The LatinConnect Blog

Jaime Salm and the Simplicity of Sustainable Design

admin — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:17:06 +0000

Creative Director Jaime Salm of MIO, a sustainable design lab based in Philadelphia, is living proof that the "trend" of green living is more factually a deeply rooted lifestyle. As designer, researcher, and manufacturer, he fills his days inventing feasible ways to merge the concepts of environmental utility to every day practicality. Jaime and his co-founder/brother, Isaac, focus on projects that develop wares which are easily recycled, shipped, disposed, and dissembled. Some of these products to date include wallpaper, lighting, shelving, and flooring, with tables and seating in the pipeline of developed products. Growing up with a hankering to tinker with objects around the house, Jaime never really foresaw that this everyday past time would become his sustaining career; but with business booming monthly, the pieces are in place for many professional sucesses to come. For more information on Jaime Salm, read on in this week's The Latin Connect to learn how MIO makes green design accessible, affordable, and fun!

Company

MIO, also known as Mioculture or MIO Culture

Founded

Summer 2001

Website

www.mioculture.com

Name

Jaime Salm
Creative Director

Age

Hometown

Medellin, Colombia

Current residence

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Education

University of the Arts
B.S. in Industrial Design
(2001)

Work Experience

MIO
Founder
2001

Ethnicity

Colombian

About the company

MIO is a design lab dedicated to creating the most sustainable, innovative and accessible design available today.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I am the creative director and lead designer, which means I develop the design briefs and work on them as well. This includes everything from sourcing manufacturers, to brainstorming, researching, sketching and testing designs out. It changes constantly and requires me to be on my toes all the time.

Most notable milestones

Having our PaperForms included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonians Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

Getting an Award for the Best Collection at the New York International Gift Fair.

What's the niche?

We have the most affordable and progressive collection of sustainable contemporary wares in the market and we are constantly re-thinking how sustainability can positively affect the market. We are leaders and we lead by example.

What's the biggest challenge as a sustainable designer?

I don't believe being sustainable is a challenge. I think sustainability is one of the most productive constraints imaginable in design. I guess the challenge is achieving simple, elegant, practical and lasting solutions within this incredible framework of human and natural interdependence.

What's in store for the future?

We are rapidly growing in offerings and expanding our presence beyond the US. We will keep growing and re-defining sustainability and sustainable design.

What are some projects you are working on?

We are working on some furniture pieces at the moment. They will be introduced soon. This is a very important category that we have been investigating for a while now.

What inspires a new idea or the creation of a new product?

New ideas are generated from research into materials, processes and behaviors primarily. I research materials and processes constantly but more recently we have been looking at our customers as a road map to success. The best questions and answers can be found in our customers. All we have to do is ask the right questions and observe.

Best way to keep a competitive edge

Never stop asking "Why?"

Never get too comfortable. I believe too much comfort will hamper creativity.

Guiding principle in life

Live and enjoy one day at a time.

Yardstick of success

Happiness is what motivates me. What I do and believe makes me very happy.

Goal yet to be achieved

I don't keep a list of goals, this way I can constantly dream and explore. I want MIO to become a very respected and well-known company for its commitment to the environment, society and for its design.

Best practical advice

Be very persistent and truly love what you do. Don't let the doubts of others discourage you.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

They have always been encouraging and supporting so it is hard to just pick a few words. I think that their patience and love speaks louder than any words they have ever spoken. I am very lucky and am grateful to know it.

Mentors?

When I was younger I had a mentor in Colombia. His name is Gabriel Jaime Londono. He is truly a renaissance man and possesses a very open and generous mind. Artistically speaking, I learned a lot from him.

All of my teachers and my parents have also been quite influential. I believe that a good education both at home and in school is really something life-changing. The important thing is to really be willing to learn, that way everything and everyone has something to teach.

What motivated you to get started designing, and ultimately starting your own company?

I have always been a "tinkerer" in one form or another. I started when I was very young with art classes of all sorts and it slowly progressed into a passion for the arts and more informal training before college. Right before college, I was interested in abstract sculpture. I was working with materials found in junkyards. I was looking at the work of David Smith back then and was fascinated with finding my own method of producing art. When I went to school all these ideas and training came into focus as I was beginning to deal with the "human" constraints of design. I have always been very independent, passionate and persistent and all of those years working as an artist made me into the designer that I am today.

Like best about what you do?

Having to re-consider what I do often. I like to ask questions and solve problems. Even when a design is complete I am already thinking of what we can do to improve it in some way. I am very concerned with the "other part of design", the part that takes place in the customers home or office, once something has been purchased. How is it assembled, used, discarded, recycled, handed down, etc, the part we rarely get to see as designers.

Like least about what you do?

I regard the more tedious parts of my job as necessary tasks that need to be accomplished in order to move towards important objectives. I don't like cleaning up after people or organizing stuff, but if it is necessary I will do it.

Why did you choose to pursue a sustainable business philosophy?

Because it became clear to me that sustainability is about common sense. Reducing our impact and contributing to a balanced relationship between the environment and society is not a fashion statement or a trend. I see it as a rational social and economic investment in the long term. Those who see it as a trend do not understand that sustainability is a long term investment in our way of life.

What was the first product you designed and made? Who was it for?

The first product I designed, manufactured and sold was my thesis.

Here is the link: www.fibrid.com

We were interested in matching Philadelphia's paper waste stream and infrastructure with students housing cycles and their transitional lifestyles.

Who or what has inspried you as a designer and an entrepreneur?

Every day I read about people and companies who are working towards sustainable goals and achieving a balance between business and ethics, nature and industry, technology and people and I realize that we are moving forward. I know that sometimes the world looks bleak and that the outcome is uncertain, but when I see what we are all capable of when we decide to change I am in awe and inspired.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I don't remember. I have good visual memory but that is about it.

What was your first job?

My first job was as an intern at Material ConneXion. It is a material research library in New York City. They like to describe themselves as "a material petting zoo" for creative people. It was an incredible opportunity and it fueled my interest in materials, processes and sustainability.

Biggest pastime outside of work

I like to jog and ride my road bike. I am also a big fan of the grill. Some of my bachelor specials are questionable but they are still fun culinary experiments.

Person most interested in meeting?

Noam Chomsky. I think it would be enriching to have a cup of coffee with him.

Leader in business most interested in meeting?

I would love to meet Sir Richard Branson and Ingvar Kamprad. I think they are inspiring, daring, and I bet quite fun.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I ride my bicycle everywhere.
I am a bit of a chocoholic. I try to eat at least two chocolate chip cookies a day or the equivalent in sugar.
I have more energy than anybody I know even when I don't eat the cookies.

Three characteristics that describe you

Passionate
Adaptable
Persistent

Three greatest passions

Life
Family
Design

Favorite book

One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Favorite cause

I have lots of causes that I believe in and support. It would be hard to even make a list of favorites.

How are you and your compnay involved within your local community?

We are engaged with our community by helping keeping jobs local and by designing for the environment. We are also very involved in promoting the work of young local designers as a vehicle for change in our city.

On a personal level simple things like giving blood, buying local and recycling have a huge impact.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
– Andy Warhol

Who would you like to be contacted by?

We are open to everyone. We believe anyone who wants to contribute to our goals should at least be heard. Being open minded is very important in design.

Credits

Interview by Victor Corral
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Mary Castillo Writing Her Own Path

admin — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:11:01 +0000

Failing Chemistry never ended so well. Mary Castillo was a second year pre-med student at USC when things began unraveling. During a trip to Sedona, for Spring Break, she walked into a gift shop and picked up a Storyteller Doll. Mary knew in that moment that the goal she was working towards was not her true dream. She realized that her plan of becoming a doctor, making lots of money, and retiring early to write, would not work for her. Instead, she decided that she would have to take a risk and follow her passion in writing, a chance that paid off. To date, she has written five books and continues to write every other day for eight hours. To learn more about Mary and her life as a writer read on in this week's Young & Professional profile.

Company

Freelance writer and novelist
Books published by HarperCollins Avon
Articles have been featured in Tu Ciudad magazine.

Founded

June 2004

Website

www.marycastillo.com

Name

Mary Castillo
Novelist

Age

Hometown

National City, California

Current residence

Newport Beach, California

Education

University of Southern California
History
(1996)

Work Experience

Los Angeles Times
Fuse Interactive

Ethnicity

Mexican American

Tell us about your books (genre, topics, etc)

I write about the modern Latina woman. She might be a stay-at-home mom who wonders what she'll do with her life after her little one goes to school, or a hard-driving entrepreneur. I've written about single moms, mama's girls and wannabe Hollywood producers.

Some of the books I've written:

"Hot Tamara:"
Tamara Contreras will never again settle for unmemorable sex. Her long-time boyfriend may look perfect to her traditional Mexican American parents – something Tamara never has been – but at twenty-six she wants more from life than marriage and motherhood. So in front of everyone, Tamara does the unthinkable: She turns down her boyfriend's unexpected marriage proposal and leaves home for LA.

Tamara thinks she's got the single girl-in-the-city thing down, until she runs into Will Benavides, the former high school bad boy turned firefighter. If Tamara's parents had known how Will lit up her teenage fantasies, she'd have been shipped off to the nuns for sure! Now Will wants to make those fantasies come true permanently.

When an unexpected opportunity lands in her lap and Tamara has to choose between the career and the man of her dreams, she wonders if maybe la familia was right after all...

"Switchcraft"
There's a reason why shoes don't come in one-size-fits all!

Best friends since back in the day, Aggie and Nely are as different as two women could possibly be. Aggie's slim and stylish, owns an upscale boutique and a long history of no-strings relationships. Nely has a busy baby, a metiche mother-in-law, and some extra post-pregnancy pounds she can't quite shed. And when they take a trip to a New Age spa, each friend finds herself wishing just a little that she had the other one's life.

Big mistake!

Thanks to the metaphysical meddling of a somewhat grumpy guru, Nely is now Aggie and Aggie is Nely – switching bodies, love lives, families, closets…everything! The grass may not be quite as green as the other originally appeared. As luck has it, they'll be stuck this way until the next full moon! And with a husband, his very suspicious mama, a temperamental tot, a business on the brink of disaster, and a sort-of boyfriend – not to mention a sleazy stalker – thrown into the mix, Aggie and Nely suddenly find they're not just walking in each other's shoes… they're running!

What is a typical day like for you?

I'm up when my Little Dude wakes up, which is usually before the sun rises! I write every other day for eight hours. It's a job that I take very seriously. My goal is to write 20 pages, new or revised, every day. On good days I surpass that goal. On not so good days, I'll get in five.

Most notable milestones

I published my first book before I turned thirty and then became a mom! It's amazing to me that I have five books in the stores. Some times I still feel like the struggling writer trying to get her little toe through the door!

What's the niche?

I look at life with a sense of humor. I don't take myself too seriously and I don't let my characters do so, either. Hey, life is too short and frankly, if you want stories where the characters die or meet horrible tragedy, you can get that by turning on the nightly news.

What was the first thing you wrote?

An ok screenplay called, "Blank Canvas." Unwittingly, my characters were Latinos including the heroine who was a missing persons detective with LAPD. I remember my screenwriting professor advising me to take out the Latinos and make them generic because "there were no Mexicans in Hollywood who could play those roles. " He was right. In 1994 we hadn't yet seen the likes of Rosario Dawson, Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes or America Ferrera. But I kept them and got an A- minus versus an A!

What themes do you like to explore in your work?

My first three books are about courage. The courage to go after a dream or to completely embrace who you are. The last two have been about selflessness.

What message are you trying to convey with your writing?

Well, I don't consciously sit down to throw messages at my readers. I think they evolve from what's happening in my life. Also, each individual reader is going to take something different.

What's the biggest challenge?

To not get caught up in the business side of publishing. I can't be at every single bookstore and convince every reader who walks in to buy my book. The only thing I can control or try to, is to write the best book possible.

What's in store for the future? Are you working on anything right now?

I'm working on a ghost story and a story about a young woman whose father is a famous mariachi. That's all I'll say for now.

How do you stay inspired to write?

I write. Some people will tell you that you have to burn incense or go for a walk but truly, you have to write.

Guiding principle in life

Discipline protects the talent. Am I a typical Capricorn, or what?

Yardstick of success

The emails from my readers. They let me know when I've touched them, whether I've made them happy or pissed them off. My favorite Amazon.com reviews are the fives and the ones. Love me or hate me; all I want is a reaction.

Goal yet to be achieved

To see one of my books made into a movie or TV show. That would be awesome!

Best practical advice

Failure is inevitable. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's great because that is where you learn what you're made of. And if you're a writer, failure brings you great material to work with!

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

My Grandma Margie told me that the best job in the world is an author's. I remember she said that authors can work where they want and wear what they want while they work. I was ten and I thought that seemed like a great idea to me.

When my husband read the first draft of my first book, "Hot Tamara," he told me, "You did it. This is the one. This is the one that's going to sell." A year later, he was proved correct!

Mentor?

My first writing teacher, Ben Masselink was the one who gave me the courage to keep going. He once took me aside and pointed to my assignment and said, "You've got something here, Mary. Keep going."

What motivated you to get started?

I was in the my second year at USC and failed Chemistry. I had this crazy idea of becoming a doctor, making tons of money and then retiring early so I could write novels. Did I mention that I'm terrible at math and science? Well, I went to Sedona for spring break and we walked into a gift store where they sold Storyteller dolls. When I held one, I knew that's what I had to do. I couldn't play it safe, nor could I be something I wasn't. I was a storyteller and from that day on, I committed myself to writing. The storyteller figurine from that store still sits on my desk.

Like best about what you do?

I love that the people in my stories get happy endings. We don't see that in real life.

Like least about what you do?

The thing that I like least about what I do is not always getting to play with my son. Some times he just wants a few minutes and of course, I'm deep into a scene or in the middle of a business call and I can't.

What authors do you think influenced you the most?

Victor Villasenor was the first Latino author I'd read. I didn't know that Mexicans like me wrote books! From there, I read everything by Isabel Allende. I wanted to be just like her but I had to find the courage to write with my own voice and not imitate her.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A member of the Go-Go's.

What was your first job?

I sold movies at the Suncoast Motion Picture Company.

Biggest pastime outside of work

Gardening

Person most interested in meeting?

The Dalai Lama, although I don't know what I'd say to him. I'd be terrified and yet, I'd like to look into his eyes and say thank you for his teachings.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I grew up in a haunted house.
I went to Salem, MA for my honeymoon.
My favorite holiday is Halloween ... do you see a trend, here?

Three characteristics that describe you

Determined
Shy
Loyal

Three greatest passions

My son
My husband
My books

Favorite book

Of all time? Yikes! I have so many. Hmmm. I would say that the book that inspired me to become a writer was "Rain of Gold" by Victor Villasenor. That was a very influential book.

Favorite cause

Project Reina is a developing nonprofit that seeks to educate African American and Hispanic women from the ages of 13 to 25 about HIV. These groups of women is the fastest growing population of AIDS cases in the US.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

There is always going to be someone who will tell you no. They'll either tell you that you can't do this or you're not smart enough or not "the right person." If you really want something, ignore them and figure out a way to get what it is that you want. Or else, you'll regret it and regret is acid to the soul.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Readers, film producers (hey, you never know) and reporters who want to know about Chica lit.

Credits

Interview by Victor Corral
Introduction by Sabine Alam
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Project Cuddle: Giving Every Baby A Chance At Life

admin — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:31:03 +0000

At age 21, Michelle Landin is making her life count. She's part of a team at Project Cuddle, an organization that provides pregnant women in crisis help, advice, encouragement, and a friend. The goal of the organization is stop baby abandonment, and it does this through its various awareness programs. Michelle started at Project Cuddle as part of a volunteer assignment for school. She fell in love with the group and even after she completed her assignment she wanted to continue to do more. Michelle's desire to be a part of such an organization comes from her upbringing and specifically some wise words from her mother "leave things better than how you found them." To read more about Michelle and Project Cuddle read on in this week's Non-Profit spotlight .

Name of Organization

Project Cuddle

Founded

August 1996

Website

projectcuddle.org

Name

Michelle Landin
Administrative Assistant

Age

Hometown

Livermore, California

Current residence

Costa Mesa, California

Education

Vanguard University
Sociology Major
2008

Work Experience

Project Cuddle Inc.
Administrative Assistant
2007- present

Pleasanton Unified School District
Childcare Provider
2006-2006

Sunset Community School Aged Program
Teacher's Aide
2003-2005

Ethnicity

Latina

Tell us how Project Cuddle and how it affects the Latino community

Project Cuddle began in 1996 when a suburban house wife got fed up with reading the many articles of baby abandonment. She started by opening a 24 hour crisis hotline in which pregnant women can call for help, advice, encouragement, and a friend. Project Cuddle provides women in crisis with resources and legal alternatives to the abandonment of their babies. We have within our system, birth mothers of every class, race, age and ethnicity. We try to inform our community in regards to both the Safe Surrender Laws and the Project Cuddle services. In order to reach the Latin community, we have a completely Spanish hotline, as well as bilingual posters and informational brochures.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I assign volunteers and interns to their daily tasks. I manage emails and phone messages. Since we are a national organization we get responses from volunteers and Rescue Families all across the United States as well as in Canada. I attend to Crisis Cases by organizing, updating, and inputting them into our files. I assign volunteers to Crisis Cases, as well as coordinate with volunteers their needed supplies to inform their local community.

Most notable milestones

August 1996- Project Cuddle hotline opened Apprx. 2005- John Stamos is announced as Project Cuddle's spokesperson August 2006- 10 year anniversary of Project Cuddle May 2007- baby 600 saved

What's the niche?

We have rescue families on file as a resource for the birth mothers if they decide to put their baby up for adoption. We are not a facilitator or an adoption agency; we are a charity and therefore do not charge anything for our services. We are run solely on private and corporate donations and grants. We also run a completely confidential hotline.

What's the biggest challenge for your organization?

Our biggest challenge is informing the nation that there are alternatives to the abandonment of babies and we are here to be a resource for them.

What's in store for the future?

As Project Cuddle grows we hope to assign one volunteer in each state to be coordinator of our program in their area. We also hope to expand in such a way that we can have enough office staff to manage the the growing number of incoming cases. As for the near future, we have several upcoming events: Feburary 23rd we will host our annual Dinner by the Bay. This event is one of our most popular, as guests are encouraged to dress in a festive, Hawaiian theme. There is live music, silent auctions, and a good time for all. Tickets sell fast so I would suggest keeping an eye out on our web site for more information. May 24th will hold our second annual Flip Flop Formal. This event has a dress code in which guests are asked to wear formals with flip flops. This event is one of my personal favorites because I can enjoy the fun of getting dressed up and stepping out of my everyday clothes without the pain of wearing the corresponding shoes. Again, I would suggest checking our website for future information on this one!

We notice your organization has celebrity endorsement. How much support does Project Cuddle get through those individuals?

As many know, John Stamos is our spokesperson. He is a wonderful man with a big heart and has helped our organization tremendously through his support. Through his efforts we have received national recognition and many new cases. John has been involved since the very beginning and continues to take a great interest in Project Cuddle's endeavors.

Whats the best way to keep a competitive edge in your field?

We are not competing if others can establish a better way of saving these infant's lives please continue.

Do you have a guiding principle in life?

No baby deserves to die before having a chance to live.

How do you define success in your field?

We take each day one at a time; each case as though it were the first and therefore, each saved baby, each birth mother who was given hope, each hour the hotline is open is a success.

Any goal yet to be achieved?

To stop baby abandonment all-together. The only way to stop society's issue of infanticide is to see the problem individually. If we stop seeing the problem tacitly and start viewing it focally, we may experience a sense of empathy and obligation. If we discard ignorance and begin educating people of the consequences of idealistic ideologies, we can start changing. I'm sad to say that this is not a problem that can, nor will, be resolved through a series of laws; it will have to change through the thought process of society's citizens and our sense of obligation to each other.

Best practical advice you can offer our readers

There is hope. There are alternatives to the abandonment of babies. There are people and resources willing to help mothers in need.

What are some of the supportive words that you have received from a family member or friend on your venture?

I grew up on my mother's words: Leave things better than how you found it. Whether this meant cleaning the kitchen after I cooked a meal or leaving this world better than when I entered it, I will hold dear her words for as long as I live. My favorite professor once told me, "no matter what you do, or how often you fail, I will never lose the faith that I have in you." These words hit me when I had almost lost faith in myself and so I held onto them as tightly as I could because I figured, if this man of great theological intelligence can faith in me, I should be fine.

Mentors

I believe I have had many mentors through out my life. I have learned such life lessons as: "do things right the first time and you won't have to do it again" and "when you start something, complete it" from my mother. My father taught me to sustain integrity. "Once you lose your integrity in someone's eyes, you can never fully attain it again." My grandfather taught me to be independent but not afraid of interdependence because we were not put on this earth isolated and alone but given a purpose of community and relationship.

Debbe Magunsen(Founder), John Stamos(Spokesperson), Frank Lozano(Board Member) & 6 Rescue Babies

What motivated you to get started? Did your background/upbringing contribute to this?

I suppose you can say my upbringing got me started in this field but I first became a volunteer for Project Cuddle through a requirement for my major. I fell in love with what I was doing and couldn't stop even after I had achieved the required hours for the assignment. Life shouldn't be about wealth, power, prestige. It should exceed the expectations of society and embrace the needs of its people.

What do you like best about what you do?

I love that everyday I make a difference; I am directly affecting the world that I live in for the better. Now I'm not saying that I personally save each baby but I am saying that it feels great to be a part of a program that gives hope. What else can I ask for? In a sense, we are leaving a legacy for those involved, whether for the birth mother who had decided to keep their baby because of Project Cuddle's assistance or the rescue family that will forever be changed by the inclusion of a child.

What do you like least about what you do?

At times, it can be draining especially because we receive these cases when people have no hope, when times are at their worst, and the life of a child seems to lack value. We have to face those cases in which mothers hate their children, the babies are products of rape, and fourteen year old soon-to-be-mothers are hiding their pregnancy from those they love. But that is what we are here for.

In your opinion, why is Project Cuddle's form of outreach so important?

Project Cuddle's form of outreach is important because life is important. A few months ago I met a girl who was saved through Project Cuddle's program. She now has hopes and dreams that did not stop at the bottom of a trash can in a park.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think I wanted to be a lawyer. I don't think I wanted to be a lawyer because I wanted to make a difference in the world or I wanted to study law but because I thought I would look cool walking into a court room.

What was your first job?

Technically, my first job was as a cashier in my father's golf retail shop. I also helped him make custom clubs.

What is your biggest pastime outside of work? Favorite hobby?

I love to read. I also enjoy watching movies but I think my favorite activity is hanging out with the Frambly, a close group of friends.

Name a person you are most interested in meeting and why?

I feel as though this questions holds a bit of finality as though when I answer this question, I can't meet anyone else, ever. I like meeting people who are real; who are not afraid to wear their faults on their sleeve and don't try to hide it with the most up and coming technology.

Name a Leader in business you are most interested in meeting and why?

To me, people are people. But to society, power, wealth, and prestige is a major factor of what gets done and what starts change. If I can meet the a man of wealth, such as Donald Trump, and get him to donate even $10 to our organization, I can't help but deem that a success.

Please share three interesting facts about yourself

1. I have an identical twin sister.
2. When stressed, I have to either clean or walk around bare foot.
3. I love the elderly and hope to one day become a gerontologist.

Please share three characteristics that describe you

1. A Lady
2. Intelligent
3. Friendly

What are three of your greatest passions and how do they drive you?

1. I love to learn because I hate the feeling of being ignorant on important issues.
2. I love people and even though they let you down at times, being with them is the most rewarding.
3. Success, and not in the way society deems success but by achieving and accomplishing the goals that I have set for my own life.

What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie would have to be Princess Bride because it has made me smile since I was a little girl.

Besides the work you do with Project Cuddle; what is your favorite cause?

I don't think I have a favorite cause including Project Cuddle. I feel that by choosing one cause over another would suggest that it is more important but in truth, they are each important, necessary, and essential.

If you had one wish for the world, what would it be?

My wish would to end inequality, within gender, ethnicity, age, and class. Imagine the difference that would create. Although the fundamentalists view the "lower class" as essential for the stability of our economy, I believe that if we synergize, we can find an alternative to the oppression of our own people. Why must there be hierarchy? If the ancient biblical traditions can participate in a seventh year Jubilee in which everyone was forgiven of their debts and all land was given back so no one possessed it entirely forever, why can't we adopt a mutation of the sort?

If you could be contacted by anyone, who would you like to be contacted by?

I suppose I would like to be contacted by anyone with an interest in helping to expand the mission of Project Cuddle.

Credits

Interview by Alexander Grant
Introduction by Sabine Alam
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Vostu.com CEO Daniel Kafie’s Lead in Social Networking

admin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:52:47 +0000

Think of a few networking sites you have registered for - whether for dating, professional, or entertainment purposes. The accessibility to join any e-group is beyond comprehension, and for as popular as this trend has become just among your circle of friends alone, think about how many more people around the world are jumping at this phenomenon too. As millions of internet users prop themselves up in front of the screen at home and millions more pour into internet cafes, many people are choosing with great selectivity which networking site - specifically which social networking site - suits them best. For Daniel Kafie, Chief Executive Officer of Vostu.com, he made the selection process easy by designing Vostu specifically for Latin Americans both local and abroad. In 2006, this 24-year-old Harvard MBA found a market relatively untapped and leapt forward to create one of the strongest Latino-centered websites with mounting numbers of hits and registered users daily. Working to expand the user base, Daniel leads a 30 person team to keep up with his speed of light successes and continual opportunities to enhance client services. For more information on Daniel and Vostu.com, read more in this week's The LatinConnect to learn about your newest social networking site.

Founded

2006

Company

Vostu.com

Website

www.vostu.com

Name

Daniel Kafie
CEO

Age

Hometown

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Current residence

Miami, Florida
Palo Alto, California

Education

Harvard Business School
MBA

Harvard College
BA

Work Experience

Postcash/IDT Capital
Summer Associate
2006

Polaris Venture Partners
Summer Associate
2005

Credit Suisse First Boston
Summer Analyst
2004

Ethnicity

Latin American: Honduran

About the company

Vostu is a social network that connects existing communities in Latin America through a single media and content platform. It is the first network built by Latin Americans for Latin Americans.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Improving the product, building the community (marketing), and managing the company on a macro level.

Most notable milestones

We launched a few months back and have been growing our presence in the largest countries in the region (i.e. Mexico, Argentina, Peru). Today, we have 30+ people on the ground who are helping us build the online community.

What's the niche?

The niche is specifically Latin American youth, i.e. high school and college students who spend just as much time online as do those in the U.S. With broadband penetration rates skyrocketing in the region, we hope this niche expands not only in age but also socio-economic breadth.

What's the biggest challenge?

Evangelizing on a new concept – a Pan-Latin American media platform. Most people identify more readily with their immediate communities – i.e. People in Monterrey see themselves as "norteños” and would rather connect with people within their own community rather than someone in Buenos Aires. The real challenge for us is in striking a balance between having very localized networks but that have enough of a continental appeal for anyone else in the region – i.e. I can be part of a high school social network but if I want to connect with someone in another country I can do so. Anyone can launch a social network – few can understand the cultural and national subtleties that make this region so unique and important in the years to come from a consumer internet standpoint.

What's in store for the future?

An exciting new platform launch. Expect a Vostu 3.0 sometime around the middle of July.

Best way to keep a competitive edge

Always think locally but act globally. We're not another Facebook clone (i.e. Estudiln.net, Nosuni), we're actually trying to build a Latin American media company. At the end of the day, it's all about the people. Our team understands the market, the local needs, and is agile enough to respond to any changing conditions that might affect our overall strategy.

Guiding principle in life

Being passionate about what you're doing and being able to drive value by harnessing that kind of energy is really powerful. I'm inspired by my work as CEO of Vostu because building a media and communications platform for Latin America has always been a dream of mine. If I can have an impact, even at a minuscule level, then it will have all been worthwhile.

Yardstick of success

A lot of what I've already mentioned – in a nutshell – having an impact on the region through thought-leadership. When Vostu and "Che" are seen as Latin American icons.

Goal yet to be achieved

Improved product (to be launched soon), aggressive market penetration, getting to scale.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

"You're not here because you want to be cash or king, you're here to follow a dream."

Mentors?

My parents have been supporting me since the beginning, Mario (Vostu's CTO): he and I both complement and challenge each other in a very powerful way. HBS Professors have really been instrumental in advising us and driving value, Professor Sahlman in particular.

What motivated you to get started?

I saw the market opportunity, the challenge, and coupled that with a desire to build something.

Like best about what you do?

Working with people that inspire me

Like least about what you do?

Startup life can be taxing on your personal life.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An actor

What was your first job?

Store clerk for a Hallmark shop in Honduras.

Biggest pastime outside of work

DJ, I'm a big fan of house music.

Person most interested in meeting?

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, in my opinion, he understands the Latin American dream better than anyone else in the region.

Leader in business most interested in meeting and why?

Carlos Slim, he is most successful entrepreneur in Latin America.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I speak five languages.
I played the piano for seven years.
I started my own youth-focused humanitarian organization when I was 16.

Three characteristics that describe you

Patient
Thoughtful
Charismatic

Three greatest passions

Media
The environment (renewable energy)
Helping people

Favorite book

"The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Favorite cause

The environment, I want to become more involved with renewable energy projects.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Latin American PR agencies, media companies, local web designers, high school and college students in Latin American who want to be our campus reps!

Credits

Interview by Marcela Gutierrez
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

18-Year-Old Director of Reality Changers Helps Youth Reach for the Stars

admin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:44:05 +0000

Directing the faith-based and university-focused educational organization Reality Changers, Cecelia Villegas (age 18) fills her days developing learning tutorials for teens, outreach projects, and speaking engagements. She works with inner city youth in and around San Diego, California, to build their academic and community service resumes and also to engage them in activities not associated with inner city life such as gang and drug involvement. Cecelia says that while her hours are filled either focusing on Reality Changers or on her full school schedule at Point Loma Nazarene University, there is absolutely no bad part to her day or her responsibilities as Site Director. In guiding her teens through new SAT vocabulary or the university application process, she says the time is consuming and obstacles are many, but she is helping to mold hundreds of first generation college students become community leaders and future mentors. Learn more about Reality Changers and the successes Cecelia Villegas is helping to build in this week's The LatinConnect.

Non-profit

Reality Changers

When was it founded?

The City Heights Location was founded October 2006.

Website

www.realitychangers.org

Name

Cecelia Villegas
City Heights Reality Changers Director

Age

Hometown

San Diego, California

Current residence

San Diego, California

Education

Point Loma Nazarene University
(presently attending)

Patrick Henry High School
High School Diploma
(2007)

Work Experience

JC Penney's
Sales Associate
2007-Present

Ethnicity

Mexican

Tell us about the non-profit: How does it help the Latino Community?

Reality Changers is a non-profit organization that helps build inner city teens into first generation college students through God's word. The third Reality Changers site, where I direct, is located at the Copley YMCA in City Heights. There, we go over popular words known to be on the SAT, have guest speakers and lessons based on faith, practice note taking skills, and review our personal lives along academics with the help of fellow tutors and Reality Changers students.

Reality Changers benefits not only the Latino Community but the country as well. At Reality Changers, we plan to change reality, to change what most perceive as an inner city student attending college to be unlikely. The success of the students in Reality Changers helps aware their community that it is indeed possible to attend a University despite their personal, everyday, neighborhood struggles.

Our non-profit organization helps the Latino Community by the students in Reality Changers completing at least 25 hours of community service annually as well. Reality Changers is all about lifting each other up. The students in Reality Changers are surrounded by peers with the same goals and aspirations and are engaged in a positive environment unlike the one they are faced with upon stepping outside the YMCA doors.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

The basic responsibilities are checking up with all the students at least once a week by telephone and e-mailing tutors. Also, I have to prepare tests on words known to be on the SAT for the students, prepare a faith-based lesson or have a guest speaker come in to assign students to note-taking skills, and pair up students with a tutor to work, study, and keep in contact with throughout the week.

The students' responsibilities consist of maintaining at least at 3.0 GPA, perform at least 25 hours of community service, pass random drug tests, and participate in at least one school club or sport.

Most notable milestones

While although I rarely have the most notable milestones, the students are the ones that certainly do. Some consist from grades improving in a class from a F to an A to having a student once convicted of a crime – who was able to transform his lifestyle through the help of Reality Changers – receive a $4,000 scholarship to attend Academic Connections (a three-week summer residential program at UCSD where one can receive college credit) and Forest Home (a faith based summer camp in the San Bernardino Mountains).

What's the niche?

I believe what makes me unique is my great sincere compassion to especially help others and build yet improve lives.

What's the biggest challenge?

The only challenge is trying to manage a meeting in a small yet compact room where teen students have to sit and work on mini sized children chairs and tables for three hours.

What's in store for the future?

Additional students will be added to my third site which means more scholarships and life changing experiences, more tutors, and hopefully a better meeting room!

Best way to keep a competitive edge?

Always strive for better.

Guiding principle in life

"Life is God's novel, so let him write it"
– Anonymous

Yardstick of success

Being optimistic.
Being the change in the world I wish to see.

Goal yet to be achieved

Now that I have graduated high school, I would like to graduate from my current University, Point Loma Nazarene University, in four years.

Best practical advice

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
– E.Roosevelt

Mentors

Christopher Yanov, who is the executive director of Reality Changers and has helped me get into a four year university. At the age of 15, when I had joined the program myself, he helped me abstain from drugs, alcohol, and gang related peers.

Debbie Leto, who is my tutor from Reality Changers. She always came to my softball games because my parents rarely did, helped me apply to 17 different Universities, and apply for financial aid and scholarships.

What motivated you to get started?

When I first met students from Reality Changers at UCSD Academic Connection in July of 2005. Seeing other teens from the same backgrounds and lifestyles have also the same dreams of going to college persuaded me to join and continue helping the community by becoming the director of the City Height's Reality Changers too.

Like best about what you do?

Getting to see constant improvement in the students' lives and hearing the speeches the students make to the hundreds of people throughout San Diego.

Like least about what you do?

Absolutely nothing.

What truly gets you up in the morning and ready for work?

Knowing that I can help make a difference and making personal connections with all the students.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a pediatrician, and I still do till this day.

What was your first job?

Actually, it was being a Birthday Clown in my early teen years as I made balloons and face painted young children.

But my first real job was at JC Penney's as a Sale Associate in the Women's Accessories, for which I just got hired a few days ago finally.

Biggest pastime outside of work? Favorite hobby?

Biggest pastime was making Varsity Track my first year of pole vaulting and triple jump.

My favorite hobby is reading magazines and listening to music.

Person most interested in meeting?

I would be most interested in meeting Franklin D Roosevelt, the president my great -grandmother most appreciated. I would like to know what his drive was to get his country out of struggle especially during the Depression.

Leader in business most interested in meeting?

Most likely Donald Trump, because I would like to know the background to his great financial success.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I think I know the words to songs.
I like onions only on my hot dogs, not hamburgers.
I fear rejection.

Three characteristics that describe you

Compassionate
Generous
Sincere

Three greatest passions

Children
College
Reality Changers

Favorite book?

My favorite book is "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck.

Favorite cause

Making a difference.

If you could be doing anything else as a career, what would that be?

A High School Counselor.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Anyone and everyone!

Credits

Interview by Alexander Grant
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Elizabeth Torres: 19-year-old Poet & Motivational Speaker

admin — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:22:55 +0000

When her artistic side bloomed by age five and when her professional career launched at age 10, her family knew there was something different, rare, and intriguing about her. Elizabeth Torres, age 19, has experienced a lifetime's worth of international travel, speaking engagements, and art showings all highlighting her abilities to speak, create, and develop new motivational concepts. An average week for Elizabeth might include meeting with student groups, writing new poetry, speaking on a radio show, attending university classes, or engaging in discussion with the nation's corporate leaders. Nothing is out of reach for this young woman! With professional accolades and the vital support of her family behind her, Elizabeth begins every day with fresh eyes and a passion to explore the natural beauty in everyone and every environment. Read on to see where all of this energy originates and what lessons you might take away from Elizabeth's work in this week's The LatinConnect.

Company

Talents Association
Treasures of Light Art & Communications
Elizabeth Torres

Founded

2000

Website

www.poet.oflight.org

Name

Elizabeth Torres
Poet, Painter, Motivational Speaker

Age

Hometown

Bogota, Colombia

Current residence

Roselle Park, New Jersey

Education

Kean University
Media & Film Major
(2009)

Kean University
Fine Arts (second major)
(2009)

GED High school Diploma
(2005)

Hamilton Middle School

Colombia

Work Experience

Poet, Painter, Motivational speaker...for the last 14 years.

Kean University Student Ambassador
2005

Ethnicity

Hispanic

About your work

I have been writing poetry since I was five. There are more than 600 unedited poems. Nine of my works have been published. Six are books, the other three are audio recordings. My latest book just came

I have been speaking to students of all ages and backgrounds, as well as to adults from different companies and areas of work, for at least 10 years. I started in Colombia, and traveled to the US. I've been to Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain and France, and I've given almost 1,000 interviews to newspapers, TV and Radio Shows.

As a painter, I try to write poetry with colors, leave a message that others can see without words. I've exhibited in Colombia, Miami, Washington, North Carolina, NJ, Connecticut and New York. My work is currently in private collections, and also in galleries in Manhattan.

What is a typical day like for you?

There is no typical day. Each day is a blessing, an opportunity to keep going towards a very gigantic dream.

I wake up very early to write poetry, have breakfast with my family and then get ready to go out. I am a college student so most of the time I am running around, studying for quizzes and trying to understand the subjects at hand. I am a lover of culture and poetry, so in my free time you'll probably find me in Soho and the Village, visiting galleries, poetry readings, music shows, or at the movies with my friends.

Whenever there is a presentation scheduled I go into professional mode, I put on my hat, book under my arm, I take the microphone and just let words flow...it's such an amazing rush!

I also love outdoor sports, kickboxing, traveling, and being on the computer like any normal 19-year-old.

Most notable milestones

Being a published writer at the age of 10.
Best book of the year award, 1999.
Hosting my own radio show in Miami for a year: "Speaking with Elizabeth" First Place in radio ratings as according to Arbitron, 2000.
Spirit in the words Contest Winner, Daimler Chrysler, 2001.
Traveling to schools and universities in so many different countries, speaking with huge audiences. That's the greatest feeling.
Live Your Life Contest Winner, American Eagle 2006.
Being an invited speaker for companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola & Verizon.

What's the niche?

I believe that all children and young adults have talents. What makes me stand out in a crowd is the fact that I believed in myself and had a family supporting me and guiding me to follow my dream without waiting to grow up and become who I wanted to be.

What makes me unique is knowing that there are real life superheroes...and that I can be one of them.

What's the biggest challenge you face as a young Latina poet and artist?

Being able to write down the diversity, the beauty of two worlds uniting as one, using my talent to be the voice of those who haven't been heard. I allow my words to protect and guide, even when sometimes it isn't easy to clearly understand their impact. Discipline, and just knowing that for every door that closes, one opens up.

What's in store for the future?

I want to be an ambassador of hope, of young talented leaders, and make a difference in the world through my work.

Although I might not live forever, I have to make each day count, and each poem that I write, each painting that I make, and each word that I pronounce, must touch the heart of someone.

If it does, I will be immortal in their memory. I will have made a footprint, it will all have been worth it.

What inspires you to create?

Social reality being faced by millions of children around the world. The daily struggles of families who have to run away from violence, leave everything behind just to survive.

The light that continues to shine inside each and everyone of us, even in our darkest hour...that something that tells us that it'll all be better soon.

The need to change people's lives through my work.

Guiding principle in life

Integrity and Honesty: Speak with truth,so that the words go beyond the flesh.

Respect for people, tolerance – even to those who have harmed us. Life puts people in our path because of a reason, and we cannot judge because this will stop them from achieving the miracle they are meant to cause inside of us.

Love for what I do, for who I was, for what I'll be: All material things are gone when we close our eyes. We are what we have done until now, and our strength is measured by the clarity of our dreams. Past and future joined as one to make a balanced present.

Gratitude: towards the Higher Presence that makes this life so undescribably beautiful. Towards my family, my friends, my coworkers, and everyone who in one way or another has touched my heart...

Discipline, constancy, faithfulness to who you are, to what you believe in, to who you want to become.

Yardstick of success

There are so many challenges that I've had to face. Becoming a renowned poet and painter while still being a kid. Moving to a new country without having any relatives or friends, or even speaking the language. Making the decision of being an artist and motivational speaker, and fully understanding the responsibility.

Goals yet to be achieved

I still need to travel all around South America and Europe, and the world basically.

Publish books in several languages. Travel to different countries to speak to gigantic audiences.

Hosting my own TV show and opening up a gallery.

Making my first million dollars .

Best practical advice

Every day, sit for a second and write down what you want to achieve: during the day, during the week, during the month ,during your life.

Start with the long term goal: I want to be _______.

Then plan, step by step, what are you going to do to achieve this goal?

Then break it down even more by making a list of daily things to do in order to make that dream possible. Stick to it like glue baby!

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

"You are a blessing to us, to your family and your community. Believe in yourself, and nothing will ever stop you." –Mom

"Be yourself. Don't let anyone ever dare to tell you who you are or what you can or can't do..and don't ever, ever, ever turn your back on your dream." – Dad.

"I know superheroes exist. I know dreams come true. I know life isn't just about letting time pass you by and waiting for magic to happen. I know it's all real, we are our best friends, our only enemies. You've taught me this. I am proud of you." – My brother.

Mentors?

Jose Maria Zonta, Costa Rican Poet. He believed in me, in spite of my age, and taught me how to edit my own writings.

Jairo Anibal Nino, Colombian writer. He has always been one of my favorite writers. He has published more than 60 books, and I always admired him. I finally had the chance to meet him...and tour with him! He taught me of the magic of being a child forever.

Jota Mario Arbelaez, Poeta Colombiano. His support was the key to the publication of my first book. I admire him as a writer, and as a human being.

Eduardo Duran, Librarian. He shared history with me in a way that it all made sense. He made culture even sweeter, and books my best friends.

My parents: the stair to my dream, always and forever.

My brother: best friend, and biggest motivation.

What motivated you to start writing at such a young age?

It just came to me, like a game, like playing with toys. I would wake up and write so quickly that I would end up shaking. By 7:00 a.m. I already had at least 10 poems daily.

I had so much to say, not to satisfy people with my words, but to wake them up, make them understand that it is now time to save the world...save ourselves.

Like best about what you do?

Poetry is such a playful way of communication. It is like speaking in code, people understand you and identify with you in many different levels. Painting is like putting a mirror in front of people, and allowing them to narrate what they see in themselves.

I also love the contact with the audience. The electricity of huge crowds is something magnificent.

Like least about what you do?

That I don't have enough time to do it all, that I haven't been able to accomplish all that I desire.

What was the first poem you wrote about?

My first poems were dedicated to my parents. I cannot recall what they were about exactly. One of the first books I published was poetry to nature. There was also a book called the adventures of the chameleon and dreamer cats.

What themes do you like to explore in your work?

Society in general.

People's reactions to different challenges.

Love, war, death, new life, new beginnings. Everything around us is an inspiration.

Using the texture of different words, new vocabulary, it's always fun.

How has your Latin background and immigration to the US influenced your work?

Being a Latina makes me a very emotional person. We think with our hearts. Our feelings govern us. Living in America taught me to be more disciplined, more thoughtful, more to the point. Mixing these two great qualities has made me a very balanced person.

I believe that the history of my country, my Latin background, my physical appearance all make me richer. I can adapt to any world I want to, but deep inside, home is always so warm and welcoming.

What do you want to achieve through your work?

To prove to the world that children and young people can make a difference.

To motivate others to follow their own star, to believe in themselves.

To persuade parents and teachers to support children's talents.

To help artists connect with the right companies, and companies find the right talent for their needs.

To one day write a poem that will be immortal, and heal with each word the wounds of our world.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A poet, and a painter.

What was your first job?

Motivational Speaker, giving conferences to schools.

Biggest pastime?

Traveling!

Person most interested in meeting?

Nelson Mandela: an activist of such strength causes so much admiration in me!

I would love to meet Shakira because of her Colombian Background and the depth of her lyrics. I would also love to meet women who are speaking up, making room for those who are coming, and just showing the world what we are really made of...

Modern celebrities such as Kat Von D, Angelina Jolie, and probably Matt Damon. They are all doing what they love, and changing people's lives forever.

What artists and writers have had the most influence on your work?

Pablo Neruda
Jose Asuncion Silva
Gabriela Mistral
Alfonsina Storni
Da vinci
Dali
Picasso

Three interesting facts about yourself

I am left handed.
I always draw women in my paintings in different colors. They represent the innocence and purity of our inner selves.
I love Manhattan with a passion.

Three characteristics that describe you

Dedicated
Creative
Daring

Three greatest passions

People and human behavior
Arts and Culture
Traveling

Favorite book

"The Little Prince," by French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry because I never want to stop being a little kid.

"The Alchemist," by Paulo Coelho. Talk about motivational!

"Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman. He wrote in free verse, like I do. No rhymes, just rhythm and meaning. It's so powerful!

Favorite cause

Motivating Children
Defending Immigrant Rights
Protecting Artists so that they can bless us with their work.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

May poetry be with you always! And remember, keep the flame alive!

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Companies looking for motivational speakers.
Parents who have talented children, or who want to teach more about art and culture to their families.
Young Entrepreneurs
Community Leaders
Activists
Artists and Lovers of the Arts
Basically anyone who is making a difference, and following their own star.

Credits

Interview by Victor Corral
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

No Place Like HomeStart

admin — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 05:19:25 +0000

HomeStart, Inc. is a non-profit organization working to end homelessness in the Greater Boston area. The agency's first priority for every client is a stable housing situation. They then work with each client's individual needs to provide services and support to make sure they are able to remain housed. By offering assistance in both English and Spanish, many homeless and formerly homeless individuals and families can depend on HomeStart in their search to obtain housing and their continued journey to maintain it. Elsa Lizarralde, 32, Bilingual Stabilization Advocate, works with the agency's formerly homeless clients. Providing much needed access to other social services, help with budgeting and crisis management, Elsa is able to help clients begin to realize other dreams and goals within the stable environment of their own homes. Learn more in this week's The LatinConnect about the work of HomeStart, Inc. within the community and how their helping hands are changing thousands of lives.

Non-profit

HomeStart, Inc.

Year founded

1994

Website

www.homestart.org

Name

Elsa Lizarralde
Bilingual Stabilization Advocate

Age

Where is your hometown?

Bogotá, Colombia

Current residence?

Braintree, Massachusetts

Education

Massasoit Community College
Human Service Practice (2004)

Work Experience

HomeStart, Inc.
Bilingual Stabilization Advocate
2006-present

Brockton Area Multi-Services, Inc.
Family Advocate
2003-2004

El Centro del Cardenal
Young Parents Program Coordinator
2002-2003

Catholic Charities of Brockton
Family Support Advocate
1998-2002

Ethnicity

Latina

What is HomeStart, Inc.?

HomeStart, Inc. is a nonprofit working to end homelessness in the greater Boston area. We help homeless individuals and families to obtain and maintain permanent housing. We also help clients who are threatened with eviction for nonpayment of rent to keep their housing and avoid shelters.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Each day as a Stabilization Advocate is different from the next! My ultimate task is to help our clients who were once homeless to maintain their housing. This can consist of so many things: I go on home visits to make sure our clients are paying their bills and rent on time. But I'm also visiting them just to see how they're doing. We work on budgeting their expenses in order to create savings. I may also help clients clear erroneous credit reports, apply for food stamps and receive other discounted services. I often attend various appointments with lawyers and at immigration offices with our clients and serve as their advocate. I'm able to both translate for my clients and inform them of regulations and laws of which they would not otherwise be aware. Sometimes, I'm just there to listen to them.

Tell us how Homestart affects the Latino community

I am just one of four bilingual advocates which HomeStart employs to serve the Spanish-speaking communities of Greater Boston. Because of this service, HomeStart is able to help homeless and formerly-homeless Latinos to connect to valuable resources from other agencies which may not target the Latino community directly. HomeStart's Latino clients also learn how to best advocate for themselves in the wider English-speaking community.

Most notable milestones

Since working at HomeStart, I have learned more about all the available resources there are and I have started to create a network with other agencies that serve Latinos. I also consider it a milestone to have developed such open and candid relationships with my clients. They tell me everything!

HomeStart was recently selected for not one, but two grants from the United Way. This generous donation is a part of United Way’s latest efforts to bring a greater accountability to the use of their donors’ dollars by partnering with new agencies that create actual, quantifiable results in the improvement of the community.

In a recent interview with WBUR's Business and Technology Reporter, Curt Nickisch, Jeff Hayward, the senior vice-president of the Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley United Way chapter, pointed out that one of HomeStart’s greatest achievements is their ability to keep 85% of their formerly homeless clients in housing for up to two years. Hayward continued by stating, “For that one measure alone, we think [HomeStart] outperforms almost every other agency in our portfolio. HomeStart is one of those diamonds in the rough.”

What's the niche?

My outgoing voicemail in the office is defintiely unique. I make my greeting in English and then in Spanish and before I'm out of breath I manage to laugh– people love it. They always comment on my laugh when they leave their message.

A lot of agencies place people in housing. What makes HomeStart different is that we help our clients keep their housing too.

What's the biggest challenge?

Being a full-time, single parent and holding down a full-time job is definitely challenging. I'm just trying to keep it all together. Also, keeping organized and on top of all the paperwork is not exactly my favorite thing to do.

Our biggest challenge is the lack of affordable housing. It is not rare for a homeless individual to spend years searching for an affordable place to live in spite of their greatest of efforts.

What's in store for the future?

I'm a Reiki Master and I'm going to open up an empowerment center. This center will help people start the healing process through energy healing (Reiki) and positive thinking. I would like to offer services where it is really needed and where people who are really trying to find themselves would choose to come.

HomeStart is at the forefront of a new housing philosophy coined Housing First. This new program helps homeless disabled individuals who are living on the streets – under bridges and by-passes, in alleys and in parks – obtain permanent housing first and then support them in obtaining the living skills, financial benefits, and health and mental health treatment they need to successfully stay in housing and prevent recurrent homelessness.

Housing First is a fast-growing approach in the fight to end homelessness. The underlying principle is that once a person is stabilized in housing progress can be made in achieving other goals. In addition, the expectation is that costs associated with street living, such as hospital emergency room visits, will decrease once a person is stabilized in housing.

Best way to keep a competitive edge

In the social services field it's really easy to get overwhelmed and it can be hard to see progress. I combat this by staying positive in everything I do.

Guiding principle in life

When things seem to be too difficult to manage, I surrender my troubles to a higher force.

Yardstick of success

The ability to relate to people no matter what their circumstance may be.

Goal yet to be achieved

Acquiring the resources to open my own healing center.

Best practical advice

Before you give advice, always put yourself in another's shoes.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

God never gives you anything you can't handle.

Mentor

My former supervisor, Janice. When she hired me, she did so because she saw herself in me. Janice used to give me the most challenging client cases. I initially resented them, but then I discovered how much I could learn from them. Because of Janice, I was given the opportunity to learn positive parenting.

What motivated you to get started? Did your background/upbringing contribute to this?

I believe that in our culture it's seen as a weakness to have experienced trauma and that speaking openly about such experiences is discouraged. I have had my share of life lessons and instead of shutting down, I have luckily learned to speak up and stand.

What do you like best about what you do?

I love meeting people and spending time with clients in their homes. I also love using public transportation.

What do you like least about what you do?

Filling out paperwork and not having my own computer at work.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher.

What was your first job?

Newspaper Deliverer.

What is your biggest pastime outside of work? Favorite hobby?

Dancing. All kinds.

Name a person you are most interested in meeting?

Iyanla Vanzant. She is one of the life coaches on the show, "Starting Over." She is inspirational. I feel like I was given a chance to grow and learned a lot by watching that show when I was staying home with my baby.

Leader in business you are most interested in meeting?

Sean Combs. I just think that he is an amazing entrepreneur. As the son of a single mom, Sean Combs is also a great role model for my son.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I'm a single mom.
I'm a Reiki Master.
I'm an educational consultant and a childbirth educator.

Three characteristics that describe you

Happy
Positive
Loving

Three greatest passions

Seeing the good in people when no one else does.
Helping people.
Loving life.

What is your favorite book? favorite show? favorite movie? favorite song? (Choose at least one)

My favorite book is "Return to Love" by Marianne Williamson.

My favorite movie is "Bruce Almighty."

My favorite song is anything by Mary J. Blige.

Besides the work you do with HomeStart, what is your favorite cause?

Healing.

If you had one wish for the world, what would it be?

That everyone could learn to respect the earth.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Anyone who is interested in energy healing and anyone who provides social services to low-income clients.

Credits

Interview by Alexander Grant
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Brand Architect and Youth Adviser Michael Cordero

admin — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:23:35 +0000

Michael Cordero, age 24 and Brand Architect of 1 SOUL DESIGNS, sees people and community as his strongest assets before income or financial gain. Launching this independent t-shirt brand in 2004, Michael first turned his classroom hobby into a small business venture at the local flea market. Now three years later, he, and business partner Randy Quiles, works with vendors on both coasts and in the international market as well. His motivation lays in the youth and community around him and how his designs will contribute to their education and uplift. Creating a Youth Apprenticeship program in addition to creating phenomenal fashions, Michael takes time to help New York's high school students development creative skills and business know-how. Learn more in this week's Young & Professional Profile about how Michael and 1 SOUL DESIGNS will enhance your wardrobe and an overall feeling of unity and pride.

Company

1 SOUL DESIGNS

Founded

August 2004

Website

www.1souldesigns.com

Name

Michael Cordero
Brand Architect

Age

Hometown

Brooklyn, New York

Current residence

Brooklyn, New York (same number, same hood, same crib)

Education

Fashion Institute of Technology
Communication Design
(2005)

Work Experience

Long Island University
Graphic Designer
2002-2007

Ethnicity

BORIQUA

About the company

1SOULDESIGNS is a very Grassroots independent t-shirt brand that serves the people.

1SOUL is our forum for raising consciousness in the community. We have funneled profits into youth development projects and social conscious efforts in the form of cultural exchange programs, mural tours, workshops, fashion shows and film screenings.

We have worked with communities in NYC, San Francisco, Cuba, Vieques (PR), Mexico and Guatemala.

Whether it be visual art, music, performance art or literary, 1SOUL believes there's a social responsibility that comes with every art form. It is for this reason we have dedicated our work to the uplifting of our community, our peers, and the youth, not only through our designs, but also through 1SOUL's mission to promote social awareness and influence social participation.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Along with my partner Randy Quiles, we share responsibilities in all areas including, desiging, promoting, and production. We also package and ship everything ourselves.

Most notable milestones

Seeing Sean Paul rocking one of our Custom Blazers on a cover of a magazine, and seeing one of our Tees on R&B star Mario when he was on BET.

Also we recently started our 1SOUL Youth Apprenticeship program where we take on high school students and they learn how to build their own brand and make their own t-shirts.

What's the niche?

We put community first, not profit. Because if the community prospers, so do we and that is our reward. I think of 1SOUL more as a resource for people than just another company that sells t-shirts. No other brands are as hands on as me and Randy and nobody else is so involved with the community, also doing youth apprenticeships and workshops in other countries. I really think thats what makes us stand out.

What's the biggest challenge?

Being an artist and a business man at the same time.

What's in store for the future?

We are about to open a new concept shop in Williamsburg Brooklyn called FRESTHETIC. Check out www.fresthetic.com for more info. 560 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY; come by if you are in the area.

Best way to keep a competitive edge

Ignore trends. It sounds ridiculous, but it actually works. You can't conform your work. People can tell.

Guiding principle in life

"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community ... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own."
– Cesar Chavez

Goal yet to be achieved

Social Change.

Best practical advice

Experience is the best education.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

There have been too many supportive words from friends and family. It fuels our drive. I don't think there is enough space on here for that.

Mentors?

Kahlil and Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi are kind of the closest thing to mentors I have, and they probably don't even know it. Well, I guess now they will. But they really taught me about the conscious hustle, and grassroots organizing. When I went on this Cultural Exchange tour they put together in 2004 called Libertad, in Puerto Rico. We went on this crazy tour of the Island and Vieques doing community work and shows. And they really put it together with nothing, just a whole lot of love for the communities they were working in. It was really successful, just a bunch of artists from different background and different arts, traveling around together living together, doing murals, concerts and workshops. They really led me to what direction I wanted to take my brand, it was kind of inspired by that. I went on that trip at just the right time. So the cat's out of the bag I guess.

What motivated you to get started?

What didn't, is the question. I really felt there was too much going on and nobody was reflecting it enough in terms of social and cultural issues. I was designing these tight designs in my silk screening class, and my professor was always telling me to get out and sell at flea markets. So i did it, got a good response from the people and just progressed with it.

Like best about what you do?

The love from the people.

Like least about what you do?

The business side and needing funding.

Why did you choose to go into t-shirt design as opposed to film or some other medium?

I just kind of fell into it when i was in college. I was in a fashion school, taking graphic design, so it was kind of inevitable. I feel like everyone loves to wear what they care about, and we talk about a lot of stuff people care about. A t-shirt is the best place to promote those ideas.

What other organizations do you and your company work with, and what do you guys do together?

We work with an art collective called Trust Your Struggle out of the Bay Area and New York and do some art shows, mural tours and help out with their apparel production. Also I work with Clenched Fist Productions on brand development. They brought you "INVENTOS:Hip Hop Cubano" and the upcoming "HOMEGROWN: Hip Life in Ghana." Also, we print t-shirts for this organization called Dance for Peace, where they travel to countries in Africa and teach kids how to dance and then enter some of them in these international dance competitions.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Comic Book Artist

What was your first job?

File clerk at my pop's Architect Firm.

Biggest pastime outside of work

Traveling, B-ballin, movie fanatic...

Person most interested in meeting?

Don Pedro Albizu Campos so he can tell me how to continue his dream.

I think I will meet him in the after life.

Three interesting facts about yourself

Vegetarian
My capoeira Name is "Caramujo."
Never on time (this interview is probably late).

Three characteristics that describe you

Empathetic
Dreamer
Artivist

Three greatest passions

The People
The People
The People

Favorite book or album?

"Party Music" by The Coup

Favorite cause

Community Activism

Cultural Cultivation

What was the first shirt you designed?

"Hip Hop Was Fun" tee, I called it the R.I.P tee.

It had Jam Mastrer Jay, Pac, and Biggie on it and said "Hip Hop was Fun."

How are you and your company involved in the local community?

We run youth apprenticeships in our shop with local high schools, and I also do After School Programs Teaching kids how to screenprint and make their own t-shirts.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

We just opened a shop in Brooklyn, NY, a new concept shop from the people behind 1SOULDESIGNS, REBELUTION & E.Soto. Providing the community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn a fresh venue to experience a new inspiration in grassroots/independent artistry. As a part-time Gallery/Retail/Print shop, FRESTHETIC aims to serve the people with a new shopping experience and services aimed at helping the prosperity and progress of the Brooklyn community.

Check out fresthetic.com for more details.

Credits

Interview by Victor Corral
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Action for Individuals, Communities, and Policy

admin — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:13:51 +0000

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) celebrates its 25th year in service to others offering educational and health programs for kids and adults, as well as policy advocacy work at the local, state, and national levels. This New York based agency works with individuals to enhance their self-sufficiency, with family groups to enrich the home environment, and with community leaders to eliminate social service disparities pervading many local institutions. Sandra Duque, age 30 and Policy Analyst, says there is never a dull moment at CHCF; from direct service programs to legislative endeavors, the staff here are client focused at all times and full of a relentless energy to continually do more. Read on about The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Sandra's role in its development, and plans to launch itself into future ventures in this week's The LatinConnect.

Name of Non-Profit

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF)

Year Founded?

April 1982

Website

www.chcfinc.org

Name

Sandra Duque
Policy Analyst

Age

Current residence

Brooklyn, New York

Education

Northeastern University
Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice
(June 2000)

Northeastern University
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
(May 2004)

Work Experience

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc.
Policy Analyst
2005 to Present

The Vera Institute of Justice
Researcher
2004-2005

Northeastern University
Assistant Residence Director
2002-2004

The Law Firm of Kevin Moore
Bilingual Legal Assistant
2001-2002

Ethnicity

Latina

What is the mission?

The mission of The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) is to improve the quality of life for Latino children and their families. Believing that the most effective way to serve Latino families is by building upon their existing strengths and fostering self-sufficiency, CHCF provides a number of programs and services to the community in the areas of Youth Development, Child Care Services, and Family Health Education. Grounded in its direct services, CHCF is active in the local, state and national policy arenas around issues of child welfare and the well-being of Latino children.

Tell us a bit about the non-profit

Founded in 1982, The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Latino children and their families. Believing that the most effective way to serve Latino families is to build upon their strengths and foster self sufficiency. CHCF has developed a range of direct service, in three areas: Child Care Services, Youth Development and Family Health Education.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

My responsibilities vary depending on the current legislation affecting the Latino community. Most recently, my work has focused on enhancing the availability of culturally and linguistically appropriate services provided by the child welfare system for Latino families. This includes working on a recent publication that critically examines the needs of Latino families, the current gaps in the continuum of child welfare services, and the glaring funding inequities that often leave Latino families under-served. The report was the result of a city-wide survey, demographic analysis and other child welfare data.

Other responsibilities include participating in city agency coalitions, work groups and committees in order to ensure the concerns of the Latino community are represented. This includes advocating for systems to be more culturally and linguistically competent, offering recommendations on how to improve services for Latino families and/or provide input on materials, curricula or campaigns targeted to the Latino community.

Most notable milestones

During my time here, I have helped the organization achieve many significant accomplishments. Most notable would be the recent publication of "Bridging the Cultural Divide: Building a Continuum of Support Services for Latino Families" which set a platform to educate New York City's elected officials and Administration about the lack of resources and funding inequities affecting the Latino community. Prior to this, I organized the first Summit on Latino Families which brought together over a 100 advocates, city officials, families, scholars and service providers to discuss issues relevant to the Latino community. Through joint advocacy efforts, we succeeded in having the NY City Council allocate $4.2 million to reduce the caseloads of community based organizations serving families involved in the child welfare system.

I have also presented my work at national, state and local conferences. This has been a great way to share and educate fellow advocates on the strengths and needs of Latino families in the United States.

What's the niche? How does it help the Latino Community?

At CHCF we work for the Latino community by developing programs and advocacy efforts around their needs. In the area of policy, the social changes we advocate do not often produce immediate results, but once the change is in progress, it is usually long-lasting. For example advocates helped pass a City Council allocation of $4.2 million to reduce social workers caseload. This in turn allows for social workers to dedicate and provide quality care for their families.

The staff at CHCF is culturally competent and come from all backgrounds which give them the ability to specialize in unique areas. We have a strong ability to communicate, reach out and connect with the Latino community which in turn gives the community a place they can trust.

What's the biggest challenge?

While we face many challenges in advocating for Latino families, one of the biggest is the lack of adequate resources, both financial and personnel, to represent all the advocacy arenas affecting Latino families. Although Latinos are often classified as one group with one set of needs, the truth is that Latinos face varies challenges, including legal documentation, lack of educational opportunities, high teen pregnancy and drop-out rates, English proficiency, and poverty stressors that trigger many other obstacles.

In addition, developing initiatives that focus on strengthening this community is, at times, difficult to accomplish with the current stigma the nation has attached to Latino immigrants.

What's in store for the future?

At CHCF, we are working to encourage our elected officials to pass legislation that enforces policies focused on increasing the availability of culturally and linguistically competent services. Furthermore, we are advocating for increased funding and resources for community based organizations serving Latino communities. CHCF is planning to host the second Annual Summit on Latino Families and present a Report Card evaluating the progress of the city's child welfare system in various areas.

What is the best way to keep a competitive edge?

Nowadays to keep a competitive edge, you must have more than just academic achievements; you must have sharp skills in capacity building, networking, and develop a keen sense of discipline to your work in order to enhance your skill set.

It's also important to have knowledge of other worldly topics such as social and economic developments, business growth, and politics. Be aware of your surrounding, be observant, and learn everything even when you don't think you'll need it. Be open to industries and experiences that are not your first choice and always protect your intellectual property.

What is your guiding principle in life?

I was raised by a family that placed an emphasis on respecting and cherishing your life as a gift that comes to you everyday your alive. While life is a roller coaster with highs and lows, life is truly for you to live. It's a series of events where you choose to either explore life or observe life, laugh or stay quiet, love or not feel. But I always tell myself and others, life is a story that you're able to tell when you're 80 years old, what will you story sound like?

I have learned that people own behaviors and lifestyles that I often believe are either fabricated or produced from a lack of connection they have with themselves. There are so many saying that encourage us all to "be who you are," but I feel that's easier said than done. I always remember that the word "individual" means that there is only one of you, and that "individual" has unique traits, qualities, abilities and ultimately an individual life so that youcan live it, just make sure your story a good one.

Yardstick of success

Finishing what I set myself out to do is success. When you do everything with grace, respect and true commitment, you succeed. It is not whether you did it right or great, it's about completing. When I was young, I set many goals for myself and I can happily say that I have accomplished many of those goals.

Success is not about seeing a group of children pass a math test you helped tutor them with, it's about having been there day in and day out to help them succeed. Success is sticking through it until the end.

Tell us about a goal yet to be achieved

There are so many, but there are two that I have my mind on accomplishing in time. First is to attain a certificate to teach the English language and move to Colombia or another Latin American country and teach. My ultimate goal is to be a college professor and I know I will accomplish that one day, but right now I'm still learning.

Best practical advice that you could give our readers

I have to say the best practical advice I can give is to learn how to manage different personalities in both your life and professional career. It's important to learn how others functions so that you can always know your limits with them. The worst thing to do is to hurt a friend or create tension in your workplace. Finally, the last small piece of advice I must give is to always read and work on improving your writing skills. It's the one general skill that will take you far in your professional career.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

I have always been told the basics. Always be kind, do what makes you happy and always be yourself. But I believe there are other supportive words to live by. A friend once told me that in order to learn and move forward from any bump in the road, I must learn to love my pains and when you do, you are able to grow without carrying the baggage.

But I have to say that the most supportive words I have received actually have been by watching my parents live. Through them I have learned what hard work and loyalty means, what the value of commitment is and the key to having a healthy and loving family. I work harder because of them and I live happier because of them.

Mentors?

The most important mentor I have is my mother and I share this not because she's my mother, but because I have been able to learn how important she is to others. I have learned to watch her as an outsider and not as her daughter and I truly have to say she has taught me the meaning of what it is to be a graceful woman.

Through my professional career, I have had the opportunity to learn and be guided by so many. From the receptionist to the Executive Director, and everyone in between, they have all been great mentors.

Although I admire and respect my mentors, I must clarify that my mentors have not only taught me things that I want to be but I have also learned from them what I hope to never be and that is what makes my relationship with them genuine.

What motivated you to get started?

I think I was born with a passion to help others. Everyone around me always helped each other, taught each other and supported each other. I believe that my motivation stems from being able to pay attention to myself and others around me. There has always been something within me that has driven me to explore my curiosities and challenge my fears and through this; I have developed abilities and skills to really do anything I set myself out to do.

Like best about what you do?

Being able to sit at the table of decision-makers and speak out on a reality that does not exist for many people. Everyone fights the system in different ways, some of us organize protest, others sign petitions, but I demand to be at the table where decisions are being made about the communities I advocate for. When you're able to be that voice, whether you succeed in your message or not, you are there trying and fighting for your people and that is the best part of what I do.

Like least about what you do?

I really enjoy what I do, but there is always something you least like in a job and for myself, it's not having enough contact with the community. Unfortunately, I do not provide a direct service. Therefore, I have limited contact with the community.

What truly gets you up in the morning and ready for work?

The fact that I have an obligation to myself, my family and to the community I came from.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

At 10, I wanted to be an anchor woman and report the news. However, I changed my mind quickly and I dreamed about being a child psychologist for the rest of my youth.

What was your first job?

My mother had a small day care in her home, I helped her and also took care of other children in my neighborhood. I then worked at a jewelry store which was the first time I was on a payroll.

Biggest pastime outside of work? favorite hobby?

I don't have much family in the U.S. and none in New York, but I have an amazing circle of friends I have known for years here and spend much of my time with them. However, I also enjoy doing lots of thing on my own including hiking, walking all around the city, cooking, summer concerts, finding new restaurants and shops. I also love to dance and listen to live music.

Person most interested in meeting?

If this person was alive, Ms. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. What a woman, I truly find her to have an interesting life and have always wished I could have visited with her.

Leader in business most interested in meeting?

I don't have an answer to this. However, I guess I would like to meet the CEO of an Advertisement Firm focused on the Latino market.

Three interesting facts about yourself

I was born in a house in a small town in Colombia by a 13-year-old midwife.
I collect corks.
I can write backwards.

Three characteristics that describe you

Explorative, love to travel
Social and Personable
Dedicated

Three greatest passions

To help people feel a sense of empowerment over their lives and choices.
To travel to many places and learn about people, their lives and their environments.
To conserve the values, culture/traditions and respect the life my family has.

Favorite book? show? movie? song? (choose 1 or more)

I have two favorite books: A" La Orilla del Rio Piedra Me Sente y Llore" by Paolo Coelho and "Rain of Gold" by Victor Villaseñor.

My favorite movie is "Pan's Labyrinth" and can't say I have a favorite song but I love boleros.

Favorite cause?

Persons and organizations dedicated to fighting against genocide and poverty.

If you could work any where else, what would you be doing?

I would like to be a consultant specializing in economic development in foreign countries.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

I would like to be contacted by some of our funders. There are so many wonderful programs out there and it would be a pleasure to have foundations come out and see the great work our staff does in serving our community. I believe it would be a treat for funders to see the amazing benefits their support and contributions make to our families.

Credits

Interview by Alexander Grant
Introduction by Sara Ortega
Edited by Valerie Enriquez

Factoid of the Week: Generation Y @ Work

admin — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 05:20:38 +0000

Are young professionals influential in the workplace? Yes, absolutely. If you were to ask this same question a decade ago, the answer would be quite the opposite. We're responsible for changing traditional methods of communication (think IM, text messaging, emails at odd hours), we're bolder and more demanding than previous generations and as a population we have a 'smarter than thou' presence (this of course attributed to being immersed in technology since birth). More importantly, we're adaptable to the changing times. Let's take a closer look at the stats and psychographics around Gen Y @ work, shall we?

Within the next five years, Gen Y workers will make up 40% of all American workers.
We've grown up in an era of technology and being told we can be and do anything we want to.
Gen Y'ers are filled with a sense of immediacy - we live in the here and now. We need our work to be important, enjoyable and with tangible results.
More than half of Gen Y workers prefer to work at companies that allow volunteer work to be included as an extension of their work responsibilities. We want to know we're making a difference and we want to measure it.
We're BIG on being efficient with our time (c'mon on now we have lives outside of work, right?). We're generally annoyed at the many inefficiencies we see at work and feel we're the savior to fix them all.
We're becoming more and more demanding of changing what the 9-5 day looks like. We're looking for jobs that has the options for flexible hours, macro-management, and work from home opportunity (atleast for a couple days during the week).
Our biggest complaint? That companies don't let us plug in our laptops, cell phones, Blackberrys (aka Crackberrys) and of course, our iPods into their networks. The inability to do so basically means we can't exist at work. We need our mobile technology as much as the older generations needs their 8 cups of coffee in a day.

We may not seem to be paying attention. But we really are. We're masters of multi-tasking!

Is there anything we missed that you'd like to add? Comment below!

Source: Boston Herald, Deloitte Survey, Lowell’s Concours Institute
Photo Credits: Hendimion, Delgoff