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.
See Who’s Getting a Job!
Austin Reagan high school students with Program Coordinator / Professional Mentor Jonthan Mahone.
See Who’s Getting a Job!
E4 Youth Portfolio Awards Thurs. 4.18 at GSD&M
Click to Register
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.
What Does This Mean For Students?
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!
What Does This Mean for Professionals & Entrepreneurs?
And what does this mean for professionals and entrepreneurs? This is an opportunity to help students explore their career options while making a tangible difference in the community. Perhaps you can offer your expertise as a Guest Lecturer or on-going summer mentor to expose students to your field? You may wish to become a client or partner with us to promote healthy lifestyles or develop/manufacture a special product? You may want support us by contributing to It Could Be U Project Fund and receive special access as the project unfolds?
With E4 Youth, we have created a scalable year round process for exposing students to careers by providing access to teacher training and support, professional mentors, field trips, portfolio building and access to employment. The E4 Youth sequence of Engagement, Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship allows students to own their educational destinies and create a culture of achievement that transforms our communities. I hope that you will join me in celebrating the 2012 E4 Youth Portfolio Award Winners Thursday, April 18th 5:30pm at GSD&M and welcoming our new class of 20 It Could Be U Digital Youth Academy employees! Need more info? Email me at mentor@e4youth.com.
I Went Shopping Today
Check out the guns!
So, I went shopping today. I’ve been steadfast in my latest workout regimen and have just entered Phase 3 of 4… 12 days heavy lifting. So, “Going Shopping” is always a good reality check as to whether I’m really making any progress. I do know, that in the past 90 days, I’ve dropped 20+lbs and that I actually had to cut a new hole in my belt so that I could continue to hold my pants up. So, I went shopping and bought 2 pairs a jeans, 2 casual shirts and new belt. Nothing terribly fancy but comfortable stuff that’ll keep me looking respectable as I move toward my eventual goal of 35 more pounds.
It’s the simple things, I guess. I had reconciled myself to forever shopping in the Big & Tall section but gone are the days of the extra XL shirts. The 1XLs fit just fine. Even with my thunder thighs, I’ve dropped 2 full pant sizes since my last shopping trip in December and it’s a little surreal to tell you the truth. I do know this, however. It ain’t magic. It’s sweat, discipline and a plan.
I’ve been exercising for four years and over that time, I’ve gradually lost weight just by experimenting with different types of activities. I started off riding my bike, then walking and jogging a bit. I completely shifted my diet eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting down on red meat, etc. I lost weight but I would inevitably plateau. The first few pounds are always the easiest, right? I could loose 15 to 20 lbs on a new routine and then kind of meander for the next 6 – 9 months. It can get quite frustrating.
Last year, after another plateau, I rejoined the gym and began experimenting with High Intensity Training (HIT) and the “afterburn” effect. The basic idea is that rather than focusing on calories burned while actually exercising, you exercise to get your body to burn calories up to 48 hours afterwards. Short, explosive movements that strategically work muscle groups to the point of failure makes muscles breakdown and as they rebuild, they boost your metabolism. Previously, if I spent 45 minutes at a steady pace on the treadmill, then I would burn calories for 45 minutes and then stop burning them once I stopped. Now, I workout for up to 45 minutes and burn calories through at least the next day.
The other modification I made is decided to actually get on a structured program. I am a former all state athlete. So, I’m capable of being disciplined on my own. However, I lacked a real plan of attack. In my case, I chose a site called Six Pack Shortcuts in that it cost less than $100 for a year long subscription, they have a library of videos demonstrating the exercises and it happened to align with many of the things I was doing instinctively re: keeping workouts short and simple. It also worked well with my approach to diet, eating 4 – 6 small and frequent meals a day.
There’s nothing truly revolutionary about the techniques in the program. Like P90X and Cross Fit, it’s a combination of weights, calisthenics and circuit training. It helps you deal with muscle plateaus, etc like the others as well. I guess what I’m saying is that you have to understand what works for you and be willing to do the work. Maybe a personal trainer and/or workout buddy is what can keep you motivated? Ultimately, we determine our own destinies. I’m still not in the shape I’d like to be but I am much, much closer. Plus, I feel and look much better too. If I can stay focused, by the summer I’ll never have to shop in the Big & Tall section again and that is something I never really thought possible!
I’ll Pay You 50 Bucks to Help A Student Earn a Summer Job!
That’s right Austin. I will pay you… a teacher, a parent, a neighbor or a friend 50 bucks to help a student submit an on-line portfolio and compete for a summer job. What is an on-line portfolio? Well, it’s electronic examples of their work including photos, presentations, music, videos, podcasts, blogs… whatever it is they like to do. It could be a business idea, a robot, a song, an experiment… just document it electronically, have them list you as their advisor and post it along with a declaration of their field of interest on Media Xperiments by April 1, 2012!!! The first ten adults to notify me by email for pre-approval at mentor@e4youth.com and then have their student(s) submit a quality on-line portfolio, I will pay $50 by May 1, 2012.
We’ll have professionals from great companies like GSDM, McGarrah Jessee and AMS Pictures review their portfolios on-line, invite them to participate in a job shadow day on April 3rd and recognize the best work at the E4 Youth Portfolio Awards on April 18th. We’ll invite the top 20 students to work for 5 weeks this summer as a part of the It Could Be U Academy, an intensive summer employment program that focuses on capacity building and personal branding. Academy students will be compensated minimum wage for 5 weeks, 20 hours per week. This is not a joke or gimmick. I’m serious! For real, fo’ shizzle!!!!! So, help me get the word out! Share our hot new video too!!
Cap City Chamber Ambassador of the Year
Press Release
5 February 2012
Carl Settles Jr. named Cap City African American Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year
Carl Settles Jr., Founder of the Media Communications Council (MCC) and the E4 Youth Initiative, is being honored Thursday, February 9th at the Omni Hotel as the Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce (CCAACC) Ambassador of the Year.
“I am honored to accept the Cap City Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year Award and proud to be a member of such a vibrant organization. I look forward to collaborating with the CCAACC’s members as the MCC continues the E4 Youth Initiative working with more than 100 Austin area students to build portfolios and compete for summer jobs”.
About Mr. Settles and the Media Communications Council
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.
2am & Shades of My Musical Past
Download some music! Edmond Settles - 2am (piano, female vocals, acoustic guitar, strings and percussion) Love theme from the film 2am written and produced under middle name "Edmond" Settles.
So, I retired from music about 5 years ago. I performed in clubs, wrote and produced lots of stuff. One of my favorite projects was a film made by my long time friend Korey Coleman titled 2am. Korey Coleman is more recently known for the entertainment site Spill.com where he commands a team of animators, gamers and movie reviewers at the behest of their parent company Hollywood.com. Their animated movie reviews are streamed more than a million times a month along with an ever growing catalog of podcasts that 14 – 34 year old males latch on to like woobies.
Well, before Korey invented Spill.com, he made a movie and I (using my middle name “Edmond” Settles) composed the love theme and several other ditties. Let me know if you dig it.
Podcast: Pecha Kucha on E4 Youth
Pecha Kucha (Japanese: ペチャクチャ, IPA: [pet͡ɕa ku͍̥t͡ɕa],[1] chit-chat) is a presentation methodology in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each, usually seen in a multiple-speaker event called a Pecha Kucha Night (PKN).
-Wikipedia
Download Audio: Stem Council Pecha Kucha.
I’m rarely at a loss for words when it comes to education and this is not one of those times. 20 slides, 20 seconds a slide… A Good 7 Minute Primer on E4 Youth that finishes up with some calls to action.
1. Be a Guest Speaker. Volunteer Form
2. Host a Tour or Field Trip Volunteer Form
3. Judge On-line Portfolios Volunteer Form
4. Hire Students to Work for Your Business or Cause
5. Join the E4 Youth Board Membership Packet
Milestone: Building My Board
Middle School students working with mentor Justin Jefferson to extract DNA from strawberries.
Over the past 4 years, I have been fortunate to have the support of the Texas Diversity Council and more recently the Austin Community Foundation to function as non-profit umbrellas for my social ventures. These organizations have allowed me the flexibility to experiment and hone my approach to social entrepreneurship without the burden of having to maintain my own board and all of the administrative tasks that go with it. So, I am eternally grateful to them and we will continue to look for opportunities to coordinate efforts whenever it is appropriate.
In Austin alone, we serve over 1400 teachers and students through the social learning portal Media Xperiments by providing virtual workspaces, portfolio building, field trips, tours, intern and summer employment opportunities. This platform coupled with teacher training, technical support and now specialized mentors in STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math), Media / Arts and Business provided through a partnership with the University of Texas Intellectual Entrepreneurship (IE) Consortium, make up an eco-system that is poised for exponential growth.
Download the E4 Youth Board Membership Packet
In order to make this ecosystem flourish, it has to be fed and curated. To that end, I am establishing my own board of directors and 501 C-3 non-profit status under the name E4 Youth. E4 Youth, which takes students through the sequence of Engagement, Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship, provides a nexus for business leaders and educators to connect with youth and create double bottom line ventures. By double bottom line, I mean value for both students and local businesses.
The E4 Youth Board will set the agenda and drive the priorities of the organization. There is a limit of 15 members for this inaugural year and a financial requirement as well. Our first official board member is Max Rutherford of GSD&M Idea City and we are looking for folks to fulfill roles in fundraising/finance, research/measurement, events, education and business development. So, if you or someone you know are qualified for such a role, check out the E4 Youth Board Membership Packet or contact me at carl@e4youth.com.
Case Study: Hoover’s Cooking – A Double Bottom Line Partner
One of the more notable examples of our Double Bottom Line Partnerships is our on-going relationship with Hoover’s Cooking. Over two years ago, we started working with local philanthropist Hoover Alexander through a media boot camp in which our students worked directly with advertising professionals from firms such as GSD&M and Sanders Wingo to develop a media strategy for his restaurant chain Hoover’s Cooking. In addition to a handsome, functional and easy to maintain web site, we have continued to partner by providing among other things, high school students working directly with professionals in mechanical engineering and biology to develop an irrigation system for the Greater Mount Zion Community Garden (See the video above).
Students build portfolios and become pre-qualified for internships and paid summer employment opportunities. Business leaders are able to invest in these students’ learning, strengthen community relationships and leverage this pre-qualified talent pool to accomplish their goals.