2020 GlobalMindED
The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
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I had the great honor of meeting Courtney Gross through a mutual friend in August. While she didn't place as a Paralympic swimmer, she is the undeniable winner of Gold in the Indomitable Spirit category. On behalf of GlobalMindED, we are thrilled to bring you her inspiring story as we celebrate heroes and sheroes of ability status this month. Courtney is a freshman at the University of Oregon. |
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When I was eight years old I woke up one morning and I could not walk; six years later I was competing at the 2016 Paralympic Trials. Within those six years I was diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis, had two major hip surgeries, began a weekly five-hour infusion causing me to miss one day of school a week, and developed a huge passion for swimming.
When I woke up on Halloween in third grade I didn’t know that my life just changed forever. My hips were in so much pain I couldn’t walk, and I had no idea what the cause was. I got my first pair of crutches the next day, along with a variety of blood tests, x-rays, and doctor appointments. They found the reason for the hip pain - I didn’t have any cartilage in my hips and they were misshapen, but the doctors couldn’t figure out why this happened. Thus, I spent the next six months doing more tests and seeing the best doctors all across the country to find a diagnosis. After doing a genetic test it was confirmed that I had an enzyme deficiency, Mucopolysaccharidosis type 4A (MPS4A for short). With this diagnosis came a long list of symptoms that it affects, including the heart, lungs, eyes, ears, and bones. Luckily I only had a slight heart murmur, and bone problems regarding my hips and back. I had to have back surgery when I was a baby, but after that I was just a normal kid, but since my hips were the main problem at the time I needed to get hip surgery. In May of 2011 I had hip reconstruction surgery and I was in a spica cast for six weeks followed by a brace for another six weeks.
After a very rough three months, I went to the pool for rehab. Swimming became the way I healed after surgery, it allowed me to feel like I could do anything again. I fell in love with the sport, I began training with my club team more, going to every practice and swim meet I could.
During 4th grade, I started to take an enzyme replacement to stop any progression from MPS4A. This enzyme replacement is an IV infusion once a week for five hours, and I will need to do it for the rest of my life. This was the beginning of another struggle, missing a whole day of school every week. It was quite the learning experience to always have assignments done on time, be prepared for every test, and not get behind on work when I missed school. As I got older this got more difficult, with classes getting harder and having tests or quizzes almost every day, I was continuously relearning how to manage the workload that I constantly had to catch up on after every missed school day.
At one of the swim meets I met Kiko VanZandt, the head coach of the Paralympic team, Shadow Seals Swimming, in Seattle. She introduced me to the world that is Paralympic swimming. With a bit more training I attended my first national level Paralympic swim meet in Minnesota, in 2012. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, everyone was so welcoming, and because everyone was different it was like we were all the same, our passions were swimming and that was all that mattered while we were there. This experience opened so many doors in my life, it allowed me to compete against people with similar disabilities and to compete at the international level.
In June of 2016, I attended the Paralympic Trials. It was an amazing learning experience for me because I knew I would not qualify to make Team USA to go to Rio, but I got to learn the process of how the meet works and all the rules for the future. This meet was incredible, the atmosphere, the people, it was all amazing. I even got multiple new best times to go home with. The Paralympic Trials also put everything into perspective for me, with enough hard work and determination I can make my goals happen. I knew at certain points in my life I could have given up, but I was able to push through, and see the positive results in the future.
What is it like starting college during COVID? What do you most want out of your college career?
Starting college during a pandemic is definitely not what I had imagined for my freshman year. But even though there are new limitations and restrictions, I have been lucky enough to meet some amazing people so far!
I am a biology major and thinking about adding psychology as a double major. At the moment I’m hoping to go into genetics and become a genetic counselor. Genetics has played a big role in my life, as it was the way I found out what medical condition I have. I would love to work with different families and help them understand their own genetic makeup and support them through their own journey.
What do you most want to convey to employers about yourself and the remarkable Paralympians with whom you’ve worked in terms of your value as a prospective employee and the many advantages you bring?
If I could convey something to employers about myself and other Paralympic athletes, is that we are capable of anything we put our minds to. We face challenges head-on and very few things stand in our way. There is a lot of dedication and perseverance that Paralympic athletes bring to training and that transfers into our work. Also, we bring a fresh perspective to companies regarding accessibility modifications, whether it is carrying items, layouts of office spaces, or different accessibility needs. Many Paralympic athletes also tend to go into careers that have affected or changed their life, like genetics, architecture, or law so we are all very dedicated to our careers in hope that we can make a difference in someone else's life.
You are an inspiration to so many. Who and what inspires you to be the strong, confident, and resilient young leader you are?
Someone that inspires me is my mom. She is the bravest, kindest, most loving person I know. She has been through a lot in her life and she still smiles and laughs every day, and that inspires me to live my life the same way. She has taught me to always look at the positives no matter the situation, she has taught me that everything happens for a reason, and to learn from all the obstacles I have overcome. She has always been by my side through everything and I am so grateful for her.
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Monday, November 9, 2:00 MT/4:00 ET |
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Click to view the most recent webinars: |
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Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: African American College Presidents Share Realities Part II: Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System moderates. Panelists include Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston President, Norfolk State University, Dr. E. LaBrent Chrite President, Bethune-Cookman University, Dr. Annette Parker President, South Central College, Minnesota State, and Dr. Michael Torrence President, Motlow State College
Courageous Conversations: Catalyzing Change in Health: Dr. Monique Butler; Chief Medical Officer, Swedish Medical Center, Samuel Yamoah, Jr.; Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company, Dr. Georges Benjamin; Executive Director, American Public Health Association, Dr. J. Nadine Gracia; Exec. Vice President & COO, Trust for America’s Health, Dr. Karen McNeil-Miller; CEO, Colorado Health Foundation, Dr. Pierre Theodore; VP Global External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson, and Dr. Elena Rios; President & CEO, National Hispanic Medical Association.
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Diverse College Presidents Talk About First 6 Weeks of School: Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System moderates. Panelists include Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston President, Norfolk State University, Dr. E. LaBrent Chrite President, Bethune-Cookman University, Dr. Annette Parker President, South Central College, Minnesota State, Dr. Miles Davis President, Linfield University, and Dr. Michael Torrence President, Motlow State College
Hispanic Language Heritage Language Assets for Career Preparedness: Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and GlobalMindED, moderated by Lorena Orozco McElwain; OELA, Panelists include: Carol Carter; GlobalMindED, Felícita Solá-Carter; Excellence in Government Program, Oscar Fraire; University of Colorado Denver student, Patty Lopez; Intel Corporation, and Adrian Rosado; Cultural Clarity Experience.
Hispanic Language Heritage: Retention of Heritage Culture and Language(s) US Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and GlobalMindED, and panelists celegrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Lorena Orozco and Supreet Anand of OELA, Cristina Alfaro; San Diego State University, Luis Benitez; VF Corporation, Clotilde Dedecker; Circle of Women, Joe Garcia; Ohkay OwinghTribe, and Dr.Joel Comez; Center for Applied Logistics
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: A Conversation on Race, Isms, Justice, Moving Forward and the Role White People Need to Play: Ryan Ross; Associate Vice Chancellor: Student Affairs, Equity, and Inclusion, Colorado Community College System leads the conversation with Clifton Taulbert; President and CEO, Freemount Corporation and Roots Java Coffee, Javon Brame; Dean of Students, Arapahoe Community College, Chelsea Williams; Founder & CEO, College Code LLC, and Representative Leslie Herod; Legislator, Colorado General Assembly
Equity in Engineering Programs: Priming the STEM Pipeline During and After COVID-19: Dr. Dora Renaud, Sr. Director of Academic Programs & Professional Development, SHPE: Leading Hispanics in STEM, Melanie Suarez, Student, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Mechanical Engineering, Nicolas Valencia Diaz, Student, Florida International University, Biomedical Engineering, Sophia Plata, PhD Student, University of Southern California, Environmental Engineering
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To view the recent Rural sessions, please see our YouTube channel:
Native American Business Opportunities, Tribal Economic Development and Post-secondary Education/Workforce Participation: J.C. Whorton, Jr.; Consultant, Lecturer, Author and Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado Boulder, Don Kelin; President, Fox Professional Services, Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce, Matt Rantanen; Director of Technology, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, Tribal Digital Village Network Initiative, and Melvin Monette; CEO, Indigenous Education, Inc.
Fortifying Native Students, Faculty and Communities During and After COVID-19: Ron Lessard (Mohawk); Acting Exec. Director, White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education leads panel including Diana Cournoyer; Oglala Sioux Tribe, Executive Director, National Indian Education Association, Michael Chamberlain; Special Assistant for Rural Outreach, US Department of Education, Carrie L. Billy; President & CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and features a performance by Ava Rose Johnson; Student and Musician, Native American Music Awards Winner
Rural Innovations in Education During COVID-19: Anne Trujillo; Anchor 7News, Denver moderates the panel which includes Tina Goar; Executive Director, San Luis Valley BOCES, Dr. Robert Mitchell; Asst. Professor of Leadership, Research, and Foundations, UCCS, Luis Murillo; Principal, Skoglund Middle School, and Samantha Yocam; Superintendent and Principal, Kim School District
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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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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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Responding to Crisis
The 30-Day Justice Plan
As the reset of America is underway, understanding the role you can play in a system of change can be difficult, but we encourage you to listen, learn and be active. To start, instead of, say, a juice cleanse, feed your brain and move yourself with this practical plan over the next month. Here's our guide of what to read, watch, listen to and do in order to be part of the solution.
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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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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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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