Project Cornerstone hosted 900 people at the Fairmont hotel for it's 5th Annual Asset Champions breakfast. Radio personalilty Nurse Rona Renner served as keynote, with San Jose Police Chief Rob Davis and Gunderson High School senior Misha served as emcees.
The coffee was flowing and mood was lively for an early morning event. Kaiser Permanente's Education Theatre Program provided entertainment with a vignette from their award winning traveling group which teaches kids how to avoid peer pressure, make good decisions about their health and improve their neighborhoods.
Most importantly, Project Cornerstone honored several individuals and groups for their stellar work to ensure that young people thrive. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
Community Vales Youth: City of Milpitas Youth Program Team
Caring School Climate - Elementary School: Forest Hill School
Caring SChool Climate- Middle School: Union Middle School
Caring School Climate - High School: Ann Sobrato High School
Positive Peer Influence - Daniel Katz
Positive Cultural Identity - Alum Rock Counseling Center
Adult Role Model - So"o Poumele, Catholic Charities Washington United Youth Center
I started out as a art history major in college. I was always fascinated by art and the art world, but my mother discouraged me from becoming a starving artist. sigh! Probably best since I really didn't have any artist talent. Instead, I started my career in the non profit world. Funny, huh? Regardless, the fine folks at the Arts Council are hosting a roundtable discussion to encourage people to think seriously about a career in the arts. Silicon Valley is notorious for our high tech expertise. Wouldn't it be great to also be synonymous with a vibrant arts scene and incubator for arts management talent? Check out the event here.
This event is put together by Silicon Valley Emerging Leaders for the Arts. Creative Conversations are local gatherings of emerging leaders in communities across the country and are part of a grassroots movement to elevate the profile of arts in America during National Arts and Humanities Month every October. To learn more about creative conversations in other communities across the country, visit the Americans for the Arts website.
The details about next week's San Jose program:
Do you currently work in the arts? Are you interested in pursuing a career in the arts? Have you always wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of an arts organization? Well this is your chance. This event involves a series of roundtable discussions that will enable you to talk with established arts leaders and find out what it takes to work in arts management, what to expect and explore the different career paths you can take in the arts.
Hear from eight established local arts leaders through two, 30-minute roundtable discussions in the following careers: Executive Director, Development Director, Artistic/Program Director or Curator, and Marketing Director and get a chance meet and share ideas with other future arts leaders.
Navigating a Career in the Arts:
A Conversation with Local Arts Leaders
A Creative Conversation Hosted by Silicon Valley Emerging Leaders in the Arts
When: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Where: San Jose Repertory Theatre, Rehearsal Hall
Time: 5-7PM
Cost: FREE Space is limited.
To RSVP, please send an email to jrussell@artscouncil.org by Friday, October 5.
Current List of Panelists:
Executive Director
Jeffry Walker, Executive Director, Community School of Music & Arts; Cathy Kimball, Executive Director, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art;
Marketing/Communications Director
Lee Kopp, Director of Marketing and Publicity, Ballet San Jose;
Shannon McDonnell, Marketing Manager, San Francisco Symphony;
Development Director
Anne Holmes, Director of Development, TheatreWorks;
Monika Churchill, Director of Development, San Jose Repertory Theatre;
Artistic Director
Chike Nwoffiah, Executive & Artistic Director, Oriki Theater;
Elisa Marie Alvarado, Artistic Director, Teatro Vision.
More often than not, I get pegged as the office tech support. Let me be clear, just because I know how to "bold" does not mean that I deserve that title. However, there is a conference for those of us that do revel in discussing what techonology can do to change the world and also want to get our inner-geek on. I think this is particularly useful for us in the non profit sector, as we can often find low-cost or free tools at these meet ups. One big complaint, I hear often is that web developers never create stuff that works for our sector. Well, this is a great opportunity to hear about what is coming up and maybe leave your two cents about what would help us do our jobs better.
A Women's Tech (un)conference is being held on October 22-23 in Mountain View, CA. Sign up here.
The She's Geeky (un)conference will provide an agenda-free and friendly environment for women who not only care about building technology that is useful for people, but who also want to encourage more women to get involved.
It is designed to provide women who self-identify as geeky and who are engaged in various technology-focused disciplines with a gathering space in which they can exchange skills and discuss ideas and form community across and within disciplines.
"U.S. Army Photo", number 163-12-62. Left: Patsy Simmers, holding ENIAC board Next: Mrs. Gail Taylor, holding EDVAC board Next: Mrs. Milly Beck, holding ORDVAC board Right: Mrs. Norma Stec, holding BRLESC-I board
Yesterday, the Knight Foundation announced a $3.5 million dollar investment in San Jose. Awarded to 1st Act Silicon Valley, this challenge grant is intended to help local leaders develop capacity and structure for local arts and culture organizations. Click here to read the press release.
I’ve been intrigued by this group since last summer, as they presented to the San Jose City Council a vision for downtown. It was inventive and ground breaking. The short sighted council’s response, “Great, but show me the money!” Well the folks at 1st Act now have the money and will hopefully leverage this to pull others into the fold - obviously no small task. However, choosing Connie Martinez, former Exectuive Director of the award winning Children's Discovery Museum as the efforts Managing Director, showcases their saavy and powerhouse line up of supporters.
As a San Jose resident, who frequents downtown, I am excited to hear of the things to come. It is certainly long over due. Forcing arts organizations to squabble over crumbs is just bad practice. If we expect to harness the Valley’s creativity to bring us into another golden age, then we should be doing what we can to incubate the arts and programs that encourage us all to think differently.
Once I figure out how to help, I’m there and hope some of you will join me. Thank you Knight Foundation for believing San Jose!
Download 2007_KnightFdnPressRelease-1.pdf
A place to showcase some of Silicon Valley's most innovative non profit organizations and what is happening in the Valley as it pertains to community development, youth development and issues that affect the community where we live, work, and raise our children.
Click here to learn more about us.
