Mother’s Post

Dwayne The Rock Johnson played 1/3 of all leading roles with "Asian and Pacific Islander" heritage between 2007 and 2019 (out of the 1,300 top-grossing films). Talking about representation in class the other day, some students once again noted that even when "non-majority" groups are centered in media, it almost always centers on a stereotypical or, in this case, uniquely unrelatable character. We love The Rock, but that dude has a singular experience. Inspirational? Sure. Relatable? I don't know. But instead of focusing on the problem, we can look at solutions. The solution in this case, as in with most cases of media and creativity, is to get more voices in the room. #representation #mediarepresentation #diversestorytelling #dei

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT Did you know that Matthew McConaughey was a keynote speaker at the Association for Talent Development (ATD) national conference last month in New Orleans? For McConaughey, his famous phrase represents a positive outlook:  “‘Alright, alright, alright’ is basically three affirmations of the three things that character that I was playing had in that scene,” he said. “I think optimism is survival. And that’s a part of that affirmation even if you’re not getting what you want; it’s about belief.” To read more, see link in comments! #learninganddevelopment #professionaldevelopment

This is a Monetia James appreciation post. Known to most as Mo, she is one of the mainstays of our committee. Mo is kind, creative, supportive and dependable. We are always grateful for her contributions! 𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼? Mo James-Lewis, I'm a Station Specialist for Hearst's radio stations and a part of the HTV Charlotte Sales Ad Operations team. 𝟮. & 𝟯. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲? Because I want a world that is full of love, acceptance, empathy, empowerment, humility and patience so I believe you have to touch the things around you in the hopes that it will spread across the nation. That is emotional for me! 𝟰. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲? I believe the committee is on the right track and as long as there is open communication and understanding the world is diverse and should be respected and celebrated as such.  It will constantly be ever changing, but I think those things are key. #DEI #HearstCharlotteDEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #inclusive #communication #understanding #respect #celebrate #acceptance #empathy #empowerment #humility #patience #spreadacrossthenation

Storytelling is an essential element of any organizational change effort. The impact of expanding pathways into great careers is felt at an individual level. We hear these stories regularly in the TN GYO Center. Storytelling can turn the tide toward the expansion of work-to-learn pathways for every profession. #Worktolearn #apprenticeship

When you get a chance, please read this article by one of my good friends Frantzer Le Blanc, MBA, CVP .

The Way I See It: Dede Laurentino The multi-award-winning, Brazilian born Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy, André 'Dede' Laurentino, tells us about a difficult adolescence, life-changing trips to Europe, the feelings of inadequacy he has often struggled with, and why every creative person is punching back at the world. Read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/ecKXfydr

WEEKLY WRAPPED WISDOM!   I come across such interesting finds in the week. I've decided to share my top finds on a Friyay 💃 🏆 Trevor Noah winning an Emmy, need I say more? *goosebumps* https://lnkd.in/dPVRMmJS 💭 This post by Nadia Harris got me thinking about "professionalism". There was a time I questioned a colleague why he wore takkies to work. I remember saying "Do you see any VP's wearing takkies?" and his response was, "I will be the first!" He fetched my wig as Eusebius would say and Nadia Harris is collectively fetching all our wigs with this one!  https://lnkd.in/d9xs8HDr   🎉 🙌 Loved this concept of the “honesty squad” by Sylvester Chauke and going against the norm. Such amazing ideas on being relevant to the time we’re in for Marketing and PR teams utilising nothing other than creativity: https://lnkd.in/d2z-2ci9   🎊 ✨ A closely related one by Sefiso Hlongwane, "Authentic influence emanates from expertise, credibility, and genuine advocacy—not merely from a celebrity’s fame or following" as he talks about authenticity in Marketing https://lnkd.in/dR23RKXa   I think the theme for this week can be summed up in the word - AUTHENTICITY!   #weeklywrappedwisdom #finds #excitingideas #thingsiloved #switchedon #thinking #newworldorder #changeisgood #thoughtleadership

"For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself.” - Da'Vine Joy Randolph. As a DEI practitioner, I know firsthand how crucial it is to celebrate wins like Da'Vine Joy Randolph's historic Academy Award win. In a world where it often feels like progress toward equity and inclusion is slow and challenges abound, moments like these remind us of the power of representation and the importance of continuing our vital work. Da'Vine's well-deserved recognition on the Oscars stage is not just a personal triumph; it's a triumph for diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry. It's a victory for every person who has ever felt marginalized or unseen. It's a victory for the power of storytelling to uplift and empower voices from all backgrounds. But our celebration shouldn't stop here. It should serve as a catalyst for further action and advocacy. We must continue to push for more diverse representation in all aspects of media, from casting to storytelling to behind-the-scenes roles. We must amplify underrepresented voices and ensure that everyone's story is told authentically and respectfully. As we bask in the glow of this momentous win, let's recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of equity and inclusion. Let's strive to create a world where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to the table. 🌟 Congratulations, Da'Vine, on your incredible achievement! Your win is an inspiration to us all. 🌟 #DiversityandInclusion #RepresentationMatters #Oscars2024 #Belonging #Equity #Inclusion

My favorite part of the holiday break? Going to the Philadelphia Museum of Art with my sister-in-law Elisabeth, who just so happens to have a Doctorate in Art History (what a privilege!) She has a talent and passion for taking something that could feel unapproachable and bringing out the humanity of it in a down-to-earth, entertaining and understandable way. As we walked through, I got to ask "stupid" questions and make observations without fear of judgment. The result was a new appreciation and curiosity for the art on display. It turned an experience that could have been so-so, into one of discovery and creativity. Sometimes we put pressure on ourselves to be the smartest person in the room and so if we can't say the "smartest" thing, we say nothing and lose out on what could be an experience of discovery. Who in your life, has allowed you to ask silly questions, and through their expertise and passion for a subject, allowed you to joyfully learn about something new? How can you be that for someone else? #communication #communicationskills #leadership #culture #teamwork #leadershipskills