C. Jerome Brown’s Post

Really looking forward to attending some key seminars and catching up with familiar faces at the National SEND Conference tomorrow. 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨! 👋 Jordan Groves Athena O'Connor-Lindsey Simon Floyd Sarah Williams Claudia Cafferata Ema Antalova Nicole VanderMeulen 🍁 Louis Jory #baltimoredna #baltimoreconsulting #nationalSENDconference #SEND #instituteofgovernmentandpublicpolicy

Learning is fun. Intentional learning and development is fun, rewarding and essential to professional and personal growth. This week I am learning about social justice in Ireland, the effects and aftermath of the Irish Civil War and community initiatives implemented to unite a nation at St. Mary's University College, Belfast in Belfast, Ireland. Bellarmine University #humanresourceslife #culturallearning #culturalexperience #EducationandSocialChange #intentionalliving

A great organization and a highly worthwhile focus.

#Juneteenth commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865 – when the news of freedom arrived in Texas and reached the last remaining enslaved individuals.    Today is a day of celebration, marking the end of chattel slavery in the United States and the freedom of future generations. Today is also a reminder that there is so much more to be done in the name of justice and equality.    At MN8 Energy, we know that diverse perspectives drive innovation and propel us towards a brighter, more sustainable future. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion starts in the workplace and extends into the communities we serve and beyond, as we work to create a more inclusive and equitable tomorrow.’  If you’re looking for an avenue to support change in your community, we suggest working with organizations like Black Girls Code, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Harlem Grown,The Carrie Meek Foundation and the South Florida People of Color, all of which are catalysts for progress for their local communities.    As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us renew our commitment to building a future where energy equity is a reality for every individual, regardless of background or circumstance.    Learn more about the history of Juneteenth below, via a powerful set of resources assembled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture: https://lnkd.in/gqvPZFF

Exciting news from the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies! Last week, a new cohort of students kicked off their journey to become social justice and labor leaders. The group includes native New Yorkers, students from other states, and international students from China and Israel. During orientation, they got to know each other and interviewed with some of New York's top labor unions and nonprofits involved in exciting projects in the fabric of the labor and social justice movement of our city. Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience in labor and social justice activism in New York? Check out the Union Semester and Community Semester programs at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. This one-semester-long experiential learning program offers a Certificate in Labor Studies or Community Leadership, 16 undergraduate credits or 12 graduate credits, and an educational stipend of $7,000. Contact unionsemster@slu.cuny.edu or communitysemester@slu.cuny.edu to learn more. #highereducation #certificateprograms #Labormovement #socialjustice #laborunions #activism #nonprofit #college #education #labor #community

For many researchers living in the D.C.-area, the connection between their work and public policy is extremely clear, but there's a steep drop off when it comes to local policy in D.C. and state policy in Maryland. That's why Nora Gordon, Jaime Lee, and Elizabeth Rigby founded the Maryland-Washington D.C. chapter. Learn more about their launch & plans for the future in this chapter spotlight: https://lnkd.in/eMqgymXe

Yesterday, I had the privilege of being part of a transformative experience facilitated by members of our Relationships First team. Our mission is to cultivate community and disrupt the school to prison pipeline through humanizing practices; one such practice we modeled together is the community building circle. What began as a gathering of nine participants quickly doubled to eighteen, a testament to the power of folks answering the call to learn about and engage Restorative Justice. During yesterday’s circle, we explored the massive impact our ancestors have had on our lives, drawing inspiration from the wisdom of those who came before us. Our circle was in essence a libations ceremony that focused on storytelling. Some tears were shed and there were absolutely moments of joy as we intentionally create a moment of levity and visioning at the end of our circle. There are some powerful leaders serving our communities here at The School District of Philadelphia! One of the core principles guiding our work is the commitment to honoring privacy, ensuring that each participant feels safe to share their truths without fear of judgment or exposure. While I cannot divulge the specific stories shared in our circle, I am immensely proud of the profound connections our school leaders have to their ancestors. These are the role models who instilled in us the resilience to persevere in the face of adversity, to hold our heads high even amidst the negative narratives that consistently strive to define our youth and our sacred work as educators. At the heart of our work lies the belief that we are the ones we have been waiting for. Through restorative justice, we engage in heart work that resonates deeply with the lineage of many cultures across Africa, the Caribbean, Africa, Polynesia and beyond. It is a recognition of our interconnectedness and shared humanity, a commitment to healing and transformation that transcends borders, politics, and violence. I am filled with pride to serve alongside Relationships First coaches, whose dedication to creating spaces of safety, vulnerability, joy, and transformation is truly inspiring. Together, we are forging a path towards a more just and equitable future, one circle at a time. #RestorativePractices #CommunityBuilding #AncestralValues #TransformativeLeadership #Equity #RelationshipsFirst #HeartWork #PhiladelphiaRJ

Trust is foundational to successfully working in communities.

The Union League and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge were both formed in times when America’s founding principles were at risk: the Civil War in the 19th century and the threat of totalitarianism in the 20th century. As Founding Forward President John Meko reflects: Today, in 2024, America faces a new crisis. One that calls into question the American experiment. Civil dialogue is in decline. Trust in our institutions, both governmental and private, is fading. Trust in the media is at an all-time low. Many of the fundamental rights associated with America are no longer considered important. … So what can you do? How will we confront this new crisis as our predecessors have? How can we ensure the future of the United States and encourage responsible, informed leadership? … The solution to our country’s crisis is to invest in and expand civic education on a national scale. In his thought leadership article, Born in Crisis, John explains how Founding Forward is leveraging the assets and strengths of the Union League Legacy Foundation and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge “to become the leading voice and nation’s premier civic education institution, promoting civic responsibility and the principles of freedom and liberty preserved in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.” Read more (https://lnkd.in/ejv7Wfdf) to learn how Founding Forward is continuing and expanding the work of both organizations, including programs, collections, buildings, and volunteer chapters. #FoundingForward #civiceducation #US

Ever considered an Internship? Can you believe that Michael Lake was my first intern decades ago? Maybe we both made our own luck, but Michael genuinely transformed our business within a couple of months, coming in with zero domain knowledge. This was before he got his triple degree and was asked by Chelsea Clinton if my kids in the photo on his White House desk were his. That experience set my reference point for what an internship can be. So much so that I share with new Interns the concept of Imposter Syndrome very early. My experience is that when given the right environment interns consistently exceed everyone’s expectations, especially their own. It helps that we are never afraid of the brightest person in the room. Thanks to Rob Metcalfe, we use this simple BECKS model – Behaviour, Environment, Clarity, Knowledge & Skills. We interview for specific behaviours and all we ask is that each individual brings their authentic self to work (the behaviours are already baked in). It is our job as a business to deliver the E, C, K&S: - create the environment for success through people, processes and technology - be clear in our expectations, objectives, norms of behaviour etc - create a learning environment that delivers, at a minimum, the requisite knowledge and skills. When the internship is over, these highly capable interns have their journeys to traverse and like any parent encouraging their children to travel it is with mixed emotions when they inevitably leave (sometimes years later). In start-ups compounding is key. By living vicariously through the lives of our interns, I feel luckier every day. I’ve got to watch Michael create LeadingCities from a concept to a network of cities focused on collaborative urban research. The direction, vision, tools and opportunities are then accessible to any municipal government in the world. Keep smiling and making the world a better place every day, Michael.