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Check out Carolina Hoyos' Artwork
Today we'd like to introduce you to Carolina Hoyos.
Carolina, we'd love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I am a first generation Peruvian Quechua-Inca Afro-Latina. I was born in Washington, DC, and spent my childhood between Virginia and Baltimore. I've lived in NYC, San Francisco and Montgomery, Alabama, but LA is my home.
I'm very vocal about creating more space for equality in the world. I come from a line of philanthropist women and was taught early on that I could contribute my art as a way to uplift my community.
We'd love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I write and act for stage and film and release records as singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist, A Girl I Know.
I also write and perform with improv and sketch comedy troupes around Los Angeles, and I'm in development to direct a couple of film and television projects I've written.
I create and perform as a way of communicating. I see art as language, and I consider music to be my first. I started playing the piano when I was two years old before I could really speak English or Spanish clearly. My need to create is often born out of a need to find release – often due to trauma – where I find a way to express what I'm going through. I rely on so many artistic mediums and have collected so many instruments to never feel stagnant and always find inspiration, kind of like a playground of toy instruments where it's not about sounding good–it's about getting out a feeling. That being said, expressing trauma doesn't make my work all sad. I perform with a couple of comedy troupes where a lot of my work is celebrating the good inside the bad. And if it's something I'm cast in, there is an inevitable reason I need that project at that point in my life to learn a lesson about myself and find a deeper connection to the world we're living in.
A recent project I was cast in opened the door to singing in Spanish, and I loved it so much. Now I sing half my set in Spanish and will release Spanish language music this year. One of my goals is to learn Quechua, to connect more deeply to my Native roots. I also want to write my next album in Quechua.
Ultimately, in all that I create, I want people to see themselves. Growing up without proper representation in media created many roadblocks in my development. I want to eliminate that feeling for others and have them stand up and celebrate their heritage. If my work inspires others to create their own art or even just to stay out of trouble, then my job is done.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Grade school arts programs have suffered, and vital early life exposure to the arts is limited, creating more of a need for outside non-profit organizations to pick up the pieces. Organizations like Chicas Rockeras SELA are taking it even further with their annual band camp. I'd love to see more of that.
The new digital market has made it easier for artists to create work more affordably and you don't really have to wait for anyone to give you the green light. But in today's world, you need to know so many aspects of the business in order to cut through and find stability from your work. It's a lot of work to be the best artist you can be while also being the best marketer you can be. You have to really want it to devote so much of your life to it. It really can't be just a hobby if you want this to be your Full-Time thing. You are more likely to get struck by lightning. You could hire a team, but there are no guarantees that the team will produce any results and that money would have been better spent creating more ways to drum up your own buzz.
Writing for private funding grants and applying for creative fellowships to further a career in the arts, once you have a portfolio, is also a great avenue. We have the lowest per capita public arts spending, which is a shame, but there are other avenues. There is a method to the madness of applying and it is very similar to the marketing arm I mentioned above. It's a skill you have to work to get good at. Local non-profits could offer more grant writing seminars and emphasize their importance in the field to give artists a crucial leg up in the field.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Come see a live show. I perform sketch comedy with Dad Jeans every third Friday of the month at ACME Noho. I'm singing my original songs at Yarmar Celebration at Haramokngna Cultural Center in late April. I'm also singing in an experimental opera called Sweet Land at L.A. Dance Project Studios in early May.
And Lift up authentic stories from people of color by liking, commenting and sharing our stories–all that social media good stuff. Watch Too Old To Die Young on June 14th on Amazon Prime and when you see me, shout me out from the rooftops! (of social media) 😉
Website: http://CarolinaHoyos.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/agirliknow/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/agirliknow/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/agirliknowmusic
Other: https://linktr.ee/agirliknow
Omar Cano


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'Party Of Five' Cast: Where Are They Now?
Neve Campbell played the oldest sister "Julia Salinger". With the help of her role in Party of Five she was able to get her big breakthrough. Campbell moved on to star in a variety of Movies and TV Shows.
The "Party of Five" cast
The Fox Network produced the series Party of Five between 1994 and 2000. The series consisted of 6 seasons and 142 episodes in total. The plot was simple: the "Salinger" siblings have to fend for themselves after their parents pass away in a horrific and deadly car crash. The show won a Golden Globe in 1996.
November 14, 2019 - 10:21 / Lisa Winder
Party of Five ran on FOX between 1994 and 2000. The series consisted of 6 seasons and 142 episodes in total.
Party Of Five Cast: Where Are They Now?
The plot was simple: the "Salinger" siblings have to fend for themselves after their parents pass away in a horrific and deadly car crash. The show won a Golden Globe in 1996.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Life Groups can be ''the Life and Soul of the Party'' – The Party being the church family.
A church runs successfully on the strength of the relationships between its members and those who attend the church's meetings.
The normal Sunday morning service, while very important for Worship and Bible Teaching, doesn't tick all the boxes as far as developing relationships are concerned. Sitting in rows and looking at the back of someone's head is not nearly as effective as the face to face encounter that is possible when meeting in the informality of someone's home.
There are many benefits that can be enjoyed in Life Groups.
If you are not already part of a Life Group why not sign in now. Talk to the Pastor or one of the Life Group Leaders and find out more.
There is more information on the church Notice Board.


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Anne Gottlieb
Anne Gottlieb is the Director of Presence Work for Mobius Executive leadership. She is an actor, collaborative artist, writer and teacher and has developed a bold approach translating 2+ decades of work in professional theatre into programs for Fortune 500 companies, global leaders and innovators.
Anne consults a broad range of corporate clients and has coached many executives on high-stakes presentations, TED Talks and keynote speeches. Her work with groups uses literature, movement, song and poetry to support freedom of impulse and expression through voice, body and imagination.
Anne has trained and performed in the U.S and Europe extensively in acting, voice, movement and performance, appearing in over 60 professional productions. She is the recipient of an Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Performance and has received several Independent Reviewers of New England Awards. She has trained extensively in voice dialogue and the psychology of selves and explores presence through open-ended inquiry and meditation through the Diamond Approach.
Currently, she is writing and devising two new works for the stage, teaches on the international faculty for the Michael Chekhov Association and is a resident scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University. Her speaking appearances include Angelina Grimke's groundbreaking speech of 1838 at the "How Women Become Political" event in Boston featuring Gloria Steinem, TEDxYouth in San Diego and The Georgetown Leadership Conference.
Related Practitioners
Corine Anders
Jay O'Callahan
Diana Theodores
Catherine Mullally


Westcott 5" Titanium Non-Stick Scissor with Microtip - Pink is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 1.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Anonymous from 5 " Wescott Titanium Scissors I am a second grade teacher. I use these frequently and find them extremely comfortable for cutting. Even though, they are small, the handles fits just right on my thumb and finger. They are sharp, light and very attractive. Mine are gray and yellow and I've owned them for 2 years. Love, love my scissors!


Indonesia saw little human rights progress in 2008. Basic freedoms in the country expanded dramatically following the resignation of President Suharto in 1998, transforming Indonesia from an authoritarian state to a vibrant if chaotic democracy. Today, there is a loss of momentum, with reforms in key areas bogged down and backtracking in some areas.
Apart from halting progress in prosecutions for the murder of prominent activist Munir Said Thalib, efforts to pursue accountability for past human rights crimes remain at a complete standstill. Current abuses, including endemic police torture, also routinely go unpunished.
In a major setback for religious freedom, the government in 2008 bowed to pressure from hard-line Islamic groups and banned the Ahmadiyah sect from publicly practicing their faith.
Indonesia has a diverse and lively media sector, but freedom of expression has been undermined by powerful officials and businessmen using criminal and civil defamation laws to silence criticism.
In Indonesian Papua, deeply rooted distrust of Jakarta is still a time bomb; failure to address human rights-including security force abuses-is one important reason the distrust has not been dispelled.
Former president Suharto died in January 2008 having escaped prosecution for abuses committed during his 32-year rule. The list of abuses is extensive, and includes anticommunist pogroms that killed half a million or more people in 1965-1966, security force atrocities in East Timor, Aceh, southern Sumatra, and Papua, and the Trisakti and Semanggi killings in Jakarta in 1998-1999. Many collaborators in Suharto-era abuses still hold positions of power. Several are candidates for the forthcoming 2009 elections, including General Wiranto and Suharto's son-in-law Prabowo Subianto, implicated in abuses in East Timor and other crimes.
In March 2008 the Indonesian Supreme Court overturned the conviction of former militia leader Eurico Guterres for instigating violence following the 1999 UN-sponsored referendum on independence for East Timor. Indonesian-army-backed militias killed hundreds of Timorese and destroyed much of East Timor's physical infrastructure. With the reversal of the conviction, all 18 people indicted by the Indonesian Ad Hoc Human Rights Court on East Timor have been acquitted.
The Indonesian and Timorese joint Commission on Truth and Friendship released its final report in July 2008 assigning institutional responsibility for the 1999 atrocities to the Indonesian military, police, and government. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged accountability, but President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono insisted that no such action would be taken.
In August a military court convicted 13 marines for killing four civilians and wounding eight in a 2007 incident involving a land dispute in Pasuruan, East Java. The marines received light sentences of 18 months to three-and-a-half years.
Also in August, a US court ruled that a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil for alleged complicity in military abuses in Aceh could proceed to trial.
Efforts to end Indonesian military business activity, a barrier to full civilian control of the armed forces, showed few results in 2008. An April presidential decree created a new advisory team on military business reform but it remained unclear whether the government would fully dismantle the military's economic interests before October 2009 as mandated by law.
While the government has focused on legal businesses, military involvement in illegal businesses, including in the logging and oil palm sector, also continues to feed corruption and generate conflicts of interest.
In June 2008 the government ordered members of the Ahmadiyah sect to cease public religious activities or face up to five years' imprisonment. In the weeks following the decree, Muslim hardliners attacked Ahmadiyah mosques in Cianjur, West Java, and Islamic Defenders Front members closed the local Ahmadiyah headquarters in Makassar, South Sulawesi. In September the South Sumatra provincial government issued a total ban on Ahmadiyah, claiming the ministerial decree did not go far enough.
In January 2008 a mob burnt down the Sangkareang Hindu temple in West Lombok and in July, Muslim hardliners attacked students at a Christian theology school in East Jakarta, injuring 18 and forcing the school to shut its 20-year-old campus.
In April, Abdul Salam, the self-proclaimed prophet and founder of the Islamic sect Al-Qiyadah Al-Islamiyah, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for "blasphemy." Indonesian laws prohibiting blasphemy are primarily applied to practices perceived to deviate from mainstream Islam.
Approximately two million Indonesians, mostly women, work abroad. Many migrate as domestic workers and are subject to a range of human rights violations (see Saudi Arabia and Malaysia chapters). Prior to departure, poorly monitored labor recruiters often deceive workers about their jobs abroad and impose excessive fees, placing the migrants at risk of trafficking and forced labor.
Many Indonesian foreign missions in the Persian Gulf and Asia operate temporary shelters for the thousands of domestic workers facing abuses each year. Despite recent improvements, foreign missions often fall short of meeting minimum requirements including in the areas of shelter, case management, and legal representation.
More than 700,000 children, mainly girls, work as domestic workers in Indonesia. Typically recruited between the ages of 12 and 15, often on false promises of decent wages and working conditions, they may work 14 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, earning far less than the prevailing minimum wage. In the worst cases, child domestic workers are paid no salary at all and are physically, sexually, and psychologically abused.
Domestic workers are excluded from existing national labor laws, which afford protections such as minimum wage, an eight-hour work day, weekly day of rest, and vacation time. At this writing, draft national legislation that would mandate an eight-hour work day, a weekly day of rest, and an annual holiday for domestic workers remained stalled in the Ministry of Manpower.
Six political parties in Aceh will take part in general elections in 2009. All party candidates must take a Quran reading test administered by Aceh's election commission, which discriminates against qualified secular or non-Muslim Acehnese.
There remains no accountability for past human rights violations committed during or after the Aceh conflict and there has been no movement toward establishing a truth and reconciliation commission.
Despite dozens of Indonesian government statements pledging a new approach in Papua and positive developments on some fronts, justice has noticeably lagged.Security forces, including special Mobile Brigade (Brimob) police units, continue to engage in abuses in remote highland regions with virtual impunity.
Freedom of expression also continues to be corralled. In March police jailed nine Papuan activists for displaying the Papuan "Morning Star" flag. They remain in detention charged with rebellion (makar), a crime punishable by life imprisonment. In July police assaulted 46 protesters and charged six with rebellion for raising the Morning Star flag in Fakfak, West Papua. In August police fired live ammunition into a crowd, killing a peaceful demonstrator after protesters raised the Morning Star flag in Wamena.
After a 14-month hiatus, Indonesia resumed executions in June 2008, killing two Nigerians convicted of drug trafficking. In July and August four Indonesians convicted of multiple murders were executed. In November, authorities executed Amrozi, Mukhlas, and Imam Samudra, convicted for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.Over 100 people remain on death row in Indonesia.
In April 2008, the House of Representatives passed a freedom of information law after seven years of debate. Critics are concerned with a vaguely worded provision criminalizing "deliberate misuse" of public information.
Criminal and civil defamation laws continue to be used to silence press criticism. In February 2008, Time Magazine submitted a petition to reverse the $US110 million libel ruling against it in favor of the Suharto family. In September a Jakarta court found Indonesia's Tempo magazine guilty of defaming agribusiness giant Asian Agri for an investigative report on alleged tax evasion. In June 2008 a court convicted and jailed Risang Bima Wijaya, a Yogyakarta-based reporter, for an article on sexual harassment ruled to have insulted the manager of a local newspaper.
In January 2008 the Supreme Court reconvicted Garuda Airways pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, and sentenced him to 20 years in prison for the 2004 murder of human rights defender Munir Said Thalib. An Indonesian court sentenced Indra Setiawan, a former airline official, to one year in prison for being an accessory.Reinvigorated police investigations uncovered key evidence linking Muchdi Purwopranjono-a former general, special forces commander, and deputy national intelligence chief-with Pollycarpus and the murder of Munir.
In a January 2008 report on Indonesia, Hina Jilani, UN expert on human rights defenders, concluded that defenders in Papua are particularly vulnerable to threats, harassment, arbitrary detention, and torture. She also noted that while conditions for defenders in Aceh have improved since the 2005 peace agreement, no perpetrators have been brought to justice for abuses committed against defenders there between 2001 and 2005.
United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Indonesia in February 2008 offering increased military assistance to the Indonesian military. The US military has not resumed cooperation with Kopassus (special forces) and Brimob (antiriot police), units notorious for rights abuses.
Forty members of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to Yudhoyono in July 2008, requesting the release of Papuan political prisoners Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage.
Relations between Indonesia and Australia were strengthened through the June 2008 visit of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Rudd and Indonesian President Yudhoyono discussed security cooperation and signed a joint Forest Carbon Partnership agreement, but Indonesia's commitment to curbing deforestation remained in doubt with corruption rampant in the forestry section and inadequate timber and financial tracking systems.
In April 2008 the UN Human Rights Council examined Indonesia's human rights record as part of the new Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Concerns put to Indonesia during the UPR dialogue included continuing impunity, torture, arrests, detention of peaceful political activists, and human rights violations in Papua.Indonesia made no clear commitments to address ongoing violations in Papua, but it agreed to criminalize torture and ratify the Optional Protocol of the Convention against Torture.
In May 2008 the UN Committee against Torture issued findings that both police and military routinely use torture; it expressed concern that no Indonesian official has been convicted of the offense.
As a key ASEAN member, Indonesia continues to press Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi. Indonesia played a pivotal role in ASEAN efforts to convince Burma to lift a ban on foreign assistance following the devastating Cyclone Nargis in May.
In October Indonesia's Parliament ratified the ASEAN Charter, but lawmakers and officials said they would press for future changes to strengthen its compliance with international standards and establish penalties for non-compliant members.
In September 2008 the Norwegian government abandoned its US$1 billion investment in Rio Tinto over concerns with unethical conduct and environmental devastation at the Grasberg gold and copper mine in Papua.


Internet users have edited Pepe the frog to resemble people and creatures varying from President Donald Trump to a unicorn. In May 2016, Twitter trolls tricked a journalist for The Daily Beast into writing a piece claiming that individuals had met up for drinks and plotted morphing the over decade-old meme into a symbol for white nationalism, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Nearly three years later, in their email about an unedited Pepe appearing on campus, Yamamura and the co-authors added that every person on campus should have a place "to study and work that is free of bigotry and discrimination." In order to accomplish that goal, the FLC president and co-authors of the email encouraged students to report any additional paraphernalia of a "hateful or bigoted nature" to staff or faculty. In the statement, Yamamura also provided an email and personal phone number to the college's Equity Officer.
The college president and the other campus leaders also discussed the importance of providing a safe environment for students, staff, and faculty, but at the same time preserving students' right to free speech.
Google: Let's do Evil. It's Official: This Is Straight out of Orwell's 1984..


David Berg has been an attorney for more than four decades, becoming an internationally renowned specialist in white-collar crimes. But as he became more successful legally, he found himself reflecting more on the death of his brother, which occurred when he was a fledgeling Houston attorney in 1968. Alan Berg was killed, according to David, by Charles Harrelson (the father of Woody Harrelson) but never convicted.
David revisited the events leading up to the murder in his non-fiction book, "Run, Brother, Run," which received very favorable reviews by the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, NPR, and others. He also dropped by SHSU to discuss the book and the murder with SHSU faculty, staff, students, and local citizens.
Berg mixed his presentation with a discussion of crime, law, family relationships, and boom days of Houston, Texas, providing substance for everyone in the audience. Many in the crowd had their own recollections of Harrelson, who spent time in Trinity and Huntsville (in and out of prison). Eventually, Harrelson was convicted of murdering Judge John Wood in San Antonio in 1979. It was the first assassination of a federal judge in the 20th century.
…and, of course, signing books.
Today was the second day of the 2014 Film & History Conference. As yesterday, the featured panels were many, and the titles all appeared to be interesting topics. What appealed to me the most was a panel titled "Jimmy Stewart for president and Ronald Reagan for best friend: Star Image and Political Campaigning," by Amit Patel. Amit began his presentation by introducing Ronald Reagan's initial career as a B movie star. In fact, he starred in low-budget films such as Love is on the Air and Santa Fe Trail. In 1942, the film Kings Row finally gave him some recognition as a movie "star." Interestingly, Reagan was initially a Democrat, but later switched to the Republican party. In 1976, he embarked in a campaign for the Republican presidential nomination against incumbent Gerald Ford. Amit focused on Ronald Reagan's use of Jimmy Stewart in his campaign. In fact, Stewart strongly supported Reagan, and even participated in a political ad were he stated that Ronald Reagan was his friend, therefore, the American public should vote for him. Reagan lost the nomination, but campaigned again in 1980, and became president. I thought it was an interesting panel because a candidate's image is probably the most important thing during a campaign, and if the candidate was a known public figure beforehand then that plays in his favor. In addition, the use of famous actors or public figures to support a political candidate is common nowadays, and it is interesting that it was used in Reagan's campaign, too.
After attending the Film & History Conference, in the morning, we headed to the Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison.
A tour guide showed us the most important features of the Capitol, and shared the details of its construction. What interested me most was that Madison had previously had other two state capitols, but they both burned down. The second time around, the Capitol had recently discontinued its fire insurance, so the state did not have enough money to rebuild it. Ingeniously, the state had the idea to tax railroads that were passing through Wisconsin at the time, and with that revenue, they rebuilt the Capitol between 1906 and 1917. The architecture of the capitol is mesmerizing, featuring marble from many different countries, such as Greece, Italy, France, and Germany, as well as some beautiful mosaics.
Perhaps most interesting, the capitol staff apparently have a very liberal speech code in the building. Numerous exhibits were posted around the capitol rotunda protesting the performance of Governor Scott Walker, and one impressively vocal protester's shouts could be heard throughout the building.
After the tour, we decided to go to the observation deck at the top of the building, and experienced true cold for the first time on our trip.
The winds were so strong that it was hard even to close the door behind us. Nonetheless, it was worth it because the view was beautiful.
Leaving the Capitol, we took a stroll in the brisk Wisconsin air to find ourselves some nourishing lunch. We finally settled on Marigold's, a local deli, where we reveled in the many options available. Among the delights we delved into were lavender white mocha and grilled ham and cheese with a hint of strawberry jelly. Packed with locals, Marigold's was definitely a winner.
Out into the invigorating weather we went again to make our way to another of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces, the Monona Terrace. Opened in 1997, the Terrace was built posthumously and served as the cause of much strife and contention during his career. Using Wright's design of the exterior, Wisconsin contractor J. J. Findorff and Son Inc. carried out the great architect's dream, while his previous apprentice, Anthony Puttnam, designed the interior.
Once inside Madison's event center, we explored the gift shop full of Wright memorabilia before embarking on a tour with guide, John.
Pointing out certain Wrightian things, such as the dome on the west side of the building and the arches in the grand ballroom, John proved to be a formidable docent as he never ran out of interesting facts and stories to regale. Braving the gusty winds, we had the chance to view Lake Monona, which Monona Terrace balances precariously over, thanks to the intricacies of Wright's design.
Awed by the view and many selfies taken, we headed inside to embrace the warmth it offered and finish our tour.
Seeing it was getting late, we rushed back to the car in order to make it to a few last minute shops, original to Madison. Among those, we re-caffeinated and browsed a wonderful cheese boutique, Fomagination. Overwhelmed by the many options and tastes, we took in Wisconsin's finest and tried to contain our enthusiasm at all that was available. It was incredibly exciting to see so many things unavailable in the great state of Texas. We loaded up on cheeses and cheese accessories before tumbling back into the car to begin the final leg of our trip.
We admired the beautiful fall landscape of Wisconsin; the rolling hills and deep yellows, greens, and reds created the perfect ambiance for our drive to Dubuque, Iowa. There, we enjoyed the Fenelon Place Elevator, or Dubuque Incline, claimed to be the shortest and steepest railroad in the world.
…up we went on the side of the hill to eventually reach one of the most inspiring views of the trip so far. Known as "the magic hour" in film circles, we caught the sun setting on the horizon, creating beautiful red and orange tones in the sky and on the trees off in the distance.
Proud to say we had viewed three states at once (Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin) from the top of the incline, we got back in the cable car built in 1882 to return to our vehicle and carry on to the next leg of the journey.
After a short drive, we arrived at our final destinations: The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and the Des Moines capitol building. The 4.4-acre sculpture garden is unique and home to 28 sculptures from 22 different artists. Various paved paths provided a route for us to take through the garden, however, curiosity and the lure of new art, propelled us forward.
Many of the sculptures were created by artists that were foreign to us, however, one sculpture in particular provided us with the comfort of familiarity: Painted Steel by Mark Di Suvero. Di Suvero also has an art piece called "Proverb" in Dallas, Texas, which we were able to relate to. "Painted Steel" was made out of steel and painted in the same red that "Proverb" is painted. Both statues have similar characteristics, but varying dimensions and structure.
Another interesting sculpture that we saw was, "Back of Snowman (Black)" and "Back of Snowman (White)." These sculptures were created by artist Gary Hume and were located side-by-side in the middle of the park and held a spectacular gleam given off from the surrounding lights. Each of the statues consisted of two round pieces of bronze covered in enamel, one in white enamel and one in black. These statues were especially appealing because each round piece of bronze was perfectly symmetrical and smooth, giving the piece a unique trait of looking seamlessly perfect.
The last sculpture that really caught our eye and our interest was "The Thinker on a Rocky" created by Barry Flanagan. This piece was a large rabbit sitting upon a boulder in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker." The piece was clearly a satire on Rodin's famous statue, which only added to its appeal!
While the statue garden was a fantastic experience, we had to continue our night and head to the Des Moines capitol building. The Renaissance style capitol, designed by John Cochrane and Fred Piquenard, was absolutely stunning! The capitol building featured a 23 carat gold dome in the middle of the building and was accompanied by two smaller domes on either side of the building. The capitol took expansive resources and large amounts of time to build and open to the public. The building took fifteen years and a staggering amount of $2,873,294.59 to complete. On June 29,1886, the capitol was ready to be open for use!
Both the capitol and the sculpture garden trips were the perfect ending to day five of the trip!
Over a two-day period, students with the Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics (LEAP) heard from some of the brightest minds around. Mayors Annise Parker (Houston) and Harry LaRosiliere (Plano) talked local government with Councilmembers Bill Spelman (Austin) and Jungus Jordan (Fort Worth); Representative Larry Gonzalez talked the state legislature with Senator John Whitmire; and a host of policy experts explored corrections, privacy, human resources, public administration, and health care. The conference was presented by Governing Magazine, and the discussions served to trumpet many of the "best practices" used by government leaders across the country. Below, the students who attended discuss the panel each found most interesting.
This panel featured Brian Anderson (Information Security Officer at Texas A&M-San Antonio), Bill Bott (Consulting Partner, Change & Innovation Agency), and Jerry Madden, for the Representative in the Texas Legislature; and the moderator, Dustin Haisler (Governing Magazine). These men discussed the difficulties that public officials have of evaluating their own programs, a fact compounded by concerns about privacy and even foreign espionage. They also discussed some interesting new technologies (e.g., an app that points drivers to empty parking spots) that could make governance more efficient and customer oriented.
In this panel, Senator John Whitmire and Representative Larry Gonzales had a free-wheeling and far-ranging discussion of issues facing Texas: crime, transportation, mental health, and education.
This was probably the most invigorating of the discussions, with the experts on the stage being given time to explore fully various alternatives. Nothing was off the table. How about an income tax? How about legalizing marijuana? The panel didn't necessarily try to answer some of those questions, but they raised a number of intriguing possibilities, offering discussions that lingered with us beyond the conference.
Although many of these programs have been published elsewhere, the panelists offered interesting twists. Joyce Wilson, for example, noted that it was difficult for many employees to pay for tuition up front and wait to be reimbursed. She suggested that companies bear the up-front costs rather than reimbursing employees. Moreover, all of the panelists noted that, in addition to offering specific benefits to individuals, the proposals also had community-wide salutary effects. Flex-time and work-at-home opportunities, for example, not only provide flexibility to employees, but these policies also cut down on traffic and pollution. Leave programs for mothers and fathers promote strong and stable families. Tuition programs promote greater productivity and employee self-actualization. And so on.
Although the panel was specific to HR strategies, it offered an example of strong approaches to build a stronger organization across all departments.
This panel took a more macro look at the workforce, discussing the outlook on Texas employment. The panelists were well qualified, featuring Betty Harvey (Manager, Texas Workforce Development, Fort Worth Chamber), Alan Miller (Executive Director, Workforce Solutions Capital Area Workforce Board), Bill Purcell (former Mayor of Nashville and lawyer at Jones, Hawkins, and Farmer), and Dr. Mark Funkhouser moderating (Publisher of Governing Magazine and former Mayor of Kansas City).
Any discussion of future employment opportunities has to involve in training and education, and these panelists covered these topics thoroughly. One interesting problem that was broached by an audience member was the issue of Texas's large prison population. Texas prisons hold more than 150,000 people, the largest prison population in the United States. Accordingly, there is also a large population of ex-inmates, and even more relevant, many people convicted of lesser crimes who were not actually sent to prison. These previous convictions are huge impediments to gaining employment. Some former offenders go through extensive training programs (many of them state funded), only to find that they cannot be licensed in their field with a conviction. The result is a triple loss: (1) the prospective employee remains unemployed, (2) taxpayers have spent thousands of dollars on training to no avail, and (3) the prospective employee is often left dependent on other forms of public assistance.
The panel suggested that criminal histories should be contextualized more fully, giving more ex-offenders the opportunity to gain employment, when appropriate. The program was not only enlightening, but it was also important because it illuminates how public officials can gain knowledge and sympathy to the plights encountered by those who are most affected by public policy.
As a citizen who grew up in Harris County, I expected a great speech from Sheriff Adrian Garcia–and he delivered. He did an excellent job with his closing remarks, tying together the themes of previous speakers and providing an inspirational coda to the day's panels.
Echoing the sentiments of previous speakers, Sheriff Garcia noted the importance of electing officials who truly care about citizens. Slick candidates may be able to appeal more effectively to voters, but the day-to-day governing activities require dedicated and devoted public servants. Similarly, Garcia reiterated the importance of community institutions such as family, non-profits, and public-private partnerships ("P3s"). Garcia drew on his personal experiences and background to illuminate the different factors that led to his success, and it provided a microcosm for community success. Like Sheriff Garcia, I am a first-generation American, the youngest child in my family, and–like Sheriff Garcia–I hope to be a successful public figure in the United States while also honoring my Mexican-American heritage.
The conference was a wonderful learning opportunities for us, and we are grateful to Governing Magazine for this opportunity. In addition to hearing from the panelists, we had numerous opportunities to speak with professionals from across the state. This is a wonderful program for current professionals and a great opportunity for aspiring professionals, and we are grateful to both Governing and SHSU for providing this opportunity for us.
Our final day involved presentations by national figures from the campaign world as well as our own presentations of our hypothetical campaigns. Compared to previous years, Sunday's day was longer, giving us more time to work on our campaigns and to present them to our panel of judges. To cap the weekend off, we were treated to a mini-job fair, with representatives from ten or so state campaigns on hand to accept applications.
Joycelyn—Our fourth day in Austin was filled with a mixture of emotions. Some of us were anxious about presenting our mock campaigns, a fact exacerbated by the fact that we had still work to do. We did, however, get up early, grabbed our most professional suits, and headed to the Belo Center for New Media.
Following our presentations, we retired to a "reflection room," where we shared experiences, goals, and tribulations, while also discussing people who had influenced us in the field of civic engagement.
At the end of the Campaign Bootcamp, awards were handed out to outstanding groups. Makeeba's group won first place in overall presentation. Although I was not part of her groups, I was very glad she and her group were recognized. After all, I knew she had worked very hard. Lastly, we also had the opportunity to exchange business cards with campaign recruiters.
The Campaign Bootcamp was a wonderful opportunity to have hands-on experience in many aspects of the political campaign process. Over my four years at SHSU (I graduated in May) I learned an immense amount of information in class, but I've also learned extensively by practicing what has been taught to us.
Makeebba—Today's session was pretty intense. Our first session over research, which was pretty interesting, but a difficult one for us given that we were focused on our presentations. Following lunch, we had additional time to prepare for our presentations.
We only had six members on our team (compared to other teams, which had eight), so we had a bit of double duty. But things came together about thirty minutes before "game time," and things worked! Our team won! I was very pleased, and I learned a whole lot about not only campaigning, but also about life. I can apply these skills that I've learned to almost any job or to life situations.
Lupe—The last day of campaign bootcamp consisted of one last workshop over research, along with group presentations, followed by tips on job opportunities. At crunch time, we were given the scoop on how to find last-minute facts, data, and other information on the opponent.
We used a vast array of public sources to find information that could be useful to our candidate, and we spent about an hour to get with our group and put the final touches on our campaign.
Feeling confident about my team and our hard work we waited for our time to shine. Unfortunately we ran out of time during our presentation! Our team had an amazing introduction and opening segments, but they ran a bit long. Still, we received honorable mention for our field plan, and I was very proud of that.
Following presentations, our mentors gave us on tips on how to be involved and potential careers in campaigning. We also had a mini-job fair, with many campaign representatives present and advertising opportunities that were available.
I gained a wonderful experience of working in a team with strangers, putting aside our different views, and working together as a team.
All—It was a wonderful four-day program. It's hard to believe that we began it on Thursday night by watching "The Foreigner," and following it the next day with a tour of the Bob Bullock Museum. The three-days of presentations, hands-on learning, and exposure to students from across the state was a formative experience. It encouraged professional growth, broadened horizons, and provided a lot of fun!
"The goal of the CIA is to learn other nations' secrets," noted General Michael Hayden, and he should know. Hayden was the Director of both the CIA (2006-2009) and the National Security Agency (1999-2005) and, most recently, a "guest lecturer" to a group SHSU students who traveled to Houston, Texas to learn more about intelligence operations. The lecture, hosted by the World Affairs Council, covered wiretapping, prioritizing threats, presidential performance, and balancing work and family.The most pressing question from students focused on wiretapping, a topic that General Hayden seemed to anticipate. Hayden ensured students that the government did not record their calls, but acknowledged that the government did document the calls, taking note of who called whom and how long each call lasted—logging, as General Hayden referred to it, some 3 billion "phone events" per day.
This massive data collection comes in handy when other information falls into place. Hayden provided the example of the government capturing "Ali Bin Badguy" and confiscating "Mr. Badguy's" phone which, in turn, allows them to locate his calls off the "phone-event" database and identify other potential terrorist connections. Hayden emphasized, however, that the government did not record calls made by citizens, at least not without a warrant.
Brian King, a senior at SHSU, moved away from policy issues altogether and asked about the personal life of a CIA employee. "How," asked King, "do you balance a family while running the CIA?" Hayden acknowledged the difficulties but said that he and his wife took "vacations together and traveled together for work," unless he was heading into a war zone, in which case he traveled alone.
The opportunity to interact directly with General Hayden was coordinated between the World Affairs Council and SHSU's Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics (LEAP), which promotes learning across diverse disciplines. In the past month, students have met the former President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon; discussed career paths with a half dozen Texas legislators; and attended a presentation by former Senior Advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod; met former White House Chief of Staff Andy Card—while also attending law-school related activities and engaging in volunteer service across the community.