Meet STEM star, member of National Society of Black Engineers, and one of the 25 GlobalMindED Every Learner Student Ambassadors, Daphney Cajuste, of the University of Michigan, through her story below. Google will be fortunate to have her as an intern this summer.
GlobalMindED 2021 continues with career opportunities for students this week and Technology Week next week. Virtual Career Fair continues today, join our international panel on Global Internships tomorrow, and look to partner UPSKLS for matching paid short-term project work. Registration and details below.
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The Benefits of Global Internships: How, Why, Where led by Adrian Rosado; President, Zion Leadership Group, Friday April 30 10:00 AM EST
GlobalMindED Reboot Resilience: Rebound Remarkable Technology Week May 3-7, 4:00 EST
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Tech Empowering Students Before, During, and After Covid: Closing the Digital Divide, led by Dr. Michael Torrance, President Motlow State, May 3
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Advancing Equity in Highly Selective High School and College Admissions - Ed Equity Lab, Partners, and Students, led by Alexandra Slack, National Education Equity Lab, May 4
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Student Leaders Speak To College Presidents, CEOs, and Government Leaders, led by Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams, Director Every Learner Everywhere, May 5
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Driving Change through Intersectional Philanthropy Increasing Representation and Leadership, led by Dwana Franklin-Davis, CEO Reboot Representation, May 6
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STEPS to Skills on the Go - Cell Phone Learning Advancing Equity for Adult Students, led by Waukecha Wilkerson, Director of Coaching, Cell-Ed, May 7
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L'Union Fait La Force” - In Unity There is Strength |
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As a first generation college student, a child of Haitian immigrants, and a resident of Florida, I’ve often found myself straddling two worlds. Aside from the general highs and lows of growing up, it was tough to find a balance of honoring my culture and traditions while also striving to perform academically.
When my parents immigrated to the United States, they brought their Haitian culture and traditions with them, something I hated for a long time. Yes, the food is to die for, but I did not like the idea of people thinking I was associated with witchcraft and voodoo. “No, I do not do voodoo, as a matter of fact, I am Christian.” “No, I do not eat cats.” “No, I did not get on a boat and sail to America.” Living in Naples, Florida gave me the advantage of two cultures and two languages, but I often felt different and every time I was asked this, I realized just how much I was.
Therefore, as I had to continually deny each stereotype thrown my way; I began to distance myself from the Haitian culture. I no longer wanted my kinky hair and instead wanted a perm, and instead of talking to my parents in their mother tongue — Creole, I chose to speak in English. I still felt supported by the tight knit Haitian community in my hometown but I struggled to keep those relationships, especially as I began to excel in school.
It was not until I was back in my parent’s motherland that I had a pivotal turnaround. For a month I was living amongst a group of strangers with a culture I had, for the most part, completely disowned. But it was amidst the mountainous terrain, in a small, impoverished village, with soil as red as Mars, that I kindled a reconnection with my culture. Mare Rouge, we called it, had homes with walls made of sticks or rubble, rooftops of tin or hay, and fences of branches. There, the voisnes (neighbors) wake up at the break of dawn to collect water from the nearest well as the kids get ready for lekol (school) and others tend to the land.
The families in this town lived a community centric lifestyle. At every corner they offered to help one another, whether it was running to the market or picking up children. I also saw the pride that they had for their country. Even with the political turmoil, the people were united. That is when I realized the importance of the Haitian motto, “L'Union Fait La Force” - in unity there is strength. Not only did it refer to unity within a nation, a city or a community, but it also meant unity within one’s self.
Returning to Haiti made me realize that running away from my ethnicity stripped me of my identity and made words easy to break me. But when I embrace who I am, I am confident, I am in harmony with myself. Being a part of GlobalMindED has allowed me to find a sense of community with other students who have like-minded goals. I’m grateful to have this community to support me during school and as I launch my career. They continue to push me to do better and motivate me everyday. And with the help of the National Society of Black Engineers and my Haitian community I have continued to embrace who I am at the University of Michigan. Therefore, L'Union Fait La Force
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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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Watch our Earth Week sessions:
International Youth: Strategies for Inclusive, Just, and Equitable Climate Leadership 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 University, Venezuela, and Zoe Ricardo Rivera; CEI University, México
How Environmental Justice and Equity Can Help Solve the Climate Crisis Part 1 Courtney Knight; Founder and Managing Member, Capstone Capital Advisors and Susan Kidd; Executive Director, Center for Sustainability , Agnes Scott College lead this panel 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; Executive Director, Collier Heights Association for Revitalization, Resilience, and Sustainability.
How Environmental Justice and Equity Can Help Solve the Climate Crisis Part 2 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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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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