Michelle Obama is a great woman not because she gives a good speech or she is clearly chock full of class and grace. She is great because she did one of the most difficult things there is to do: truly honor your parents by doing what you are told. In her speech tonight, Michelle talked about how her parents often complained that too often people go off to college and never come back. Michelle followed her parents advice and married a man who devoted his life to public service when both of them combined could be raking in major dough. Read the rest of this entry »
Posts Tagged ‘Speech’
Vote for the Social Media for Social Change Panel
In Community, The SuperSpade on August 8, 2008 at 9:26 amAs you may remember, I have been writing for a couple of months now at a site called Social Media for Social Change. The creator of that site, Michelle Riggen-Ransom, is moderating a panel at the upcoming 2009 SXSW Interactive conference called Social Media for Social Change, and, if accepted, I will be a panelist.
Here is a description of the panel:
Exploring ways non-profits and businesses are using social media to drive social change. From forums sharing life-changing information to online communities loaning money to entrepreneurs in Africa: social media tools and applications are powerful and growing. Find out what folks just like you are doing to change the world.
I’ll be talking about the online activism work that myself and others have been doing, specifically how The SuperSpade and other members of blacknetaction are impacting the offline world through our online efforts.
Here’s the comment I left on the panel description page:
This is an important topic, as technology is moving beyond the realm of mere entertainment and utility. Realizing that we can use the social media tools we love and create to not only make money but to make life better in a truly holistic sense is the key to the growth and sustainability of our industry.
What I Need You to Do: VOTE!!!
In order to make the panel happen and have the dialogue occur on a large, public platform, we need you to go vote for it. Here’s how to do that:
- Go to the Social Media for Social Change Panel Description page
- Where it says Your Vote, click 5 stars, which means that you find this panel “Amazing – This justifies a trip to SXSW.“
Please vote before voting closes on August 29th. Vote early and vote often! If you’re feeling extra generous, sign up and leave a comment with your thoughts on the topic. Then, take a look at some of the other extremely interesting panels.
Thansk in advance!
One Love. One II.
Podcast on the Importance of a Public Internet
In Issues and Politics, Multimedia, Technology on May 30, 2007 at 10:47 amLast week I recorded my first podcast for the Northwest Progressive Institute, a Washington-based think tank for which I serve as Senior Policy Analyst for Technology.
The title is “Reframing Net Neutrality,” and it talks about why an accessible and public and non-discriminatory Internet is important to preserve. You can listen to the audio here.
One Love. One II.
The Weekly Dream: Hold Your Peace
In Lifestyle on May 4, 2007 at 7:27 am“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to keep silence and a time to speak.”
-Ecclesiastes 3:7
“If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to control the whole body.”
-James 3:2
”Every man possesses a simple superpower: silence. Too few flex it on the regular basis.”
In the past, I have spoken in passing about slience, creating a quiet space, finding peace within yourself. However, today I want to talk about holding your tongue. Or more clearly, knowing when to speak and when to listen. On one level, I admire those individuals who are the “strong, silent type.” I have friends who are almost Zen-like in their ability to hold their peace and not say anything, just be “in the cut.” You never know if they are paying attention or watching everything. You do not know what they are thinking or how they really feel about you. And this type of silence lends to them a certain air of mystery, confidence, allure and magnetism.
However, on the other end, I have friends who are the life of the party. They enter the room and the atmosphere changes. They hit a room like they are campaigning for office and by the end of the night they have networked, connected and built rapport with every person in the room. Their allure is being able to come out of their shell and share themselves.
The SuperSpade Black History Month Presentation
In Multimedia on March 3, 2007 at 12:16 pmThis past Tuesday, 28 February 2007, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at Seattle’s Central Youth & Family Services Black History Month Program.
Here is a link to my short address (WAV Format, 9 min 6 seconds, 8.33 MB). I talked about the importance of finding mentors and connecting with people that have experiences in areas that you care about and are interested in.
The entire program was a lot of fun, and there was food, trivia, and good times all around. I got to stay and connect with many of the people in CYFS’s programs and talk with staff members too.
Categories
SuperSpade
Speech
Black History Month
The SuperSpade on ‘Integrating with Alternative Media’
In Issues and Politics, Multimedia on February 11, 2007 at 12:14 amI have recently joined a group called the Northwest Progressive Institute (NPI). Yesterday, I participated in a panel discussion called “Integrating with Alternative Media,” and these are a few things I talked about:
- The importance of media & communication to revolution
- Reaching out to more people by using multimedia (audio, video)
- Reaching more people by partnering with alternative media (Public TV, Low Power FM Radio, etc.)
There’s more in there as well, including why it is important to connect and work with ethnic media, the largest for of alternative media.
Integrating with Alternative Media (Windows Media Audio, 16 min 50 sec, 7.79 MB)
The SuperSpade Interview on Radio Nation with Dr. Laura Flanders
In Issues and Politics, Multimedia on January 15, 2007 at 10:05 amFamily,
Here is the audio (1 min 51 sec, wav file) from my brief interview on Radio Nation with Dr. Laura Flanders this past Saturday night while I was in Memphis, TN at the Free Press National Conference on Media Reform. I used this time to describe what the mission and vision of The SuperSpade is to a broad audience.
This gathering was one of the most inspiring and energizing assemblies that I have ever attended. I will reflect more on the conference, who I met, and what I learned a bit later. The SuperSpade was very well received.
I am back in Seattle for all of one day before I go to Detroit for a few days this week.
Happy MLK Day everyone. Use this as a day of learning and not of laziness.
Categories:
SuperSpade
Speech
Radio Interview
The SuperSpade Interview with Chuck D on “On The Real”
In Multimedia, Technology on November 27, 2006 at 3:33 pmI let you all know that I was going to be a guest of Chuck D on his show, “On The Real,” on Air America Radio last night. My piece was short and sweet, but I am always thankful for the opportunity to share my vision with anyone about how I want to change the way that we think about technology and the way that we think about addressing the challenges that we face everyday.
For your listening pleasure, you can here me and Chuck here (3.33).
Big thanks go to Chuck D and Dave at Air America for securing this platform for The SuperSpade. We will definitely be working together again in the future.
Categories:
Speech
SuperSpade
Technology
The SuperSpade on Air America Radio
In Multimedia, Technology on November 26, 2006 at 7:18 pmAs I let you all know, I had an amazing time in Boston a couple of weeks ago. While I was there, I met a lot of phenomenal people who are doing great things in media. One such person was Chuck D, who you may know from his Public Enemy days a little while back.
Well, you can here me and Chuck on his radio show, “On the Real,” on XM Satellite Radio tonight around 1230 AM EST. If you don’t have access to an XM Radio, you can click here to listen live online. We will be talking about The SuperSpade and other ways that myself and others are affecting the offline world online.
Enjoy.
Categories
Speech
SuperSpade
Technology
Offline Problems, Online Solutions – NBPC Black Technology Now! Summit Wrap Up
In Issues and Politics, Multimedia, Technology on November 17, 2006 at 12:00 pmAs I alluded to before, I had an amazing experience at the National Black Programming Consortium’s (NBPC) Black Technology Now! Summit (BTN) in Boston, MA on November 8-9, 2006. I would like to thank NBPC and WGBH Boston for hosting this phenomenal event and giving me a platform upon which I could share my ideas.
As you may remember, I was invited to be a member of a panel called NEW FUNKY: Virtual Communities of Color & More. The subject of my presentation was Offline Problems, Online Solutions (audio in WMA format, PowerPoint slides). In this presentation, I presented my ideas for creating communities online to address real, tangible social issues. My main point was that it is not interesting to create anything online if it does not solve a problem in the offline world. I profiled The SuperSpade, and another venture that I am a part of called Detroit Intern. I also talked about future plans for these and other ventures I am dreaming about 
.
Here, I’ll include pointers to the audio [in WMA format] of my presentation, my slides, as well as my answers to some of the discussion questions that were interesting. Enjoy, and feel free to leave/give feedback.
Presentation
Offline Problems, Online Solutions Audio (9.39)
Offline Problems, Online Solutions PowerPoint Presentation
Q&A
Answer to a question about finding and developing audiences (1.51)
Answer to a question about engaging people who are hesitant to participate in online forums (1.49)
Answer to a question about blogging ethics (1.33)
Answer to another question about blogging ethics (1.33)
Categories:
Speech
Technology
The SuperSpade at the Black Technology Now! Summit next week
In Issues and Politics, Multimedia, Technology on November 3, 2006 at 11:19 amI will be in Boston next week as a featured panelist at the National Black Programming Consortium’s (NBPC) Black Technology Now! Summit (BTN) on November 8 & 9, 2006. This is a conference that is focusing on the future of public media and how people of color can take advantage of new ways to distribute their messages and content.
The panel that I am participating in is entitled NEW FUNKY: Virtual Communities of Color & More. The entire conference schedule is here.
What I will be focusing on in my presentation will be building online communities and how we can use the internet and other technologies to address broader social issues. I will talk about the existence of virtual solutions to real-life, tangible, brick-and-mortar problems. I will be using examples such as The SuperSpade, DetroitIntern.com, and other projects that I am working on to solve problems with technology.
Just like the last public speech that I gave, I will post the audio (and maybe video if it is available) of this talk on the site upon my return. Also like before, if you have any ideas about the topic, I’d love for you to share them.
Short bios of myself as well as other speakers & panelists are available here.
Categories
The SuperSpade
Travel
Speech
Boston
Technology
Digital Divide
Empowering Yourself, Empowering Your Community
In Issues and Politics on October 30, 2006 at 9:13 amThis weekend, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the CLIMB Rally. CLIMB (Communities Learning to Invest and Mobilize for Business) is an initiative that works to increase financial literacy and awareness in inner-city communities in Wisconsin. I have been working closely with this organization since 2004 and it has been a rewarding experience. Originally in outline format, I have converted, to the best of my memory, the speech to prose form. Take a look and tell me what you think.
It is an honor and a privilege to stand before you today. I am humbled that I was chosen for the keynote spot. The lunch hour is always a difficult slot to fill, so I will try to make this as brief and painless as possible.
When I was first asked me to speak on EMPOWERING YOURSELF, EMPOWERING YOUR COMMUNITY, I was at a loss. I thought, I am only 23 years old, and I am not a professional speaker. What do I know? Sure I had written a few articles and done a little volunteer work, but what qualified me to speak on such a deep topic? Well, the most important qualification I could think of is that I LOVE MY COMMUNITY and I genuinely WANT TO SEE PEOPLE LIVE TO THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. I am not much of a public speaker, I am more of a conversationalist. With that said, I have a few words, but what I really want to have is a dialogue with you, the beautiful people who make up the COMMUNITY of MILWAUKEE. So after I get done, if there are any comments or questions you have, I am open to them.
Empowering the Community
Since we are in a church, I figure it would be appropriate if I took my text for today from the GOOD BOOK. We gonna go to church for a minute. I was raised in a Christian household, so a lot of my life lessons come from the Word. I know service isn’t until tomorrow, but bear with me.
In the book of Joshua, specifically Joshua 4:1-9, God has parted the Jordan river and the Israelites have just crossed into the PROMISE LAND after 40 years of wandering in the WILDERNESS. GOD tells Joshua to memorialize this moment of crossing over by choosing a man from each tribe and have them grab a boulder and make a heap of stones.
1. He says, “THAT it may be a memorial among you, that when your CHILDREN ask their FATHERS in the time to come, saying, WHAT DO THESE stones signify?” v.6
2. “Then ye shall answer them, THAT THE WATERS of JORDAN were cut off before the ARK of the COVENANT of the Lord: when it passed over Jordan, the waters of JORDAN were cut off: and these stones shall be a memorial unto the children of ISRAEL for ever.” v. 7
B. Legacy
When I was doing my research, I came across this passage and I got to thinking: All threw out the Bible, the Israelites memorialized everything. Yet as a group, the Jews have been through some of the most systematic persecution the world has ever seen; from the expulsion from Rome, to the Crusades, to the Holocaust. Yet, today, they manage to own almost everything. And they have tremendous solidarity as a community. How is this possible? I came up with one answer: The Power of Legacy.
In order to talk effectively about subject matter, we need some definitions.
1. Legacy is defined in the dictionary as “ANYTHING HANDED DOWN FROM AN ANCESTOR; AN INHERITANCE.”
a. Traditionally for the rich (e.g. property, a coat of arms, written works, etc.) because the poor did not own anything. It granted them IMMORTALITY because every time their children or great grand-children sat down in that BIG HOUSE or spent that MONEY, it forced them to REMEMBER who made that possible.
b. LEGACIES are formed by mindsets that have been cultivated over time.
i. EXPERIENCES
ii. EXPECTATIONS
iii. UNDERSTANDING/INTERPRETION OF THESE EXPERIENCES AND EXPECTATIONS. BUT MOSTLY, WE DO WHAT WE SEE.
For example, my little brother and sister, when they were little, would watch me talk on my cell phone and walk around the house. When they were able to walk and talk, they began to do the same thing. Then I remembered, I saw my dad do that everytime he got on the phone. We do what we see.
Why are legacies important? CONNECTS us to the past, GIVES us WISDOM, GUIDANCE and STRENGTH for the Present, and HOPE for the future. It also makes us accountable for the things we have received and what we will pass on.
2. Community: A group of PEOPLE living TOGETHER as a smaller social UNIT within a larger one with interests in COMMON. A group of PEOPLE with COMMON legacies.
a. Communities are built on TRADITIONS, which is a type of legacy.
i. In fact, COMMUNITIES exist for the SOLE PURPOSE of PERPETUATING these LEGACIES, which are ways of doing things.
With these definitions, it leads to two interesting questions: What have you inherited? And what legacy will you leave behind? We need to take a critical eye towards our legacies. For example, soul food is a bedrock of the African-American experience, but the way it is traditionally prepared is killing us. We are suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of these foods. Legacies can hurt us when they outlive their usefulness.
My own family was not rich, but they things they lacked materially, they made up for in training and maintaining the family. CHURCH FAMILY, INTEGRITY, SACRIFICE, and CONCERN for one another was of crucial importance. Whenever I would go off to school, my parents would always say, “You are a reflection of us, do not do anything that will dishonor the family.” It was this groundedness and upbringing that has made me the man I am today. Seeing my grandfather interact with my grandmother and his children. Seeing my father and mother do what they did and take the time to teach me about life and my roots that made all the difference.
Consequently, I grew up immensely concerned with my legacy. Everything I did was done to make God and my family proud of me; and also to put my children in a better position than I was in. This is what led me to get involved with the Weekly Dream and The Superspade. I felt that every man should have a legacy and I wanted to memorialize the lessons I had learned to guide my children, to keep them on the path set before them. I thought about the stories my father told me that helped me through my rough times, and I wondered, what stories could I tell them? Those stories and lived experiences helped me through my own tough times when I came to that same fork in the road.
If we look at the LEGACY we are leaving our children, can we be proud? Our parents inherited the legacy of the Civil Rights Era, community activism and social awareness and empowerment. But my generation and the ones after us are seeing one of violence, drugs, absentee fathers, and poverty. Are we equipping them with the tools they will need to FACE TOMORROW and To COMPETE in this global economy?
Empowering the person
This leads me to the second part of the equation: Empowering the person. If we want the community to get better, we must get better. When the people get better, our community will get better. In order for us to get better, WE NEED TO GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER. So allow me to present the Steven M DeVougas 4-Point Plan for Getting Your Life Together (patent pending).
First, Get a VISION. You need a revelation of your purpose and potential. In Proverbs it says that where there is no vision, the people perish. If you do not know who you are or what you are suppose to be doing, abuse and neglect sets in. I am a big proponent of asking the hard questions and seeking the truth. If you have more questions than we have answers, that is all right. The questions will lead you to your vision. And your vision will guide you actions and fuel your passion. So ask yourself:
1.) AM I LIVING THE LIFE I WANT TO LIVE?
2.) AM I MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT I HAVE?
3.) AM I FULFILLING MY DESTINY?
From the sixth grade on, I had one goal: To get out of my mama’s house and go off to college as far away from Milwaukee as possible. This goal carried me through grade school, high school, college and into grad school. Now, I am searching for a new vision to build and orient my life around, to fuel my passion and take me to the next level. After years of chasing this one vision and achieving it, I have to begin the process anew. That is the soul-searching I am currently undergoing so that I may achieve my destiny.
Second, Make the DECISION. And keep making the decision, to chase your dream and fulfill the vision. TALK to people who are making it happen. DON”T miss out because you didn’t open your mouth or seek the answers. INCREASE your awareness daily. WE ARE IN A WAR, with ourselves, for our communities, for our families. And change is not going to come easy. We are going to have to fight to the end.
THIRD, CONTROL what you can. You might not be able to save the world, but you can influence those around you and be a local catalyst for change. You might not be able to stop the war in Iraq or the atrocities in Darfur, but you can change what is going on right outside your door, right here, in this city. Take control and be accountable for your actions. SPEAK UP: Talk to your family and friends about legacy and what they are doing with their lives and talent. Bring them to things like the CLIMB rally, so that they can see a different way of doing things. Remember, we tend to do what we see.
Fourth: KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER. Help others and be a resource. Remember, it is bigger than you. SERVE with your gifts. That is why God gave them to you. Not everyone is built for visiting the prison or working in a homeless shelter, but you can do something that you enjoy that serves others, and that is how we glorify the Creator. Keep an eye toward your legacy and capitalize on it. A lot of times, we do not think that the things we possess has value outside of our family or community, but we all possess something the world needs. As a community and a people, we miss out on wealth creation and opportunity because of this limited thinking.
I will share a story that typifies this. At my family reunion last year, I learned that my great-grandfather had a BBQ sauce so good, that people in a tri-state area would come to his rib shack just to taste it. When I learned of this, I thought, wow, my family could be a BBQ sauce dynasty. When I inquired about where the recipe was, the answer I got was, “we don’t know, nobody ever wrote it down”. As a result, Sweet Baby Ray’s wears the BBQ crown.
Conclusion
Sounds simple? I do not have all of the answers, but this is how it seems to me. If we empower ourselves by being our best selves, then our community will be a reflection of that. It cannot be about me and mine, because we are all connected. When we move from a ME mentality to a WE mentality, then change will occur. But if we do not SHARE information and RESOURCES, nothing will change.
WE need each other and MILWAUKEE needs us. OUR city needs leaders who are not AFRAID to SPEAK UP, but who have enough LOVE in their hearts for the CITY and the COMMUNITY to stop and make a difference. The surest way to empower yourself and the community is to WALK in LOVE and LIVE THE TRUTH. Live a life consistent with what you know is right. What will the heap of stones you leave behind say about you?
I encourage everyone to check us out on www.thesuperspade.com and support some young brothers trying to make a difference in our own little way. THANK YOU and I WISH ALL OF YOU TRUTH AND PEACE in this pursuit of EXCELLENCE and financial freedom.
Categories:
money
blackissues
Impacting the Present Speech
In Multimedia on July 6, 2006 at 11:49 amAs promised, here is the audio of the speech I gave on Impacting the Present on 3 July 2006. Please leave comments and feedback. Enjoy!
SuperSpade Speechwriting: Impacting the Present One at a Time, v0.5
In Lifestyle on June 26, 2006 at 6:56 pmThank you for your input on the subject of this speech on Family and Impacting the Present. Now, as promised, here is a draft of my outline/talking points.
I. Intro
a. Why do we have reunions?
i. Reunions Magazine: Purposes of Reunions
1. 57% to keep in touch
2. 28% to teach kids about family heritage
3. Other reasons: Get together before an elder passes on, Mark special birthday, holiday, or other occasion
b. How do they start?
i. Innocent comments, like “We should celebrate more often.”
ii. Any other positive action starts the same way…
c. Acknowledgments & Thank You’s
d. The Point
i. Ephesians 4.4-6: There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
ii. Impact the present ‘one at a time.’ One person. One family. One vision. One dream. One thought. One purpose. One action.
II. Content
a. Helen Keller paraphrase: “To keep our faces toward change… is strength undefeatable.” (Thanks Raye!)
i. There exists at all times (especially the present) the opportunity to effect positive change in your own personal situation and in the lives of others…
1. Everybody can benefit somebody…
2. I can help people while being helped; don’t think you have to wait “until you’re ready…”
ii. As we focus on change, we can find strength in numbers. One can become many.
1. Since many of us have the same challenges, we can face them together (as a family or some other collective) as opposed to alone. We all can become stronger if we keep this in mind…
2. Basic Shared struggles
a. Personal examples
i. Finding my purpose
ii. Managing relationships
1. Familial
2. Friendships
3. Romantic interactions
iii.Managing time
1. Giving everyone the time they need/deserve
2. Getting ‘Me’ Time
3. Work-Life Balance
b. Ask the audience
3. More complex shared struggles
a. Money
i. Lack thereof
ii. Not knowing what to do with it
b. Jobs
i. Unemployment
ii. Underemployment
c. Politics
i. Not caring
ii. Not understanding on a personal, practical level
iii. I believe that in the midst of interested people with one vision that care for the well-being of all, solutions can be reached. Well, what’s a more interested party than the family!?!?!? (Thanks Anon!)
1. We can play the role of encouragers and mentors to family members and strangers alike…
2. We are blessed to be such a strong, close-knit family…
3. Let this family impact the present in a positive way and be an example of what one family united with one vision can do…
b. Old African proverb – “It takes a village to raise a child”
i. The family can and should be the beginning of that village
ii. Family is important in making sure that a child is prepared to live in the future…
1. Two types of family: Related by Blood vs. Related by Choice
a. Blood
i. What most think of when they say family
ii. The easy one to define…
b. Choice
i. “Friends are your chosen family.”
ii. Important to me as an only child…
2. Both are necessary for future generational success.
a. We can strengthen both at the same time…
i. Be a father and a mentor to someone who is not your son or daughter
ii. Be an auntie and a friend to the young man/woman you work with
b. We are valuable and dynamic people, who can do more than one thing at once and more than one thing well. One person can affect many people in a positive way.
3. What are we doing to prepare the Jackson family and our collective Black family for the future?
a. “Strengthening Black Families today in order to get them ready for tomorrow…”
c. When we fall we have to get back up – losing today does not guarantee losing tomorrow.
i. There has been a lot in the news lately about the terrible state of the Black family and the seemingly too-far-gone-to-salvage state of the Black man
ii. We have many examples in this family from the past and the present that buck this trend
1. (List of names omitted)…
iii.Those of us today have a responsibility to change the state of the Black man one mentee at a time. We have a responsibility as a family to change the state of the Black family one family at a time…
III.Conclusion
a. Problems typically look worse than they actually are. If we are committed to working together as one, we can overcome any and everything that we encounter.
i. 2 Timothy 1.7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
ii. Let’s remember our shared experiences and our shared interests in the future. We can use these to build a solid foundation that the future, which will be talked about by the next speaker, can be as positive as possible.
b. This is bigger than the present. We need to use it to confront and conquer the problems of the past and lay foundation for the coming days. After all, today will be the past tomorrow. Every day, we can make tomorrow better, one day at a time, one action at a time, one person at a time.
Some pieces are more clearly fleshed out than others, but this is what we’ve got so far. I need help pretty much everywhere, but especially the conclusion.
I thank you all in advance for all of the criticism, suggestions, and encouragement you give me on these points.
SuperSpade Speechwriting: Impacting the Present
In Lifestyle on June 15, 2006 at 11:24 amI have been asked to give a speech at my family reunion this July 4th holiday on the subject of “Impacting the Present.” My aunt had the great idea of posting my talking points here on the site and inviting your input, suggestions, criticism, additions, etc. on the material. So that is precisely what I will do. I have not completed an initial draft of my points yet. I will put something together this week/weekend, and I’ll put that up when it’s complete. In the meantime, I welcome any thoughts you have on the subject of “Impacting the Present” and how collective action can make a difference (the collective being a family or any other group). I am excited to heart your input.
We are going to record the talk as it’s given. If I don’t think that the speech is wack or corny, I’ll post the audio and/or transcript here on the site. I’m sure with your help, it will turn out great!
One Love. One II.
