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.
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.
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.
The 1st of 4 Things To Remember About Ubiquitous Media
Media, from the Drum to the Gutenberg Bible to the iPad, has profoundly changed the ways that we interact, communicate and yes, make money. Media has been the “chicken grease” oiling the wheels of commerce and for better or worse media tells us what to think of ourselves. The big difference today is the ubiquity and comparative ease with which one can create quality media.
Since the invention of television, many have opined about media’s power as an educational tool. The dilemma has been engagement vs substance. Just because something has substance, doesn’t mean someone else wants to watch it. If given a choice between watching a dog on a skateboard or me speaking about cell division, well… I’ll take the dog, please.
In a world of ubiquitous media, it no longer makes sense for teachers to pretend they have all the answers. No one can know every concept thoroughly. And that brings me to the first thing to remember about Ubiquitous Media…
Great teachers teach students, not subjects
Humberto Perez is a great teacher in Pflugerville, TX.
Great teachers I know try to listen at least as much as they lecture and have genuine regard for their students as people. Getting to know your students may seem like a waste of time to some but until you really understand your students, how can you possibly know if you’re really helping them progress? And before you say “Give ‘em a test”, keep in mind that in Texas 4 out of 10 students that graduate from high school and pass standardized tests, need remedial Reading, Math and/or Science in order to enter college.
Great teachers are more like facilitators or guides than instructors. They provide a framework for students to explore and create value. Their lessons turn into projects and their classes turn into the school hang outs. Ubiquitous media is just another powerful arrow in their quiver. They may use the dog on the skateboard video to kick off a lesson on the laws of motion or film skateboarders in the class to demonstrate physics concepts. The point is, they are not intimidated by Ubiquitous Media.
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
Hajj Flemings
Hajj Flemings Chats via Skype
I had the pleasure of attending a viewing party of CNN’s Black In America that was organized by the Capitol City African American Chamber this past Sunday. This segment focused on African Americans in Silicon Valley. Among the folks featured was Hajj Flemings, an entrepreneur that joined the accelerator program shown in the television special.
After the show, he joined us via Skype and had some great reflections on the experience along with some words of wisdom for other people of color looking to flourish in the tech world.
It’s a little lo-fi but the substance makes it a worth while listen. The discussion is moderated by by Cap City Chamber CEO- Natalie Cofield.
Hajj Flemings Talks Tech Start Ups via Skype
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.
E4 Youth Initiative
We are building Vertical Teams made up of entrepreneurs, professionals, UT graduate and undergraduate mentors along with our youth who collaborate on special projects centered around the four broad fields of Media Communications, STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math), Entrepreneurship and the Arts.
The FREE morning break out sessions of the summit will provide info for entrepreneurs and professionals on how they can serve as mentors, host tours and employ local youth as well as teachers and organizations who serve youth.
During the 2011 – 2012 school year, the Media Communications Council is offering up to $1000 stipends, training and technical support to teachers willing take students through the E4 sequence!
The afternoon sessions will feature a Non-Profit Roundtable and interactive discussions with professionals from music, entertainment, media, advertising and film about what it takes to build careers in the creative fields.
Check the Agenda for details http://e4youth.com/agenda/.
Sign up for Morning Breakout Sessions and tickets are atwww.e4youth.com.