Dr. Nancy B. Gutierrez and Dr. Roberto Padilla - Stay and Prevail

Tomorrow is not promised!

Akinwole Garrett (Aki) is an accomplished senior strategy and business development executive with over fifteen years of data driven corporate development, business development, strategy and management experience at the intersection of technology, media and telecommunications. He sits on the Fuqua Minority Alumni Advisory Board at Duke University, the Board of Trustees of The Shipley School and is a founding General Partner of Sankofa Family Ventures, a family office committed to investing in Black and Brown VC fund managers.

Aki talks about his journey from growing up in South Philly to becoming a media executive at Revolt TV. He talks about the importance of maintaining this order: God, family, then work; this in turn will lead to success,

Time on this planet is short - do things that give meaning to your life!

🫂 Old friends who were in a fellowship program with Core Leadership New York 15 years ago. 01:09
👦🏾 Aki was born and raised in a big family of educators in South Philadelphia: from public to private school and changes in his trajectory. 02:10
🌟 Having 30 first cousins: growing up with role models and having accountability training by his brother. 06:14
▶️ Soaking in all opportunities and figuring out who he is. 09:10
🎓 College parties and having fun:  finance and accounting and undergrad who worked for Wall Street and Bear Stearns. 11:49
👨🏾‍💼 Being on Wall Street during the financial crisis: getting back to business school, however, banking took a toll on his health. 13:59
💍 Getting married and getting to media: changing life-style and moving from NY to North Carolina. 16:00
✨ God, family, and work are Aki’s priorities: providence and the divine order when everything falls into place. 20:26
😇 Children are God’s children: kids are blessings and spirits parents need to nurture in the specific relationship. 24:38
🤩 “I'm so much more important to my children, and so much more important to God, than I am to any job.” 27:40
🧸 Aki’s oldest daughter is just like him, the middle daughter is like his grandma, and the son is a confident ball of energy. 29:28
🦸🏾‍♂️ Every superpower comes with edges and shadow: kids are a reflection of you. 35:56
🏫 The Shipley School commencement speech: being a free and happy child with a safe place to fail and chase his dreams.  37:33
🎯 Circles that help you during life: Core people Aki always can count on. 41:55
💎 Aki’s RONdering: staying urgent - the time on this planet is short, so do stuff that gives meaning to your life. 48:00
✌🏾 Revolt wants to change the narrative for Black and brown people globally: Mercy Street entertainment. 50:15

Links

Connect with Akinwole: www.linkedin.com/in/akinwolegarrett

IG / Threads: @akgeez215

X: @akigarrett
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

Don’t be boring!

Taylor Delhagen started his early visits to the principal's office after being expelled from classes. Now he is a doctoral candidate at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education, where his studies are focused on leadership, equity, and the internationalization of higher education. He started his teaching journey in 2006 in NYC with Teach For America. After finishing his two-year commitment, Taylor was hooked and decided to stay in the classroom. He shares amazing and refreshing insights about equity and education. 

Taylor does not believe that “one size fits all” when it comes to children in education and believes that children should be engaged and entertained every day. Knowing content and pedagogy is not enough; design thinking is essential in creating a classroom that facilitates learning. Having gained experience in classrooms in the USA and abroad, Taylor has gained a wealth of knowledge and information about how a school and classroom should be run to apply academic success and community involvement.

Being a person of your word and being trustworthy is important for effective teaching and learning, as well as relationships! 

Snow Notes: 
✌️ Born in Michigan to a father who was a minister and worked with the anti-apartheid movement. 4:35
👦🏻 In high school, Taylor often got himself into the principal's office and expelled from the class. 6:54
🟣 After college, he felt passionate about Teach For America, where he worked with his wife. 11:07
🇮🇳 Went from teaching in Brooklyn to research and teaching in India together with his wife. 13:49
👨🏻‍🏫 His work in the Relay Graduate School of Education: teaching history teachers. 16:27
😇 What we don’t know about the diversity of the Indian freedom movement. 22:44
🎯 The importance of the art of critical thinking and the art of historical thinking. 26:09
🤯 In India, the BJP party had come to power and immediately changed the history textbooks. 27:33
3️⃣ Three levels of operating within equity as equal outcomes: frameworks, charter schools, and new graduate schools of education. 32:01
🤗 Taylor is inspired by the global organization - Teach for All. 32:53
🎓 Ron reflects on his K-12 education experience and how it shaped his perspective on equity in education. 34:47
💣 K-12 education in America was never meant to be built to teach all kids. 36:10
💡 Charter schools were supposed to be places to innovate: but are they really? 38:57
🔦 A teacher can't just go after the well-being - it has to be married to a deep learning experience. 42:02
🇵🇪 How students in Peru applied student leadership, academic skills, and community involvement. 42:44
🧠 Design thinking is essential for creating a classroom environment that facilitates learning; knowing content and pedagogy is not enough. 47:16
💎 Taylor’s RONdering: Don’t be boring! Every single day, kids deserve to get engaged and entertained. 52:43 
🤓 Taylor recommends Boston College's leadership in higher education program. 57:39

Links:

Connect with Taylor: www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-delhagen-2711a48
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

How to be a misfit that could fit into a lot of different places?

Brandon White is an educator, emcee, podcaster, and poet. He is a former middle school ELA and Restorative Practices educator for the Rochester City School District and has worked for seven years as a servant leader intern and site coordinator for Freedom Schools Summer Literacy Programs in Rochester, NY. For seven years he worked as an ELA Specialist for UnboundEd, and currently, he serves as a consultant and professional development provider for systems and educators who are implementing ELA and Literacy Curriculum.

The influence of Brandon's parents who were also deeply involved in social justice, made him see and feel the differences between two classes, the two sides of his hometown, different approaches to life and his privileges in education made him a specific person who can understand deep differences but also common grounds.

Brandon shares amazing insights about hip-hop music, and why it touched him emotionally and intellectually to explore it deeper while he was growing up.  Education has shaped his family’s life through generations, and he chose to help make it better through his educational role. Yes, the system still lacks many things and Brandon felt it on his skin many times: lack of Black and Brown teachers, hiring practices, bad curriculum, and exploring beyond typical forms of education might help tremendously to serve communities.

Why Brandon thinks ethnic tribalism helps white supremacy and how to cure that. Where is home to all the people, why roots and DNA are important, how basketball is changing, and how to improve the world by being a misfit are just some of the subjects from this episode.

Keep on fighting for social justice with honesty and integrity!

Notes:
🏀 End-season tournament between Lakers and the Pacers: LeBron James' leadership sets the tone and lever for the team and the NBA.  02:13
⛹🏽‍♂️ Brandon’s biases and expectations prevented him from enjoying basketball: love-hate relationship with the Knicks. 05:19
🤩 History of teams and players: Knicks, Blazers, Lakers, Pat, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Wembanyama, Sabonis, Doncic, Drazen Petrovic, Stojakovic. 08:22
🏆 Valuing players, especially younger ones: K-12 education standards are changing just like basketball. 11:55
🤩 Being in a doctoral program at Rochester University and feeling like 21 Jump Street.14:42
🗽 Frictions between upstate and downstate of New York: born and raised in Rochester, NY. 17:17
👩🏽‍🤝‍👨🏾 Growing up in a family with strong roots in civil rights and social justice: seeing a lot of different worldviews and different cultures, 20:33
👩🏽‍💼 Wedge, Rochester is home to Frederick Douglass and Susan B Anthony: split custody allowed even the influence of two parents on Brandon. 24:05
🧲 Importance of getting to the Magnet High School: racial and education factors - Brandon’s privileges and amazing foundations he got. 26:41
🤓 Being a hip-hop head and thinking about being in education. 30:12
💪🏽 Wu-Tang Triumph video amazed Brandon: demonstration of the culture - a different kind of hip hop. 31:23
🎶 What music does to your brain and body: music can make you feel and think, and Brandon went in the past to research more artists. 37:06
🧬 Receiving things from your ancestors: the narration, knowledge, trauma, and habits are in the DNA of our family. 40:41
🎓 Brandon is an educational consultant: not all people in education should teach - there are so many roles that are crucial and needed.  44:36
🤯 Issues with getting a job in Rochester: lack of black English teachers and media sensationalized and misinterpreted reporting about Brandon’s job. 48:50
⚠️ Counterintuitive hiring practices in school districts: system needs changes and stepping away from politics and power. 51:50
😎 Learning about himself through teaching: ELA teacher and working with UnboundED. 55:56
👉🏽 Systems are built to have certain incentives:  inequity and unfairness that exist in the system. 01:03:58
💎 Brandon RONdering: how do we stop ethnic tribalism from serving white supremacy? 01:07:47
🏡 Growing up with the level of proximity across different identities: home is telling our story.  01:11:05
✌🏽 Brandon’s work and podcast: how can we emphasize grade-level engaging, affirming, and meaningful instruction in education? 01:17:07

Links:

Instagram- @litinpracticepod

Twitter- @classroomB

email- bwhite@mayaclaude.com

Podcast- The LP- Literature in Practice

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

Jen Chau Fontan, a certified somatic coach, works towards helping people recreate the spaciousness that they already have.

Living in Westchester, NY, after working within NYC nonprofits in management and talent/HR positions, Jen Chau Fontan transitioned into full-time coaching as an executive coach to senior leaders of progressive sector organizations through The Management Center, where she serves as an adjunct coach today. Jen created her practice, JCF Coaching, in 2018. 

Jen shares how she had many responsibilities in her early life, which gave her amazing experience in creating a culture and spaces for people to be happy.  With a gift for feeling people in somatic coaching, Jen explains how getting back to our bodies and finding time to work on the thing that is most important to our core is the essence of us humans.

Family and circumstances around us, including culture and community, shape us; we are always practicing something, and we have to be aware of what it is that we are practicing.

Notes:
🌺 Jen had many responsibilities while growing up: HR, culture, and creating spaces for people to be happy. 04:00
🔝 Limitations in DEI work always come from the top: becoming a coach and helping CEOs grow their leadership. 05:10
🤩 Nurture and nature of Jen’s family: being tuned in with all of her family, and dynamics that helped her in her new company. 07:26
🪞 Ron’s mom had a specific gift: Jen’s gift for feeling people in somatic coaching. 11:15
⚡ Feeling people through Zoom is possible: picking up so many things in front of us. 14:19
☯️ Ron’s spiritual coach, Julie Chan: all dimensions of knowledge and wisdom around us. 16:23
🤓 What is somatic coaching: personal training for the most important thing you want to be. 17:40
🤖 Getting us back to our bodies: how capitalism and racism are making us robotic - there is wisdom in the body.  19:43
🫱🏾‍🫲🏼 What is great about being White, Black, Latinx, or Asian: the embodiment explains so many human characteristics.  23:47
😇 Shaping stories from family, institutions, and communities: gender, race, and culture shape us.  27:03
😍 Jen and Ron worked six years together in New Leaders: passion, love, and respect for the cause. 29:01
🎳 Bowling matches during New Leaders: competitive and fun team building and socializing. 32:31
💎 Jen’s RONderings: What are you practicing right now - we are always practicing something, so be aware of what. 35:39

Links:

Connect with Jen: www.linkedin.com/in/jen-chau-font%C3%A1n

Somatic practice with Jen - "Easy Mondays": www.forms.gle/6XiUst8CLCQSmq9W8

Sign up for a coaching consult: www.calendly.com/jcf-coaching/free-30-minute-consultation 

Jen's Instagram: www.instagram.com/jenchaufontan

We need to think more about living with intention and growing old gracefully. 

Risa Morimoto is the Founder and CEO of Modern Aging and Dream Retirement in Mexico.  She focuses on holistic health practices and lifestyles to optimize longevity for people in midlife. She is also an award-winning TV and documentary producer/director.  She has directed over 200 episodes of House Hunters International and other programs for HGTV, Animal Planet, A&E, Hulu and others.

In our society, we are not creating a safe space for conversations around aging and health. Risa discovered the importance of finding the root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms. Being a woman of color and having perspectives of multicultural living brought her to the conclusion of how Eastern and Western medicines, combined, can provide answers for healthier lives. Her personal story about taking care of her parents led her to her life purpose and to help others to be healthier. 

Living in gratitude, resilience, and understanding that only small actions can lead to a more fulfilling life are the gems Risa is sharing with the audience. Bio-individuality and not a cookie-cutter approach to health care and wellness is the future if we want to have healthy and happy people. 

Humans are living beings who need to be looked as a whole. Grinding systems are not a good place to create healthy habits and meaningful change around health care and aging. What is the point of living until 100 if you are going to be sick all the time? Joy, meaningful connections, air, food, genes, habits, work, stress, personal growth, and time for self-care all have an important role in our lives. In order to live your life without regret, don’t forget to focus energy on meaningful pursuits.

Show notes:
 🎬 Risa is a filmmaker, a podcaster, and a documentarian: helping the start of Asian/Pacific/American Studies at NYU. 01:07
🌸 Art was not a realistic pathway for Risa back then: film school at NYU. 02:59
❤️‍🩹 Heart attack that made a change: what is the impact she wanted to leave behind? 04:14
⚠️ Stress is at the core of so many illnesses: all the things that bring us down. 07:58
⚡ The power of joy and feeling safe: Modern Aging - healthier aging process. 09:37
🧓🏻 Resilience and gratitude her mom had in sickness: documentary series on Asian-American families and caregiving. 15:44
😇 Living up to 100, but being sick all the time: hustle and work can’t help you age gracefully. 22:40
🎯 Western medicine vs Eastern medicine: marrying both and finding roots of the diseases -  holistic health. 27:17
🤓 How identities get put into policies that are created: creating safe spaces for people of color and need for shifting things. 31:22
🧠 Mindset changes and habits are making it work: wellness and a personalized approach to it. 34:05
🏃🏻‍♀️ Working out after 14 hours of filming and Ron’s workout habits. 38:08
😍 Producing House Hunters: filmmaking and traveling to many places. 41:26
🙏 Risa’s hodgepodge projects: appreciating your life to move in it meaningfully.  47:58
💎 Risa’s RONdering: Living without regret - we are not limitless, so beware of where you are focusing your energy. 49:44.
🥅 Don’t let other people define you: do what makes you happy. 51:41

Links:
Modern Aging:  thisismodernaging.com

Get Strong Over 40: getstrongover40.com

Dream Retirement in Mexico: www.dreamretirementinmexico.com

Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

There is power in living life in community; no one is superhuman.

Mary Rice-Boothe, Ed.D., currently serves as Executive Director, Curriculum Development and Equity at the NYC Leadership Academy. She has had the opportunity to partner with

school systems across the country to support them in implementing their equity policies, as well as supporting the development of equity-focused resources for district-level

leaders looking to name and dismantle the inequitable practices they are seeing at the

school and district levels. Mary holds a BA in Metropolitan Studies from New York University, an MA in English and English Education from the City College of New York, and a Doctorate Degree in Leadership and Organizational Change from the University of Southern California, and has written Leading Within Systems of Inequity in Education: A Liberation Guide for Leaders of Color.

The challenge we are all faced with is the question of, how do we take care of ourselves, physically and spiritually, but also emotionally. This is not something that can be achieved alone, we have to look further into community, allowing ourselves to learn from those around us; correlation is key.

Nurturing ourselves will only be possible with the help of others!

Show notes:
🌞 Ron and Mary have so much in common: concentric circles in New Leaders, K12 education, and NYU. 02:00
🧔🏾‍♀️ The low expectations that were put on women in three generations: a story of the cotton fields of Arkansas. 03:28
👩🏾‍🏫 Experiencing education in practice in college: after-school nonprofit world and becoming a teacher. 08:22
📙 Mary wrote a book: practical advice and examples for those who want to dismantle the system and create a more equitable space. 11:27
😇 Liberation guide: competencies that are a framework for the book, divided into three sections. 15:54
⚡ Being a principal of a school is a lonely job: the power of being in a community. 19:12
🏆 Mary’s circles of champions; she has multiple of those: nurturing yourself with the help of others. 22:54
🏃🏾‍♀️ Running marathons: Mary’s first marathon and creating time for herself and her body.  25:10
🌸 How do you take care of yourself physically, spiritually, and emotionally? 30:13
😍 Building systems of wellness in K-12 education: creating space for your team to feel good. 34:36
⚠️ Equity and leadership development: not all teams are working in witness times and hours. 38:11
🤓 Her book as retention strategy: a framework for liberation to happen. 40:25
💎 Mary’s RONdering: Power of doing things together - you are not a superhuman. 42:04
🤔 Individual thinking and rise and grind culture is not a pathway to real, healthy success. 44:53

Links:

Purchase book: https://bookshop.org/a/85442/9781416631835 

Sign-up for newsletter: https://maryriceboothe.substack.com/

Connect: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mriceboothe/. 

Partner- website: www.leadershipacademy.org 

Leadership can be a lonely place, especially for folks of color.

Ron Summers is the CEO of a non-profit focused on providing equitable access to careers in technology.  He is a leader with a vision of guaranteeing every K-12 student access to computer science and computational thinking. 

Ron has dedicated his life to advancing CS exposure, access, and inclusion for Black, brown, and female students and he shares his leadership experience, especially for people of color, and emphasizes the importance of self-care and authenticity as two main pillars of good leadership.

Ron's journey from web designer to CEO of a non-profit is filled with resilience and determination. Raised in Queens and Brooklyn within a family of educators, Ron's path was shaped by his desire to create, but he encountered very early with microaggressions, inequity, and being the only Black kid in the IT classroom. 

Ron and Ron are discussing why adaptability, mindfulness, and holistic self-care are important for leadership roles. Why balance between entrepreneurship and family responsibility is the key to a good and healthy leader. 

Good leaders are always the transformative power that makes this world a better place especially if it is rooted in authenticity and empathy for their community. 

Notes:
👦🏾 Black and proud: kid from Queens who grew up in Brooklyn within a family of teachers. 02:06
💻 Ron wanted to create websites: in a college, Ron was the only black young man and he experienced microaggression. 04:41
🤓 Getting a gig in IBM at 19: why Ron decided to become an educator. 06:59
🌞 Black kids lack opportunities: filling gaps and helping young black people get in tech and stay there. 09:48
💥 Creative people in Ron’s life and tech: ‘Artists are engineers’. 11:55
🔥 Starting as a substitute teacher in NYC: the important step before teaching is figuring out the rhythm for a classroom to make it work. 17:48
🏆 His circle of champions and influencers: every human requires accommodations. 20:13
✌🏾 Challenges and losses are needed for wins: taking losses to make the world a better place. 22:59
💪🏾 Being a Black leader and running non-profits: nothing is linear - keep fighting for kids to have a pathway of experiences.  29:22
😍 Having a supportive partner and help from a network of like-minded people: when we all win.  34:12
3️⃣ Three leadership lessons he learned: prioritize adaptability, being thoughtful and taking care of your self to care for others. 37:54
😎 Entrepreneur’s mindset, athlete's body, and an artist's soul:  learning from Gen Z and showing up for yourself.  47:36
💎 Ron’s RONdering: listen to your body, mind, and soul while being in tech or building your own company. 49:13
⚠️ Sacrifice for your family: being a workaholic but be careful because it can take a toll. 51:34
⚡ Creating equitable access and implementing it. 54:34

Connect with Ron: www.codenation.org 

 Everybody deserves to walk down the street and feel safe.

James Solomon represents downtown Jersey City as the Ward E Councilperson. As a dad, a cancer survivor, a teacher, and someone who leads from the outside, James is committed to making Jersey City a place that supports ALL families, not just the well-connected.

City government is directly connected to people, and helping them is key to making the world a better place. The lesson, or the value that matters most, is always putting family first. As a politician, James finds himself pulled in different directions, but the driving factor for him is always that family comes first.

Solving small problems first, with immediate effect, allows people to trust you and begin a relationship where there previously was none.

Show Notes 
🤩 James tried to be happy outside of NJ, but it didn’t work: he developed a passion for city government in his late teens. 02:22
💊 After a lymphoma diagnosis and remission, James got elected in 2017: he wanted to have a family and became a dad. 04:06
👨‍💼 Cora Alumni days in St. Louis: learning tools to keep you grounded. 06:25
⚡ People on the streets are pulling him aside to help them: James is able to have an impact and push some things in government to make lives better. 08:28
🌞 Strategic and personal reasons behind his responsiveness: city government is directly connected to people, and helping them is the key.  11:35
📱 Mayor Booker’s ways of serving people: using Twitter and fixing things. 15:32
👨‍🏫 James is an adjunct professor: ideas and comments from students are very valuable for him. 17:02
🏘️ The core thing is housing and gentrification: initiatives and policies James worked on and bad systems that need to change.  19:30
🤓 How do people acquire power and how they use it: the drive behind political life. 24:09
✌️ New Your City’s policies vs New Jersey policies: revitalizing communities and not accepting money from NJ real estate developers. 27:40
👉 Real estate is the dominant player in Jersey City: ways to push back.  32:08
🏈 Fantasy football is James's passion: he won the championship last year.  34:37
😎 Steelers fan in New Jersey and Patriots domination: Tom Brady, I just want to hate you. 36:38
💎 James’ RONdering: Always put family first. 42:00
📌 Childcare is expensive: policies for thriving families. 44:38
😇 James built a large donor base that's outside the political establishment. 46:07

Links

 Link to donate - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/solomon-for-jc-1

Connect with James: www.solomonforjc.com

Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

 Each person is the director of his or her own life, and even in the face of the most challenging obstacles, is capable of shaping and painting an extraordinary life.

Catapulting us on a journey of perseverance and resilience is Joselyn Martinez, a NYC-based business consultant and certified neuro coach specializing in entrepreneurship. A spokesperson for personal tragedy, she shares with us the challenge of solving the mystery of her father’s murder, as well as her success in entertainment and music as a member of an all-female band.

Her mission? To help, empower women and to shape the lives of their dreams.

Creativity takes many forms, and Joselyn’s experiences teach us the value of embracing the creative spirit in all aspects of life. Hers is a story of exploration and self-discovery: the brain’s ability is to change and adapt, and understanding it can foster personal growth and overcome fears. Those seeking to transform their lives will find tangible hope and encouragement.

Accept the diversity of your experiences and find strength in the uniqueness of your path. Be open to discovery, authenticity, and creativity.

Every step forward, no matter how tiny, contributes to your transformation!

Show notes:
🌟 Joselyn loves Mondays and new beginnings. 01:25
💔 Lost her father in street violence in NY: perseverance and not making a decision based on counselor's opinion: 03:56
⚖️ Moving on or putting your trauma on hold: Joselyn started to pursue justice for her murdered father. 08:48
🔍 Murder crimes can’t go unnoticed or remain unsolved. 12:09
🕵🏻‍♀️ Finding the man who murdered her father: 25 years after the day, she slept well.  13:20
🎤 Experience in Las Chicas del Can: stage presence and public speaking practice. 18:07
🎬 After NYU, she pursued acting and commercial work: doubling for Jennifer Lopez in her movies. 22:34
🧠 Neuro coaching: learning how your brain works to boost productivity and change your habits. 24:29
🤔 Understand yourself: certain areas of your brain govern your emotions.  28:10
🔄 Neuroplasticity in our brain is showing us we can change a lot even when we are old. 33:39
🗓️ The Modern Woman Planner and Mastermind course: Joselyn’s plans for her business.  35:21
🎨 Power of creativity while having joy and impact: we are all creatives. 39:10
🏃‍♀️ Movement and cognition: meaning exists in our bodies, and movement strengthens ideas. 40:17
💎 Joselyn’s RONdering: you can design your life as you please. 42:30

Links:
Connect:  www.joselynmartinez.com
Check: www.linkedin.com/in/joselynmartinez
Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron 

 Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our identities, embracing our cultural roots, shaping our resilience, and illuminating the transformative power within us all.

Rudy Valdez, a two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, shares his remarkable journey, triumphing over adversities such as homelessness while underlining the underlying value of embracing one’s cultural heritage and identity. His success isn’t just about luck or money: it’s about love, passion, and a strong cultural background.

The conversation is a goldmine of insights into how personal stories and cultural background shape the way we tell stories. Valdez spills the beans on how facing challenges is often a key ingredient in making meaningful art.

There’s a call to action here: empower new filmmakers and make sure that underrepresented voices are heard loud and clear in the world of storytelling.

Tune in, feel inspired, and let’s take steps together to champion diverse storytelling. Your action today could pave the way for a more inclusive and empathetic tomorrow. Let’s make it happen! 

Notes
💥 Appreciate all the wonderful things around us: people of color can just be great without an asterisk. 02:22
👦🏽 Wrestling on the beach: jujitsu, storytelling, and childhood memories. 07:52
⚡ Lessons from his brother: high school struggles and one special improvisation in drama class. 09:55
🎭 Drama class as refuge place from the rough life: finding support from his family. 19:43
🚌 Writing 5–7 stories a day: creating his own game to writing stories. 24:39
🥥 ‘Coconut’ comedy show: a breakthrough in performing, teaching, and writing comedy. 28:56
🎥 A family issue that alters Rudy’s life: the moment he becomes a filmmaker. 31:29
🌞 Who cares?: sharing stories to evoke empathy, and Sundance Audience Award. 36:30
🎬 Learning from sets: Rudy’s formula for filming. 38:49
⚖️ Documentary The Sentence: taking risks, failing, and learning from it. 41:53
🥊 Documentary by Sylvester Stallone: Hollywood to produce crime movies. 44:06
🤩 Deciding not to limit himself to criminal justice films: Rudy created 17 documentaries. 45:55
😇 Sharing experiences: letting others learn from personal stories. 51:55
💎 Rudy’s RONderings: Believe in yourself, your voice matters, and push for positive change. 54:19
🎦 Carlos Santana movie and Disney projects: pushing everyone up the hill is crucial. 56:06

LINKS

Connecting with Rudy: www.rudyvaldez.com

Rapatalo Group: rapataloconsulting@gmail.com

Leverage Publishing: www.leveragepublishinggroup.com

Connect with Ron: www.linkedin.com/in/rapatalo

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenomeron

Instagram: www.instagram.com/phenomeron