Category: Uncategorized

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

RIP “5^th Beatle” Sir George Martin

As We Celebrate International Women’s Day, Let’s Kick some “Glass” & ALL Be Champions for Parity!

Enjoy Some Happy Pictures:

Get Clear on YOUR Why!

11 Thoughts About Teamwork:

As We Celebrate International Women’s Day, Let’s Kick some “Glass” & ALL Be Champions for Parity!

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Enjoy these Happy Pictures

Stay In the Positive!

Get Clear on YOUR Why!

Resiliency Matters and Sometimes You Have Got to Really Want It…

 

11 THOUGHTS ABOUT TEAMWORK:

1. Teams rise and fall on culture, leadership, relationships, attitude and effort.

Great teams have a great culture driven by great leadership. Relationships are meaningful and teammates are connected. The collective attitude is very positive and everyone on the team works hard to accomplish their mission.

2. It’s all about teamwork. Sometimes you are the star and sometimes you help the star.

3. If want to be truly great you have to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player.

I tell this to athletes all the time but the same is true for any profession. When we work hard to be a great team member we make everyone around us better.

4. Your team doesn’t care if you are a superstar. They care if you are a super team member.

5. Three things you control every day are your attitude, your effort and your actions to be a great teammate.

It doesn’t matter what is happening around you and who you think is being unfair. Every day you can focus on being positive, working hard and making others around you better. If you do that great things will happen.

6. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Stay positive!

Make sure you don’t let energy vampires sabotage your team. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires” allowed and keep them off the bus. Most importantly, decide to stay positive.

7. Great team members hold each other accountable to the high standards and excellence their culture expects and demands.

8. Team beats talent when talent isn’t a team.

9. Great teams care more. They care more about their effort, their work and their team members.

10. We > me

Unity is the difference between a great team and an average team. United teams are connected and committed to each other. They are selfless instead of selfish. They put the team first and know together we accomplish more.

11. You and your team face a fork in the road each day. You can settle for average and choose the path of mediocrity or you can take the road less traveled and chase greatness.

It’s a choice you make each day. Which path will your team take?

 

Thanks this week go to, Larry H, Matt N, & Glass Kicking Parity Champions Everywhere!

Pay it forward,

Love,

Neville

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”— Benjamin Franklin

Happy Soul Food Friday!

The Search for the NEW Americas:

 

This week:

1. Your Invitation to Catalyze A Leap into Education 2016:

Building Great People & Communities Wired to Thrive in the 21st Century Innovation/Imagination Economy all with the Student at the Epicenter

See if you recognize any of the names and please join the more than 70 of us who are already on board…

2. How We Teach Grit to Those We Love:

Which Family Narrative Best Reflects Yours?

3. Cutest Dog Sitters Ever:

Life Really Doesn’t Get Any Better…

Your Invitation to Catalyze A Leap into Education 2016:

Building Great People & Communities Wired to Thrive in the 21st Century Innovation/Imagination Economy all with the Student at the Epicenter

Dear Advocates & Change Makers in Education,

I know this is a tad long but if it wasn’t for your inspiration and impact, it would be shorter!

On this thread are students, parents, teachers, administrators, business, nonprofit and civic leaders, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, change agents, civic activists, bestselling authors, national & international subject matter experts, career development specialists, CEOs of major corporations, esteemed volunteers and more.

Like many of you, I have been blessed to focus on critical issues in education for decades.

From my unique vantage point, whether teaching at UC San Diego for 35 years, or on the ESA board moving the needle on early childhood education and systems change, or working with the Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS) ensuring all kids that are part of the Oceanside Promise are college and career ready, or helping with the Real World Scholars board, introducing real world experiential learning to students across the world, or as part of Parenting 2.0, the largest life skills focused parenting site on Linked-In, or working as a thought partner with several local K-12 school districts, or serving on the UCSD Alumni Board, with USD’s Character Development team or SDSU’s Improving Futures Fund and advancing the mission of higher education, or funding education through the Mission Fed Community Foundation and supporting SD Grantmakers– all allows me to connect with so many of you doing incredible work in the education space!

What we do have in common is that we care deeply for and invest our discretionary energy in all matters of education ranging from; the wisdom traditions of 2,500 years ago to neuroscience from 25 milliseconds ago, in the education of business & the business of education, in academic achievement as well as whole person education.

If this resonates for you please read on, champion this leap within your educational ecosystem, and if you are inspired at the end, please sign on by emailing me at: nevilleb@missionfed.com

Four years ago in the last leap year, I was privileged along with Superintendents from some of San Diego’s largest and most innovative school districts and their teams, Steve Farber, local author and speaker, educators from around the country that read his bestseller The Radical LEAP and got turned on to it like Glen Warren, Orange County Teacher of the Year, along with a lot of help from our friends in the business and educational community to connect 880 parents, educators and civic leaders along with a few stellar student exemplars on the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego to Re-Energize Education.

This past week I was deeply inspired at an Education Change-makers talk by Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman and Venture Capitalist and Philanthropist JB Pritzker on the critical importance of early childhood education.

Whatever your focus from P-3 to Higher Ed, I am sure we all agree it is about putting the student first and giving them voice and choice in creating their destiny.

Today on this week of leap day in the leap year, let’s not squander the moment.

With your help we would like to use 2016 to spark another LEAP in education!

A lot has changed in 4 years…

Budgets and Morale are on the rise.

San Diego has risen in prominence with disproportionate representation and positive deviancy (bright sparks) in many local, state and national initiatives including The League of Innovative Schools as just one illustrative example.

Digital access and equity have become more important than ever. The literature has transformed educators to see themselves as equity designers as we usher in the new era of Every Child Succeeding and being College, Career and Life ready with Career Pathways, Linked-Learning and Real World Scholarship.

Powerful new findings like the Heckman Curve from Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman have made a potent and convincing case for early childhood education AND care, resulting in massive returns on investment and community compound interest that can eliminate the achievement gap by not having one in the first place!

Further, the old divides of education and business are collapsing, as educators know they need to produce a workforce that can be fulfilled & successful, and businesses know they must have a voice and viewpoint in ensuring they can grow their enterprise with all the necessary talent for the years ahead, from our institutions of higher learning and higher yearning.

Last but certainly not least, the San Diego educational ecosystem, thanks to national and international support is more robust and connected than ever before, with a renewed recognition that the only way long term systemic change will take root and stick is via a “place-based, whole person, wrap-around, cross-sector, preventative, networked, systemic, human-centered, collective impact model- all with the student at the epicenter”.

But all is not rosy…

 The Systemic Challenge in Education We Absolutely Must Address:

By most measures, when it comes to education, we are simply not living up to our potential.

We seem to have lost our way in this proverbial and sometimes misguided “race to the top”.

To the top of what exactly are we heading?

To the top score for inequality; boasting the biggest divide between the haves and have nots in human history?

Maybe to the top of the leader board of negative business consequences, with leaders and captains of industry willing to make unethical and value-extractive decisions in the name of the profit motive and self-interest?

Or to the top of the heap with the largest number of people experiencing loneliness, alienation & depression, psycho-socially ill-equipped to thrive in a global economy?

Did we get the facts and figures right but miss the real lesson?

Has education failed us?

Have we failed ourselves?

The “knowing doing gap” leaves many kids ill-equipped to thrive in today’s society.

Many students are simply not provided with the conditions to discover, follow, and integrate their passions during school and build world changing social enterprises.

Today’s complex problems will require the very best of us and we need now more than ever to honor, listen to, and partner with the young bright minds in this solution.

If we want self-reliance and self-efficacy, it is essential that we partner with all of our students, no matter how young!

So how do we really give today’s students the experience to be successful and fulfilled?

While opinions on how to address critical questions in education vary, unlike other social challenges, education is not a polarizing issue.

Everyone is in support of it- both for the young people- and by extension to build a competitive workforce ready for the 21^st century innovation/imagination economy.

Yet, we continue to ask them “What do you want to be?” instead of “Who ARE you and want to YOU want to learn?”

The Data-Driven 21^st Century Response:

Our smart impact investment of time, talent and treasure in whole person education represents the greatest opportunity to prepare for a future that has not been invented yet.

Today’s educational design has moved away from the factory worker model, with bells to announce shifts and one size fits all instructional methods of the industrial age to real world scholarship, experiential learning, behavioral economics, career pathways, information literacy & linked-learning so every child can be college or career ready and fill the ever widening workforce pipeline.

Advocacy and a collective impact education engagement strategy that animates all the stakeholders- widening the tent beyond just educators or parents to business and civic leaders with a vested interested in seeding the workforce of tomorrow today- can provide an important differentiator for thought leaders who recognizes the power and promise this focus can bring to their region, state, the nation and the planet.

The root of the word education is ‘educare’; to look at things from diverse points of view.

It is time to leap forward and catalyze the education and care revolution, raising all kids as if they are our own.

The road to success is always under construction…

This time around, we envision a different orientation and framework, that would intentionally foreground the students, highlight life skills not just academic skills- namely competence AND character- to expand the opportunity set beyond K-12 including the community colleges and local universities, thought partners in philanthropy and civic engagement, all with political air cover providing constancy of purpose and funding.

This must be done with high levels of personalization and a regional/community focus- directed by student passion, organizational priorities and stakeholder purpose.

This time, it cannot be just about academic/traditional education, but about educating the whole-person. This time, while we are foregrounding students, it is not just about students, it is about all of us.

It is hard to raise a kid, but it is equally hard to raise a parent!

Life-long learning is not optional anymore; it is part of the mandatory curriculum in Life Skills 101.

Building on Leap Principles in the Leap Year, here is a framework for consideration courtesy of some rich conversations with Glen Warren and so many of you committed to this work:

“What Matters to You Matters!”

Extreme Leadership for Students in Education

The Current State (Considered a Best Practice)

The teacher is the lead learner, we are all learners!

Learning is what we are about!  (Love is optional)

Our Desired State (A Radical Re-Imagination of What is Possible and might be considered a Best Principle)

“Doing what you love, in the service of those who love what you do!”   

Learning and loving is what we are all about!  (Love is intentionally Included with the learning)

Let’s be honest…

In the current state, what the student loves may or may not be integrated into their learning process.  What the student loves is at best optional.

This is because the student interests are so varied and often changing that schools just can’t keep up or be expected to accommodate or integrate an infinite set of interest variables!

But this thinking is making school less relevant and engaging, not to mention dishonoring the student as our educational partner!

If are genuinely student-centered, then students must have a voice in the choice!  

We want student to do what they love (learning anything, and integrating everything) in the service of those who love what they do (parents & teachers) for a lifetime.

This mindset should not start after their school experience but during it, or even better, because of it!

Connecting the divergent passions, interests, and skills with the required content and learning at school will equip students with a creative capacity that could be world changing and ensure that schools genuinely honor divergent thinking and imaginative expression.

Our Turning the Tables Emphasis in a Leap Year

The Search for the NEW Americas:

This search will ask from us an openness to explore the UNKNOWN, and can only be discovered by constant input from the student about his/her area(s) interest, concern, entertainment, amusement, talents, etc.…

(Is this information included in the “data” that “drives” instruction?)

The desired state would build a new ecosystem, fully equipped to integrate this NEW CONTENT (and new data) into all aspects of the required learning at school and make it count for something.

With your help, we will set a place for the desired learning at the educational table!

 Extreme Leadership:

As we know, position is no longer the basis for leadership, but it is the quality of ideas, thought, questions, and contributions that really matters.  Leadership is not a position, it is a decision.

We must make it possible for all students, no matter how young to have a seat at the leadership table on most if not all decisions.   You are either AT the table, or ON the table…

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every four years. This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how the leap day balances the calendar.”

Today, Convention is in need of an Intervention and this could be our finest hour as we strive to make this NOT just “America’s Finest City” but “America’s Kindest Region”

Our aspiration is that this could be something we model and mentor for the whole USA and beyond…

Are you in?

If yes, please share this with your network and email me back at nevilleb@missionfed.com

We will compile a list of all interested individuals and groups and what we collectively bring to the table to gauge our depth, breadth and bench strength.

Then we will pick a date probably in the Fall from which we can work back, between now and then to reverse engineer Leap into Education 2016 Day and share our passion, purpose and pursuit of educational excellence.

As your purpose connector, I will help to create the conditions for our success but have no delusions of driving this thing.

Our participation can and will come in many flavors, but let’s simply start today by aligning our intention and energy and making a commitment to leap forward in education together by putting students first!

What matters to you matters and guess what? It is the same for our kids…

Let’s not waste this leap day.

No one of us can do it all, but all of us can do something meaningful to advance this mission.

Thanks for all YOU do to make our community better, more vibrant, filled with peace, love and equal opportunity for all!

Love,

Neville and countless others whose ideas and energy inspired this e-missive.

The following people are already on board to create a Leap for Education 2016. Do join us!

Glen Warren, Ken Druck, Tad Parzen, Alan Daly, Steve Farber, Ralf Swenson, Sandra Timmons, David Lynn, Norm Hapke, Jason Partin, Marlaine Cover, Marcy Morrison, Luisa Csathy, John Cahalin, Larry Kesslin, Dan Meader, Devin Vodicka, Judy McDonald, Naila Chowdhury, Bobbi DePorter, Helice “Sparky” Bridges, Laura Kohn, Peter Zahn, David Miyashiro, Alan Sorkin, Sue Simone, Alex Mazloom, Brenda Hall, Moshe Engelberg, Michael Lurie, Jill Vinson, Sara Schairer, Jeanie Luckey, John Lincoln, Robert MacPhee, Ed Ecker, Leslie Fausset, Ann Lineback, Manuelita Brown, Shimi Kang, Elisa Lurkis, Karen Moawad,  John St. James, Dan Engel, Drew Schlosberg, Gary Knight, Dale Ganzow, Starla Lewis, Will Marre, Nate Howard, Paula Thomas, David Sawicki, Edwin Valderrama, Dennis Doyle, Jaime Romo, MJ Schumann, Charles Bergan, Jeff Grantham, Scott Bechter-Levin, Judith Lukomski, Greg Betts, Karen Henken, Parker Harris, Parker Pike, Stan Sewitch, Leora Langs, Christopher Yanov, Jill McManigal, Ricardo Rao, Steven Snyder, Erika Daniels, Eric Kaufmann, Cheryl Harrison, & Christine Paik

If I left you out, I sincerely apologize in advance as this list has grown massively in the last couple of days thanks to your energy & support…

How We Teach Grit to Those We Love:

WHAT IF…your family narrative defines who you are?

RESEARCH SAYS: Psychologists have found that every family has one of three unifying narratives:

• The ascending family narrative: “When we came to this country, we had nothing. Our family worked. Your grandfather went to high school. Your father went to college. And now you…”
• The descending narrative: “We used to have it all. Then we lost everything.”
• The oscillating family narrative: “We’ve had ups and downs in our family. We built a family business. Your mother was on the board of the hospital. But we also had setbacks. We had a house burn down. Your father lost a job. But no matter what happened, we always stuck together as a family.”

The healthiest narrative is the oscillating narrative because it shows a family’s positive moments and its ability to bounce back from the difficult ones.  It’s called grit.

TRY THIS:  What is your family narrative?  Create the time to pass it on this week.  Get into a conversation with your children, niece, nephew, cousin.

Share your results on our Facebook page.

Did someone forward you this email? Want to receive tips like this and other great content directly in your inbox? Then sign up here to join our email list.

Our Last Tip:
Give Children a History

Click to see all our tips

Read Will’s latest leadership/career blog post – Liking my post on LinkedIn is appreciated:  What If Smart People Ruled the World?

Life Really Doesn’t Get Any Better…

Cutest Dog Sitters Ever

Thanks this week go to Will M, Larry H, Glen Warren, Ken Druck, Tad Parzen, Alan Daly, Steve Farber, Ralf Swenson, Sandra Timmons, David Lynn, Norm Hapke, Jason Partin, Marlaine Cover, Marcy Morrison, Luisa Csathy, John Cahalin, Larry Kesslin, Dan Meader, Devin Vodicka, Judy McDonald, Naila Chowdhury, Bobbi DePorter, Helice “Sparky” Bridges, Laura Kohn, Peter Zahn, David Miyashiro, Alan Sorkin, Sue Simone, Alex Mazloom, Brenda Hall, Moshe Engelberg, Michael Lurie, Jill Vinson, Sara Schairer, Jeanie Luckey, John Lincoln, Robert MacPhee, Ed Ecker, Leslie Fausset, Ann Lineback, Manuelita Brown, Shimi Kang, Elisa Lurkis, Karen Moawad,  John St. James, Dan Engel, Drew Schlosberg, Gary Knight, Dale Ganzow, Starla Lewis, Will Marre, Nate Howard, Paula Thomas, David Sawicki, Edwin Valderrama, Dennis Doyle, Jaime Romo, MJ Schumann, Charles Bergan, Jeff Grantham, Scott Bechter-Levin, Judith Lukomski, Greg Betts, Karen Henken, Parker Harris, Parker Pike, Stan Sewitch, Leora Langs, Christopher Yanov, Jill McManigal, Ricardo Rao, Steven Snyder, Erika Daniels, Eric Kaufmann, Cheryl Harrison, Christine Paik and every single one of you already or soon to be committed to education, positively changing the future and believing in each other!

Pay it Forward

Love,

Neville

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

“The second greatest threat to our planet is our erroneous belief that we can’t believe in each other!”

Happy Soul Food Friday!

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
—Mother Teresa

This week:

Very Special Pictures to Start this Moment Right!

Dying Cancer Warrior Taught Life Lessons:

Making the best of the years, inspiring others despite pain, exhaustion and frailty, defeating cancer even in death and through her example learning lessons about ourselves, our craft and our life…

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2016/02/16/voices-dying-cancer-warrior-best-teacher/80223410/

Who Would Jesus Vote For?

Wherever you stand on separation of church and state and whatever you expect from your political leaders, this was an interesting take

A secular Jew the most Christian candidate in the race?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/02/17/wwjd-vote-for-bernie-sanders-column/80426466/

Grand Libraries of the World

Each with its design and unique flair tells a story and inspires love of learning and repositories of knowledge

Libraries are one of the few places in the world we can truly self-drive our learning based on our interests and passion…

Bibliotheken

PDF Version: Bibliotheken [Compatibility Mode]

Shifting School Culture:

“We have enough programs and trainings – positive behavior, restorative justice, diversity and inclusion, implicit bias.

Our children come with so many issues. There is so much bullying and teasing. I see so little empathy!”

 

Niroga Notes February 2016

Recently the principal of a large middle school told me that he is looking for a shift in school culture, not another program. He said, “We have enough programs and trainings – positive behavior, restorative justice, diversity and inclusion, implicit bias. Our children come with so many issues. There is so much bullying and teasing. I see so little empathy! I believe the skills that Dynamic Mindfulness provides is the very foundation for this shift.“

Niroga’s Dynamic Mindfulness program systematically develops stress resilience, self-awareness, emotion regulation and healthy relationships. Read on to see why we need Dynamic Mindfulness in our schools today, and think about what you can do to make it happen.

In Gratitude,

Bidyut Bose, PhD, Founder and Executive Director

Stress is Making our Children Sick     

“Is the Drive for Success Making Our Children Sick?” reads the title of a recent article from the New York Times. In a large California High School, 54% of students showed moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and 80% suffered moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety. These statistics are alarming! “We are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” said one teacher.

Read more about reversing this trend.

Learn how to Teach Dynamic Mindfulness   

We are bringing our two day Dynamic Mindfulness training to the Los Angeles, CA area. Please share with your Southern California connections and community.

Learn more.

 

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Bidyut B, and all those committed to keeping our kids safe and well!

Pay it forward…

Love,

Neville

“If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain.”–Emily Dickinson

Happy Soul Food Friday!

 This week:

Challenging Our Basic Assumptions and Trusting the Process

“Here and Now…Breath and Relax”- Dan Millman

After Centuries of ‘Sameness’ We are Finally Seeing the End of Average:

Yes, ‘normal’ is the psycho-pathology of the average and it is time to herald in a new era!

Rose is the Director of the Mind, Brain and Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where he heads up the Laboratory for the Science of the Individual.

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/entering-age-individual/

Courage is Not What You Think it Is:

You have to be out of your mind to tap deep courage. Literally.

Most of your fears are mental. The trick to cultivating courage, therefore, is by getting out of your mind and into your body. Learn why and how to use a three step approach to have more courage on your personal and professional journey.

Eric is also the author of Leadership as a Hero’s Journey

Speaking of Hero’s Journeys, Discover the Lessons Learned from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and Apply Them to Your Own:

Filmmaker Patrick Soloman discusses his movie “Finding Joe” & Dan Millman shares “The Four Purposes of Life”.

http://wsradio.com/012016-the-four-purposes-of-life-of-the-peaceful-warrior-insights-from-dan-millman/

2^nd clip at the 6:50 mark with Patrick is good & the 3^rd and 4^th clips with Dan Millman are great!

Some of these pictures will put a lump in your throat…

Getting Some Historic Perspective

If You Are Local…

Calling All Parents – Mission Fed Supports Anti-Cyber Bullying:

As the amount of cell phone and computer usage grows with children, cyber bullying is also on the rise and that’s why Mission Fed is proud to sponsor the Calling All Parents campaign. Led by the San Diego Police Foundation, in partnership with NBC 7 and Cox, to promote SafetyNet – A program designed to help parents and educators learn how to keep kids safe online.

Starting February, 16 through the end of April, NBC 7 and Cox will features a series of commercials “Calling All Parents” and asking them to be more involved in their children’s computer usage at a time when technology is becoming central to their children’s lives. The commercials feature Mission Fed as the sponsor and highlights our commitment to making a difference in the lives of our members and our community.

http://studio.mixpo.com/videoad/AOB__a3MRDeZ1df-BWxf1w/CAP_MF_DVX-

http://studio.mixpo.com/videoad/raEhjuYkT-jXawDCHU8uA/Calling_All_Parents-MF-300X600Exp

To learn more visit:

http://www.smartcyberchoices.orgCBS8

Learning Upgrade Software helps Somali refugees learn English

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/feb/14/learning-upgrade-somalis-bantu-computer-program/

Thanks this week go to Eric K, Wade at WS Radio, Larry H, Vinod L, the Mission Fed team & Everyone Living the Hero’s Journey and Way of the Peaceful Warrior!

Pay it Forward

Love,

Neville

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”— Benjamin Franklin

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

Were you Blind Sided this Weekend? Lessons from Michael Oher and Super bowl 50:

“The future holds everything I want”

10 Principles of Success:

Stay Informed: Change Politics through Change.org

Were you Blind Sided this Weekend? Lessons from Michael Oher and Super bowl 50:

With Michael Oher playing in Super bowl 50 this past weekend, I wonder how many people rented or re-watched the movie The Blind Side.

And how many with no pre-existing loyalties to either team found themselves rooting for the Carolina Panthers just because of this “American Dream” story?

While some have criticized The Blind Side as presenting a white savior narrative in which a black man is unable to overcome poverty without the guidance of a white mother, my overall assessment was more charitable as I believe in a different circumstance the roles could be reversed, and our family couldn’t help but rent it again the night before the Super Bowl.

As a sports obsessed culture, we seem to have developed our own selective blind spots to domestic violence charges by professional football players, and remain blind to the persuasive devastation of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in football players of all skill levels, so maybe this story is a bright spark in a culture of selective seeing- given such a long-standing passion and tradition for American football.

Baby Mike learned as a child to close his eyes to bad things going on around him, reopening them with an affirmation that the world is good.

Big Mike grew up in a community, steeped in pervasive & institutional racism with attitudes and actions shaped by social “norms” -normal being the psycho-pathology of the average- rather than behaving into true “Christian” values. Sadly, like many people in this country we are not yet color blind to actualize the promise and potential of every person.

Mr. Michael Oher now for the second time had an international stage to demonstrate the power of his off-the-charts protective instincts and give us something good  to highlight from the gladiators of our time that literally sacrifice their minds and bodies for their fame and fortune and their patricians, and our collective entertainment.

Yet, how many of us steer clear or are literally blind to certain parts of our local community? How many of us behave into societal norms, remaining silent on matters that matter most in a civil society?

If all our youth are the “quarterbacks of our future”, can and do we protect their blind side with our well-honed protective instincts?

Perhaps as part of Super Bowl 50 in this leap year we can reach for a new goal line, focusing on and celebrating the unsung heroes not just on but off the field. Like Michael if we would all just exert our protective instincts, maybe we could model taking care of each other, and create an opportunity for everyone to achieve their potential both on the field of play and in the real game of life.

Now that would be a REAL contact sport and deserving of the cherished ring!

More on Michael…

http://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Michael-Oher-Blind-Side-Play-Super-Bowl-50-40069964

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/blind-side-players-mom-calls-super-bowl-appearance/story?id=36724705

“The future holds everything I want”

One month into the year and I’ve already had several leaders express concern about meeting this year’s goals. Sober realism is a necessary leadership trait, and so is deliberate optimism. Seeing your opportunities in a positive way is both necessary for your own aspirations, and to energize others. Recognize that by thinking about the future optimistically your thoughts focus and crystallize around the results you seek. 

You may find that a positive affirmation helps you maintain optimism about the future. Whenever you drift into concerned thinking, you might repeat a sentence to yourself, even something as open ended as “The future holds everything I want” can keep you in a hopeful and forward looking frame of mind. Granted, this affirmation isn’t a catalysts for change, but it can alter your perspective about your experience, which in turn may initiate your openness and willingness to take the risks you need to reach your goals. 
Thinking positively about the future directs your mental energy toward promise and optimism. When you feel that the future holds possibility and engagement, you will focus on what’s going right, and communicate this state to others. This feeling of contentment allows you to look at the things that occur in your work and life – even things that might seem negative – as opportunities for growth. Viewing your experiences as a series of possibilities means you see the future as an opening instead of something unknown and fearful. 

In the spirit of leading and learning,

Eric K

10 Principles of Success:

http://www.business.com/careers/10-principles-of-success-quotes-to-inspire-from-jim-rohn/?src=PTK4&utm_source=advisor&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=advisor012716&mkt=email_advisor&etEmail=C/VsQKnLk5GUk8E52D8y3nMePpnFAzM1&etFirstName=kVzWYF4ulnc=&etLastName=+Dcy4PWKARAojzxPfAQmlw==&etCompany=QLZtypSXpuELUJ45Mbl6+lz5DfqHnsU7zd5lvV/NB7M=&etPhone=&etCity=cWc/KHpVPPxVnkxhwSr2LA==&etState=5/ouvSWzDts=&etZip=VcOxQexGhWE=&utm_content=text#pricequotes

Change.org:

In 2015, more than 130 million people took to Change.org to create the change they want to see in the world.

You can see a few of the thousands of victories our users won below. And if there is something you want to change in 2016, in your community or in your country, you can start your own petition today.

Stay Informed:

Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Change Politics, a new platform from Change.org that connects you with candidates and helps you make more informed decisions on Election Day.

With Change Politics, you can ask candidates about the issues you care about and upvote the questions you want answered. Top questions and favorites will be presented to candidates on January 31st, in advance of the first state primary.

Ask A Question

Explore questions

Check out trending questions for the Democratic Primary and ask yours

                                     Learn more about participating candidates:

                                                        Clinton O’Malley Sanders

 

Thanks this week go to Eric K, Larry H, and Agents of Positive Change Everywhere!

Pay it Forward…

Love,

Neville

 

“We become what we think about”

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

 This week:

21st Century Real-World Education, Photos that Need No Words, Movement BE, Restoring Innovation and Creativity in Education & Executive Thinking

21^st Century Real-World Education: The Age of Humanity & Humility Restored- Reflections on the Youth Success Week in Oceanside 2016

Where Common Sense is Uncommon Practice, & Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy…

4 Years ago, in 2012 a previous leap year, Steve Farber, bestselling author and speaker http://www.stevefarber.com/  along with myself and a lot of help from our friends, some of whom are recidivists on this leg of the journey, connected 880 parents, educators and civic leaders together on the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego to Re-Energize Education.

4 years later in 2016 another leap year, we find ourselves, with your help “sparking” (a nod to Sparky/Helice Bridges of Difference Makers International) http://blueribbonstory.org/ another LEAP in education. This time however, it is not just about academic/traditional education, but about educating the whole-person. This time it is not just about students. It is about all of us, all of humanity. Life-long learning is not optional anymore. As Marlaine Cover of Parenting 2.0 the largest parenting site on Linked-In would say it is part of the mandatory curriculum in Life Skills 101! https://www.parenting2pt0.org/

Why this and why now…

By any measure, as a species we are simply not living up to our potential. In this context, I don’t mean academically or vocationally but with respect to unleashing our talent, serving each other, and making the world better than we entered it.

We seem to have lost our way in this proverbial race to the top. To the top of what I ask? To the top of the largest number of people experiencing loneliness, alienation & depression? To the top score for inequality; boasting the biggest divide between the haves and have nots in human history? Maybe to the top of business with leaders and captains of industry willing to make unethical and value-extractive decisions in the name of the profit motive and self-interest? Or perhaps the top of political leaders, striving to be prophets in their own land, and willing to use fear (false evidence appearing real) and fascist rhetoric not heard since Hitler got standing ovations in the ‘30s to curry favor and attention, seek power and feed their ambition addiction? What does this say about the civic leaders we have matriculated and are cultivating in schools today? What does this portend about the future? Did we get the facts and figures right but miss the real lesson? Has education failed us? Have we failed ourselves?

Your political views, history, cultural conditions and personal choices might find you disagreeing vehemently with me on some of the aforementioned, it is thankfully a free country, but here is something we might all agree on…

If you are like 99% of us, you are stressed. Stress is the #1 epidemic in most of the world, costing us billions in both hard costs and human consequences. We have traded false formulations of success (counterfeit correlation) for our happiness, wellbeing and fulfillment both as individuals and as a community. It is almost as if we have forgotten what it means to be human. Have we really lost touch with our humanity? What is going on?

“Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure!”

Some of us are empowered as hell and not going to take it anymore. It is time for another renaissance, another dawn of age of humanity. We need a new prescription, but since prescription without diagnosis is malpractice, let’s look a little further before treating the condition, or focusing on the symptom and not the system…

Changing the Focus: Historically in education, we have foregrounded school work striving for A’s in Academics and Achievement and privileged the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). But times have changed and we haven’t kept up. In today’s conceptual era (CQ), as we prepare both our students and ourselves for the innovation economy, or what some call the imagination economy, it is time for us, not just our kids to do more homework. Here I am not speaking of homework- conventionally thought of school work we do at home- but real-world work enhancing emotional intelligence (EQ), social intelligence (SQ) and (CQ) to create human beings able to effectively navigate and advance civil society, where character matters as much or more than competency. http://8keys.org/

Today getting straight A’s is a compulsory matter of practicing Attention, Awareness, Appreciation and Affirmation. It is time to stop seeing the role of education as putting important stuff into the brains of students, rather to switch our focus to pulling the genius that is already within out as Educator par Excellence Starla Lewis reminds us! http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/mar/02/womens-history-month-local-hero-starla-lewis-champ/

Reversing the Lens: An Inversion of Consciousness

The root of the word education is ‘educare’; to look at things from diverse points of view. Youth Success Week, http://youthsuccessweekoceanside.org/ is the coming out party for the Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS) founded by Steadman Graham  http://stedmangraham.com/  and Bobbi DePorter http://www.qln.com/ and an amazing Advisory Board (see the complete list at the end of this piece), along with The Oceanside Promise, http://futureready.oside.us/The%20Oceanside%20Promise%20.htm

All this ignited by the vision and commitment of Oceanside born and raised Superintendent Dr. Duane Coleman, http://www.oside.k12.ca.us/ , powerfully supported through the inspired leadership of so many and whose work and words I reflect and refract here, flipped not only my switch but my orientation to both examining the issues as well as scouting and paving the path forward.

Convention and Counter-convention:

We talk about how hard it is raising kids. That is because we are working on the wrong job! The real work and focus should be on raising a parent, one that comes with no training manual, little experience, where parents are capable only of modeling and teaching what they have learned and therefore a role in dire need of remediation, accommodation and assistance. Dr. Ken Druck’s work in this regard, not to mention his international contributions as an expert in transforming adversity into opportunity is a beacon to a new and upgraded operating system for parent-ing- and kid-ding J http://www.kendruck.com/

We think the issue is the kids. However, the real epiphany is recognizing our limits as parents & educators. What is the environment I am creating, and the mindset I am basing my work on? It takes introspection and humility to recognize that I must take accountability for my choices and actions, and that there are no resistant recipients, there are only inflexible communicators.

As much as bullying totally sucks, it represents real world homework for both parties to improve their emotional literacy. Problems and horrific disasters as a result of bullying result because we don’t give and do enough emotional literacy homework. We are too busy doing the academic stuff to get into the best school, so the school of hard knocks gets forgotten and then hits us upside the head and heart…

As much as teenage drama can get thoroughly exhausting, it represents an opportunity to do our real world homework in social literacy. All the world is indeed a stage and here we can act out and act on the skills that will build this hugely important muscle, if we want to make a difference in the conceptual era. “OMG, put down your selfie and re-orient to we instead of me, s’il vous plait!!”, or it doesn’t matter how many languages you speak, you are culturally challenged…

Sadly, you are only a kid, and then a young adult, for just a short time, and then relegated to adult status for the rest of your life. Yet instead of celebrating childhood, we lament that “youth is wasted on the young”, then do our best to steal it from them with developmentally inappropriate expectations, forcing them to grow up, catch-up, over-extend, over-schedule, all over-tired. Savvy youth such as Drew Kesslin proud teacher of dad Larry http://successredefined.com/ demand to experience and preserve their youth for as long as they can, and luckily for her, Drew’s parents “get it”.

Time steals our youth fast enough. Why are we buying into and contributing to this forced acceleration? What if the opposite reality became the norm and you were only an adult-in-training for just a short time, and then rightly trained and equipped, your youthful attitude, zest for life, belief in the impossible, & focus on the positive were the longest season of your life cycle during your short time on earth?

Kindness is NOT weakness

Busy is a false indicator of us doing work of importance

Sleep deprivation is a lousy indicator or your amazing ambition. If you can’t make time to sleep, what you are really saying is you can’t make time for creativity, the alternation of activity and rest, and the opportunity to be your best self.

Convention is in dire need of an intervention!

It is time to Re-Imagine His-tory and Her-story

It is time to get real, find your smile, and rekindle our humanness perhaps by learning from the dolphins as Dr. Shimi Kang, author of the bestselling “The Dolphin Parent” http://www.amazon.com/The-Dolphin-Parent-Raising-Self-Motivated/dp/0143188860 and its poignant principles suggest.

Enliven your P.O.D.

P: Play more. This is a prescription Dr. King prescribes with equal efficacy to antidepressants or other medicines

O: Others are important. Make connectedness count. We are social creatures. Loneliness is today’s smoking when it comes to health risks. Are you a pack a day isolate?

D: Downtime matters. Our lives are way too fast-paced and just as elite athletes needs the oscillation of intense training with rest and stretching, you do too. Take more breaks and experience more breakthroughs!

Children learn what they live

You are brilliant, powerful, limitless, love and boundless

I AM in the positive

Shoulder to shoulder, not face to face we can change our world

Celebrate the moments no one will ever know, when you best self showed up!

You wanted one day, in your wildest dreams to be WITH the greatest people on the planet. Little did you know that one day YOU would be ONE OF THEM!

There are so many others to honor and esteem doing this transformative work for the greater good. Please look them up, learn about their work and support them.

They could well change your life!

CAYS Organizing Committee: 

Stedman Graham, Stedman and Associates CEO and CAYS co-founder

Bobbi DePorter, LFI President and CAYS co-founder; President of Quantum Learning Network

Luisa Csathy, Founder, Giving Tree Movement

Dr. Ken Druck, Founder, Jenna Druck Center

Steve Farber, CEO and Speaker, Extreme Leadership

Neville Billimoria, SVP and Chief Advocacy Officer, Mission Federal Credit Union

Helice Bridges, CEO and Founder, Difference Makers International

Starla Lewis, CEO, C.E.L.L

Marlaine Cover, President, The Global Presence

Tia Ross, CEO, Motivating the Teen Spirit

Marcy Morrison, Career Coach

Lisette Omoss, Community Volunteer, Realtor, Photographer

John Cotter, Speaker, Community Activist, Career Educator

With support from so many including my friends:

Robert MacPhee www.dailyupbeats.com

Larry Kesslin http://successredefined.com/

Look into my eyes. Thanks for helping me find my smile…

Love,

Neville

1. Thanks to my wife Barbara for teaching me what it is to be a better human being!

“The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be
honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have
lived and lived well.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes Photos need no words…

Movement BE:

At the Community Alliance for Youth Success event

Restoring Innovation and Creativity in American Education:

This NPR clip on Most Likely to Succeed is thought provoking as we explore the future of education…

https://www.wnyc.org/radio/#/ondemand/571212

Executive Thinking and Behaving

Eric helps all leaders think differently about the whole system, not just about (enlightened) self-interest or one’s area

Thanks this week go to the CAYS team, Larry H, John C, Eric K, and whole person educators who see a different future everywhere!

“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” –RABINDRANATH TAGORE

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week… Try a little Tenderness

• Arties Remarks by Yours Truly …Time steals our youth fast enough. Why are we buying into and contributing to this forced acceleration? What if the opposite reality became the norm and you were only an adult-in-training for just a short time, and then rightly trained and equipped, your youthful attitude, zest for life, belief in the impossible, & focus on the positive were the longest season of your life cycle during your short time here on earth?
• 20+ Reasons Why Being A Nature Photographer Is The Best Job In The World…
• Enough: A Poem by Andrea Gibson
• The Values Revolution- Embedding Empathy & Equity More Centrally in how we Imagine Progress and Success
• Mission Fed Artwalk 2016 Preview

20 + Reasons Why Being A Nature Photographer Is The Best Job In The World…!

“Enough” by Andrea Gibson

Last night I painted a purple tree on my bedroom wall

I woke up this morning in a pile of leaves

The color of a million different faces

Thinking of that hand

That planted the seed

Of the family tree

That grew us all

And how each one of us

Will one day fall back to the ground

This morning

I was listening to my heart pound

Knowing with every single beat

That a thousand other hearts

Were falling asleep forever

On a day they never thought they would

And I know there are tribes of aborigines

That decide how and when they’ll die

After a hundred years or so

They walk into the desert alone

Offer up their breath

And within two minutes

Soar into a death

As beautiful as their life

And I was thinking I

Will probably never be enlightened enough

To decide how I want to die

So this morning

I decided how I want to live

What I want to give

What kind of song I want to sing

Now I’m no longer

Looking at my days like they’re a cup

Calling them half empty or half full

When they’ve always been enough

They’ll always be enough

To fill me up

If I stop thinking so much

And start drinking them up

Until I get so drunk and high on my days

I’ll be walking up to strangers and saying things like

“Hey, I know Jesus was born in a manger

But I woke at dawn today

To watch the earth’s horizon

Give birth to true rising sun of God

And I can’t stop singing hallelujah”

Can you believe we’re here?

Can you believe there are gods somewhere praying to us?

I want to be that nut on a bus

Who’s really a prophet

Telling everybody

“Smoking is bad

Stop it

You might be an opera singer some day

And how are you gonna hit the high notes?”

I wanna live like those high notes

That rise from the throats of old ladies

When they see little babies

Riding in shopping carts

I wanna start somebody’s heart like that

Taking ninety years back

So you’ll have sworn

You weren’t born

Until you saw me

Planting roses

In all the sidewalk cracks

So when you trip

You’ll fall in love

With someone you thought you hated

And now look at what that love has created

Look

There’s a sky

On her faded blue jeans

With a flock of birds

About to fly to my words

And my next line’s

Gonna rhyme with her eyes

And she’ll wink

And I’ll think I’m as beautiful as him

I wanna live my life

Like it’s a little league game

I don’t care if I win

Just wanna watch some little girl

Get her very first hit

Watch her father cheer so hard

He spills his beer

And decides to quit

I wanna split some woman’s

Tired eyes open

Wake her with her own sunrise

So she knows

There’s reason to be hoping

She’ll say

“There are stingers in my heart

But I’m sure that I’m a queen”

And that night

She’ll vow to swarm

Until every angry car horn

Is reborn a song

Of let there be light

Every angry war cry reborn

A song of let there be life

I wanna build the timid teenage boy

A microphone that will

Echo his rhymes

The same way

They echo in his shower

When he’s home alone

I wanna write poems

In the tone

Of your mother’s eyes

When she whispered your name

For the very first time

Poems that will make you go home

Pick up the phone

And call her

While I call mine to say

“You know those lines

On the kitchen wall

Where I grew

Taller and taller and taller

Put a couple more there won’t you?

Cause I’m growing up here”

No longer looking at my days

Like they’re a cup

Calling them enough

From now on

They’ll be overflowing

Since now I’m knowing

It’s up to me

To fill them up

Making the case for He-Art…

Arties “Live in Color” 2016 Remarks

What does it mean to live in color?

Why would individuals, businesses, whole communities want to support Art?

Eye, Ya Yai!

In the words of Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On?”

Have we opened our eyes and looked around lately?
Because we are in mixed company, I will refrain from lighting the powder keg of politics or social justice

So let’s find a common denominator:

If you are like 99% of us, you are stressed.

Stress is the #1 epidemic in most of the world, costing us billions in both hard costs and human consequences.

We have traded false formulations of success (counterfeit correlation) for our happiness, wellbeing and fulfillment both as individuals and as a community.

It is almost as if we have forgotten what it means to be human. Have we really lost touch with our humanity? What is going on?

“Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure!”

Artists find their inspiration in this dynamic tension…

The Case for America’s Finest City:

We talk about creating the 21^st Century Innovation Economy. Some are starting to call it the Impact Economy.

Today, let’s consider the Imagination Economy

Our imagination is a preview of coming attractions

What does your imagination hold for you and for our community?

What is YOUR craft?

“Creativity is as important as literacy and we should treat it with the same status” says Sir Ken Robinson

We want creativity, from ourselves, from our teams from our kids, yet most of the time we don’t create the conditions for it.

Anyway you look at it, convention is in dire need of an intervention! Bring in the He-artists…

 

It is time to Re-Imagine His-tory and Her-story

It is time to get real, find your smile, and rekindle our humanness perhaps by learning, if not from each other then from another species: the dolphins with some insights from bestselling author Dr. Shimi Kang.

We think we are the smartest creatures on the planet but I think it is the dolphins and here is why:

Let’s use POD as a way to capture their genius…

P: Play more. They play! Play is a prescription that has equal efficacy to antidepressants or other medicines, yet we don’t make time for play

What kind of play am I talking about?

Lego of old v. Lego of new (unstructured, open, free v. proscribed and formulated)

Here is the thought experiment:

If you were a Lego set, what is the picture on the cover of the box you are trying to craft and create?

Do the puzzle pieces in your box line up with the picture on the cover?

Are there any pieces missing?

Art creates the space for play to matter, & can answer these existential questions- as well if not better than science…

O: Others are important. Make connectedness count. We are social creatures. Loneliness is today’s smoking when it comes to health risks. Are you a pack a day isolate?

Enough me, me, me already- enough selfies.

How about WE? What happened to WE?

Art connects us to our most humane and universal essence.

D: Downtime matters. Our lives are way too fast-paced and just like elite athletes, for peak performance we need the oscillation of intense activity with periods of rest and stretching- you do too. Take more breaks, and experience more breakthroughs!

We say we are too busy for downtime. Busy is a false indicator of us doing work of importance, just as sleep deprivation is a lousy indicator or your amazing ambition. If you can’t make time for down time, what you are really saying is you can’t make time for creativity, what you are really saying is you can’t make time for be your best self!

So now let’s apply this to our kids…

Children learn what they live

Sadly, you are only a kid, for just a short time, and then relegated to adult status for the rest of your life. Yet instead of celebrating childhood, we lament that “youth is wasted on the young”, then do our best to steal it from them with developmentally inappropriate expectations, forcing them to grow up, catch-up, over-extend, over-schedule, all over-tired.

Play, Downtime, Creativity, Art. We’ve got no time for that.

No Child Left Behind, resulted in no child LEFT!

Time steals our youth fast enough. Why are we buying into and contributing to this forced acceleration? What if the opposite reality became the norm and you were only an adult-in-training for just a short time, and then rightly trained and equipped, your youthful attitude, zest for life, belief in the impossible, & focus on the positive were the longest season of your life cycle during your short time here on earth?

Time steals our youth fast enough. Why are we buying into and contributing to this forced acceleration? What if the opposite reality became the norm and you were only an adult-in-training for just a short time, and then rightly trained and equipped, your youthful attitude, zest for life, belief in the impossible, & focus on the positive were the longest season of your life cycle during your short time here on earth?

Kindness is NOT weakness. Busy-ness is not Fulfillment “Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure!”

My plea to you: Enliven your P.O.D. , live in color and find your craft

As this is Martin Luther King week, I have to end with some MLK quotes: “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends!” Please don’t be silent about art- live loud, proud and in color!

You are brilliant, powerful, creative, limitless, and boundless Like Dolphins: Shoulder to shoulder, not face to face- we can change our world Take time through your craft to celebrate the moments no one will ever know, when you best self showed up!

As MLK said, “The time is always right to do what is right” Blessings….

The Values Revolution- Embedding Empathy & Equity More Centrally in how we Imagine Progress and Success

The Values Revolution: Embedding Empathy in the New Economy

2016: LIVE IN COLOR!

Presenting the 2016 Mission Federal ArtWalk Featured Artists, and ARTIE AWARD Honorees

Each year, Mission Federal ArtWalk spotlights a special group of artists. The eight Featured Artists for 2016 represent the diverse talents, mediums and genres exhibited at the annual festival. Congratulations to these amazingly talented and creative individuals!

Also in this issue, we present the individuals who were selected as the 2016 “ARTIE AWARD” honorees at a special celebration on January 19 at The Westgate Hotel.

For updated information on Mission Federal ArtWalk, please visit:

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h8/uxSvuI6Kg2YZj2ru9-2F2tfykbJcidraL6xvfTJJN0v1kNvpJDN-2FSTe9wAecb02SCA

April 30 and May 1 – On the streets of Little Italy

2016 Mission Federal ArtWalk

Featured Artists

Dave Ness

San Diego

Photography

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h9/S101ENkD0yeioBotR-2F-2BrNmJV81ozJFnJx-2FGA3gUdXRHwlPdcPmWSYigNz3srkpG3

A former engineer and business professional, Dave Ness found his passion behind the camera by capturing the peace he found in nature and sharing it with others. Since 2007, Dave has participated in numerous art shows and his work has been featured in various galleries in California. He touts his ability to utilize camera techniques that capture an impressionistic representation of a scene giving his work its calming and healing effect on those who enjoy it.

Deanna Rae

Alta Loma

Sculpture

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h10/VEwMM-2BDSDBNHjkFDfZZke6u08k5ZAH18uVDs7q0nPWU-3D

Deanna Rae is a sculpture artist whose inspiration derives from her years growing up on a working ranch where she cared for and trained young horses. She earned her degree in Equine Science and traveled to Spain in her last year where she had the opportunity to study some of the greatest artistic masters and immersed herself in the culture. Upon returning to the US, she continued to pursue her artistic interests and studied figurative drawing which translated into expressive movement in her sculpture.

 

Desarae Lee

Salt Lake City

Drawing, Pen & Ink

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h11/lIFyzQiQPdIMjquSZGtR30pt5J6gd6Nq4YiicpNWFLc-3D

 Known for her detailed cross-hatching pen and ink drawings, Desarae Lee was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains of Utah. Many of her pieces find the light in the darkness and the idea of walking between good and evil continues to affect her work today. While studying art education at Brigham Young University, Desarae began to experiment with many different art mediums but her exposure to very prominent illustrators introduced her to her true voice in pen and ink. She continues to explore themes of beauty in decay and light in the darkness while pushing her work to ever more complex depths.

 

Irina Negulescu

San Diego

Acrylic, Oil

www.negulescu.com

Irina Negulescu was born in Romania and began secretly drawing on the walls behind her family’s furniture or the back covers of books since unlined paper was scarce and very expensive. Her art continued to take priority through her academic career where after high school she was accepted into a prestigious art school, Scoala Populara de Arta in her native city of Constanza graduating with honors. Irina immigrated to the US in 1989, where she continued her studies and became a citizen in 1994. Since then, her work has appeared locally and internationally on television shows like HGTV and in print in various magazines and newspapers. She attributes being raised during harsh years of Communism with her ability to capture the soul and essence of her subjects, especially children and the female figure.

Leslie Pierce

San Diego

Oil

http://www.artistlesliepierce.com/

Originally from New York, Leslie Pierce spent years of her childhood at the Natural History Museum where her father worked as a scientist. Her early exposure to museums and special exhibits influenced her choice to become an artist. She is motivated by contemporary culture and the rapid pace in which information and images are absorbed. Leslie relocated to San Diego in 2014 and has been expanding her series called “Code Defied”, which focuses on how this information hits our retinas and the different ways images can be reduced, re-assembled, translated and interpreted by thought. If something is left out of a story or an image, our brains automatically fill in the rest. The series includes paintings, video art and multi-media installations. In addition to being a working artist, she teaches painting and drawing classes.

Lynden Saint Victor

San Diego

Acrylic, Digital, Oil

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h14/Xa3STpGliYWpUIKxceRYPZTOerYd2cPrucNinfX-2Fx0M-3D

With no formal art training, Lynden Saint Victor started to paint as a way to deal with a transitional time in his life in 2002. He considers himself more of an illustrator and a story teller where he can express his journey through life onto the canvas. He believes that expression through his art was his calling that took him years to accept. In 2003, the first formal presentation of his work resulted in a sold out show, media coverage, multiple gallery offers and a publishing contract. Lynden is also an internationally syndicated cartoonist under another name.

Sarah Stieber

Represented by Adelman Fine Art

San Diego

Acrylic, Mixed Media, Oil

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h15/MVeTb5lnBKW3rK-2BF1dKFhB-2BDCuLVcVTHDb-2Fd1msnNXowKN2vKcvj8-2BkLoFqJhImV

Before graduating Cum Laude with a fine arts degree and a concentration in Psychology from Boston University, Sarah Stieber spent time living and painting in Venice and Florence, Italy, inspired by the Masters’ works that blanket the cities. Sarah’s artistic talent flourished at a young age, winning national art competitions as a child. Today, her contemporary style of electric realism is a spectacle of saturated colors, a kaleidoscope to her world of wishful seeing. Her work shines a brilliant light on daily life, depicting her subjects in a moment of overcoming adversity and achieving the mindfulness and playfulness that reality often corrodes. From her studio in San Diego, Sarah has created custom work for global brands such as Marriott International and Effen Vodka and her vibrant paintings are featured in art collections both nationally and internationally.

Theresa Kwong

San Mateo

Jewelry

http://email.robly.com/mpss/c/8QA/1BkfAA/t.1u7/BWt5yrpEQuWwjxE7Kl7Rfw/h16/kMjZn4DYudmU-2FVz8LHibtmxB4brXDtjPyWn-2B7E2OMMc-3D

Theresa Kwong started her professional career as an architect after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley. She spent over twenty years creating 3-D objects on a macro scale, but a career shift into metalsmith allows her to continue creating 3-D objects – this time on a micro scale. Theresa had the opportunity to study under numerous masters at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts and is inspired by various organic forms like a blooming flower or seashell or tensile structures like the San Diego Convention Center.

 

2016 Mission Federal ArtWalk / ArtReach

ARTIE Award Honorees

L to R: Adam Moyer, Jennifer Borba Von Stauffenberg, Angela Carone, Kevin Hellman

The Artie Awards give recognition to some extraordinary individuals in San Diego, for their support of arts and culture in our city.

Presented by Mission Federal ArtWalk:

Alan Ziter has worked tirelessly to create a dynamic arts and culture district in San Diego. His vision and hard work for the past 13 years have made The Arts District at Liberty Station a home to some of the city’s most exciting visual and performing arts groups. Many of the artists you’ll see at the festival in April have their studios at Liberty Station. Alan has long been an activist in the arts in San Diego. Before NTC he directed the San Diego Performing Arts League and co-produced the memorable Bravo San Diego event for many years at The Westgate Hotel.

Angela Carone covers arts and culture for KPBS and is the author of Culture Lust, the station’s arts blog. She is known for her insightful and honest on-air and online reporting on arts and culture in the region. Her fresh and authentic way of covering the visual and performing arts has both informed and entertained us, while keeping arts and culture in the spotlight in San Diego.

Jenn Borba Von Stauffenberg is the president of Olive PR Solutions. As much as good public relations pros like to remain in the background, Jenn has more than earned this recognition not only for taking our festival public relations efforts to a new level, but also for supporting so many other visual arts programs in San Diego and nationally. She is truly passionate about visual art, and she has been investing in local artists for years by purchasing their works, holding art shows in her Little Italy office and more.

Kevin Hellman is the publisher of San Diego Citybeat. Each year, for both of our annual festivals, Kevin comes up with a brilliant lineup of musicians who volunteer their time to entertain festival attendees. Kevin has played this role for ArtWalk events since 2005. When Kevin calls, musicians listen! But this is just one of the many ways he shares his love of music. He is president of the San Diego Music Foundation and he works with numerous local events to help them with their musical lineup.

Presented by ArtReach:

Adam Moyer founded Knockaround, a local company centered around a sunglasses line that was simultaneously practical and stylish. In 2014, Adam invited ArtReach to partner with Knockaround to take a design exercise called Class Acts into local schools. The premise was to give students a basic overview of the design process for sunglasses, to allow each student to create their own design and to pick one student-designed pair to manufacture and sell. All proceeds go to participating schools and to ArtReach; over $30,000 so far. Adam personally invests time and enthusiasm in this program. He makes philanthropy seem effortless and fun, but also very intentional. We thank Adam for supporting visual arts education in San Diego.

Thanks this week go to Ken D, the Mission Fed Artwalk crew, James H, and Larry H.

Live your craft and Pay it forward!

Love,
Neville

“One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form

as the main aim in life.

The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work,

pleasure in its result and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community.”

–-Einstein

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

 The Issue of Privilege:

This comic puts matters of privilege in perspective…

http://www.lifehack.org/349580/an-excellent-comic-that-shows-us-the-issue-of-privilege?mid=20151228&ref=mail&uid=768129&feq=weekly

High Performing Schools and High Suicide Rates:

Achievement at what cost?

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/17/456395374/top-silicon-valley-high-schools-respond-to-rising-suicide-rate

Is There An Upside to Depression?

A different take on a serious health matter…

http://www.amenclinics.com/blog/is-there-an-upside-to-depression/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=is-there-an-upside-to-depression&utm_source=bitn&utm_content=null&utm_term=null

20 Tips for a Positive New Year for YOU:

20 Tips for a Positive New Year

Updated for 2016

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

3. Make your first meal the biggest and your last meal the smallest. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge car. 🙂

4. Remember that outside circumstances and events have no power over you. You create your world from the inside-out.

5. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself and feed your mind with words of truth and encouragement you need to keep moving forward.

6. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires Allowed.” Gandhi said, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”

7. Don’t chase dollars or success. Decide to make a difference and build meaningful relationships and success will find you.

8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in your purpose, people and the positive present moment.

10. You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great. Look for opportunities to Love, Serve and Care.

11. Live your purpose. Remember why you do what you do. We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.

12. There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Anything worthwhile takes time to build.

13. Trust that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. If you are complaining, you’re not leading.

15. Read more books than you did in 2015. I happen to know of a few good ones. : )

16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead decide to live with passion and purpose and happiness will find you.

17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. The next time you “fail” remember that you aren’t failing, you are becoming. You aren’t failing, you are growing.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

Download these tips as a Printable PDF Here >

 

If you are Local: 2-1-1 Rock the House!

Every year I look forward to seeing 2-1-1 San Diego’s annual video at their Annual Connections Luncheon.  This year, their event is taking on a new twist to celebrate their moving into a bigger, state-of-the-art facility, and I was asked to make a cameo appearance in the video.  The Rock the House celebration, on 2/12,  is going to be a great event and I hope you’ll come see my debut.  Oh, did I mention that live entertainment will be provided by Grammy award-winning group Ozomatli?  Get your tickets today http://211connections.org/211-event/

Thanks this week go to Viv S, Karen Sneha-ji M, Larry H, Dr. Amen, and the team at 2-1-1 connecting 500,000 people every year to social services and key government entities.

Stay Connected!!

Love,

Neville

“No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to persevere to the end in their nature and education.”— Plato

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew; And then… they came for me. ..And by that time there was no one left to speak up. –Rev Martin Niemoller, January 1946

What is your favorite David Bowie song?

This week: Cultural Apartness and Double Standards

The Risks of Cultural Apartness:

Native American cultural imperialism, 19^th Century Americans and the Mormons, Anti-Semitism throughout the ages, Japanese- American Internment, Civil Rights issues, Gay Rights, Anti-immigrant bigotry – where does it end?

 But first, 10 Uncommon Principles to Make 2016 a Really Good Year:

Here we go again, another year has flown by at warp speed and a new one is upon us. As we look back at 2015, we are reminded that we can do whatever we set our minds and talents to. The strength of the human spirit, the determination to overcome challenges, and the power of ingenuity and positive thinking never cease to inspire and surprise. Look back and appreciate everything you’ve accomplished this past year, then look at what you want to change as you imagine the year ahead and you’ll have a strong foundation to map a plan for 2016.

What did you learn in 2015? What did you accomplish? What impact did you have on the lives of those around you?

These are questions to ask as you begin the New Year, and also valuable as you take inventory at the end of the year. Like many, I write my goals for the year on a page and review them monthly. As I think about who I am and how I walk through the year, I experiment with a set of principles to help guide me from year to year.

The world needs good to shine bright and to show what it’s made of more so than ever, so for me 2016 is going to be fueled by looking for, and bringing goodness and the very best energy to each day. Operating with the premise that each day can be the best day possible if the right attitude is applied, here are a few principles that can help you think about 2016 in a new way and get the absolute best out of the year ahead.

Life gets exponentially better when you realize that it’s not all about you. Put others first and you’ll see a difference in your life. Begin by picking five of the most important people in your life and work hard to put their needs ahead of your own. 

You get to choose the attitude you start with each day. Set yourself a 365 Day Gratitude Challenge and begin each day listing what you’re grateful for. People who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits, from stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure to higher levels of positive emotions, more joy, optimism and happiness, and act with more generosity and compassion.

The world needs more people and more companies doing more for good. If you lead a team, run a company or are an entrepreneur, carefully examine what doing more for good means in your business. Align your purpose, your values and your people around a meaningful cause. This should apply to your employees, supplier relationships, and the impact on the environment and your community.

Think about something you’ve always wanted to do and map a plan to make it happen. Even if it’s five years from now, having a vision for what you want to achieve is critical to helping accomplish your dreams. If you never start, you’ll never get there. For me this year, it’s going to be writing a book.

Time is the most important currency we trade with. How and where you invest your time is where you’ll see the greatest returns. Making the most of your time is one of the most important planning tasks you should undertake.

Look back at the past 365 days and celebrate something you’re exceptionally proud of. Now, identify something you are not exceptionally proud of. Think about what you learned from both and how to apply those lessons to the year ahead.

Being a beginner is hard, but you can learn a lot by doing something entirely new for the first time. Sign up for that silent yoga retreat, that Chinese language class or attempt that nine-mile hike—you get the picture. Perhaps the most important piece of this principle is the self-examination afterwards. Ask yourself what the experience taught you. What did you learn by doing something new? Make this the year you aim to learn something new every day.

Everything you do matters. Every action you take, and every conversation you have, matters. Designing your actions with purpose and intentionality is an opportunity to design the life you’ve always wanted.

With daily routines and responsibilities, and the growing list of to-dos stealing time, it’s easy to overlook the simple moments of joy. It’s important to appreciate every step of your daily journey. Each week, choose one day (Sundays work best for me)—pick the three most important tasks and focus only on those.

Planning time is becoming valued less and less. Every part of life and business seem to be moving faster than ever. There’s significant benefit in slowing down to go faster and designing a project carefully at the start by defining success and setting clear expectations for all involved.
There’s no time like the present, because the present is right now. Print this list and think about what you’re going to commit to changing this year. Share the list with your closest friends and that member of your family who needs a good kick in the pants. Make a commitment to apply these Uncommon Principles to the year ahead so you can get the absolute most out of 2016. And remember, make it the best year ever.

Double Standards when it comes to Who is a Protestor & Who is a Terrorist?

What would happen if the protestors in Oregon were Muslims asks Wajahat Ali?

“If 15 Muslim Americans held up a 7-Eleven while drinking Masala Slurpees, holding BB guns, I think you’d have some presidential candidates right now suggesting that they carpet bomb the parking lot and/or send in a drone strike”

Deliberate, cynical manipulation of Fear, and Anti-immigrant bigotry is the ultimate in being un-American, because if you are not a native American your ancestors immigrated here at some point…

“I’m going to be damned if I’m going to let anyone tell me that the American narrative does not belong to me or my son just because he happens to be brown, multi-hyphenated and Muslim.”

Legitimate human fears being preyed on by politicians to get votes? They should know better!

Will we allow ourselves to be manipulated and divided or will we allow the best of our American values to help us to come together as a pluralistic nation?

You decide…

http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-01-06/author-asks-us-consider-what-would-happen-if-protesters-oregon-were-muslims

If, in a vacuum, I told you that a bearded man with his head covered had posted a video on social media calling on his followers to leave their homes with weapons, migrate to a new area, take over government property “as long as necessary” and use violence if confronted by law enforcement, you’d probably assume that I was talking about the latest propaganda video released by Isis, filmed in Iraq or Syria and intended to recruit violent Muslim extremists.

If one black man holding a plastic toy gun even walked in the direction of a federal building, let alone with 150 other black men all holding loaded rifles, he’d be shot dead by law enforcement, no questions asked.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/04/if-the-oregon-militiamen-were-muslim-or-black-they-would-probably-be-dead-by-now-ammon-bundy

Thinking Rationally About Terror:

…the panic about terrorism that ensued appeared at least as frightening as the violence itself

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/thinking-rationally-about-terror

The Sacred and Profane, How NOT to Negotiate with Believers by Malcolm Gladwell

With what’s going on in Oregon, one can’t help but think back to the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco in 1993. 

Here’s a penetrating piece from Malcolm Gladwell – appropriately entitled “Sacred and Profane” – on the multifaceted communication and intervention challenges of the Waco Siege with implications for current times:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/03/31/sacred-and-profane-4

On a Decidedly Lighter Note…

Engineering That Endured:

Engineering that Endured

Horses’ Asses control almost everything…

Explains a whole lot of stuff, doesn’t it?

If you are Local: Parent Palooza and Youth Success Week Closing events this weekend

http://youthsuccessweekoceanside.org/

Saturday, January 16^th 9 am – 12 noon     El Camino High School Truax Theater

Parent Palooza

Hear from Parenting Experts and Global Leaders

The event is free.

 Sunday, January 17^th  2-4pm        Junior Seau Oceanside Amphitheater

Closing Finale

Showcasing OUSD Students: Ballet, Folklorico, Polynesian Dancers School Performances

No registration required.

Thanks this week go to JPC, Shawn P, Wajahat Ali, James H, Larry H,  & all of us who strive to learn from wisdom and live in integrity…

Pay it forward!

Love,

Neville

“The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

HNY ’16!

YOUV’E GOT THIS!

Here is your Soul Food for this week.

BTW, we now have over 2,800 soul-filled people around the world connected through this blog!

• Happy New Year: Something to Stir Your Heart in 2016

• Hope your End of Year Parties were as Amazing as These!

• 35 Priceless Lessons 2015 Taught Robin Sharma

• 9 Leadership Resolutions for 2016

• Got Some New Behaviors You Might Like to Institute in 2016
• Here are some Soul-Filled 2016 NEW YEAR’s wishes for you:
• If You Are Local: Join us at #YouthSuccessWeek January 10-17, Oceanside California

Happy New Year!

Oh Sweetness…

http://biggeekdad.com/2011/01/happy-new-year/

MORNING AFTER THE ZOO’S CHRISTMAS PARTY

MORNING AFTER THE ZOO

Good Party!

35 Priceless Lessons 2015 Taught Robin Sharma

http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/12/35-priceless-lessons-2015-taught-me/

9 Leadership Resolutions for 2016

http://www.peterstark.com/9-leadership-resolutions-2016/?utm_source=QoW&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=QoW-Leadership-Resolutions-2016&inf_contact_key=a278a4d65747fed36e2d36435ad2e7fec9392d942a7ec64a008fbf86e4987227

Got Some New Behaviors You Might Like to Institute in 2016?

http://www.dailygood.org/story/1191/a-simple-formula-for-changing-our-behavior-peter-bregman/

Here are some Soul-Filled 2016 NEW YEAR’s wishes for you:

The Happy New Year is on Target

If YOU Are Local:
Join us and help spread awareness for this first of its kind community event!

Youth Success Week is free to the community! 

Thirty presenters, keynoters, authors and workshop leaders are volunteering their time throughout the week with events for community members as well as delivering assemblies in all our Oceanside schools.

http://www.youthsuccessweekoceanside.org/

Attend these exciting events and share them with others!

Sunday, January 10^th 1:30 pm  – 4 pm                QLN Conference Center       

Attend the Star-studded Opening Kick-off

Hear Dr. Duane Coleman, OUSD Superintendent, Stedman Graham, author Identity and other key presenters, along with students sharing What is Success and 8 Key of Excellence presentations.

The event is free. Register for Opening Kick-off at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-success-week-kickoff-tickets-20113854079

Tuesday, January 12^th   8:30 am – 11:30 am             Junior Seau Beach Community Center

Thursday, January 14^th 11:30 am – 2:30 pm             El Camino High School

Leadership Success Day – Business Training

Presented by Stedman Graham, author Identity and Steve Farber author Extreme Leadership

The event is free. Register for either day of the Leadership Success Day at:  https://extremeleadership.leadpages.co/stedmangraham-stevefarber-oceanside/

 Saturday, January 16^th 9 am – 12 noon     El Camino High School Truax Theater

Parent Palooza

Hear from Parenting Experts and Global Leaders

The event is free. Register for the Parent Palooza at:  https://goo.gl/X46llc

 Sunday, January 17^th  2-4pm        Junior Seau Oceanside Amphitheater

Closing Finale

Showcasing OUSD Students: Ballet, Folklorico, Polynesian Dancers School Performances

No registration required.

Watch our inspiring video and learn more at www.YouthSuccessWeekOceanside.org

Youth Success Week Is sponsored by the Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS), co-founded by Stedman Graham and Bobbi DePorter, in alliance with the Oceanside Unified School District and the Oceanside Promise.

 Designed to engage and catalyze our entire community on matters related to the success and well-being of our youth, Youth Success Week will bring together visionary educators, student and community leaders, professional experts, youth-serving organizations, entertainers, parents and students in an unprecedented demonstration of how a community can come together and put its children first.

 Come and Participate! Register for events on the links above.

 And Please Help Us Spread the Word!  

1. Share the Youth Success Week Oceanside video with your business & network: https://vimeo.com/142681065
2. Follow and share Youth Success Week through social media:

Facebook  [https://www.facebook.com/youthsuccessoceanside/]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caysoceanside/]

Twitter     [https://twitter.com/CAYSOceanside]

3. Post a Youth Success Week poster in your business or establishment.
4. Become a Youth Success Week Sponsor and offer discounted services or products to Oceanside families.  http://youthsuccessweekoceanside.org/sponsor/
5.  Contact us to brainstorm ways to support youth with your organization.
6.  Volunteer by donating a few hours of your time for one of the programs or activities being held throughout the city January 10-17.

 

Join the movement today for Youth Success Week Oceanside January 10-17, 2016!

http://www.youthsuccessweekoceanside.org/

caysoceanside@gmail.com

(760) 305-7317

CAYS Organizing Committee:

 Stedman Graham, Stedman and Associates CEO and CAYS co-founder

Bobbi DePorter, LFI President and CAYS co-founder; President of Quantum Learning Network

Luisa Csathy, Founder, Giving Tree Movement

Dr. Ken Druck, Founder, Jenna Druck Center

Steve Farber, CEO and Speaker, Extreme Leadership

Neville Billimoria, SVP and Chief Advocacy Officer, Mission Federal Credit Union

Helice Bridges, CEO and Founder, Difference Makers International

Starla Lewis, CEO, C.E.L.L

Marlaine Cover, President, The Global Presence

Tia Ross, CEO, Motivating the Teen Spirit

Marcy Morrison, Career Coach

Lisette Omoss, Community Volunteer, Realtor, Photographer

John Cotter, Speaker, Community Activist, Career Educator

 

                

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Robin S, Peter B-S, the CAYS group that has worked hard for over 3 years to bring this vision to fruition, and Andrea for helping me get this out, rain or shine every week!

Pay it Forward!

Love,

Neville

“Action without Vision is merely Movement

Vision without Action is but a Dream

Action and Vision can Change the World!”