universal positive https://up.darnellworks.com Unique insights and actionable ideas from The Darnell Works Agency’s daily quest for greatness. Wed, 27 May 2026 13:40:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://up.darnellworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/up-sqrw.png universal positive https://up.darnellworks.com 32 32 June 2026 Edition: Ultimate Events Happening Soon https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/05/27x6/ https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/05/27x6/#respond Wed, 27 May 2026 09:00:49 +0000 https://up.darnellworks.com/?p=10098

According to business strategist Martin Reeves and Rhodes Scholar Jack Fuller in their incredibly inspiring Harvard Business Review book ‘The Imagination Machine,’ imagination is crucial for “seizing and creating new opportunities and finding new paths to growth.” On a similar note, strategist, intelligence analyst, and Webster University communications professor David Gutting has advanced Einstein’s “imagination is more important than knowledge” theory for the readers of Fast Company. Our counsel: Imagine how far you can go this month in pursuing your passions, then seize the day.

Follow this link to explore the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, running 22-26 June: https://www.canneslions.com.

June Events

Featured Video: Montreal Jazz Festival returns 25 June to 4 July 2026.
Featured Image: Greyson Joralemon via Unsplash

]]> https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/05/27x6/feed/ 0 May 2026 Edition: Ultimate Events Happening Soon https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/04/27x5/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:03:49 +0000 https://up.darnellworks.com/?p=10085

Over the past few years, we have adapted together; now, our ships are coming in. Comparatively, we may go less often, stay closer to home, and spend more time phoning things in … but new days are growing heavy with promise. In our refined order, learning opportunities beckon, inviting us to build and fortify relationships, challenge ourselves, contribute, and put ourselves on the map. As you’ll soon see, our hard work is about to pay off.

Follow this link for the official site for Vivid Sydney, running 21 May to 12 June.

May Events

Featured Video: BeachLife 2026 | Redondo Beach, California, 1-3 May, 2026.
Featured Image: Rani Sahu via Pexels

]]> Earth Day 2026: Our Power, Our Planet https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/04/earth_day/ https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/04/earth_day/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:00:42 +0000 http://up.darnellworks.com/?p=6685

You and your loved ones are cordially invited to join more than a billion of your fellow humans to participate in Earth Day … the only global event celebrated simultaneously by people of all backgrounds, faiths, and nationalities.

On 22 April, join the world’s leaders for Earth Day 2026. There are many ways you can get involved and make a difference for our planet on Earth Day and every day. Join millions worldwide in Earth Day 2026 activities. Attend a local event or plan and register your own. To find a wealth of creative resources to help you celebrate Earth Day in your community, at home, at work and at school, visit https://www.earthday.org


The very first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans united in actions credited with igniting the modern environmental movement. The passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency all soon followed. Also arising from that very first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) now works with over 75,000 partners in over 190 countries to broaden, diversify, and mobilize the environmental movement.

]]> https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/04/earth_day/feed/ 1 World Water Day: Where water flows, equality grows https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/03/h2o/ Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:00:19 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=5660
On World Water Day, we all are being challenged to recognize how the water crisis affects women: “On World Water Day 2026, let’s explore the critical relationship between water, women, and gender equality.”

This international event dates back to 1992 when the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development made a recommendation. The following year, 22 March was established as World Water Day. UN-Water sets the theme each year. The global water crisis affects everyone – but not equally. Women must shape the future of water. Where water flows, equality grows.

“Water can be a powerful force for gender equality — but only if everyone plays their part. Individuals, schools, organizations, companies and governments all have a role to play to ensure that where water flows, equality grows.”


Learn more at https://www.worldwaterday.org.

]]> International Women’s Day 2026 https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/03/iwd/ Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:31 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=5056 Read moreInternational Women’s Day 2026]]>
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. For 2026, organizers have focused on the critical idea of giving to gain.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge gender equality.

Today, I invite you to visit this site – https://www.internationalwomensday.com – where you can better understand how, together, we can speed up the rate of progress worldwide.

With well over a century of history and change, the first International Women’s Day (IWD) was held in March 1911. IWD isn’t country, group or organization specific. It’s a day of collective global activism and celebration that belongs to all those committed to forging women’s equality. Let’s all help fight the good fight. All IWD activity is valid, that’s what makes IWD so inclusive. Join in and make IWD your day by doing what you can to support and advance women. For even more resources and ideas, visit https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme.

]]> Design Competitions from Fast Company, Core77, Creativepool, and Communication Arts https://up.darnellworks.com/2026/02/dcomp/ Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:03 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=5213 Right now, several ultra-prestigious design awards programs are currently open for entries. I thought you would appreciate a heads-up and some brief details, which I am presenting in order of the currently published submission deadlines. Best of luck, friends!

Recognizing excellence in all areas of design enterprise, the Core77 Design Awards annually celebrates the richness of the design profession as well as the insight and perseverance of its practitioners. Now in its thirteenth year, the Awards program remains dedicated to excellence and inclusivity, offering both students and professionals the opportunity to promote their best work on a global scale across 20 design disciplines.

Last year’s winners: https://designawards.core77.com/2025/
The regular entry deadline is 27 February 2026: https://designawards.core77.com/

The 2026 Innovation by Design Awards honor the designers and businesses solving the most crucial problems of today and anticipating the pressing issues of tomorrow. The competition, now in its fifteenth year, features a range of blue-chip companies, emerging startups, and hungry young talents. It is one of the world’s most sought-after design awards.

Last year’s winners: https://www.fastcompany.com/innovation-by-design/list
The preferred-rate entry deadline is 13 March 2026: https://www.fastcompany.com/apply/innovation-by-design

The Creativepool Annual prides itself as being the most innovative, inclusive and rewarding industry awards program. With free categories, juror feedback, and People’s Choice, The Annual proudly calls itself “The Most Award.”

Last year’s winners: https://creativepool.com/annual/2025/
The entry deadline is 23 April 2026: https://creativepool.com/annual/2026/

Since 1959, Communication Arts has published the best in visual communications from around the world, and the publication’s venerable Award of Excellence is one of the most coveted awards in the industry. Curated by a jury of leading design professionals, creators of works featured in the Communication Arts Design and Advertising Annuals are considered among the highest ranks of their professions worldwide.

Last year’s winners:
https://www.commarts.com/magazine/2025-design
https://www.commarts.com/magazine/2025-advertising
Design entries are due by 8 May, and Advertising entries are due by 26 June 2026: https://www.commarts.com/competitions

]]> Giving Season: Heroes 2025 https://up.darnellworks.com/2025/12/giving-season-heroes/ Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:02 +0000 https://up.darnellworks.com/?p=8161 Read moreGiving Season: Heroes 2025]]>

Together with my family, I am sending my warmest thoughts to many friends and colleagues worldwide, and feeling a lot of gratitude. I truly appreciate your help in sending daily clicks to https://GreaterGood.com, where our simple mouseclicks can benefit a number of vital causes each and every day.



I’m also especially thankful to the individuals behind my client companies Cutters Studios, Fivestone Studios, Sally Spiegel, and Hyperquake for their leadership and help in supporting the following heroic organizations.

  • The non-profit BeLoved Asheville was established in 2009 with the goal of ending homelessness, poverty, prejudice, and injustice. With the power of community at the heart of its mission, BeLoved embodies love in Asheville and beyond through its Homeless Voice empowerment project, Mutual Support Resource Center, Free Village Farmers Markets, Community Support, Rise Up Studio Art & Music Collective, Street Medic Team, Sanctuary, House Hunters, Grove St. Gardens, and Community-Driven Justice Campaigns. BeLoved promotes social and economic justice, and supports everyone’s rights to the fullness of life in partnership of numerous organizations.
  • The Feeding America network is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, working to connect people with food and end hunger. Donors, staff, and volunteers all play an important role in our efforts to end hunger in the United States.
  • Since 1998, Gobble Gobble Give has spent every Thanksgiving feeding the homeless directly. In major cities across America, this group assembles meals, clothing, and care kits for the homeless and its volunteers take these packages directly to the homeless and in-need.
]]> Take your best shot on 2 Dec., Giving Tuesday https://up.darnellworks.com/2025/11/unselfie/ Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:00:53 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=4383

Great things are shaping up, thanks to you and everyone else making plans to participate in the annual #GivingTuesday festivities. This movement began in 2012 as an organized effort dedicated to giving back. As a result, on Tuesday, 2 Dec., charities, families, businesses, community centers, students, and others all around the world will come together to celebrate generosity and to give.

Participation is simple. First, find some way for you, your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then, tell everyone what you’re doing. The results are sure to contribute to this important new tradition of generosity.

The official website is https://www.givingtuesday.org, and you can also follow this link to download the Social Media Toolkit offering tips on how best to leverage your network and social media sites for this most worthwhile opportunity to make the world better: https://www.givingtuesday.org/participate/

]]> Ready to Gobble Gobble Give? https://up.darnellworks.com/2025/11/gggive/ Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:00:05 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=4371

Each year, people all across America gather-up on Thanksgiving morning for a few hours to feed the homeless. Some of these efforts are organized by Gobble Gobble Give, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity where your vital donations are 100 percent tax-deductible. For their upcoming gatherings in Boston, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, NYC, Orange County, and San Diego, participants will bring their own dishes and prepare meals using all the food that comes in (and care packages, too). Then, everyone will hit the streets together to give it all away to homeless men, women, and children.

If you are available to get involved with the Gobble Gobble Give festivities this Thanksgiving, participation only takes a few hours, and it very well might change someone’s life, including yours.

Gobble Gobble Give started with one person in 1998, and for Thanksgiving Day 2025, groups in participating cities are set to unite in force, and cook and deliver countless meals. The organization’s earliest impacts were humble: only 28 meals were served the first year. In 2019, Gobble Gobble Give served over 33,000 meals!

To me, Gobble Gobble Give is a shining example of how communities can come together around important ideas to make the world a better place. To learn more about this organization and contribute, please visit https://www.gobblegobblegive.org.

]]> Veterans thank veterans https://up.darnellworks.com/2025/11/vets/ Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:00:26 +0000 http://www.darnellworks.com/up/?p=5556

In 2016, the U.S. Department of the Interior produced this presentation where 11 veterans honor all other veterans. This authentic testament powerfully expresses how all of us who have served the country feel about others who have done the same. For yours truly, it is a profound honor to lend my voice to theirs in expressing appreciation to all of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces:

Thank you.

Transcript: From veterans of the second world war to the war in Korea … from Vietnam War veterans to veterans of the Gulf War to all who served in Iraq and Afghanistan … to everyone who served in times of war and in times of peace … to every one of you who has worn our country’s uniform and protected our freedom: We honor your sacrifice and we thank you for your service on this Veterans Day, now and forever.

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