Renay Loper is a First Gen Role model who is now a global leader in the corporate social responsibility space, making a difference around the world. As we celebrate educators this month we recognize leaders like Renay who educate, learn and create opportunities for others to do the same throughout her personal and professional life, spanning all corners of the globe.
Join us today for Latino Leaders as Learning Changemakers: The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just, and Equitable led by Adrian Rosado - President, Zion Leadership Group with Yecenia Tostado Executive Director Project Azul, Sixcia Devine - Business Development Specialist Grow with Google, Alissa Santana - McNair Scholar, Senior, Business Major University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Jaime Ivan Lopez-Rivera - VP for Student Affairs,Antillean Adventist University, Puerto Rico. Register below Renay's story.
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You have a very varied and unique background – one where you touch social change, global education, and nonprofit work. What is your personal story and how did you get to where you are?
I have always been a curious person. Curious about why things are the way they are, curious about why people do what they do, and from an early age, I was always curious about life beyond the town I grew up in. It is this innate curiosity that has been the fuel that has carried me through all of my experiences.
Growing up in West Chester, PA, I was an average student – I did enough to get by. It wasn’t until I went to college that the world seemed to really open up for me. I am a first-generation college student, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I went off to school, and honestly, I was a little skeptical about the whole experience. I didn’t get accepted into Temple University, my first choice, and we didn’t have the financial resources for me to go to Hampton University, my second choice, so I made a deal with my mom that I would go to West Chester University (WCU), the state school in our hometown - just for a year, and then I would transfer. Well when I got to WCU, something inside of me came alive! Between meeting intelligent and creative contemporaries from all over the country, to seeing diverse faculty and administrators who seemed interested in me, to seeing organizations that challenged me to grow – I loved it and decided to stay. While at WCU I majored in Business Management with minors in Communications and International Business. For the International Business minor, I had to study a language and I chose Japanese. Before taking the language, I was not familiar with the Japan or its culture – but because it was the least popular language among the options, I let my curiosity choose for me.
Fast forward several years after graduating with a BS in Business and an MS in Higher Education/Post Secondary Counseling, and having worked full time in business for a few years, I took a risk, enrolled in the JET Program and moved to Japan to teach English in a rural high school. This experience was the game-changer for me. Being immersed in a country and culture nothing like my own, being the only non-Japanese person in the town where I stayed (let alone being African American), and being the person on the other side of the curiosity coin were truly life-altering. These experiences all combined with my experiences in business, were the true underpinnings of where I am today. I have traveled to over 30 countries, lived in two outside of the US, and worked extensively in SE Asia and Europe – and seeing just how connected and interdependent our world is, I committed to leveraging the power of education and partnerships to bridge communities, unlock exposure, and link resources in everything I do. Regardless of the industry and sector I have worked in, these three keys remain constant.
Why are private sector corporate social responsibility programs so important?
While CSR programs are important, I think the integration of social responsibility into every aspect of business is even more important. We are currently living through a monumental shift in business - CSR is evolving and businesses are now shifting their focus to sustainability – and for good reason. In some of the early foundations of CSR, companies created community-focused programming, grant making mechanisms, and quite frankly, communications campaigns that sat adjacent to the business. These early efforts were merely a way for companies to demonstrate they were responsible community members. The challenge was that these efforts weren’t really prioritized as any of the other business operations, and remained as an afterthought to the core business strategy. Additionally, during these times the majority of business leaders believed businesses couldn’t do good and be profitable simultaneously. However, with the rise of more socially conscious leaders and consumers, businesses are realizing that their responsibility is no longer just to shareholders, but to all of their stakeholders – including employees, customers and suppliers, and the communities where they operate – and, it is entirely feasible to do good and be profitable at the same time. Additionally, with the rise of ESG (environment, social, governance) metrics, companies are publicly committing to and being evaluated on their actions toward sustainable and ethical practices and operations. By integrating social responsibility into every aspect of the business, it becomes an inherent part of who the company is and how they operate. Its an acknowledgement that as a driver of society, business has a vested interest in positively contributing to the sustainability of our planet and the strengthening of our communities and people.
Why do you primarily focus on emerging markets? How does your work close the equity gap?
In my current role as Vice President of Program Innovation at PYXERA Global, much of my work does involve emerging markets, however not exclusively. In the early days of our organization, leadership made a commitment to work in the international development space differently – through partnership, inclusively, sustainably, and with intention. And much of that work has shown up as working in emerging markets, listening to the needs of communities, and partnering with community-based, locally-led organizations to co-create localized solutions to some of the challenges they are facing. For the communities we partner with, they have seat at the table, a voice in the conversation, and access to private-sector resources they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. This very simple practice alone, is the start of closing the equity gap. Too often decisions are made for whole communities and groups of people who are never part of the decision-making process. For the companies we work with, these practices demonstrate a standard, one that should be applied to all of their work. Additionally, these partnerships allow corporate leadership to glean insights from the communities and markets we work in, allowing them to make more informed and sustainable business decisions. It also allows them to truly integrate environmentally and socially responsible practices into their work.
Over the years, we have steadily grown to include work in developed markets, including in the US. Regardless of the geography, our work exists to unite the public, private, and social sectors toward solving complex challenges that affect us all. And as we have seen in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there are challenges in our communities in the US that have been exacerbated and amplified that – in the same way we would approach solving problems around the world – can be addressed in our own backyards.
What would you most like to share with our first-gen to college readers and those who hire them?
To the currently enrolled first gen to college readers - to have made it to the position you are in, you are undoubtedly resilient, strong, and focused. And from my experience, with these attributes usually comes self-inflicted pressures. I encourage you to stand tall in the attributes that have propelled you to where you are, but in the process, don’t forget to be kind to yourself, and give yourself the permission you need to carry you into the next stages of your life.
To those who hire first-gen college students and graduates, or those who have the opportunity to hire them - you are fortunate! First gens will bring such rich and unique perspectives and experiences to your organization – if only they are invited in. It is not enough to hire them, but it is more important to invite them (and any employee) into an organization that provides them the space to share their perspectives and contribute from their diverse experiences. You, your work, and your organization will be all the better for it!
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Waukecha Wilkerson; Director of Coaching, Cell-Ed leads the panel discussion with Vickie Hay; CalWORKs Coordinator, Student Success, Orange Coast College, David A. Croom; Asst. Director, Postsecondary Achievement, Aspen Institute, Portia Polk; Director of Learning and Advocacy, Generation Hope, and Rachel Mercott, Student, Cell-Ed STEPS
Dwana Franklin-Davis; CEO, Reboot Representation leads discussion with Carina Weyer; Program Manager, F5 Global Good & F5 Foundation, Taliah Givens; Sr. Director, Student Professional Development, UNCF, Jamie Schwartz; Director of Major Gifts, American Indian College Fund, and Debbie Marcus; Senior Director, Break Through Tech, Cornell Tech
Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams; Director, Every Learner Everywhere leads the discussion with GlobalMindED Every Learner Student Ambassadors Jair Flores; Student, Colorado State University Pueblo, Serita Liles; Student, North Carolina A&T State University, Hector Ramos Diaz; Student, University of Portland, and Kyra Welch; Student, Bethune-Cookman University
Advancing Equity in Highly Selective HS and College Admissions-Ed Equity Lab, Partners, and Students Alexandra Slack; Chief of Staff, National Education Equity Lab, leads this panel discussion with Asheley Siewnarine; Student Success Director - National Education Equity Lab, Di’Zhon Chase; Student, Columbia University, Michaell Santos; Student, The Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice, and Favi Olmedo; Student, Bronx Career & College Prep. High School
Dr. Michael Torrance; President, Motlow State Community College leads panel discussion with Elise Shea; Founder & President, Conversations Unbound, Robert Joseph; President, Team MindShift, Rishi Kanjani; Analyst, Data Insights, Salesforce, and Cala Estes; Director of Education, Blind Institute of Technology
Adrian Rosado; President, Zion Leadership Group leads panel with Mara Luna; Director, TRIO Upward Bound. Univ of Puerto Rico, Mitzi Damazo-Sabando; CEO, TinkerHouse Inc., Manila, Philippines, Tree Xu; Community Manager, Education First, Wuxi, China, Erika Aquino; Executive Director, Infinit-O Group Foundation, Raymond Cabrera; Director, TRIO Upward Bound, Univ. of S. Florida, Ayessa Weems; Student, TRIO Student Support, Purdue Univ. NW
Earth Week sessions:
Ash Pachauri; Co-Founder and Senior Mentor, Protect Our Planet Movement and Drishya Pathak; POP Movement, India lead this panel of international students including Summer Benjamin; POP Movement Peter Gruber International Academy, US Virgin Islands, Caroline Sandberg; Tahoe Expedition Academy, USA, Tsague Dongfack/Willy Endelson; POP Movement, Cameroon, Ricardo Delgado; POP Youth Mentor, Arturo Michelena Univ, Venezuela, and Zoe Ricardo Rivera; CEI Univ, México
Courtney Knight; Founder and Managing Member, Capstone Capital Advisors and Susan Kidd; Executive Director, Center for Sustainability, Agnes Scott College lead discussion with Anamarie Shreeves; Environmental Education Programs Manager, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Eriqah Vincent; Network Engagement Director, Power Shift Network, Dr. Dana Williamson; EPA Environmental Health Fellow, Assoc of Schools and Programs of Public Health, and Gwendylon P. Smith; Exec Director, Collier Heights Association for Revitalization, Resilience, and Sustainability.
Dr. Kyle Whyte; Professor of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, leads panel discussion with Ka’illjuus / Lisa Lang; Executive Director, Xaadas Kil Kuyaas Foundation, Dr. Kelsey Leonard; Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Brittany Judson; Just Growth Consultant Partnership for Southern Equity, and AJ (Andrea) Grant; President, Environmental Communications Associates.
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We focus on short-term projects, 5-20 hours to complete.
Students have completed projects like:
- Designing PowerPoint decks
- Website Development
- Creating Infographics
- Social Media Creation, Management, Campaigns
- Online Research
- Virtual Assistant
- Writing Blogs
- Logo Design
- Lead Generation
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Click below to watch the Inclusive Leader Award Ceremony featuring inspirational messages from the diverse Award Winners
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GlobalMindED and the SDG Impact Fund are delighted to announce GlobalMindED's Donor Advised Fund. 2020 is the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Women's Declaration and Action Platform. Many from around the world are thinking of 2020 as the gateway to our most vital decade for delivering equity, the Sustainable Development Goals, and a world where all can thrive. Our key time for these outcomes is 2020-2030.
GlobalMindED DAF and the SDG Impact Fund are a powerful combined force for good as the 2019 year comes to a close and we reflect on the gratitude and the commitments we make to the causes we care most about. The DAF offers immense power and flexibility for giving prior to the year's end as you plant seeds of generous intention for 2020 and the decade ahead.
When you contribute to GlobalMindED, you support First Gen students. We have served more than 400 students by connecting them to role models, mentors, internships and jobs. Your generous support will allow us to take our work 10x and reach these talented students at scale who lack the resources and support we provide. Your support also helps teachers who can't afford the conference fees, faculty at colleges which are under resourced and students who persist at those universities despite food insecurity and/or housing insecurity.
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Links to read about Inclusive Leaders, many of whom are African American and people of color:
Curated sessions from GlobalMindED 2020 YouTube channel:
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From the Center for Positive Organizations:
From the Economist:
From Forbes:
From Harvard Business Review:
From the World Academy of Art & Science and UN; Geneva Global Leadership in the 21st Century econference:
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Listen here for an interview with Pam Newkirk, GlobalMindED speaker and author of Diversity Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion- Dollar Business.
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Meet GlobalMindED Founder, Carol Carter as interviewed by Tim Moore on his podcast Success Made to Last: From Success to Significance
Listen to Part 1 of Carol's interview
Listen to Part 2 of Carol's interview
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Recent GlobalMindED Newsletter Profiles:
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Since 2006 when the flagship TGR Learning Lab opened its doors in Anaheim, CA, TGR Foundation has had a lot to celebrate, including its most recent milestone of one million students impacted by TGR EDU: Explore, alone.
Developed in partnership with Discovery Education, TGR EDU: Explore is a free digital resource library that offers interactive web experiences, lesson plans, training videos and tools for educators, students and families to explore new disciplines and gain skills for a modern and expanding workforce.
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As you start the New Year, are you looking for ways to re-engineer your classroom culture? Check out Designing the Future: How Engineering Builds Creative Critical Thinking in the Classroom. The associated website has lots of activities, projects, and resources you can implement immediately. Our fall workshops using the book as a roadmap for change have been highly successful. Start designing the future today - try using the customized Study Guide for a book study in your PLC. Or contact ProjectEngin or Solution Tree to learn how you can bring professional development based on Ann's book to your school, district, or conference.
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THE FLYOVER NATION
Energy's Role in a Troubled Heartland
By J.C. Whorton
A unique and timely discussion of the challenging issues facing the country’s troubled Heartland.
Since the beginning of westward expansion into the Heartland’s vast regions, natural resource development has played a historic role in shaping its communities. Today, domestic oil and gas development offers one of the strongest prospects for the Heartland’s present and future prosperity as well as the nation’s re-emergence as a dominant player in the global energy economy.
The U.S. is now the world’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, two circumstances that are universally disrupting international geopolitical order. The earth has a finite supply of natural resources and a rapidly growing and over consuming population.
As America positions itself for a very uncertain and constantly evolving global marketplace, will the Heartland become America’s “great connector” or “great divide”?
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J.C. Whorton is a senior level energy and financial professional with over forty years of essential experience. Having a ranching and Native American heritage, Mr. Whorton is a strong advocate for rural education and economic development initiatives.
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