I’ll Settle for 44K for My Birthday
Well, this Friday, May 11, 2012 I’ll be officially one year older. It’s been quite a journey and I’m so thankful to everyone who has supported me over the years. It was just over 4 years ago with the prospect of turning 40 that I decided to lay everything on the line and pursue what I believed in. I have no regrets. During that time, I have helped to provide educational and career opportunities for over 1500 teachers and students in Central Texas and have dropped 80+ lbs. None of it has been easy, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. Even now, as I face a seemingly insurmountable task of of raising 44K to support the It Could Be U Digital Youth Academy that kicks off exactly 1 month after my birthday, I only get excited about the opportunity to serve others.
I’ve come to believe that the previous 20 years of my adult life were ultimately about my own selfish and gluttonous pursuits. Not to say that I was on a negative track at all. I was a school teacher in priority schools, developed web sites and software, produced and played music, broke into the advertising community and generally had a good time. Nevertheless, I realize that I was indeed fearful of truly venturing out on my own. My entrepreneurial endeavors were half-baked and I was unwilling to deal with the hardships that come with virulent commitment to seeing such things through to their conclusion.
And then their was my physical state. I was obese. I estimate that I was at least 330lbs at one time. I was in serious DENIAL and headed to an early grave. It’s amazing the lengths that one can go through to remain in that state. I have never been skinny. Nevertheless, I was an all state athlete in high school and frankly despite my natural gifts I was lazy. I worked hard on the field and in practice but I never really dedicated my own personal time to getting in shape. Working out was just what I had to ‘deal with” in order to play the sport I loved at the time – high school football. After high school and no real attention from major colleges, I set those dreams aside to pursue a music degree.
I love music but I also came to recognize that performing was not my true passion. I didn’t have a need to be on stage or really even be validated in that way. Again, I had some natural gifts and I worked hard at honing them to a certain extent. Nevertheless, I was often bored with music. In my 30′s I began to discover the art of “producing”… that is facilitating for others. I have a knack for recognizing talent and putting them in situations where they can flourish. Whether it was music, voice over, software development or media production, I began to figure out that was my sweet spot. I prefer to be in the background making things happen for others. That is what brings me joy.
Robotics instructor Mark Barron explains the basketball playing robot his students developed this year.
Some of my best days are visiting classrooms to interact with students and teachers. Great teachers inspire me because they often times toil away in relative obscurity. They are driven by more than money and they really love their students. They go beyond teaching subjects and teach people. That’s the difference. I get excited just being around them because their dedication is infectious. They are the real game changers. All of the things that I have experienced to date have prepared me for what I do today… being an athlete, a creative, an educator, a techie allows me to see connections that others may not. The issues we face today are not going to be addressed by traditional approaches to education because the nature of work has profoundly changed. Modern product development is not done in silos. Great creative without technical infrastructure is virtually useless and the same goes for innovative tech devoid of good design.
The It Could Be U Digital Youth Academy addresses this issue. 20 students who have competed via portfolio submissions come together for 5 weeks to learn from the best and the brightest across media, tech, finance, health and science to develop digital content and applications to promote healthy lifestyles among their peers. Even better, they get to return to their respective communities in the fall to execute and measure the products they create during the summer. This IS modern product development. Harness creativity, technology and science to solve real problems. These tasks are not beyond our youth. It’s just that we’ve never really engaged them in process.
So, if you believe in my passion, I need your help. As little as $10 helps us accomplish our goals for the summer and gets you special perks via our Indiegogo campaign.
Help Me Hire & Train 20 Youth This Summer
2012 E4 Youth Portfolio Award Winners
Over the past several months, I have been paying professional mentors and teachers to help students prepare professionally reviewed portfolios in their chosen fields of interest. Over 50 students from Austin and Pflugerville ISDs have submitted their portfolios to become one of 20 students we will hire and train for 5 weeks at the It Could Be U Summer Academy which kicks off in June. Students are led by 3 professional mentors in the fields of science / technology, media / arts and business along with a slate of top notch Guest Lecturers from advertising, technology, science and business. After surveying these fields, students join a business group and develop digital applications and content designed to promote healthy lifestyles. Students that complete the academy return to their respective campuses in the fall to be employed year round to execute and measure the products they have developed during the summer academy.
So, what does that mean for students? Well, if you’re a musician, that may mean writing music that you believe can influence your peers to lead healthier lifestyles and then being able to track and measure that affect over time. If you’re into software development, maybe that means developing an app leveraging Google APIs to help your peers find healthy food sources in their neighborhoods. Into journalism? Perhaps you choose to launch a podcast series or cooking show targeting your peers? The point is that a student can utilize their passion and creativity to solve real problems bringing them genuine confidence, recognition and yes, money! It Could Be U Academy graduates become community advocates that are empowered to leverage media, technology and access to a network of highly skilled professional mentors looking to make a difference!
So, this is my CALL TO ACTION for you to support the It Could Be U Digital Youth Academy!
DONATE and help us HIRE 20 deserving high school youth! They’ll work with top professionals as they develop digital media and applications to promote healthy lifestyles. You can give as little as 10 bucks and get special perks such as early releases of products, personalized video post cards or even help more students participate and get a shot at a year round part time job.
Check out this short documentary that follows students as they seek out mentors and submit their portfolios.
Youth Seek Out Mentors at Austin’s Biggest Ad Awards Show
Student poses for her head shot.
10 Austin area students participating in the E4 Youth Portfolio Contest will be chaperoned by professionals from local advertising agency McGarrah Jessee as they seek out mentors at the Austin ADDY Awards Thursday, February 9, 2012 6:30pm. These students along with more than 100 others throughout Austin are building professionally reviewed portfolios as they compete for summer jobs. “The contest is open to all Austin area students but we have specialized mentors at 2 area high schools (Reagan, Eastside Memorial)” says E4 Youth founder Carl Settles Jr.. “These professional mentors along with one on one volunteer mentors we hope to connect students with at the ADDYs, work to provide extra support for teachers and help students to develop quality portfolios”.
ADDY youth attendees will also be featured in ads placed around the space and in the program book.
About E4 Youth
E4 Youth is based on the guiding principles of Engagement, Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship for youth. An outgrowth of a partnership between the Media Communications Council (MCC) and the University of Texas Intellectual Entrepreneurship Consortium, E4 Youth fosters high achievement by building teams of business leaders, paid graduate and undergraduate mentors and youth that focus on capacity building enrichment projects that drive economic growth while solving real problems in the community.
Brief History
Over the past 3 years, the Media Communications Council (MCC) has taken a leadership role on the issues of diversity, education and empowerment in Central Texas. In addressing these issues, the MCC has developed a number of innovative approaches and programs including the social learning platform Media Xperiments, an annual E4 Youth Portfolio Contest, intensive college and career discovery camps called It Could Be Us and the annual E4 Youth Summit. Throughout the implementation of all of these activities, media and exposure to media related careers has played a key role in driving engagement and grass roots support from all parts of the community.
Now, having cemented relationships with the University of Texas at Austin and the Austin Independent School District among others to serve as partners, the MCC has a comprehensive media driven approach that addresses key educational pipeline issues not only for under-served students interested in media careers but virtually any career path. This approach, which we call E4 Youth, takes students through the sequence of Engagement, Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship as they explore careers, build portfolios and contribute to a culture of achievement. The MCC currently operates under the auspices of the Austin Community Foundation a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.
SXSW Panel – Multi y Mono: A Cultural Advertising Battle
Carl Settles Jr., Founder/Executive Director – Media Communications Council
Multi y Mono: A Cultural Advertising Battle
Saturday, March 10th 9:30am
Austin Convention Center Rm 5ABC
Moderator:
Carl Settles Jr. – Media Communications Council
Panelists:
Kelli Coleman – GlobalHue
Sergio Alcocer – LatinWorks
Leslie Wingo – Sanders\Wingo
With ethnic minorities now representing the largest and fastest growing segments of the consumer economy, the very definition of the general market is being challenged. Multi-cultural agency heads such as Translation’s Steve Stoute are eschewing their parent agencies (Mr. Stoute bought back a majority stake in his agency from Interpublic) in order to compete for a larger share of the marketing pie. In his book, The Tanning of America, Mr. Stoute lays out a compelling case for why he and many other multi-cultural agencies may be better suited to influence general market consumers than their largely mono-cultural counterparts.
This panel explores the unprecedented opportunities for minority owned agencies and minority talent to move to the forefront of the advertising landscape. We’ll hear from key executives from GlobalHue, LatinWorks and Sanders\Wingo ad agencies as they lay out their visions for advertising in the 21st Century and the defining role minority media makers are playing in it.
Kelli Coleman, Executive Vice President – GlobalHue
Kelli Coleman, Global Hue
As GlobalHue’s executive VP, Kelli Coleman oversees corporate communications, and is an integral part of senior management. Additionally she is president and CEO of GHV, an independent venture company that seeks opportunities in media, marketing and advertising to create alternative business for GlobalHue clients. Coleman’s leadership within the advertising industry has led to a number of accolades and honors.
In 2010 she received the Women in Business Award from NV Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine named her one of their “40 Next,” and most recently, Essence Magazine included her in their “Fierce and Fab Under 40” list. In 2008 Coleman was listed in Crain’s Detroit Business top 20 in their 20s; she served as president of the Junior Board for Boys Hope Girls Hope Detroit, a program dedicated to helping at-risk children; and she is a member of the Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan Young Professionals.
Sergio Alcocer, President/Chief Creative Officer – LatinWorks
Sergio Alcocer, President / Chief Creative Office – LatinWorks
“Our objective has never been to do general-market work. It’s to take Hispanic to the mainstream, which is different.”
Sergio Alcocer
Also joining this panel is Sergio Alcocer, President / Chief Creative Office - LatinWorks ad agency. LatinWorks has been Ad Age’s Multi-Cultural Agency of the Year or on it’s A-list for the last 3 consecutive years. They were also the only Hispanic Agency to be Cannes Lion winners in 2011 with two trophies.
Having invested in proprietary research, LatinWorks has developed a tool they call BrandSteer along with an ideas lab that has enabled them to create approaches that go beyond the typical scope of work.
Leslie Wingo, Senior Vice President – Sanders\Wingo
Leslie Wingo, Senior Vice Pesident – SandersWingo
“Now, I think being urban is about maintaining personal truths. It’s not ethnicity that separates the urban market from the general market.”
Leslie Wingo
Sanders\Wingo is an award-winning, independent advertising agency that has represented some of the most recognizable regional and national brands, including Peter Piper Pizza, Petro, Fuddruckers, U.S. Postal Service, State Farm, General Motors and AT&T. Sanders\Wingo has offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas, with satellite locations in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and San Francisco.
Innovate: Strategies for Building A Creative Media | Business
Entrepreneurs Hajj Flemings, Hassan Johnson and Ashley.
The Capital City African American Chamber, in conjunction with the Media Communications Council, hosted a panel discussion called Innovate: Strategies for Building A Creative Media | Business November 16, 2011 at Austin Details Art & Photo. The event featured entrepreneurs Hajj Flemings (featured on CNN’s Black In America 4), Hassan Johnson – Tha Trunk Inc and Gina McCauley – Blogging While Brown Conference offering their perspectives on what it takes to make viable creative media businesses.
The panel was moderated by Natalie Madeira Cofield – President, Capital City African American Chamber. Hajj and Hassan joined the panel via Skype. The following are some highlights from the event. Click the links below to listen!
Building Your Media Biz -_Hajj Flemings
Building Your Media Biz – Gina McCauley
Building Your Media Biz – ThaTrunk
Building Your Media Biz – Black to the Future
Steve Stoute: The Tanning of America
Over the last several years I’ve been very impressed with Steve Stoute and his forays into advertising. He’s been able to take his vast network of connections in the hip hop world and combine it with a great acumen for trendsetting to build an advertising agency. I love what he is doing in that he is flying the face of what “traditional” ad agencies have done for years. His agency having been bought by a larger general market firm, he has decided to buy back majority ownership and not settle for being marginalized as only an “African-American” or “multi-cultural” shop. He believes that he can have a great impact on the general market and I believe that is more true than ever.
Based on demographic changes in America, the general market, by definition, is multi-cultural. It’s only going to get more diverse in the coming years and Mr. Stoute understands that hip hop culture has a disproportionate mindshare in America and indeed across the world. So, while general market agencies continue to become less diverse, they do so at their own peril. It’s going to get more and more difficult for them to say to their clients that they can be effective at communicating with their customers when so few of them actually look like the audiences they need to reach.
I hope that Mr. Stoute’s move into the general market waters is followed by many more. After all, this a huge opportunity for those willing to make that leap.
Facebook Investor Says Social Is Over
VC guy and musician Roger McNamee lays out 10 very intriguing hypotheses about the future of social media, advertising, and content creation. Some interesting points from the original article at :
http://www.businessinsider.com/roger-mcnamee-video-2011-7#ixzz1T5rACmsH
Microsoft’s share of internet-connected devices has gone from 95% to under 50% in 3 years;
“Apple will sell a hundred million internet-connected devices this year. That’s two thirds of the PC market.” If you add the other non-PC internet devices, that’s more valuable than the PC market.
Podcast: Leveraging Video & Social Media for Your Small Business
Got Video? Live Webcast
Broadcasting Live with Ustream
So, I’m broadcasting my talk on Leveraging Video for Your Small Business or Non-Profit live Wednesday, July 13th 12pm Central for about 1 hour. I hope you’ll enjoy!
In the mean time, here’s an excerpt from a previous talk about Branding Your Creativity Through Social Media.
the US – Marcus Graham Project
So, I met Lincoln Stevens, founder of the Marcus Graham Project, about 3 years ago when I was starting the Media Communications Council. He works with young African American men aspiring to enter the advertising industry and every summer hosts a boot camp in which young come from all over the country to work together for real clients being guided by advertising leaders. I’m very pleased to see that the project is maturing and making an impact on diversity in the ad industry. It was heartening to meet Lincoln and understand what his dream was as I was pursuing a similar dream with the MCC. We too have a come a long way and I look forward to working with Lincoln and his amazing program some time in the near future!