Another 5 am day lays ahead for me. Who would have though I would start a company to NOT wake up before 9 am, and now it seems everyday starts off getting up before the Sun! Tomorrow is more of the same, but this time I have some pep in my step to the airport as Mr. Tavis Smiley has me speaking at his student leadership conference at UCLA. This should be an interesting conference and look forward to making an impact on the 300+ students there who get selected into the institute every year.
If your in the LA area, definately check out this event. You can find out more here ...
Guess I better go to bed since my driver will be here at 5:15 AM! It should be a sin to be up so early. Who came up with the crazy phrase the early bird gets the worm anyway. I don't even like worms anyway!
HERE IS THE PRESS RELEASE ON IT
Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) - More than 200 youth representing 28
states will join Tavis Smiley, Dr. Cornel West, Hill Harper and Lalah
Hathaway for five days of leadership training, community service, youth
advocacy, education and engagement at the Tavis Smiley Foundation's
2008 Leadership Institute.
The annual conference themed, THINK,
will be held Aug. 14-18 on the campus of the University of Los Angeles
-- California (UCLA). The youth delegates, ages 13-18, were selected
based on their academic achievement, demonstrated and potential
leadership, an essay and letter of recommendation. A key of component
of the Institute is the foundation's 13-member National Youth Advisory
Council. These teen alumni help design and run the Institute.
"We
have selected some of the best and brightest young leaders that America
has to offer and during the five days of the conference we will
challenge them to THINK about the world around them and how they can
become the next generation of leaders," said Smiley.
The purpose
of the Leadership Institute is to train young people for leadership
through action-oriented workshops, plenary sessions and interactive
activities. The delegates selected already have accumulated more than
8,000 volunteer service hours in their schools and communities.
Smiley
will moderate a teen town hall meeting on Friday, August 15 on the
topic of juvenile justice. Panelists will include Princeton University
professors Dr. Cornel West and Eddie Glaude as well as Connie Rice of
The Advancement project. Youth delegates Brianna Holmes of Culver City,
CA; Tyler Jackson of Baltimore, MD; and Phylicia Lofton of Moreno
Valley, CA were selected to be part of the panel.
Music
superstar Lalah Hathaway will participate in a special session for
young women aimed at increasing their awareness about breast cancer and
self-esteem. Hathaway is an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen for the
Cure's Campaign, Circle of Promise, whose mission is to educate African
American women about early detection of breast cancer in their own
circle of friends.
Actor and best-selling author Hill Harper
will engage the young women in a discussion on his latest book that
explores issues facing young women. Harper will share excerpts from
Letters to a Young Sister: DeFine Your Destiny.
Through
workshops, panel discussions and interactive activities, the delegates
will learn to assess their strengths and weaknesses, review models of
leadership, set goals, discuss and debate issues and create action
plans to address issues important to youth.
Entrepreneurs Myles
Kovacs, founder of DUBs Magazine, Ephren Taylor, the 25-year-old chief
executive office of City Capital, 17-year-old Jasmine Lawrence, the
founder of EDEN Body Works and Los Angeles business owner Daniel
Griffin will participate in a panel discussion on how to make dreams a
reality.
During the conference the delegates will participate in
a beach clean up in partnership with Heal the Bay in an effort to
protect the environment. Also, the foundation's National Youth Advisory
Council is leading an effort to collect 1,000 books to rebuild the
library of the Pass Road Elementary School in Gulfport, MS. The library
suffered tremendous damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
SCHEDULE OF KEY EVENTS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15
3 PM -- Young entrepreneurs panel featuring Ephren Taylor, Myles Kovacs, Daniel Griffin and Jasmine Lawrence - DeNeve Plaza
7 PM -- Teen Town Hall Meeting Moderated by Tavis Smiley - DeNeve Plaza
Panelists: Dr. Cornel West, Eddie Glaude, Princeton University professor; Connie Rice, Tyler Jackson, Brianna Holmes
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
9 AM -- What I Know for Sure Lecture and Book Signing w/ Tavis Smiley - DeNeve Plaza
10 AM -- Leadership & Service -- Cornel West - DeNeve Plaza
1 PM -- The Great Debate -- Student teams participate in a debate - DeNeve Plaza
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
9 AM -- Girl Power: Messages for Young Sisters with Lalah Hathaway
10:45 AM -- Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny with Hill Harper
1:30 PM -- Community Service Beach Clean Up Project at Santa Monica Beach 1550 Pacific Coast Highway
7 PM -- Closing Banquet & Awards Ceremony - Grand Horizons Ballroom
EDITORS
NOTE: Media should report to the first floor lobby of the DeNeve Plaza
Building for credentials and check-in. The address is 351 Charles E.
Young Drive West, Los Angeles, CA 90024
About the Tavis Smiley Foundation
The
Tavis Smiley Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by
Tavis Smiley to enlighten, encourage, and empower youth by providing
leadership skills that will promote and enhance the quality of life for
their lives, their community and the world. Since its inception, more
than 6,000 youth have participated in the foundation's leadership
workshops and conferences. The foundation is based in Los Angeles. For
more information, visit www.youthtoleaders.org
CONTACT:
Vonda Paige
267-879-1450
vpaige@tavistalks.com
Sounds like an eventful weekend. Enjoy and report back.
Posted by: Natural | August 15, 2008 at 09:36 AM