by Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA
This is written for an American audience; however, I know that many friends and colleagues around the world read my newsletter and visit my website. So feel free to adapt these tips to conform with your province, region, or country. 1. Visit Washington DC. Every American should visit our nation’s capital at least once in your life to see where our President lives and where Congress makes our laws. All of the Smithsonian Museums are FREE of charge in Washington, so put them at the top of your list. You have to make a reservation to go on the White House Tour, but you can go to the Senate and House of Representative buildings at anytime free of charge. The NEW Martin Luther King Memorial will be dedicated on August 28th, commemorating the 48th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. For more information, visit www.washington.org. 2. Visit Your Congressional Offices All 435 US Congressional Representatives have an office in Washington DC AND offices in their local districts. My congressman is Barney Frank, and I have visited and met with him in his Washington DC office and his office in Taunton, Massachusetts. The same is true for all 100 US Senators. Go to either www.senate.gov or www.house.gov to find out who your congressional representative is. It is best to meet with your congressional representative or senator in your home district. In Washington the House of Representatives Buildings include: --Cannon House Office Building --Longworth House Office Building --Rayburn House Office Building The Senate Buildings include: --Hart Senate Office Building --Dirksen Senate Office Building --Russell Senate Office Building 3. Visit Your State Capital This should be an easy one for you. Especially is you live in your state capital, like Boston, Massachusetts. It’s FREE to visit your state capital and most offer tours at certain tines of the day. I am a member of a public service sorority, Delta Sigma Theta (www.deltasigmatheta.org). As part of our Social Action Agenda we plan a State House event every year around the United States called “Delta Day at the State House” (DDSH), that is open to the general public. We usually select a state related topic, like redistricting, tour the capital, and invite our legislators to address our audience at a two hour program we hold in a reserved room at the capital. (Our Annual Nation’s Capital Legislative Conference is only open to members.) Whether you are an individual, a family, or a group, visiting your state capital is a must for an informed, empowered citizen. Every state has their own website and pertinent information on state, city, and town issues. Google your state’s website and explore its resources. Most state capitals have a bookstore or some resources center where you can purchase items related to your state affairs. I enjoy browsing the documents, photos, and historical guidebooks on Massachusetts when I visit my state capital bookstore. I encourage you to visit your state capital in the coming year. 4. Visit Your Governor, State Representatives And Senators When you visit your state capital, don’t forget to stop in the office of your governor and state legislators. When we hold DDSH (see #3) we always plan visits to our respective legislators’ offices. You don’t have to make an appointment. You can stop in, speak to a staff member, leave your name and number, and schedule a future meeting with either a staff member, representative and/or senator. You can also sit in on a legislative session, hearing or other meeting, depending on when your state’s legislators are in session. It may be a bit more difficult to have a one-to-one meeting with your governor. However, when he/she attends events around your state, plan to attend and ask a pertinent question (about bridges, roads, housing, education, budgets, etc) during the session. You can follow up with the designated staff member attending the event with the governor. They never travel to events alone. Google your state house for more information on contacting your representative or senator. Some state legislators meet at designated times of the year, per their Constitution. The Texas Legislature meets in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year. The Texas Constitution limits the regular session to 140 calendar days. Others meet at selected times of the year. (Massachusetts State Legislature is called the General Court.) The Massachusetts Legislature has a two year cycle. The current cycle runs from January 2011 to July 2012. (The Massachusetts legislators are elected every two years. Currently informal sessions are being held at the State House throughout the summer months. I called Governor Patrick’s office and then my own Senator Rodrigues’ office to find this out.) The times your state legislature meets depends on your state constitution. Call your governor’s office to learn more. You also have a better chance of connecting with your legislator at some event in your state (like a public hearing). Walk up to your legislator, introduce yourself, and ask when you can visit his/her office and talk more about your respective issue. 5. Visit The United Nations in New York City At least once in your life you should visit the United Nations. It’s located in New York City, and much of the building is FREE and open to the public. There’s tight security, so plan your timing accordingly. It might take you 15 minutes to go through security. The WORLD visits the United Nations every day! The entire world! Forget all of the naysayers who trash the value of the UN, you should plan a visit at some point in your life. There are world exhibits, sessions that you can observe, tours (with a small charge), conferences and events held in the building. I have spoken at the UN as part of conferences, attended luncheons and other events, and find the environment fascinating. Every world event from hunger, to civil wars are discussed, evaluated and negotiated in the United Nations buildings. Many many school groups visit the building, and it’s fun seeing young people exchange ideas and information at the UN. There is a cafeteria in the building and an extensive bookstore and gift shop. You can reach the building using public transportation. Take your camera and video camera and snap those photos wherever you can. Stop and meet a visitor dressed in their native outfit and learn more about their country. Plan to stay for a half day or a full day. It’s a big complex and will take some time to get through the public parts. For more information visit www.un.org. Stay tune for Steps 6-10 in Part Two of this article. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.
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8/9/2011 Will The Real Leader Please Stand Up: Urgent Call To President Obama To LEAD America To Economic StabilityRead Now“Yes I am a big Obama fan. But now our country needs our President to LEAD the country out of this fiscal mess we're in. His message today was not forceful enough. Did nothing to build confidence in the investors. He MUST put forth a BOLD plan that will create JOBS and put Americans BACK TO WORK. That's the only way to resolve this dilemma.”
Those were my words on my Facebook page yesterday after listening to President Obama’s mid afternoon message to the American people. Less than two hours later the US Stock exchange closed down more than 600 points. Not many people were inspired by the President’s message. And I have continued to exchange several spirited postings from my Facebook friends, both progressive AND conservative since yesterday’s posting. My perspective has not changed: President Obama must LEAD our country out of this economic crisis. He must deploy a bold and decisive PLAN that will create JOBS for our unemployed citizens. He must use his leadership skills to help orchestrate a more action-oriented Congress and move them toward more effective legislation instead of the ongoing political/partisan grandstanding. Leadership is simply the mechanism of galvanizing groups/people/organizations when the doors of opportunities come calling. In the good times, it’s easy to do because conflict and condemnation are at a minimum. It’s much harder to take on a leadership role when the economy is tanking, uncertainty is expanding, and jobs creation is at a minimum. Yet taking on a firm leadership role during tough times defines a person...or a President as a true leader. I want President Obama to become that strong, action oriented leader and stop identifying his role as a mediator. America does not need President Obama to mediate. America needs President Obama to lead! The world needs President Obama to lead! This is not a popularity contest. We already know that the some in the Tea Party members are out to destroy the Obama presidency. In fact they wouldn’t mind taking the country down with President Obama, too. I just watched a small Wisconsin video clip where cheers went up when the Standard and Poors downgrade was announced. So we’ve already established that there is a percentage of our society that will never accept President Obama or his administration. That doesn’t mean that Obama is off the hook from leading the rest of us. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and those who may never cast a ballot. It’s called leadership in a bold and courageous way that visualizes and articulates the longterm possibilities of our country. Leadership that ignores the naysayers and creates a swift and actionable PLAN that creates JOBS for the unemployed, the underemployed and those who gave up on employment some years ago. Leadership is taking action when Congress lets us all down and leaves us uninspired. Leadership is facing the twin barrel of poverty, unemployment, economic uncertainty, and domestic instability and marches forward in the face of disagreement. That’s the leader I voted for. That’s the leader I want in President Obama. That’s the leader I believe we need for America, right now, this month, this season. I know that I am probably saying what many of you cannot say. Your jobs, your careers, your funding keeps you silent. And I also know that some of my conservative subscribers completely disagree with my perspective. I am enjoying my debate with them on Facebook, and I welcome ALL opinions on the comments section below. One of the greatest leaders of our time, Dr. Martin Luther King, said it this way: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” We are in those times of challenge and controversy right now! It is time for President Obama to STAND, to LEAD, and to ACT. His choice of governance will take us to a future of stability or a future of turmoil. I am betting on the former...that President Obama will STAND, LEAD and ACT. -Carole Your comments are welcome. Here Is Black Enterprise's 40 BEST Companies For Diversity. Published in the July 2011 issue of their magazine, BE sent surveys to 1000 publicly traded companies, along with 100 leading global companies with strong US operations. Target audience included African Americans and other ethnic minorities as designated by the US Census Bureau. Other groups, including women, gays/lesbians/bisexuals/transgender employees, and disabled individuals were also included in the list compilation. A survey instrument used to create the list measured companies against four key categories:
Employee Base Senior Management Board of Directors Supplier Diversity Congratulations to the following 40 companies listed in alphabetical order: Aetna, Inc Aflac, Inc. Allstate Corporation American Express Company AT&T, Inc. Bank of America Comerica Bank Darden Restaurants, Inc. Exelon Corporation Fannie Mae FedEx Corporation Ford Motor Company Freddie Mac General Mills, Inc. General Motors Corporation International Business Machines Corporation JP Morgan Chace & Company Kellogg Company Marriott International, Inc. McDonald's Corporation MetLife Corporation MGM Resorts International Nationwide Norfolk Southern Corporation Pepco Holdings, Inc. PepsiCo, Inc. PG&E Corporation Pitney Bowes Prudential Financial, Inc. Sodexo, Inc. State Farm Insurance Companies Cola-Cola Company TIAA-CREF Toyota Motor North America, Inc. Verizon Communications, Inc. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Wells Fargo & Company WGL Holdings, Inc. Xerox Corporation Yum! Brands, Inc. Source: Black Enterprise Magazine, July 2011 Issue www.blackenterprise.com Click And Listen To The Radio Interview Below ![]() Brian Kurth, VocationVacations Founder There's a new way to "vacation with a purpose" where you can have fun and explore your career options at the same time. The company is Vocation Vacations (www.voctionvacations.com) and its innovative founder, Brian Kurth, is our special guest today. VocationVacations mentors provide one- to- three day, hands-on, career immersion experiences in more than 180 vocation types (everything from A to Y, actor to yoga studio owner, and everything in between. We’re working on the Z!) and are committed to sharing their knowledge and experience with individuals who dream of walking in their shoes. They provide vocationers the opportunity to look before they leap. Since VocationVacations began in 2004, its mentor pool has grown from an initial group of ten in Oregon to hundreds across 30 states and continues to grow monthly. The concept for VocationVacations was born on Chicago's Kennedy Expressway in 1999 during one of Brian Kurth's long, daily commutes to his corporate job. Numb from a lack of passion for what he did for a living and staring at brake lights, he wondered what it would be like to work in the wine business or become a tour guide or a dog trainer. Brian wanted to explore his dream jobs through a company that offered short-term “internships” to working adults while on vacation. After doing some research, Brian realized such a company did not exist. A business idea was born. If you are thinkig about a career change but don't know how to get started, this show will help you determine the course of action that's right for you. Here's The Link To Focus On Empowerment Heard Every Thurs on Blog Talk Radio 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Eastern http://www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole/2011/08/04/focus-on-empowerment-with-carole-copeland-thomas The Global Marketplace In the diversity workshops I conduct throughout the country I often test the knowledge of my participants by asking them to tell me how many people live in our world. Since most don’t know, they’re amazed to find out there are over 6.9 billion men, women, and children in our global village. China is the most populous country with 1.3 billion people, followed closely by India with 1.2 billion. And how many people live in the United States? More than 311 million, only five percent of the world’s population. Do you have the capacity to wrap your heart, soul, and mind around the world of nearly 7 billion? Or are you like so many, focusing only on the handful of faces that you know in your circle of friends, family and coworkers? I encourage you to stretch your mind, expand your horizons, and reach out to the faces of people in distant lands unknown. Get The Census Facts The best website to acquaint yourself with the current population numbers is the U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov. That website will give you statistical information on every hamlet in America. On its home page you’ll find a running population clock, updated daily that will help you keep track of total population numbers for the country and the world. To find out the latest U.S. and world population numbers, log onto the Census Bureau website, www.census.gov. A few minutes on this site will educate you about the latest statistical analysis compiled from the 2010 census.You can find national data and statistical information for your own hometown. I encourage you to visit the Census website at your earliest opportunity. You can discover data that may prove useful for an upcoming project, class assignment, or work-related task. All of the Census Bureau information including video clips, photos, and graphic images are FREE of charge. Create a census game with your family, friends, and colleagues. Offer a prize to the first person who correctly tells you how many people live in the world. Empower yourself with new knowledge, and share your wisdom wherever you go. -Carole Your comments and suggestions are always welcome Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy ![]() In the spirit of healthy eating and living, watch this recent interview of White House Chef Cristeta Comerford speaking on the Today Show with Matt Lauer. If you're trying to figure out some creative menus for this weekend or for the rest of the summer, you'll get some great ideas here. As a speaker, trainer and consultant on the go, I appreciate the value of fresh foods and nutritious meals for fortifying my energy while I work. First Lady Michelle Obama is on a White House crusade to reverse the obesity levels in this country. She is featured in the August 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens (see photo to the left). Share your thoughts and ideas of your own recipes in the comments section. And think about trying out these two healthy recipes with your family and friends. (The recipes were created by the Better Homes and Garden food editors.) Enjoy your weekend. -Carole Fruit Pocket Pies Ingredients 3/4 cup fresh raspberries and/or blueberries 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 6 Tbsp. smashed apple jam or apple butter 12 slices soft whole grain white or soft whole wheat bread 1/4 cup vegetable oil 4 lbs. of apples for Smashed Apple Jam Method for Smashed Apple Jam 1. Peel, core and slice 4 pounds apples. 2. Place apples and 1/2 cup water in a 4 or 5-quart heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until very tender. Remove from heat. 3. Mash apples with a potato masher or blend with an immersion blender. Return to heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes until the jam thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently. 4. Transfer to a covered container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Method for Fruit Pocket Pies 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash berries and spread to dry on paper towels. Meanwhile, stir together sugar and cinnamon; set aside. 2. For each pie, spoon 1 tablespoon of smashed apple jam in the center of a bread slice. Top with 3 to 4 berries and another slice of bread. Gently press the top slice around the fruit. Trim crusts from bread using a serrated knife. 3. Bake pies for 18 to 20 minutes or until bread is lightly toasted and bottoms are browned. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. *Makes 6 servings ================================================ Chopped Green Salad with Herb Dressing Ingredients 4 cups torn spinach and/or romaine 1 small cucumber, seeded, if desired 3 oz. broccoli florets, blanched and shocked* (1 cup) 3 oz. tender fresh green beans, blanched and shocked* ( 1 1/2 cups) 3/4 cup frozen edamame, thawed 1 1/2 cups halved green grapes 1 recipe Fresh Herb Dressing Lemon wedges Method On a large cutting board, cut lettuce and cucumber into bite-size pieces. Add to a large salad bowl. Add broccoli, beans, edamame, and grapes. Toss gently to mix. Drizzle about 1/3 recipe fresh herb dressing over vegetables. Toss gently to coat mixture with dressing. Dressing 1 cup orange juice 1/3 cup olive oil 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian parsley, basil, or thyme 2 tsp. yellow mustard 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper Method In a screw-top jar combine orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, herb, mustard and pepper. Cover and shake well. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Stir or shake well before using. Raspberry vinaigrette: Prepare as above, except substitute raspberry vinegar, and add 1/4 cup mashed fresh raspberries. Serve salads in small tumblers or cups with lemon wedges, if desired. Pass remaining dressing, if desired. *Notes: Before chopping lettuce, wash lettuce and remove excess water from leaves by patting dry with paper towels. Salad dressing clings better to dry lettuce. For Shocking vegetables: Bring a saucepan half filled with water to a boil. Carefully add vegetables and cook 3 minutes (do not wait for water to return to boil to start timing). Drain in colander and immediately add to a bowl of ice water to halt cooking. Drain well before using. Click To Play The South African National Anthem Below ![]() A Boston Visit To Remember The week of June 22, 1990 will always hold a special moment in history for me. That was the week when newly released Nelson Mandela visited America for the first time and stopped by Boston for a visit before heading to New York City, Washington DC to meet with President George HW Bush, and several other cities in the US. Married at the time, my husband was one of the dignitaries on hand to officially greet Mr. Mandela. My three children sat through several rehearsals with the late great community leader Elma Lewis, finally learning all the words to the South Africa National Anthem, "Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika." They sang with a giant children's choir at the Hatch Shell where the Boston Pops strike up a tune every 4th of July. Thousands Lined The Streets To See Mandela There were thousands of people lining the streets to get a glimpse of this famous man unfairly locked up for 27 years. He was visiting our city with his stalwart wife, Winnie, his children and grandchildren. His granddaughter would end up calling my son from Europe, once the Mandelas left the United States. The fast friendship of these two pre-teens was a bonus from the trip. Franklin Park in urban Boston bust to the seams with people waiting for their Mandela. All along the motorcade route people shouted the name Mandela! The late Senator Ted Kennedy used his booming voice to shower Nelson Mandela with praise. It was a magic moment in history where apartheid did not destroy or define the character and courage of Nelson Mandela. And now 21 years later, he is still a great man. A bit frail, but still a powerful voice of possibilities. This past Monday, July 18, Nelson Mandela celebrated his 93rd birthday. It was a big deal in South Africa, although under-reported in America. More than 12 million schoolchildren sang a special version of Happy Birthday before starting their lessons in South Africa. And now two decades later, there is the Nelson Mandela Foundation in South Africa that coordinated the festivities. 67 Minutes Of Service In 2009, Nelson Mandela's birthday was declared an international day devoted to public service, and is recognized worldwide by the United Nations. The day served as a call to volunteers to find a good cause for 67 minutes, one minute for every year Mandela spent in active politics. I visited South Africa for the first time in 2009, and I am still reflecting on the complicated relationships of the people of that great nation. I ran into Winnie Mandela in my hotel restaurant during that trip, and found her to be warm and engaging. I reminded her that I had met her in Boston during her 1990 visit, and she smiled from ear to ear as she hugged me closely. There won't be another Nelson Mandela in my lifetime or yours who lived long enough to enjoy life after decades of imprisonment, torture, and suffering. At 93 Nelson Mandela still has much to teach us about patience, dialogue, vision and social justice. Happy Birthday President Mandela. May you live in peace and comfort during the rest of your days on earth. You have given much to your country. You have given much more to the world. -Carole Your Comments, Reflections, and Tributes To Nelson Mandela are Welcome. For more information visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation at www.nelsonmandela.org This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
![]() Photo Left: Gary Morton 1992 Leader of Tomorrow Student Member Now the Managing Director of the Boston Chapter Leaders of Tomorrow Student members of the Boston Chapter Leaders of Tomorrow Program (LOT) of the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) recently participated in a nationwide case competition in Connecticut, sponsored by the NBMBAA. Although the young team did not win, they made an impressive showing, and are fired up to compete again in next year’s competition. Below is a commentary written by the LOT’s Director, Gary Morton. Morton is one of a growing number of young professionals who joined LOT as a high school student in 1992 and remained connected to the program. After graduating from high school in Boston, he continued on to finish Bentley University and is currently enrolled in graduate school. Married and the father of two, Morton works for Liberty Mutual in Boston. I am very proud of Gary and have watched his leadership role grow through the years. I co-founded the Boston LOT program in 1991 when I served as the Chapter President. It has been so fulfilling to see the group expand through the years, and exciting to see Gary and others take an active leadership role as LOT alum. Congratulations to the team. May you continue to excel in the years ahead. -Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA ------------------------------------------------------- The Boston Chapter Leaders of Tomorrow Program by Gary Morton We were very proud to rigorously train, educate, mentor and advise a group of 12 committed student Leaders in graduate level Business Analysis fundamentals, ultimately taking 5 them to the 2011 LOT National Business Case Competition on June 24th - June 26th to compete for $30,000 in scholarships at the University of Connecticut’s School of Business. This was our first year participating in this nationwide competition and the students competed against 24 other teams. They trained with us for several months, learning fundamental business concepts including SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), Porter’s Five Forces, and financial analysis techniques. Also, they studied other factors that impact business decisions such as economic indicators and environmental conditions. Further, the practice sessions were full of exercises that enabled the students to practice public speaking and work on presentation skills. The students arrived at U Conn on Friday where they were warmly greeted by the Senior Administrators for the U Conn School of Business as well as the newly appointed President of the National Black MBA Association, Kimberly Corbin. Orientation was followed by a college tour and pizza party, which allowed students from various chapters to socialize and network before the next day’s competition. Saturday, we competed in the first round and presented on the Harvard Business Case for Natura, a Brazilian beauty company. While our team did not advance to the final round, they performed very well. They exhibited poise, confidence, professionalism, expertise during the MBA-level presentation they gave before a panel of judges. The final round that afternoon was followed by an awards gala in the evening where the National Black MBA Association’s LOT National Case Competition Committee spoke on the history of the program and its immense value to high school students across the nation. During the ceremony, the finalists were announced. The results were the following: 1st place – Dallas, 2nd place – Chicago, 3rd place – New Jersey, 4th place – Westchester, 5th place – Toronto. Following the ceremony, students danced the night away at post-gala party. Much applause to the students for their enthusiasm and dedication and to the LOT leadership team that worked tirelessly on a weekly basis for several months to teach MBA-level material. This was a great experience for both the chaperones and student alike! We’ve already started planning for 2012! |
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Click On The Book Cover Below... AuthorCarole Copeland Thomas is a 27 year speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in global diversity, empowerment, multiculturalism and leadership issues. Archives
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