Monthly Archives: June 2020

Vermont Business Magazine Sterling College in Crafstbury Common is embracing the attributes that make it uniquesmall enrollment, rural location, field programs, and professional studies opportunitiesand welcoming students back to campus for the Fall Semester under a creative, multifaceted plan that values both the health and welfare of its students and the integrity and quality of the Sterling experience.

Sterling has always offered housing in small residences where students share responsibility and establish their own community norms and cultures. Starting with a summer intensive in mid-August, the College will house students in Living & Learning Pods, creating intentional communities of 7-18 students who are passionate about ecological thinking and action. The fall term will begin in late August. Students will eat, sleep, dine, learn, and work as self-contained units in their areas of study with small teams of dedicated faculty and staff, allowing a deep dive into their studies in a low-risk environment.

The pandemic requires that we adapt, but never compromise on the rigorously experiential nature of our curriculum, said President Matthew Derr.

With a long-history of running short and semester-long field-based courses around the world in sustainable agriculture, food systems, ecology, environmental humanities, and outdoor education, Sterling is also offering a five-week course in the Nulhegan Basin of Vermont for those students who would prefer to safely take their studies on the road. All campus and field-based programs will follow health and safety best practices as outlined by state and federal authorities and will fully comply with the campus restart policies as required by Vermont governor Phil Scott.

The intensive study of two or more courses for a short period of time block scheduling has been used by Sterling for decades. This year the College will offer two, five-week blocks per semester. Each block will include two or three interrelated courses specific to a particular Living & Learning Pod. Such scheduling provides opportunity for intensive study and mentorship in a focused curriculum, and will position the College to nimbly respond to the unknowable trajectory of the COVID-19 virus in the months to come. The plan also meets the needs of a wider universe of studentstraditional undergraduate, gap year, professional, remote, and continuing education.

By creating a flexible schedule of highly complementary course blocks and introducing more field trips, longer hands-on projects, and learning integration among the different pods we can reinforce learning and greatly enhance the student and faculty experience, says Laura Spence, Dean of Academics.

In order to enhance the learning experience for all students, each Living & Learning Pod will be equipped with the technology for remote instruction. This approach provides students a robust curriculum and connections across all Living & Learning Pods. It will also help to ensure that learning can continue uninterrupted in the unlikely event that individuals or entire pods need to be isolated or quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure or infection.

Community resilience and work have been key components of a Sterling education since the Colleges inception in 1958. As one of only nine federally-funded Work Colleges in the United States, Sterling requires all residential students to participate in its Work Program in exchange for tuition cost credits. This fall, many students will play a key role in expanding the food production on the campus farm, allowing Sterling to not only feed its students with wholesome food, as it always has, but also to contribute to increased food security for local residents.

With such measures in place, Sterling is trying to achieve an all-weather program that reinforces its commitment to ecological thinking and action education, said President Derr. We are confident that many of the innovations prompted by the pandemic will prove to complement Sterlings mission, and anticipate integrating them into operations well beyond the end of the COVID-19 era.

As Sterling finalizes its fall plans, the Admission Office is upholding the Colleges commitment to affordable, deeply experiential, ecologically focused education, as well as to the continued health and well-being of the Sterling community and the community beyond.

More specific information can be found at http://www.sterlingcollege.edu and additional information will be available as the summer progresses.

About Sterling College:Founded in 1958 in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, Sterling College advances ecological thinking and action through affordable experiential learning, preparing knowledgeable, skilled, and responsible leaders to face the ecological crises caused by unlimited growth and consumption that threatens the future of the planet. Sterling College is home to the School of the New American Farmstead and the Wendell Berry Farming Program, is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and is one of only nine colleges and universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Work College.

Source: CRAFTSBURY COMMON, VT, June 16, 2020Sterling College

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Sterling College reopening with flexible living and learning pods - Vermont Biz

Integral Youth Services in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), has received an $80,000 grant to develop a community nutrition hub to expand access to healthy foods through park and recreation programs and services, according to a news release. The gift is part of a $2.5 million grant NRPA received from the Walmart Foundation to build capacity in park and recreation agencies across the country to serve as intentional community nutrition hubs that improve health outcomes for community members.

Integral Youth Services (IYS) grant will help increase access to healthy foods, provide connections to social services, and increase health literacy through Park & Play summer meals sites, SNAP and WIC community engagement, and food insecurity screening evaluation of community partners.

Local park and recreation agencies are community health and wellness hubs. For decades, parks and recreation has been one of the largest providers of healthy meals to children in low-income communities, working through USDA child nutrition programs, to address hunger, provide nutrition education, and keep youth safe and engaged during out-of-school times. Building upon this strong foundation and the existing strengths of local park and recreation agencies, NRPA seeks to expand the role and capacity of local parks and recreation to improve food access across diverse communities and generations by piloting and evaluating three strategies:

1. Increase access to healthy foods in low income areas through federally funded nutrition programs;

2. Implement diverse models as well as analyze and share best practices for parks and recreation to serve as nutrition hubs, including screening for food insecurity, providing SNAP/WIC enrollment and retention assistance, establishing referral systems, hosting farmers markets and accepting benefits, and offering intergenerational health literacy and meal programs; and

3. Provide evidence-based nutrition literacy resources that will reduce food insecurity and create behavior change, including increased consumption and preparation of fruits and vegetables and increased confidence in healthy decision making.

In the United States, 1 in 6 children and older adults experience the daily struggle of food insecurity. These families are further challenged by unfair policies and systems that result in socio-economic disparities and limit access to transportation, quality education, and safe and healthy environments, which can decrease life expectancy by up to 30 years.

Food access strategies, including federally funded programs like USDA child nutrition programs and SNAP/WIC benefit programs must meet community members where they are. As trusted and accessible institutions, local park and recreation agencies play a critical role by serving as community gathering places that provide access to healthy foods and essential nutrition supports that reduce food insecurity, strengthen healthy decision making and improve health outcomes. In addition to providing healthy meals, park and recreation professionals will be piloting a number of different food access strategies including conducting food insecurity screenings, providing SNAP and WIC benefit enrollment and retention assistance, accepting SNAP/WIC and the Senior Farmers Market Promotion Program benefits at farmers markets, establishing referral systems with healthcare providers, and offering health literacy programming.

Park and recreation agencies serve critical roles as community nutrition hubs, connecting vulnerable populations to the health and wellness services they need, says Kellie May, NRPA vice president of programs and partnerships. NRPA thanks the Walmart Foundation for its support of local park and recreation professionals who are working every day to increase access to healthy foods and fostering long-lasting healthy habits across the country.

To learn more about Commit to Health, visit http://www.nrpa.org/CommitToHealth.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit http://www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPAs flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit http://www.parksandrecreation.org.

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Klamath Falls receives $80000 grant to develop community nutrition hub - Herald and News

Many businesses these past months have so generously donated to the affected communities during the ongoing ramifications of COVID-19. Black as well as lower-income communities, in particular, have been disproportionately impacted during this time. Last month, Richard Lewis, the owner, and CEO of RTL Networks connected with several other Black-owned organizations to address these issues within the community.

Rich Lewis of RTL Networks is known for many things. Still, perhaps the most is his intentional efforts to connect people, communities, and resources. In May of 2020, after considerable thought on how to support the community at large, and the Black community in particular, as it relates to COVID-19, he started connecting. Rich facilitated a meeting that intersected public, private and nonprofit organizations to make a meaningful impact, said Ryan Ross Ph.D., CEO of The Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado.

These organizations consisted of, The Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado, The Colorado Black Chamber of Commerceand The Sims Fayola Foundation. During their planning process, RTL supplied 4,000 masks to disperse to the rest of the community. RTL donated 1,000 PPE masks to the Colorado Black Chamber. In addition to that, The Black Chamber connected with the community partner of The Center for African American Health (CAA Health), to distribute the 1,000 PPE masks to community groups. With all of these donations, there has been a significant amount of impact. Some donations were distributed to The Hope Center, the Denver Chapter of the NAACP and Scott United Methodist Church, and families headed by single mothers. Alongside that, The Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce donated masks to faith and health liaisons. Each liaison distributed 20 masks, in addition to infrared thermometers, and hand sanitation gel bottles.

The Urban Leadership Foundation in particular was also able to engage 1,200 people in healthy movement and exercise activities. They created the #maskon campaign, which has provided a total of 1,300 masks in the community partnering with organizations such as Struggle of Love Foundation, RISE 5280, Make a Chess Move, and several local churches.

The remaining masks will be distributed at the CCA Health Site, which is implementing free COVID-19 testing for the neighboring communities of Northeast Denver. So far, CCA has 100 masks for staff and for later program distribution. Executive Director of Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce, Lee Kathryn Gash-Maxey states that:

The Colorado Black Chamber has been committed to serving the needs of Black-owned businesses since 1985. As an organization, CBCC has provided economic opportunity and support to business owners and the communities they serve. Supporting our community is not limited to contracts and business opportunities but must include everything that ensures a healthy community.

All photos provided by Ryan Ross

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Black-Owned Organizations Join to Donate Thousands of Masks in Denver - 303 Magazine

In Lynchburg and elsewhere, there has been a renewed effort, fueled by social media and other means of communication, to support minority-owned businesses following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 in police custody and whose death sparked global protests.

Gloria Witt, owner of Define Success, which offers coaching and facilitation services in Lynchburg, said the word access comes to mind when she thinks about black-owned businesses.

We need access to capital and referrals. For our businesses to succeed and flourish, many of us need better access to capital, she said. This is not a handout but a hand up. Does our local community provide access to loans at a reasonable rate? Are we more than a credit score? Do any of our local banks offer unique programs to uplift specifically black-owned businesses?

In my experience in working in the Lynchburg area, black-owned business owners are not networked to the economic power structures. Instead, we accept the reality that many of our local companies already have established relationships and networks and that there is little openness to change.

According to Witt, in order to break this cycle, those in positions of power must intentionally do something different.

Stop doing what is considered normal and start to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, she said. Break the silence of unconscious bias. This means acknowledging that there are local black-owned suppliers and personally deciding that he/she will start to do business with them provided the company is competitive and can meet the needs of the person and/or organization.

She said whether she likes it or not, white power and white privilege is real; only by disrupting the system will black-owned businesses be granted an opportunity to compete.

My ask to the community is to be intentional and consciously commit to doing something different by intentionally supporting black-owned businesses, she said.

Tarsha Joyner, owner of Mrs. Joys Absolutely Fabulous Treats at 1008 Commerce St., said its important for people to know the challenge for a minority-owned small business is the same for any small business: It cannot survive without support from the community.

That fact doesnt change no matter what color you are, she said. I never want anyone to support my business solely because of the color of my skin. If that were the case, I wouldnt care so much. I wouldnt work so hard. I wouldnt spend so much money on ingredients. I wouldnt sacrifice so much of my life if the easy thing was to say, Hey! Im brown! Shop here!

She asks the community to support her simply because she works hard.

I make absolutely fabulous products. Come to Mrs. Joys for those reasons. Because Im the best. Anything else is like getting a trophy for participation, she said. It doesnt feel quite the same as receiving a trophy for winning.

Business listings aim to boost support

Earlier in June, the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance met with Jawansa and Michelline Hall, of Blackwater Branding; Charese Chambers, of Financial Fancy; and Geoffrey Kershner, of the Academy Center of the Arts, to talk about putting together a listing of minority-owned businesses in the region.

Businesses can complete a customized form for the list, which will be placed on the Alliances website with a search feature to help the community easily support minority-owned enterprises.

Carla Wilkes-Rose, owner of Credit Chance, LLC, has joined forces with Jawansa Hall in making another directory.

Wilkes-Rose initially started foundational work on The Hill City Greenbook three years ago but never completed it. After seeing businesses struggle because of economic conditions the last few months, she decided now was a good time to finish it.

Even back three years ago, I always wanted to support black businesses and I would go out and support them and buy stuff just to buy it, she said. With COVID-19, businesses got hit hard, so Im trying to boost them back up and help get them through the pandemic.

The website, hillcitygreenbook.com, allows businesses to set up memberships for free. Once 100 businesses are signed up, Wilkes-Rose plans to launch a mobile app.

From the list she has compiled so far, shes found about 250 black-owned businesses in Lynchburg. But even though she would go out of her way to search for these businesses in the past, she often found she had never heard about many of them.

I think its a marketing thing, and were planning to help some of these small businesses to market better, she said.

Jawansa Hall said businesses live and die by their supporters and black-owned businesses are no exception.

Lack of support from your community in the form of customers will shatter any entrepreneurial dream of being successful, he said. Support of minority businesses should be a part of our everyday lifestyles, not just an occasional celebratory event. Yet, black businesses have to actively campaign for financial and emotional support. If our current situation is the wake-up call needed for economic growth, I will accept it. My only prayer is that we do not fall back asleep.

Alliance pledges support

Christine Kennedy, chief operating officer of the Alliance and director of Leadership Lynchburg, said the Alliance is working to create a focus group/town hall to gather feedback on additional ways to support this segment of the community.

Kennedy also provided input to the Lynchburg Police Departments Community Police Advisory Group during its June 8 meeting for a possible plan of action that could lead to increased transparency, dialogue and community building.

On May 31, protesters gathered outside Fifth & Federal Station partly because of a social media post from the restaurant in which it suggested it would offer employees face masks displaying a racist image from Gov. Northams medical school yearbook. As night fell, police have said, the protests turned violent and officers were called to the scene.

Immediately after that incident, the Alliances Leadership Lynchburg program held a Zoom webinar with area equity experts and community leaders to help bring increased understanding to what the African-American community is feeling as a result of recent events.

The Leadership Lynchburg Council, which oversees all Leadership Lynchburg programming, will meet June 22 to discuss how else it can act to help further equality in the community.

Last week the Alliance announced its partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on a national initiative to address inequality of opportunity.

The Alliances work in diversity, equity and inclusion is not new, Kennedy said. Weve conducted focus groups, sponsored African-American community events, created our own [diversity, equity, and inclusion] statement for operations and held [human resources] dialogues on ways to increase inclusivity in the workplace. What has occurred over the past few weeks amplifies the need to do more. We are committed to continue our work in this arena so that we can look back and see true, lasting positive change.

The Alliance will join the U.S. Chambers national town hall event June 25, during which business and community leaders will discuss concrete actions that can be taken by government and the private sector to address inequality through education, employment, entrepreneurship and criminal justice reform.

Elise Spontarelli, executive director of Vector Space, located at 402 5th St., said she believes May and June have been full of justified unrest on the street, referring to the events at Fifth & Federal on May 31.

Spontarelli said the community is coming to terms with long-ignored inequality, and the nonprofit a makerspace and community workshop for woodworkers, tinkerers and others wants to consider its role in the midst of the unrest.

Our home in Lynchburgs historically black neighborhood is not something we overlook, and inclusion and equality has always been the goal for our member and student community, she said. However, building this culture has been a long process and we have not succeeded in many ways.

She recently attended the virtual Nation of Makers Conference, where equity and inclusion were a big topic.

I have talked to and learned from our makerspace peers in other communities that are doing it better, and am equipped with their insights and influence to work on our own internal community culture, she said.

Moving forward, the makerspace is taking steps to create a more inclusive environment, including hiring a black artist to paint an inclusive mural outside its building and re-engaging and collaborating with new community partners.

Rachael Smith covers local businesses and nonprofits. Reach her at (434) 385-5482.

Rachael Smith covers local businesses and nonprofits. Reach her at (434) 385-5482.

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New listing aims to raise awareness of black-owned businesses - Lynchburg News and Advance

By Bre West, President, The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc.

The Atlanta Speech School, founded by JLA in 1938, created the Pop-Up Early Learning program as a free online educational resource.

For the first time in more than 100 years, people worldwide are painstakingly adjusting to a new reality as we emerge from self-isolation in a semi post-quarantine era. Many of us are reeling as we try to put food on the table, maintain flexible employment or keep a roof over our heads. For families with school-age children, life can be even more daunting as some children face deep deprivations without many of the multidimensional needs often met in schools.

In addition to the educational resources and opportunity to build social skills, school is often the source of two or three meals a day, five days a week, while also offering stability, safety, and security.This is why when communities are faced with the uphill challenges of a pandemic, the need to lean in and support our local schools is greater than ever.

The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. (JLA) was founded to better the lives of at-risk women and children and has now continued to do so for more than 100+ years. Thats why JLA is increasingly committed to finding ways to serve, share value, and provide much-needed resources within the Atlanta community, even in the midst of social distancing.

JLA members doing service for a S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math) project designed to engage the next generation of technical women leaders.

As JLA pivots to address the COVID-19 pandemic, our agency partners are also adapting to the rapidly changing community service environment. One JLA partner who has pivoted quickly to these challenging times is the Atlanta Speech School, founded in 1938 by JLA members. They have developed an online platform for learning, in collaboration with Cox Campus, that is available for free to families with internet access. The platforms curriculum is tailored to children 18 months to five years, and their Pop-Up Early Learning modules offer preschool and pre-K lessons that are both innovative and hands-on.

This educational resource can be accessed via laptops and tablets, and offers a mobile app to use on cell phones. Its even available in Spanish. Financial difficulties can create technology barriers for families without internet access nor personal computing equipment. Knowing this is an issue, nonprofit organizations are stepping in to help. One such nonprofit organization is JLA partner, PowerMyLearning Atlanta.

With school out for the foreseeable future, where do children go without summer camps? Several JLA partners are transitioning from traditional in-person camps to virtual camps or camp in a box experiences so children can remain engaged while learning from home. JLA members are proudly partnering to prepare camp in a box activities and snack kits for delivery to partner organizations like Mercy Care, ensuring children receive healthy and balanced food options while school is out.

JLA Kids in the Kitchen committee members doing service at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Along with providing boots on the ground, JLA also works to support our partner agencies through ongoing training of our member volunteers and virtual meetings where we strategize how we can help our partners navigate these trying times. As we grow accustomed to using virtual platforms to fulfill our mission, we are continuously learning about these tools and rolling-out enhancements such as closed captioning to ensure all participants have equal access to shared information.

During this time when so many of us are feeling alone, the word inclusion takes on a whole new meaning. It is easier than ever to feel out of the loop and disconnected from those we know and love most. With that in mind, we must stay aware that each individual is experiencing something unique, yet likely very difficult. This is why we must focus on bringing people together, creating bonds, and championing each other like never before.

It is crucial that we support the children who remain in their homes and struggle to thrive without the basics they once received at school. Now, more so than ever, lets take care of each other, lets be intentional with inclusion, and lets do so this year and for years to come.

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JLA Pivots during Covid19 Pandemic to Better Serve the... - SaportaReport

New York lawmakers have introduced legislation to hold senior living communities accountable for harm and damages incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic by repealing a blanket immunity law that shielded facilities from legal action.

The bill, introduced by state Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Queens) and Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx), would repeal protections in the public health law related to the Emergency or Disaster Treatment Protection Act, which provided immunity from liability for any harm or damages sustained as a result of providing health care services during he COVID-19 pandemic, unless the act was willful or intentional criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct or intentional infliction of harm.

The law, which protects hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities, including assisted living communities, also shields facilities from lawsuits alleging misconduct due to resource or staffing shortages.

Repealing [the immunity protection] allows families to pursue a process in which they can be heard and seek corrective actions so their loved ones didnt die in vain, Kim said in a news release.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order in March providing immunity, and the law was enacted in April.

While it is abundantly clear that nursing homes have not received the full support that they need to weather this pandemic, that does not mean we completely strip away their responsibility for the care of our loved ones, Biaggi said in published reports.

On Friday, Kim and Biaggi hosted a Zoom press conference and memorial for the 6,000 people who died alone in New York State nursing homes.

This has been the hardest period of time in our states history. The past three months have been so challenging physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally, and its all related to COVID-19, Biaggi said during the press conference, which she called an opportunity to bring a voice to the loss and justice to the loss.

She acknowledged that the long-term care industry did not receive the resources and support needed from the beginning but said facilities should not abdicate their responsibility for the safety of their residents. By repealing the liability portion of the law, Biaggi said it can provide transparency and accountability for every family who lost a loved one.

Repealing this provision will allow for every family to be able to hold accountable the facilities that have engaged in negligence, but right now are prevented from doing that, she said.

Kim, who lost an uncle in a nursing home to COVID-19 in April, said repealing the provision will help in finding the truth, exposing the truth and seeking some level of justice for loved ones who unnecessarily passed away alone.

Kim said the state handed senior living and care business executives a get out of jail free card, disincentivizing the industry from doing more to save lives. He said discussion about immunity should be done openly in a public hearing with families who have lost loved ones.

They took that conversation away for us and we should be having that conversation now, Kim said.

Several other states have passed laws or issued executive orders providing COVID-19 liability immunity to long-term care providers and facilities.

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Lawmakers move to repeal senior living industry COVID-19 immunity provision - News - McKnight's Senior Living

Milwaukee School of Engineering, along with three corporate partners: We Energies, Rockwell Automation and American Family Insurance, will open theWe Energies STEM Center at MSOEthis fall. The new center will be the premier STEM destination in Milwaukee for students of all ages and home to all of MSOEs STEM outreach efforts. These programs aredesigned to introduce students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics by providing access to resources, mentoring, and hands-on, experience-based learninga hallmark of an MSOE education.

In 2017, MSOE made a strategic investment in STEM outreach by establishing a dedicated department to grow, sustain and develop a comprehensive STEM pipeline for all students in Milwaukee and beyond. Since then, the number of students who have participated in our programs has quadrupled. We have reached more than 10,000 students from 150 K-12 schools, said Dr. John Walz, MSOE president. TheWe Energies STEM Center at MSOE is a game changer and we are grateful to have the support of We Energies, Rockwell Automation and American Family, among others.

MSOE and its three industry partners are committed to building on this success and reaching even more students from a variety of backgrounds. The center will enable MSOE to continue to grow its in-house programming while providing unique opportunities to collaborate on programs with K-12 schools, local companies, community groups and organizations. The We Energies STEM Center at MSOE will be built in existing campus space at ground-level on the northern side of Pamela and Hermann Viets Field,1305 N. Broadway.

We Energies, Rockwell Automation and American Family each bring a unique contribution to the STEM center project, all to support the shared goal of providing opportunities to bring together schools, local companies, community groups and organizations to create impactful, inclusive programming. The purpose is to provide an accessible, dedicated space for all K-12 students to explore, create and define their future in STEM.

We Energies is creating an opportunity that enables students from any schoolpublic, private, charter and homeschoolto have access to hands-on, one-of-a-kind STEM experiences.

Education is the critical catalyst for the communities we serve and STEM feeds and fuels everything we do as a company. This facilitywill provide critical hands-on learning opportunities and open avenues for students to participate in programs they may not otherwise have access to, said Kevin Fletcher president and CEO of We Energies parent corporation WEC Energy Group, and MSOE Regent. Were excited to partner with MSOE to engage and grow future leaders who will shape not only the energy industry, but also our world.

Rockwell Automation is making it possible for MSOE to continue to support and expand the opportunities for all students to participate in STEM programs. MSOE students, alumni and partners who mentor and support For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)teams will have a dedicated place to enable all students to go pro in STEM throughFIRST. Local teams will have access to dedicated storage space, tools and work equipment. The Rockwell Automation-sponsoredFIRSTRobotics development zone will include space for a 1,500-square-foot playing field area where teams will have plenty of space to test their designs and practice for competitions. The center is an opportunity to decrease barriers, and give students access to resources they need to be successful in their STEM-related extracurricular activities.

At Rockwell Automation we believe in expanding human possibility. In our communities, we make investments in students; our makers, builders, innovators, said Patricia Contreras, Rockwell Automation director of community relations. Our commitment to address the opportunity and the belief gap for underrepresented students starts with our financial investments amplified by employee mentorship in our global headquarters, here in Milwaukee. Through the STEM center, the power of innovation + technology + mentorship will inspire young minds. We know this partnership with MSOE will empower and inspire students to make the impossible possible.

Employment in STEM-related jobs is expected to grow at 16% in the United States, far outpacing all other employment fields. In addition, jobs in STEM fields earn on average 10% more than jobs with similar education requirements. At the same time, there is a critical need for a more diverse workforce. Diversity and inclusion are an intentional and integrated part of the strategy for the STEM Center to truly empower and support all students in their exploration of STEM futures.

To support this, American Family is actively building a pipeline where all students have an equal opportunity to explore, engage and succeed in STEM fields, specifically in tech fields. American Family will bring expertise, guidance and support to programs ranging from artificial intelligence to coding for students of all ages.

American Family is committed to Milwaukee, and as a partner and future neighbor, were proud to support MSOE and its passion to expand STEM education, said Jim Buchheim, American Family community and social impact officer. This center will provide a tremendous opportunity for a diverse group of students to participate in high-quality tech learning and prepare for successful STEM careers.

The university is targeting a fall opening for the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE and looks forward to a strong future of STEM education. Staff, faculty, K-12 educators, community and corporate partners are committed to operating the center following health guidelines. The center will be the headquarters for all of MSOEs K-12 community STEM programming. That programming can take place in a number of ways, including virtual, should the pandemic situation require so.

Construction begins June 15 on the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE. Uilhelin/Wilson Ramlow/Stein Architects are the project developers and Catalyst Construction is the construction manager. Additionally, Milwaukee Tool has agreed to gift tools to help outfit the new STEM Center. MSOE Corporation member Scott Haag and his wife Linda have also made a gift in support of this project.

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MSOE: To open 10,000-square-foot STEM education center this fall - Wisbusiness.com

As more small businesses in Detroit look to open up their doors after the Covid-19 crisis, a group of entrepreneurs wants to help them also get online.

This past weekend, a team of Forbes 30 Under 30 alumni collaborated to create a platform that connects low-tech businesses with students who are eager to get real-world experience. The project was part of the second weekend of a virtual Forbes Under 30 Detroit Hackathon, a monthlong initiative developed in partnership with Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans and Major League Hacking.

Because many of Detroits small businesses dont have the technical expertise or funds to build their own online presence, the team decided to build a platform that connects businesses with web developers that want to help make a website, e-commerce capabilities, or social media presence (or all the above). The platform, called VolunTier, taps into the students at various coding schools and universities to give coders a chance to get real-world experience. By using VolunTiers web app or an automated phone questionnaire, businesses request services to be completed while students on the other end can select projects theyd like to work on. To incentivize participation, students have an opportunity to earn ratings, reward points, endorsements and networking opportunities.

I think we all came at it with different perspectives, says Katherine Relle, a portfolio manager with J.P. Morgan Private Equity Group. Some people were thinking more storytelling, some people were thinking more actual technological solution like an app or a platform, and some people were thinking about social entrepreneurship type things. And I think what we came up with is a pretty good combination of all of that.

Several people on the VolunTier project were from Detroit and weighed in with their own knowledge of the city. One of them was Rock Connections Change Agent Alice Ogadinma, who says one way of getting small businesses to adopt VolunTier would be to visit the citys various neighborhoods and pass out flyers as part of a grassroots effort to explain how VolunTier might help business recover.

The community funds and drives small businesses so it can be implemented as long as we are very intentional at understanding their niche markets and understanding who they are so we can get them the right support, Ogadinma says.

The tiered model also helps solve another problem facing Detroit and many other cities: the economic downturn and subsequent weak job market. Kimeshan Naidoo, chief technology officer and cofounder of Unibuddy, says hes spent a lot of time research code schools with the plan of potentially creating one in South Africa to address the shortage of of training for developers. However, he says code schools teach content but often just for fictional concepts rather than real-world solutions.

People think theres a demand for tech talent, but theres a demand for experienced tech talent, he says. Theres actually a lot of junior engineers that are looking for opportunities.

While the initial focus for VolunTier was Detroit, it could be replicated and scaled to other cities of varying sizes. The team also thinks it could be expanded for other talents such as photographers who might want to take photos for small businesses.

Its a way to take a scalable, replicable framework and pilot it in or lease It in different cities while also keeping it local, keeping it authentic while building person-to-business or person-to-person connections within those communities, says David Thomas Tao, CEO and cofounder of BarBend. I think with the right stakeholders and connections, this could be making an impact in the very near future. This isnt a yearlong build. This could start making an impact in Detroit next month with the right partners, stakeholders, and finding strategic sources of incentivized volunteers.

Team Members: Katherine Relle, Portfolio Manager, J.P. Morgan Private Equity Group; Tiffany Pang, Cofounder & CEO, Outreach Grid; Princess Sims, Diversity & Inclusion Liaison, Rock Ventures; Alice Ogadinma, Change Agent, Rock Connections; David Thomas Tao, Cofounder & CEO, BarBend; Kimeshan Naidoo, Cofounder & CTO, Unibuddy; Naoki John Yoshida, Principal, Hellman & Friedman.

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These Hackathon Participants Want To Bring Detroits Small Businesses Online With The Help Of Coding Students - Forbes

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Brands Do Need to Take a Stand. Here's How to Do So Responsibly.

Nike, Walmart, Ben & Jerrys, Twitter and Google: These are just a few of the major brands that have responded to the news of George Floyds murder by taking a stand against racism. Their actions vary, from Nikes Dont Do It ad, to Ben & Jerrys new Justice Remixed flavor, to Walmarts $100 million pledge for the creation of a center on racial equity. But each one is a poignant reminder of brands unique ability to influence and reshape public opinion.

It has been my lifes work to infuse values into marketing campaigns that aim to spark positive social change. While working at Unilever, I spearheaded Global Handwashing Day with Unilevers Lifebuoy soap brand. In its first year, 2008, over 20 million children participated. It ultimately shifted the hygiene habits of millions of people around the world. The Lifebuoy team has just announced that it has now reached 1 billion people. Ive taken a similar approach to help Pepsodent toothpaste improve oral hygiene in Africa and Knorr bouillon cubes fight anemia through encouraging mothers and girls to eat more green leafy vegetables alongside its iron-fortified cubes. I discuss all of this in my new book, Brands on a Mission: How to Achieve Social Impact and Business Growth Through Purpose.

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These successes make sense given that, with their natural incentives to get people to buy their products, brands have an inherent ability to reshape peoples views and habits. They have decades of experience convincing consumers to do just that, and the tools, resources and creative heft to change social norms and influence conversations. They can spread messages far and wide, among both consumers and their employees.

With such power and influence, it is simply no longer acceptable for brands to remain silent, especially in these times when consumers are craving positive examples to fill the void left by governments.

However, there are parameters brands must respect in order to strike the right tone and behave in a responsible, constructive manner when taking a stand.

Although there will always be factions of the public that become inflamed at one message or another, it is incumbent upon brands to be intentional in choosing messages. Brands might choose messages that are seen as controversial, like when Nike supported Colin Kaepernick taking a knee and some customers protested by burning their Nike products. It is crucial to take a stance with integrity and good intentions. As Nike said at the time, we must all believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. Nikes Dont Do It slogan is a brilliant example of messaging mindfully and with integrity because it is so closely aligned with its longstanding, familiar and non-controversial slogan, Just Do It.

Ben & Jerrys can speak with confidence and authority on Americas current times because since the civil rights movement, its founders have supported work towards racial equality on several fronts education, housing inequality, income inequality and the criminal justice system. Sending social messages through new flavors and their names is a thoughtful, natural extension of what Ben & Jerrys is as a brand.

Related:How Should You Be Talking With Employees About Racism?

Responsible brands do not take advantage of social issues as opportunities to advance marketing and growth. A social purpose is just that: a social purpose that will pay in the long term. There might be business benefits to taking a stand, but it is irresponsible when these become the primary motivation for social action. Moreover, actions taken with profits in mind will ring hollow and inauthentic, drive customers away and tarnish a brands reputation.

We've all witnessed major brands fail in this way. Pepsi's 2017 "Live for Now" campaign featuring Kendall Jenner as a model-turned-protestor who joined the Black Lives Matter movement (in the end, handing a police officer a Pepsi as a deescalation tactic) drew massive backlash, as would-be consumers accused the brand of capitalizing on the pain of #BLM for profits, among other things. Pepsi pulled the ad immediately, but just days ago, an image of an actual protestor in the current riots went viral. He was attempting to hand a police officer a Pepsi. People don't forget.

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In taking a stand, brands also have the power to shatter stereotypes. Doing so in a responsible, constructive way means choosing words and images that reflect the reality of the different communities portrayed whether it is around gender, race, body size, LGBTQI+, differently abled bodies and disabilities both visible and invisible while remaining respectful. Showing images of people from racial and ethnic minority communities in positions of power and leadership is one example.

I am a big believer in the difference between brand say and brand do, terms coined in 2016 by Steve Miles and widely used within Unilever and its agencies. Brand say involves communicating to consumers about the social purpose; brand do is about translating this purpose into actually addressing social problems. Put simply, you need to walk the talk and take action.

Ben & Jerrys has a stellar brand do ethic. Its messaging about equality is reflected on its board. For many years, the company has supported work among indigenous Americans too financially and with legal aid protests against the Dakota Access pipeline. It has worked with the LGBT community: In 1989, long before it was legally required, it extended health insurance benefits to partners of its LGBT employees. Shea Moisture is another example of a brand that makes good on its promises by supporting small black businesses.

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Steps brands can take in general to bridge the say with the do include actively recruiting and retaining diverse talent, including at the board level; creating safe spaces in the workplace where employees can express themselves; and building coalitions with nonprofit and grassroots organizations to help advance shared missions. Coalitions with the nonprofit and public sector organizations have been key to the success of initiatives such as Global Handwashing Day, Knorrs drive to improve nutrition and Durexs campaign to normalize condom use.

Adopting moral values means that you will follow them throughout your operations, including through your supply chain as well. You cant hide one part of your activities by jumping on the wagon of race: This defeats the purpose. For example, I would encourage Walmart to not only stand up for racial inequality but also to take a hard look at how guns which its stores sell play a role in the deaths of many black people.

Creating change begins with educating people about the issues. Campaigns and messaging must aim to both present scenarios of positive change and educate the public about the reasons it's needed. CBS Sports not only stopped broadcastingfor eight minutes and 46 seconds to protest the George Floyds murder but also partnered withColor of Changeto ask viewers to demand an end to broken windows policing, add legitimate civilian oversight boards with full investigatory power and reduce police budgets, among other things.

Developing a social mission has also become a business imperative. Whereas quality was once the primary differentiator between brands, today, embracing a social purpose has become a key way for brands to set themselves apart in the crowded marketplace. Brands that stand up for the right thing to do are all the more likely to come out of the current crisis in a position of strength, while those without a mission risk getting left behind.

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Brands Do Need to Take a Stand. Here's How to Do So Responsibly. - The Advocate