About a week ago I checked the mail at the studio to find a large, brown envelope from Cosmopolitan Magazine. I furrowed my brow trying to figure out what they might be sending me. No letter, no card, just a copy of their December issue. I didn’t think anything of it, so I put the magazine on my desk and went to editing photos and delivering work to clients.

A few hours later, I received an email from Nancy Chang (board chair and co-founder of Skate Like a Girl and executive director of Reel Grrls) letting me know she was featured in Cosmo and that they image they used was the head shot we made recently. So I went back to the magazine and thumbed through the pages to find her. Sure enough, there she is, on page 176. After reading the piece (nice work Cosmo) I looked at the spine and found my name right next to Getty Images.

Big ups to Nancy Chang for bringing your passion, creativity, and energy into the world in a way that helps young people develop and live into their dreams. I’m proud to have my work in the pages of such a highly circulated publication, but even more proud to be able to work alongside people like you who are making important things happen.

“YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING AND IT’S EASY—NOT TO BE dismissive about it—but it’s easy to say ‘Oh, that’s orange, that’s blue.’ But all those things are super specific. It’s like that particular orange has taken a hundred other oranges that are close to it to get to that particular orange.”

Another one from the #Seattle Municipal Archives Photo Collection. It's not all about labor. #blacklivesmatter because we also contribute as whole human beings to #arts and #culture, #philosophy, ways of thinking and being, #science, #education, etc. #seattlescenes #history #music

A photo posted by Michael B. Maine (@michaelbmaine) on Jun 27, 2015 at 5:38am PDT

Sometimes, when I write a blog post, I simply sit in front of my computer, open iA Writer, and tap away at the keys until it’s done. Other times I find myself locked away in a room with the computers turned off, the lights dimmed, the phone nowhere to be found, and instrumentals playing in the background. These are the times when I feel I have to put pen to paper and let my thoughts, feelings, and reflections flow through the ink. This is one of those times. There are so many thoughts I’d like to express and shout outs I’d like to give, but I’m going to do my best to keep it brief (especially after this relatively long introduction).

I’m generally secure in who I am. But every once in a while something happens makes me feel much more proud of a certain aspect of my identity. I mean truly proud. A few weeks ago I attended the inaugural Black Tech Week conference in Miami, Florida. I left the experience feeling unapologetically proud to be black—not unlike the first time I heard James Brown’s, “Say it Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud,” Stevie Wonder said “Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision,” or an elder says, “Hi family.”

I don’t normally enjoy conferences very much. I usually find myself trying to figure out what the real purpose is. That’s not to say I don’t find value in going, I just don’t normally like going very much. Something about Black Tech Week was different—a little more intentional and real than I’m used to. It was obvious (and I use that work sparingly) that Derrick, Felicia, and all those who came together to support this event held the participants in the high regard throughout the entire process. It seemed as though every decision made was in the interest in crating the maximum a amount of value for those in attendance as possible.

There is much to say, but I don’t intend to turn this into a review or comparative analysis by any means. If you would like to know more about the program and presenters please check out their website. The community is still very active and, between the participants, organizers, and speakers, there are tons of interesting, innovative, and inspiring people, projects, and organizations to look into and build meaningful relationships with—and it’s a very well-designed site.

Highlights and Takeaways

It felt really good to be surrounded by such an entrepreneurial, motivated, socially-engaged, and talented group of black people.

The technology sector has a reputation of excluding people of color and people who identify as women. It was good to see us are out there and making it happen.

There is no lack of talent in the black community.

At the end of the conference there was a day0long hackathon featuring teams of young people. The winning team was a group of five young, black women. Their idea is one that could potentially change local and global communication. This illustrates that there is not a lack of talent in communities underrepresented in tech, but that we need to focus on developing the skills and removing the institutional barriers preventing access.

We all need to work together.

Special shout out to Diane Freaney. She’s been serving as the CFO of For The Children, working alongside Ms. Reginale Durandisse for several years now for free. One of the things I respect the most about Diane Freaney is that she doesn’t do this work as charity, but because she truly believes in the inherent all people and that the unique talents, skills, and creative thinking of marginalized communities can help usher in the future she wants to exist.

There’s a lot already being done. Now it’s time to connect the dots.

One of the most impactful things on me was seeing how many people are already working to increase access to technology and to use it as a platform for economic and social empowerment and development. There were many people in the room with a very intimate understanding of the systemic issues and are actively working to address them. Within minutes of my arrival, I was already thinking about the people I know who would have a lot to offer and gain by being there. I’d love to see David Harris, Alma Lorraine Bone Constable, and a large number of youth be a part of this movement.

Okay, this is getting lengthy, so I’m going to go ahead and bring this to a close. Kudos to those who made Black Tech Week happen. I’m excited for all of the creations and connections that are emerging from this conference and I’m looking forward to next year. I’m saving the date for February 23, 2016.

Stacy Flynn

This year I’ve had the honor of spending more time with Stacy Flynn, creator of The Future Resource Collective and Evrnu. I’ve truly found her tenacity and resilience inspiring. 2014 was both a challenging and rewarding year for her. After putting just about all of her time, energy, and soul into bringing her concept to reality, she received first place in the SVP (Social Venture Partners) Fast Pitch in Seattle, presented at the Cradle-To-Cradle Conference in NYC, and ran a successful $25,000 Indiegogo campaign. Watch out for this one. She’s on a mission to change the apparel and manufacturing industries specifically, but aims to create processes that can change the way we fundamentally do business. I’m proud of you Stacy!

Stacy can be found online at:

As we embark on another year I wanted to provide a quick update. Below is the content from my most recent newsletter. Here's wishing the very best to you and yours as we reflect on last year and move forward into this one.

Professional

I am currently living in upstate, NY working on a contract with a consulting firm who does culture change through diversity and inclusion. We’ve been working together to do some interesting things with both large and small organizations, as well as in the community. The contract goes through February 4 and we’ll see where the journey goes from there. I’m excited to see what 2015 will bring.

Personal

On of July 10, 2014 My sister Jessica and her husband Michael II made me a very proud uncle after they brought Michael III into the world. After four months I met the nibbling (gender-neutral term for nephew/niece) over Thanksgiving. Uncle Michael loves you M3.

Current Projects

The pilot for the “Peace by Piece” empathy journaling project has officially launched. Five people have committed to serve as the initial beta group and all have received their journals. The purpose of this project is to allow people to take their time to share and reflect their inner thoughts, experiences, and feelings with others with whom they may not normally share time and space. I mail a journal to each person and ask them to fill the pages in whatever way suits them.

After 30 days I’ll email each participant a prepaid shipping label for them to return the journals. Then each person will receive somebody else’s journal along with a blank one. At this point, they will be asked to reflect on the other person’s entries for thirty days. Only after both journals have been returned will each person learn who they’ve been sharing with.

The pieces will be viewable online and I'll be working with various places to display them physically as well. If you're interested in participating, let me know and I'll send you a journal as well. Also, if you know anybody who might be interested, please feel free to share with them. I'm hoping to get enough feedback to modify the process, increase its effectiveness, grow the scale, and build series around various themes.

What I'm Reading

Big thanks to Dyana Valentine for sending me I Wanna Take Me a Picture by Alexanra Lightfoot and Wendy Ewald. I’m currently doing my first read-through and am enjoying how it’s making me think more critically about how I approach photography, visual literacy, and sharing in learning. Plus it’s just a fun read.

Another book I’m reading is To Be A Slave by Julius Lester. It’s a relatively short collection of first-hand accounts of slavery—actual stories from the actual slaves—not recreations. I’ve found it is difficult to read and while also providing me with a great sense of pride and hope. I've been losing a lot of sleep over what’s been going on around Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The events and our responses have given me a lot to think about. This book is one that reminds me just how resilient we can be. Plus it has inspired a project I hope to do in partnership with the African American Museum in Seattle.

Friend Brag

Nina Carduner

You may have seen the “100 Years of Beauty in 1 Minute” video around the Internet recently. It was a collaboration between some very talented women with a well-executed concept. What you may not have seen, though, is the person who takes center stage in the video, Nina Carduner, is not only a model, but holds her MBA from Bainbridge Graduate Institute, has been very involved in the startup and technology movement in the West Coast, and is currently working in sustainability efforts. Plus she’s a fun person to be around. Get it Nina! Congratulations!

Stacy Flynn

This year I’ve had the honor of spending more time with Stacy Flynn, creator of The Future Resource Collective and Evrnu. I’ve truly found her tenacity and resilience inspiring. 2014 was both a challenging and rewarding year for her. After putting just about all of her time, energy, and soul into bringing her concept to reality, she received first place in the SVP (Social Venture Partners) Fast Pitch in Seattle, presented at the Cradle-To-Cradle Conference in NYC, and ran a successful $25,000 Indiegogo campaign. Watch out for this one. She’s on a mission to change the apparel and manufacturing industries specifically, but aims to create processes that can change the way we fundamentally do business. I’m proud of you Stacy!

Free Photo

I promised that with each newsletter I’d be giving away a free download of one of my photographs. Here’s one that many have expressed interest in. I hope you enjoy. Download link is below.

Links From This Newsletter

• I Wanna Take Me a Picture

• To Be A Slave

• Nina - Carduner 100 Years of Beauty in 1 Minute

• Stacy Flynn - Future Resource Collective

• Free Photo - Seattle Boats

What's new in your world? Best wishes the beginning of your 2015!

Warmly,
Michael

You may have seen the “100 Years of Beauty in 1 Minute” video around the Internet recently. It was a collaboration between some very talented women with a well-executed concept. What you may not have seen, though, is the person who takes center stage in the video, Nina Carduner, is not only a model, but holds her MBA from Bainbridge Graduate Institute, has been very involved in the startup and technology movement in the West Coast, and is currently working in sustainability efforts. Plus she’s a fun person to be around. Get it Nina! Congratulations!

Nina can be found around the web at:

The original…

…and a remix.

It's very rare I take a day off from work. But on the second Friday out here, I was told that I should take the Friday off and go to Saratoga with some of the boss' friends and enjoy something I can't experience anywhere else. I'm glad I did. Not only did I have a great time, but it definitely provided some cool photo opportunities. Thanks for the hospitality and treating me like family Geno!

Links

• Panda Lab, Inc.
• The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group

“The times in my life I feel the worst are those times when I have not been true to myself, when I have not said what I think, feel ,or believe. That’s the time when I have betrayed myself, diminished my energy by confining my growth to keep myself small.”

Roughly ten years ago I packed a duffle bag and my minidisc player (remember those?) and set out for an experience that quite literally opened my eyes to an entirely new world. That was the summer I spent in beautiful Guanajuato, México with a family I had never before known.

I lived with this family for six weeks—a six weeks that was extremely important for me for several reasons. Yes, it was great to be able to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Spanish where Spanish is the official language. Yes it was also wonderful to be able to witness the arts, culture, and food firsthand. But, most importantly it was an experience that allowed for me to get to know some of the people and for them to get to know me. That was the moment we stopped knowing of each other and actually began knowing each other.

These personal interactions and exchanges helped me develop a much deeper appreciation for, and understanding of, the possibilities that are created when geographical, emotional, social, and ideological barriers are deconstructed. It affected my outlook on life and made me realize how the world can be both a large and small place simultaneously. My curiosity in various cultures and places grew as did my ability to hold in reverence both the differences and similarities among people. This has played a major role in the way I approach issues and opportunities today and has truly helped me become a better global citizen.

In my opinion, the ability to study abroad, learn within diversity, and explore one's curiosity are essential opportunities that should not be denied to individuals based on a any person's ability to pay. It's not only about visiting new places—it's about the chance to develop as a human being, follower, leader, and more informed, compassionate, aware, and empathetic member of society. OneWorld Now! is doing their part to make this a reality—at least in the Seattle area.

The first time I saw Kristin Hayden, I was photographing the 2012 Women in Innovation Summit in Seattle, WA. When she stepped out on stage to present, I was immediately taken by her impeccable sense of style and beautiful shoes, and thought, "I must meet this person." Equally, if not more, impressive is what she and her team at OneWorld Now! are doing with young people in the Seattle Area. Imagine a program that not only provides study abroad programs, but also provides an opportunity to learn language, cultural, and leadership skills in order to prepare them to fully participate and thrive in an experience that can change their lives forever.

Spending time with the folks over at OneWorld Now! has been very rewarding. Several things really stood out to me about this organization. The first is that they have a strong sense of mission. Secondly, all of these opportunities are focused on low-income and minority youth who have historically had the least access to study abroad and leadership development.

They are very welcoming

The offices of OneWorld Now! might be among the warmest and most inviting of any I've ever visited. Everyone is always greeted with a smile, the doors are never locked, and the staff take a genuine interest in their visitors. Kristin Hayden says, "We always keep our doors open. We want our students to feel like they are welcome when they arrive early. We never want them to feel like they're in the way." Over the week I spent with them, students often arrived up to an hour and a half early to their language classes (either offered at their school or at Impact HUB Seattle) and spent their time talking amongst each other, doing homework, or practicing their foreign language skills.

They teach Arabic and Chinese

These two languages are becoming increasingly significant within business, social, environmental, and ecological movements. Now a student at the University of Washington, Philmon Haile has parlayed his training into some really tremendous opportunities such as studying abroad and working in the US Embassy in China. Haile is the type of young man who has a strong yet humble presence. He's very easy to be around and his natural ability to recognize the gifts inherent in each individual. He was recently mentioned by First Lady Michelle Obama when talking about the positive things that happen when, as a nation, we invest in our youth. In this speech Ms. Obama states, "So studying abroad isn't just a fun way to spend a semester. It is quickly becoming the key to success in today's global economy…it's about having real experiences with cultures beyond your borders."

The students understand the value

The youth who take part in this program are both very excited about and very committed to making their experiences learning about various cultures, languages, and leadership. When asked what their favorite part of the program was, most said that traveling was the single-most fun part. But when asked to explain what they really enjoyed the most about the travel, terms like friendships, understanding, growth, leadership, potential, life-changing, making a difference, and respect came up repeatedly

Also, I love music. Soul, R&B, jazz, and blues can get me through just about any day. When I made this photograph, this is the song that came into mind, which reminded me of my Dad spinning the turntables as we did our Saturday morning chores.

However, there are many reasons you might not want your information being broadcasted every time you make an update. Perhaps, you're trying to update your profile to prepare for new opportunities. Maybe you're simply updating your profile in stages and don't want to show up in multiple emails as you make periodic updates. It might be something altogether different. Recently a friend simply changed the title of her current job to better describe what she does and I received an email telling me I should congratulate her on her new position. More than a few people have said, "Thanks, but I didn't know Linkedin sent out a message. I didn't want anybody to know. Thanks for letting me know you saw it. Do you know how I can stop that from happening?"

By default, Linkedin broadcasts your updates. However, there in a few steps you can change your preferences to stop that from happening. After being asked more than a few times, I thought I'd put together this brief tutorial complete with screenshots. I hope this is helpful for you. I've highlighted the click points in yellow.

Step 1: Login to Linkedin and then hover your mouse over your profile icon in the top left of the page.

Step 2: Click on "Privacy and Settings" from the drop down menu.

Step 3: Click on "Turn on/off your activity broadcasts."

Step 4: Uncheck the box and save changes. 

That's it. I hope that was helpful. Let me know if you have any questions at @michaelbmaine on Twitter.