something Ive been training for, something Ive been wanting to attend for 20 years. At the same time, thats not what defines me. Gregs just a Paralympic athlete? Thats all people will know me for? No. I think people know me for a lot of different things.

Relief subsided a few days after his inclusion to Team Canada and focus switched to preparation.

Im either eating, sleeping or training thats it, Stewart said.

Training includes working on mental health.

Stewart hops on Zoom calls with the counsellor/empowerment coach he has seen for the past eight years. Mental performance consultant Penny Werthner will also be available to Canadas Paralympians.

Personally, Im healthy, I have loving people in my family, I have a loving relationship ... everything feels good right now and that is a great head space heading into these Paralympics, Stewart said.

His efforts to reach the Paralympics began in 2001, with stints on the national standing and seated disabled volleyball teams yielding gold medals at world championships and world cups, but never a berth in the Games.

The COVID-19 pandemic put these Games in jeopardy.

Stewart rode the wave.

One thing Ive learned through my life is stuff happens, said Stewart, who was born with nothing below his left elbow. Its like, this is a bummer, man. I was really looking forward to it. All of a sudden, Team Canada is not going and its like, Oh, shoot. I didnt say shoot, though.

But I dont know if I got super low. Youve got to make do with what youve got. Ive got to take ownership.

Stewart has the third-longest throw in the world this year in his discipline, a 15.81m heave on June 12 in Burnaby that is recognized in the World Para Athletics Official World Rankings.

Abrahan Jesus Ortega Abello of Venezuela, who threw 16.30m in March, and Kerwin Noemdo of South Africa, who posted 16.07m, are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Stewart told KTW his unofficial personal best this year is 16.07m. He launched his official personal best at the 2019 world championships, a 16.30m Canadian-record throw that was good for silver.

Those numbers make him a medal favourite.

So, how does the big man grapple with expectations and pressure to reach the podium?

That all-in mentality can be devastating to somebody if they dont achieve that goal, Stewart said. If we dont meet our expectations, how often do we fall down that wormhole? With the mental health Im constantly practising and my awareness, I dont want to go down that.

At the same time, it would be super cool to get one, Stewart continued.

When there are times when its like, oh, I dont feel very good or worthless, I could look over and be like, oh yeah, that happened.

Ultimately, with this whole journey, I dont get to take anything with me when I leave. When Im done on this earth Im done on this earth. My medal is not going to define me.

Stewart said he summoned anger to establish the Canadian record two years ago at worlds in Dubai on a throw that was accompanied by a hair-raising shriek.

Anger is like jet fuel, he told KTW in 2019.

The implements means of transportation into orbit have changed since then.

Its more so jet fuel of gratitude, Stewart said.

Stewart wants Kamloopsians to join him in Tokyo.

He is asking the public to email gregintokyo21@gmail.com jokes, stories or words of encouragement that he will read between throws during his event.

Using that for more fuel to go and throw a bomb thats what being in the moment is for me, Stewart said.

This is an opportunity for not only myself to have an experience in Tokyo, but an opportunity for the community be a part of it, too.

Read more:

Stewart talks gratitude, mindfulness, awareness, gratefulness, anger, medals ahead of Paralympics - Kamloops This Week

The Philippine Digital Convention (PH Digicon) 2021 will feature Oscar-winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur Charlize Theron. As the celebrity headline speaker, Ms. Theron will speak about her personal experiences in different facets of life, including relevant issues in the business industry such as womens empowerment.

This October, PLDTthrough its B2B arm PLDT Enterprisewill hold the most prestigious thought leadership event in the country. With the theme REVOLUTION, the event seeks to encourage businesses to embrace revolutionary change and explore possibilities to stay ahead in the dynamic business landscape.

In its seventh iteration, the annual convention will feature Ms. Theron, her thoughts on empowering women entrepreneurs and executives in male-dominated industries, and fostering gender equality and economic empowerment, among others.

The award-winning actress founded Denver and Delilah Productions in 2003, a film/tv production company that co-produced films including The Addams Family, Atomic Blonde, and Monster; and hit Netflix crime drama Mindhunter and reality television series Hyperdrive.

Likewise, she is known as one of the most celebrated actresses of her generation, captivating audiences with her portrayal of a range of characters. She has been recognized by various award-giving bodies, receiving several awards and nominations for her exemplary performances.

Theron received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics Choice Award, and an Independent Spirit Award for her role as real-life serial killer Eileen Wuornos in the critically acclaimed movie Monster.

Moreover, she portrayed Megyn Kelly in Lionsgates Bombshell, for which she received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Critics Choice Award, among others, for her remarkable performance.

The actress-producer also appeared in numerous films including North Country, The Devils Advocate, The Cider House Rules, Hancock, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Snow White and the Huntsman, and A Million Ways to Die in the West.

In 2020, Theron was seen in the Netflix adaptation of the comic book series The Old Guard, by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernndez, which was also produced by Denver and Delilah Productions.

Most recently, the actress reprised her role as Cipher in the 9th installment of the Fast and Furious franchise that hit theaters this year.

In addition to Therons acting success and principal involvement with her production company, she also serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP).

CTAOPs mission is to invest in African youth and their ability to keep themselves and their peers safe from HIV/AIDS through its support of community-based, African organizations that use community-specific programming to effectively engage young people and provide critical tools that support adolescents and address their unique challenges.

In 2020, Theron and CTAOP launched Together for Her, a campaign to help fight gender-based violence during COVID-19, together with CARE and Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF).

The Philippine Digital Convention: REVOLUTION is set to be a fully virtual event, wherein global industry mavens, thought leaders, and pioneers in technology and business will come together to help drive technological enablement among local and global enterprises especially in this ever-changing landscape.

PH Digicon 2021 will happen on October 6 to 8. Join the revolution and register now for free at: phdigicon2021.com

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com/phdigicon2021

SIGN UP TO DAILY NEWSLETTER

See more here:

Charlize Theron to headline PH Digicon 2021 - Manila Bulletin

Working with ten upcoming designers, Serena Williams and Nike are set to launch a new collection of performance apparel, shoes and accessories to round out the first edition of the Serena Williams Design Crew apprenticeship program.

The collection is set to feature jumpsuits, shorts, t-shirts, a collection of shoes and more, all designed for the purpose of tennis performance. Designs are adorned with bold graphic prints, with the occasional burst of colour, each aimed to capture Serena Williams personal style and legacy. One jumpsuit features a bold pattern inspired by the African Kente cloth, an element that is carried throughout parts of the collection.

A description of one of the bodysuits reads: The Serena Williams Design Crew Bodysuit immortalised every year shes won a grand slam on the smooth tape down each side. An asymmetrical turtleneck overlay and artfully incorporated breathability exemplify the craft and creativity that characterise the ten designers behind the Serena Williams Design Crew.

On the players role in the program, Nike vice president and global creative director, Jonathan Johnsongriffin, said in an interview on the brands site: Serena has been so committed to the program. She wants to meet each apprentice. She wants to see their portfolios. She wants to be a part of the briefing of the product. She wants to be a part of the design reviews.

The design crew initiative was set up by Nike and Williams in 2019. Its aim was to bring together a select group of upcoming designers to take part in an apprenticeship program that promoted diversity in design. Following a six month design curriculum, the group designed the performance and lifestyle clothing and accessories inspired by Williams and her career.

Sports are a conduit to attributes that make the world better, said John Hoke, Nikes chief design officer. Sports fuels self-empowerment, confidence, kindness and connection. That means every program we create, whether Selena Williams Design Crew or Women in Nike, and every product we create are all connected in their nature of empathy. Thats a way we can open the aperture up and have an even deeper impact when it comes to designing for all athletes.

Nike has already announced the second edition of the apprenticeship project, this time working alongside eleven Chicago based apprentices.

Read this article:

Nike unveils the Serena Williams Design Crew collection - FashionUnited UK