Tag: Social Change

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2017 Social Change Forum: Better Than Good

When:             March 1st, 2017 (Synergy Coworking, 6:00pm – 8:30pm)

                         March 2nd, All day Social Change Forum

Where:            Gordon Commons (770 W. Dayton St. Madison, WI 53716)

Time:               8:30am – 5:00pm

Reception:       5:30pm – 8:00pm, Location TBA

For agents of change, being good is status quo. However, to create the impact required for the true positive social change needed, now more than ever, we must challenge the status quo. This year’s Social Change Forum’s focus is to be better than good because no longer is good, good enough.  The intention this year is that participants create the time needed to have the difficult conversations with themselves and other participants on how we challenge ourselves to be better.  This includes speaking up more when we see injustice happening, challenging those around us to take action, being persistent when we may feel like everything is against us, listening and finding empathy, and so much more.  This year the forum will begin the night before with a special event  and will continue through to the full day forum.  We are exhilarated to work hard and become better with everyone.

We welcome and invite anyone to the Social Change Forum. Whether you are a government official, work at a nonprofit, lead a corporation, are a teacher, or a freshman in college, we encourage you to join us for this annual impactful and soul filling event. If the pricing is not in your budget, please contact us and WE WILL WORK SOMETHING OUT! Email info@projectkinect.com and ask about scholarship options and price codes for students. 

Opening Event: March 1st, 6:00pm – 8:30pm, @Synergy Coworking

On Wednesday, March 1st, 2017, we will kick off the Social Change Forum by having an interactive fundraiser that will benefit Mentoring Positives.  The event will be held at Synergy Coworking beginning at 6pm.  Program to start at 7pm. The event will have beer and non-alcoholic beverages.  We will be serving Off the Block Pizza and salad and sides from Beyond Catering. This event is complimentary to forum participants. It is $25 for people who want to attend this event only. 

Emcee: Rachel Werner from Brava Magazine

 

Program: Sara Alvarado from Step Up Equity Matters and the Alvarado Group

Sara and company will be hosting an interactive workshop looking at how we can better utilize social media. Often, social media is used to share stories, events, celebrations, and news.  We try to use it to express the realities that we are passionate about but often we miss the mark. This activity will challenge us to more intentionally use social media to advocate and directly address the social change needed in our communities and in our world.

Special guest: Will Green, founder of Mentoring Positives.

Mentoring Positives mission is to build strong, trusting relationships, positive attitudes, and life skills in youth through mentoring and social youth entrepreneurship. Mentoring Positives began in the fall of 2004, as strictly a fee-for-service program that Will started by mentoring delinquent youth, one-on-one. Soon, Mentoring Positives’ became a not for profit organization and quickly began offering group mentoring. Will saw the need for positive programming with many of the youth living in the neighborhood. Will continues to engage the youth and families currently without any Mentoring Positives’ programming as well as with those that are attending programs. Today, Mentoring Positives, Inc. has three components; (1.) Specialized Mentoring, (2.) Off the Block Enterprises, and (3.) Training/Professional Development. 

 

Thank you to those involved with the Social Change Forum Eve Event!

Social Change Forum: March 2nd, 8:30am – 5:00pm, Gordon Commons

Meet our hostess and host: Dina Martinez and Cedric Johnson

Dina Nina Martinez is an advocate, public speaker, actor, and stand up comedian. She has been featured in the Huffington Post, Daily Chronicle, and the LA Magazine. She fights for equity and brings trans-rights forward with her humor and matter of fact attitude. Dina Nina Martinez, who was called “…very funny.” by the Late Late Show’s James Corden, is a transgender standup comedian and actor from LA who currently resides in Chicago. Her signature blend of disarming sass and charm has been featured in comedy festivals and multiple world-class comedy venues including LA Pride and The Chicago Women’s Funny Festival. She is a Huff Post blogger and creator and executive producer of Lady Laughs Comedy Festival. She was named one of the “40 Hot Queer Women In Comedy” by AfterEllen.com and won Madison’s favorite Local Comedian as voted by the readers of the Isthmus. Martinez’s long term goals are to settle down and be a soccer mom.

 

Cedric Johnson is the Development & Communications Director with Briarpatch Youth Services, Inc. in Madison. He oversees the agency’s fundraising, communications, and is currently leading Briarpatch’s $3.1 million ‘Giving Homeless Youth a Chance’ campaign to fund Dane County’s first and only shelter dedicated to homeless youth ages 12-17 years. A native of Rockford, IL, Cedric was inspired to jump in and enact change at a young age; joining the Rockford Area Arts Council and DIVERSITY of Rockford at the age of sixteen. Cedric relocated to Madison in 2010 to work for The Onion, moving into a position in the development department of Madison Children’s Museum shortly thereafter. Madison’s active and engaged community was a perfect fit, and Cedric picked up his advocacy as a board member and past president of O.P.E.N. (the Out Professional Engagement Network), board member of Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, a mayoral appointee to the Madison Arts Commission, and the Friends of Henry Vilas Zoo board member.

Meet our Keynote Speaker: Jessica Boyd

Jessica Boyd strives to give herself compassionately, lovingly, and gracefully to others in every aspect of her life. She is currently serving as the Executive Director of Community Venture Foundation where she focuses on creating and executing programs that use entrepreneurship as a tool for social and economic empowerment. Prior to working at CVF, Jessica was an inaugural American Dream Fellow for the Cisneros Center for New Americans. She has also worked with The Sustainability Consortium, Nisolo, and Habitat for Humanity, Colombia. Outside of work, Jessica sits on the board of Spectrum Living Solutions, serves as the Volunteer Co-Chair for the Susan G. Komen Ozark Race for the Cure, and is actively involved with Magdalene Serenity House. She is committed to and passionate about serving others in both her professional and personal lives. She is also passionate about reading, learning, hiking, and traveling, and is continually exploring and absorbing other cultures.

Special Guests:

Calandra Davis

Calandra Davis has made it her mission to seek personal growth, actively strive for social justice, and do anything within her means to lighten the burden of others. She strongly believes if you’re not reaching out to help others, then you’re shrinking. Calandra has a B.S. in Biochemistry from Alcorn State University where she also conducted various research projects in Bangalore, India on the health of urban youth. She received a Masters of Public Service degree from the Clinton School of Public Service in 2014 while taking an opportunity with the William H. Bowen School of Law Research Project led to a position as chair of the Communications/ Education subcommittee. This yielded the framework to gain support for policy and practice initiatives to help decrease racial disparities in the Arkansas criminal justice system. She is currently the program director for Women and Children First; a domestic violence shelter, whose mission is to provide safety, strength, and hope for all victims of family violence. She hopes to turn her imagination of a just and equitable world into reality.

Facilitators

Nikki Nigl

Nikki Nigl (rhymes with eagle) has lived coast to coast, drawing inspiration and following her own simple credo, “to enjoy life to the fullest,” and aspires to help others do the same. Possessed by her Midwest sensibility, West Coast calm and East Coast edge, Nikki has dedicated her life to motivating the masses with a no-nonsense but understanding approach. She’s qualified as a College Professor, Public Speaking Instructor, Accountability Coach, Relationship Guru, Women’s EmpowHERment Coach, Life Manager, Weight-loss Coach, and overall cheerleader. Nikki says simply: “I will make your life better and easier.” And probably more fun. Loyal believer, role model, friend, artist, teacher, and always a student, Nikki is also a rarity and a treasure — and wants you to know that you are too. 

Shannel Trudeau-Yancey

Shannel Trudeau-Yancey, MS has worked with individuals with disabilities in the field of vocational rehabilitation since 1997. In 2004, she spearheaded a pilot project with Dane County Human Services, Employment Resources, Inc. and DVR providing this same process to support individuals with developmental disabilities that were interested in customizing employment in order to develop sole proprietorship businesses. Since 2007, she has been the liaison self-employment coordinator in Dane County and surrounding areas.  Shannel is also a 500-hour yoga therapist, Reiki practitioner, a meditation student of Michael Stone and served on the YogAutism board of directors. She is passionate about building opportunities for marginalized populations to be integral members of our community.

Jeff Burkhart 

Jeff Burkhart is the Executive Director of Literacy Network of Dane County, a not-for-profit organization serving adults and families. He holds an M.S. Continuing and Vocational Education from University of Wisconsin- Madison and a BA Journalism from Indiana University.

Jeff brings 20 years of program development in the field of adult literacy. In his time at Literacy Network, the organization has created nationally recognized programs, expanded programming to 28 locations throughout Dane County, developed numerous partnerships to support adults and families, and moved into a new custom-designed learning center in South Madison in September 2016.

 

Thank you to our sponsors! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to sponsor, email info@projectkinect.com. Check out sponsorship levels here. 

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New Year’s Newsletter

Hello Brilliant Change Agents!

What a zany year 2016 was!  Yes, zany. Some gleaming things did happen this year despite tremendous defeats. We must continue to mourn the loss of some monumental change agents including Mattie Colin, Jack Greenberg, David Bowie, Prince, Ruth Guber, Zaha Hadid, Vera Rubin, and most recently George Michaels, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Renolds, and Piers Sellers. These humans contributed so much to the betterment of humankind and acknowledging them with gratitude is the least we can do.

Some amazing social change did occur in 2016. Senator Elizabeth Warren smacked down Wells Fargo. The tiger population rose. India planted 10,000 trees in one day. We made it to Jupiter. Over 2000 veterans mobilized to support Standing Rock. Some incredible women of color were elected into high political seats. And, the Cubs winning the world series produced the 7^th largest peaceful gathering in the world. That’s a ton to celebrate and create a huge platform for people to find common ground!

For me personally, this new year brings a lot of anxiety. I am  practicing techniques to manifest my anxiety into fuel for the cause. I am invigorated to have my boots on the ground, fighting for what I believe in. I want to scream social justice and find ways, even though the obstacles are greater than ever, to make life more equitable for everyone. My dream is that as a society, we find courage and strength on an individual level and hold ourselves accountable for the future of everyone.

For the Project Kinect team, 2017 will be a huge year. We are working on a couple large endeavors in the realm of community engagement and visioning. These actions will assist in adding positions to our team and better become a sustainable social business our community can rely on. Additionally, we have been hired by some really great new organizations and events to assist in further delivering inspiring social change. We can’t wait!

Our two large annual events, the Social Change Forum and the Fall Food Cart Fest are growing in 2017. The Social Change Forum on March 2^nd will have more seats available so more change agents can participate.  The Fall Food Cart Fest will be moved downtown to mesh within the amazing vibrations of everything happening on the east side/downtown.

I am personally so thankful that Project Kinect is in its third year here in Madison. My enormous gratitude goes out to all of you in assisting to make Madison Project Kinect’s home.

With all my love in the new year,

Gregg & the PK Team

Check out the entire Newsletter here! 

 

Eventbrite - Social Change Forum 2017

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Letters From A Change Agent: #Courage

We must find courage and take action on what we believe can be done in the tsunami of sadness, emptiness, and emotion left behind after the massacre in Orlando. Social change happens when we respond with action to a need that inclusively benefits society. After Sandy Hook, when young children were murdered, we said enough was enough. However, no real action was taken.  There was plenty of social media cry outs and processing, vigils all over the country, but no one, except the people directly impacted, altered their reality for change to happen.

This morning on the radio station I was listening to, the shows hosts were discussing the nightclub shooting.  They were upset and hurt, which we all are, but they acknowledged that they “have a show to do” and were obligated to tell a humorous story so the show could go on. WTF?!?!  That was their opportunity to be courageous and say no to taking the easy way out.  We have to be uncomfortable and vulnerable because real change can only happen when we are. 

THE SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING! In order for us to change as a society, our individual daily behavior has to change. We have to sit in the space and discuss it. We have to suffer a little to get to the new day.  We have to set a new priority list of what and who is important. We have to give this change the time it deserves. We have to acknowledge that each one of us has a responsibility to a societal shift that will, not immediately, but long term, change how we operate as a collective.

This societal shift can revolve around whatever issue that shakes you the most because every issue is related and is rooted in the same place. We must take responsibility for each other. This ownership of compassion, integrity, empathy, love, inclusive fulfillment is missing from every issue: LGBTQ rights, education, racial divides, wealth inequality, corporate greed, green power, immigration, international food disparities, and on and on are all missing a universal responsibility.

As we once again acknowledge a change must happen, and fifty more lives have been taken from us, we must be responsible in multiple ways.  First, we must share our thoughts, discuss how we are hurt, and send all of our love, prayers, good energy, and light to those directly affected by this tragedy.  Additionally, we must sit in the uncomfortable space where inspiration and courage lies. The radio personalities this morning could have done so many alternative things than “having a show to do” and following the conversation with a humorous story.  They could have offered numbers to call representatives or donate. They could have called an elected official on air. They could have challenged the listening audience to commit to a change in their lives.  They could have done more.  We can all do more.

I write this and acknowledge I too can be better and do more.  Just like you, I am processing this, while I also process close personal death in my life. That raw emotion reminds me that I am human and that I, along with everyone else, am fragile and easily defeated.  But we are also mighty and unstoppable, especially when we are united. This societal shift will come, it is inevitable.  Now, right now, we have an opportunity to make this societal shift deliberate and proactive. It takes a little universal suffering, some purposeful changes, and simple individual courage.  

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Sites We Love: We Are Salt

Salt is an online magazine that focuses on convening positive social change agents and mobilizing them.  Salt focuses on these categories: New Economy, Positive Impact, Sustainable Solutions, Inspiring Leaders, and Future Inc.  The magazine is based in London but thankfully can be utilized by the world. Check out their ‘What We Stand For‘ page and see Salt’s focus. We love them because their values align with ours. The number one rule of being a change agent is know who your tribe is. Salt is our tribe.

There is so much information that they have one the site.  Also, check out their Facebook Page. Here is a little more to give you a teaser…

 

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Projects We Love: Beware of the Dandelions

Beware of the Dandelions is a mobile art installation that functions as a performance, workshop space, and visual arts exhibition created by Complex Movements. Complex Movements is a Detroit-based artist collective supporting the transformation of communities by exploring the connections of complex science and social justice movements through multimedia interactive performance work. Basically they rock and we LOVE them! We are working on getting to know them better but there are many ways you can currently get to know them.      Facebook   Twitter    Instagram

Complex Movement is open to coming to your city with this installation.  The possibilities are endless!

If you’re in Dallas this weekend, get your ticket on Eventbrite.

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Project Kinect on WORT FM

On Monday, June 29th, Project Kinect’s founder, Gregg Potter, produced a program on WORTFM to illustrate the organization and have a conversation about positive social change and community engagement. He invited Sara Alvarado from the Alvarado Group, Amy Kesling from Sustain Dane, and Tariq Saqqaf, from the Madison Mayor’s Office to have an in-depth discussion on, ‘What positive social change looks like on an individual level?’ These change agents will discuss different definitions of positive social change and how each of them identify as an agent of change. The goal of this open dialogue is to build capacity to agents of change in Madison in the diverse life roles we play.

In a city like Madison, we must celebrate our social change and always remember how individually, we all make a difference.

You can listen to the show now on WORT’s Website.

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Letters From A Change Agent: #findyourlight

Life gets challenging in unique ways when working internationally. You find yourself in a different landscape with different cultural norms, often different languages you may not understand, and different methods to accomplish the same goal. I feel I have become pretty good at rolling with the changes and ambiguity of this work, however, this last month has challenged me in ways I never expected.

I’ve been with a group of university students from New York. We have been volunteering at an orphanage in Northern South Africa. The moment my group first met with the matriarch of the community, we were inspired and moved by her candid approach to the circumstances at the orphanage. The essence of what she said to us was, “Find your light.”

Despite my optimism and constant ability to be patient and open, I tend to lose my light. I lose it in logistics, outcomes, and other people’s needs. I feel this is normal and not negative but since Mgogo (grandma) said this to us, I’ve been unsettled by it. This last month has had me questioning, how can I keep my light all the time? What if our light was constant just like a happy thought in Neverland? So I’ve been trying.

The first weekend here, I got thrown into a situation of selflessness, courage, but mostly need. The community was putting together a funeral for a young mother who lived in the informal village next to the orphanage’s campus. It is tradition for the younger men to be very involved with funerals. Most men my age have passed away from AIDS in this community, so I was needed to be a pallbearer and then assist in burying the coffin. While shoveling dirt in front of family and loved ones, I couldn’t help thinking, “How do I find my light in this?”

Fortunately it has been easy. I find my light in the faces of these children who always have love to give. Despite being refugees, being raped, losing parents to HIV/AIDS, and some being HIV positive themselves, they are always giving love and able to receive it. One woman in my group described these children as, “warriors of battles we will never know.” As I venture into the day care today, I will remember this and hug my heart alive.

I also have been able to find my light in my Peacework participants. These ten courageous young adults have left the comfort of their homes to come volunteer in the most non-traditional of circumstances. They are up at 5am to get 200 children ready for breakfast and school while handling their individual projects, which are more challenging than most jobs they will be offered out of college. Even though they are tired, overworked, often ill and homesick, there are always smiles on their faces.

I believe to make our light the most available, we must better know that human connections are important. We must acknowledge that we are apart of nature and that real human connections are the key to unlocking the light that we already own. The light must be accessed but it is always there. We must train ourselves how to reach it when we need it; Just like a happy thought in Neverland to fly.

How do you access your light? Who helps your light appear immediately? How often do you connect/see/interact with them? Do you make their light appear?

I get reminded all the time that just like food and water, I need interaction with certain people. I try to be conscious of this and work it like a muscle. We must train ourselves on what connections are healthy and assist us in finding our light so it is always available. I don’t think this strategy will change the world, but anything is possible when bettering us on an individual level.

Good luck on finding your light!

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Voices We Love: Amelia Brown

We had the pleasure to have Amelia Brown speak at our Social Change Forum this year. She helped us through the forum by continuously reminding us that we must always know our privilege, our process, and our people.  These three P’s play a very important role in how we continue our lives as social change agents.

Amelia Brown is a consultant with more than 20 years of experience in advocating and activating social change spanning 30 countries and four continents.  She earned an MA from the University of Minnesota in Arts and Emergency Management.  She is the founder of Emergency Arts, a central resource and network for people working in art, emergency response and community development. Most recently, Brown published the first article in a series of three in the online magazine, Creative Exchange.  This woman is a leader for us all and her passion for art in emergency will help us all move forward.

Here is a sample of her first of three articles being published on Creative Exchange:

Connecting and Collaborating

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States, resulting in the second-costliest hurricane recorded in U.S. history. In the wake of the disaster and emerging rebuilding efforts, multimedia producer, educator, and storytelling strategist Rachel Falcone founded Sandy Storyline with partnerMichael Premo. Sandy Storyline is an online platform that lets residents share their own stories about living through and rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy through videos, images, and narrative text. The multimedia website acts as a living history of the community, as told by its members.

Falcone was inspired after observing survivors exchanging cell phone images and stories at communal charging stations. Falcone remembers, “After the storm there is a lot of connection among story; everybody has something to share and there is a process. For us, we wanted to both allow the space for people to share their very personal experiences, but also build connection, understanding, and relevance.” Sandy Storyline served as an outlet for survivors to share stories amongst themselves and with a wider audience.

Falcone’s background in community engagement projects such as StoryCorps and Housing is a Human Right facilitated networking among residents, artists, and community-based groups.  Falcone explains the importance of artists in recovery, stating, “Artists provide so many things. They are supporting the social part of the community. Art strengthens the community’s ability to respond in every way. It brings us together, connects us; it’s a critical piece that would be missing otherwise in how we are thinking about rebuilding.” Artists, she says, play a vital role in both short-term response and long-term recovery.

 

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Letters From A Change Agent: #IMNormal

Project Kinect just held our first annual Social Change Forum. The goal was to bring community members of Madison together and discuss how we could use our privilege to become more inclusive. About 30 participants joined us and we discussed a wide range of topics from the definition of terms like inclusion and ally to being a real advocate and what those actions looks like. At the end of the day we felt empowered and ready to charge forward.

There was a piece of the conversation that, because of limited time, was not touched upon. With more time, and with future events, I would like to hear more about conversations about when stereotypes and privilege are mixed. Status quo embeds our subconscious with what is and what is not normal. Symbols of what our society deemed as normal, two happily married parents of opposite sex with two children, house and a dog, are actually no longer considered normal. Now, a divorced family whose parents re-marry, one is homosexual, children are adopted, and they have a guinea pig as a pet is considered a more form of normal. The fact is, normal has no category anymore because we are all normal. Our diversities are so eclectic that one assumption of what is normal can not exist. Unfortunately our sub-consciousness has not been able to catch up with reality. That is why I support the #IMNormal campaign so much.

#IMNormal is a campaign to share and illuminate how there is no definition to what normal is. Despite what society says is normal, we are all different and in those differences, we are normal.  Our governments, media outlets, art, fashion, and cultural norms may dictate what is normal, but it is our individual stories that truly make us normal.

Norm:al Africa is initiating the #IMNormal campaign for two reasons:

1) The campaign wants to bring awareness of LGBTI issues throughout the globe by displaying how we are all normal and deserve the same human rights.

2) The campaign is to assist Norm:al Africa in aligning their startup efforts in Uganda.  Norm:al Africa is the newest organization to fight for the rights of the LGBTI community in East Africa.

 #IMNormal because I am a strong independent gay man who understands my past and privilege does not define me, but can be used to advocate and empower others.

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