Oct-Dec 2020

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PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE HEADER
PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE HEADER
PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE HEADER
The Next Greatest Generation
The depth and breadth of a crisis is never determined by the event itself. These boundaries are always defined by the quality and effectiveness of our response. Unfortunately, at a time when individual efforts need to be aligned to form a cooperative community response to an assortment of global crises, we instead find ourselves in panicked retreat, seeking the comfortable corners of ideology and nationalism.

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) spoke these words in 1933 amid the United States suffering its fourth year of the Great Depression. Then, as now, it seemed the scaffolding that supported the American dream had buckled. Everything once considered normal had collapsed into an unrecognizable heap of wasted effort and failed aspirations.

Contents

Oct-Dec 2020
Making a Choice to Make a Difference Cover
by Jahkil Naeem Jackson
Age is just a number when sharing, giving and recognizing others.
When the News Media Diminish, We All Do cover
by Anthony D’Angelo, APR, Fellow PRSA
The First Amendment: The critical role of the Fourth Estate as the liaison to “We the people.”
Bring in the Game Changers! cover
by Eileen Grubba
Viewing possibilities through a different lens to seek ideas, diversity, creativity and vision in new spaces.
An Open Letter to Generation X cover
by Edward J. Ulman
Exceeding expectations: It’s time to step in, step up, make a mark and make a difference.
Thoughts from the Chrysalis: Butterflies Needed cover
by Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D., APR
Reflective action is the key to renewal and meaningful transformational change.
Embracing Our Differences to Affect Change cover
by Geysa Aldebot
Exploring personal bias and privilege is a powerful catalyst for creating understanding.
The Impact of Response-Ability cover
by Giancarlo Brotto
The right mindset is the guide for leveraging powerful partnerships and collaboration.
Lights, Camera, ACTION!!! cover
by Lincoln Lageson
The unique challenges of recreating filmmaking and safe workspaces in the COVID-19 Era.
Leading with Lived Experience cover
by Heidi Huppert
Taking back personal power, gaining strength and pivoting to help others.
Channeling Your Growth Zone cover
by Scarlett Lewis
Choosing positivity creates energy even when faced with unimaginable circumstances.
Publisher
Rick Thomas

Editor
Nance Larsen

Cover Story Photo
Charan Ingram Photography
charaningram.com

Visualizer
Scott Mlynarczyk

Administration
Karin Norgard
Kelsey Richardson

Sales
sales@thestriveproject.com
907.278.7483

info@thestriveproject.com

Published By
The STRIVE Group, LLC

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Copyright © 2020
The Strive Group, LLC
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When the News Media Diminish, We All Do
By Anthony D’Angelo, APR, Fellow PRSA
“If you have a degree from any school of journalism, I don’t trust you. You have lied over and over and over and over again. You are an enemy to mankind.”

Glenn Beck
September 16, 2020
T

his statement from an influential conservative commentator terrifies me, and that’s not a comment on Glenn Beck’s political positions. It is to say that when journalism is under fire, we all are. A weakening of the Fourth Estate is dangerous to both sides of any political aisle, including mainstream parties, the center and the fringes.

The increasingly popular argument that the news media are the enemy of the people is antithetical to their function in a democratic society: to serve as the main source for informed decision making by the people, for the people. As a career public relations practitioner turned educator, I believe vehemently that this anti-media trend is dangerous and that it’s my profession’s duty, as well as that of journalists everywhere, to ensure the principles and practices of professional journalism are supported.

Person using Smart interactive tecnhology
SMART is pushing the limits of digital collaboration
SMART provides interactive technology that:
  • Enables true collaboration – not just participation, but contribution and interaction
  • Provides an intuitive experience to reduce the learning curve, enabling even casual users
  • Lets users mark up, save and share any content from any source, anywhere
  • Is compatible with major video conferencing platforms like MS Teams, Zoom and Cisco Webex
Discover SMART Business solutions for more productive, connected work everywhere. smarttech.com/demo
Working from home in 2020... bubble
30% want increased interactivity bubble
37% report unproductive meetings bubble
Working from home in 2020... bubble
30% want increased interactivity bubble
37% report unproductive meetings bubble
Person using Smart interactive tecnhology
SMART is pushing the limits of digital collaboration
SMART provides interactive technology that:
  • Enables true collaboration – not just participation, but contribution and interaction
  • Provides an intuitive experience to reduce the learning curve, enabling even casual users
  • Lets users mark up, save and share any content from any source, anywhere
  • Is compatible with major video conferencing platforms like MS Teams, Zoom and Cisco Webex
Discover SMART Business solutions for more productive, connected work everywhere. smarttech.com/demo
Smart Tech logo
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* From the rAVe Agency’s Working from Home Survey 2020
©2020 SMART Technologies. All rights reserved.

* From the rAVe Agency’s Working from Home Survey 2020

The Chariot Group logo
Smart Tech logo
©2020 SMART Technologies. All rights reserved.
Image of Hot Air Balloons
Bring in the Game Changers!
by Eileen Grubba
W

hen we are in real trouble, who do we turn to? As kids, perhaps we turn to parents and teachers. As adults, we turn to mentors, elders, veterans and experts in the field, people who have been through worse or more challenging circumstances and survived. These are game changers who need to be at the table.

As I watch so many people crumbling under the weight of 2020’s challenges, it seems obvious to me what society is missing and how we fix it: The world needs to welcome our game changers. The people society has left out. The ones we fear. The ones we avoid. They’ve been sitting in the corners, waiting in the wings, begging for opportunity, to be heard, to be included, to just BE. We’ve been programmed to believe they have nothing to offer, but if you really think about it, they have the most to offer, especially in trying times. They are the ones who have survived the most, yet we rarely consider what they handle every single day, and what they’ve learned because of it. We need to open our minds and turn to those who know best how to adapt, adjust, and overcome, simply because they’ve been overcoming all of their lives. I am talking about society’s greatest problem solvers: The rejects. The misfits. The outcasts. The courageous. The resilient.

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Christie Griffyn 4k32-RGB projector
Christie HS 4K projector
Christie MicroTiles LED screen
Christie Ultra Series - Tiled LCD panels
Choose Christie and turn your inspired ideas into innovative solutions. We create a complete range of high-quality AV solutions for business, education, entertainment and industry. And protect your investment with industry-leading customer care, warranties and technical support.
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An Open Letter to
Generation Font
An Open Letter to
Generation Font
Hand Holding letter X
by Edward J. Ulman
I

n the 19th Century, if you could not read or write, it was common to sign legal documents with an “X.”

Countless Americans moved through history in this way.

One notable example is Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist and political activist who was born into slavery. During the Civil War she served as cook, nurse, scout, soldier and spy for the Union Army. Decades later, Tubman requested a pension from the United States government.

Hand Holding letter X
by Edward J. Ulman
I

n the 19th Century, if you could not read or write, it was common to sign legal documents with an “X.”

Countless Americans moved through history in this way.

One notable example is Harriet Tubman, the famous abolitionist and political activist who was born into slavery. During the Civil War she served as cook, nurse, scout, soldier and spy for the Union Army. Decades later, Tubman requested a pension from the United States government.
digital illustration of a butterfly
Original illustration courtesy of Rebecca Mena, a fourth-year undergraduate studying Art Education and Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Fullerton.
Thoughts from the Chrysalis: Butterflies Needed
by Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D., APR
T

his is a strange time of quarantine and working from home. This is a difficult time of racial protests and political divides. This is an opportune time for change and innovation.

In early spring, I thought of this time as a Great Cocooning, where those of us with not insignificant privilege could continue our silkily sheltered existence, enveloped in a protective place that was not only our physical homes but also our secure mental and emotional states. As spring turned to summer, I began to realize that it was not a time for gentle, private cocooning away from society, but rather a time for thoughtful personal growth and individual transformation so we can collectively rejoin society in ways that are radically different and long overdue.

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REMOTE READINESS
Thriving in the Remote Work Environment
The ability to effectively work remotely has become a necessity, upgrading the action to include relationshipbuilding, video conferencing, and ensuring safety and wellbeing of workers. These challenges are magnifed when working virtually. Enabling a remote worker with the right technology and tools can improve communication, generate engagement and create a productive virtual work environment for all.
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Creating and Enabling a Remote Workforce
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I Can Do It!
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Using Brain Science to Maximize Your Effectiveness Working Remotely
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Managing Virtual Teams
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There’s an App for That!
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Communicating Effectively Over Distance
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Facilitating and Mastering Virtual Meetings
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Leading People Through Challenge and Change
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Safety Matters, Even Remotely!
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Using Brain Science to Maximize Your Effectiveness Leading Remotely
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Accountability on Remote Teams
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Tips to be Effective and Productive while Working from Home
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Maintaining Mental and Emotional Wellness Through Challenging Times
For class descriptions and registration, visit
thestrivegroup.com/remote-readiness
Syracuse University’s
Online M.S. in Communications Management
Syracuse University’s
Online M.S. in Communications Management
No GRE Required
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Syracruse University Newhouse School of Public Communications faculty
Jahkil Jackson with a bag of necessities
Jahkil Jackson with a bag of necessities
Jahkil Jackson founded Project I Am when he was eight years old after helping his aunt feed the homeless in Chicago.

Photo by Charan Ingram

Making a Choice to Make a Difference
by Jahkil Naeem Jackson
Blessings – having parents who love and care for you.
Blessings – having a roof over your head.
Blessings – knowing when you’ll eat again.

I

am blessed. I will never forget the day I realized others were not.

It was winter in 2012 and I was five years old. It was a cold day. I was with my auntie under a viaduct at lower Wacker in downtown Chicago. She had made chili for people who lived under the viaduct and brought my cousins and I with her to help hand it out. I had so many questions.

clipart people around an elephant
Embracing Our Differences to Affect Change
by Geysa Aldebot
H

ave you ever realized, in hindsight, you were asked a million-dollar question only to realize your response could have been so much more…effective?

I was recently asked the difference between bias and privilege by a group of individuals at varying levels of leadership in an organization. The setting was an interview panel, and this was not the main topic of our meeting. The ensuing response was a quick elevator-ride definition that felt shallow to me in hindsight due to time constraints. This is a topic requiring much more thought and discussion.

GOLA: Global Online Learning Alliance
Catalyst in partnership with Brains Global, Radix Education and Millennium@EDU launched the Global Online Learning Alliance (GOLA) as a safe and productive place for government officials, multilateral agencies and civil society to produce policy recommendations in response to COVID-19 and the consequences it has for education in both the immediate term for continuity and the long-term for sustainability.
The Impact of Response-Ability
by Giancarlo Brotto
A

s the years pass, it feels as though the frequency of crucial decisions increases, as does the intensity and costs of related consequences. There still exists a part of me that strives to minimize the frequency of wrong choices, but over time I appreciate more and more that it is less about the number of right or wrong choices, and more important how I choose to respond to the outcomes of those choices. There is a line in the 1989 bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey. It describes what it means to be responsible, the ability to choose your response – RESPONSE-ABILITY.

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Lights,
Camera,
ACTION!!!
Lights,
Camera,
ACTION!!!
by Lincoln Lageson
I

t was the beginning of March. I was one week away from traveling to Europe to start prepping a romantic comedy, Movie of the Week, for the Hallmark Channel. The first part of the project was scheduled to be filmed in a small village in Bulgaria, with the remainder to be shot in Paris. Not bad places to set up shop and do what you do for a living while experiencing some beautiful places. With the Network targeting a full slate of projects, all signs pointed to very good year for film production.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed for all of us. At first, the collective thought that we could still make the movie. There were no travel restrictions, but there was a great deal of uncertainty as to what we could execute in a safe manner. Anticipating the need for some changes, we created a plan B, then a plan C, then a plan D, when reality hit; all production was shut down. Like so many, our focus shifted dramatically to a “new normal” for living our lives safely.

Leading with
Lived Experience
by Heidi Huppert
W

hen I was 12 or 13 years old, I saw a grunge band video on MTV showing teenagers running from abusive homes and ending up on the street. In one scene, a brown-haired girl was dragged into a van by grown men. As I watched, my heart raced. I felt my face get hot and a lump rose in my throat. I thought, “That is how I’m going to die.” I understood the scene because I was living on and off the street, dodging alleys and predators and at times physically fighting for my life. After one particularly brutal evening, courtesy of my mom’s boyfriend, I sat while the police took pictures of my injuries. I was told to pack a backpack and that I was going into foster care that night. I went to my room, climbed out of the second-story window, maneuvered down a gas line and fled into the dark. I didn’t know it at the time, but that night was the catalyst for what would become my passion, career and personal mission – to help young people.

Channeling Your Growth Zone
by Scarlett Lewis

W

hat is your ultimate objective in life? Discovering your purpose and why you’re here? Finding meaning in your existence and events as they unfold?

Most likely, we can agree that we want the same for ourselves as we do our children – to flourish and get the most out of life. This was the message that my six-year-old son, Jesse, left for his older brother shortly before his murder in a Connecticut school shooting. Scrawled on a little piece of folded graph paper, these prophetic words – “Have a Lot of fun” – constituted an ultimate goal for us all.

“The biggest rewards in life are found outside your comfort zone. Live with it. Fear and risk are prerequisites if you want to enjoy a life of success and adventure.”
— Jack Canfield
Channeling Your Growth Zone
by Scarlett Lewis
W

hat is your ultimate objective in life? Discovering your purpose and why you’re here? Finding meaning in your existence and events as they unfold?

Most likely, we can agree that we want the same for ourselves as we do our children – to flourish and get the most out of life. This was the message that my six-year-old son, Jesse, left for his older brother shortly before his murder in a Connecticut school shooting. Scrawled on a little piece of folded graph paper, these prophetic words – “Have a Lot of fun” – constituted an ultimate goal for us all.

Jack Canfield, author, motivational speaker, and founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, said, “The biggest rewards in life are found outside your comfort zone. Live with it. Fear and risk are prerequisites if you want to enjoy a life of success and adventure.” The Cambridge dictionary defines comfort zone as “a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested.” Does this sound familiar? Probably not right now. In this moment in history we are all, most likely, outside our comfort zones.

During a global pandemic, social unrest and an uncertain future, you can find yourself in this domain with an option of living in fear or choosing courage. The good news is that when you’re outside your comfort zone, you can move into a growth zone, a place where you can acquire knowledge and adapt. This is a constructive and expansive territory that allows you the opportunity to explore beyond where you have normally existed. This is also where your brain engages its learning centers and you gain new skills, understanding and the ability to thrive beyond your current situation.

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CSUF first responders working
Working as an emergency medical technician and sheriff’s department volunteer, computer science major Bryan Ruef was astonished that cities relied on outdated, error-prone systems during emergencies. He developed an affordable, cloud-based dispatch system that the Cal State Fullerton Startup Incubator helped bring to market. Florida Search and Rescue credits his innovation for saving more than 650 lives during Hurricane Dorian.
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