Pivots

Here we are, at the end. Listen to this introspective with host Kenneth Brown Jr as he looks back at what he has learned while doing his project and gives some words of his own. 

In this episode we cover, 

• Kenneth provides a definition of "pivoting" (3:09)
• The ways the pandemic has forced us to be vulnerable (12:28)
• The power of being connected in and out of sectors (17:20)
• The words our guests have shared  (25:20)
• Words from Kenneth (29:10)
• Kenneth's next moves (30:55)

Special thanks to Indiana University Bloomington for allowing us to use their fight song "Indiana, Our Indiana"

The Full Series Lineup. Check out each episode on our show page! 

• Maggie Kane of A Place at The Table
• Kristine Sloan of Leadership Triangle
• Maddy Starr, Paige Wilson, Gaby Jimenez of The Intersect Conference
• Ernest Dollar of the City of Raleigh Museum
• Eric Dorfman of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences
• Sandi Macdonald of the NC Symphony
• Rob Shields of ReCity Network
• Paul Atkinson of The Fletcher Academy, A School of Achievement
• Amber Smith of Activate Good
• Brandy Bynum Dawson of the NC Rural Center
• Laura Collins; incoming AJ Fletcher Fellow

Just like the Boyz II Men hit classic, we are coming to the end of our road. It's part one of a farewell and it begins with an introduction to the new A.J. Fletcher Fellow. Everyone, meet Laura. 

In this episode we cover:

• Taking Lessons from the pandemic without romanticizing it (3:00)
• Laura's Interest in History (8:19)
• What is a Pivot? (13:19)
• Laura on why she accepted the fellowship (18:14)
• Feel your feelings and then move (26:37)

As mentioned in the episode, click the link below to hear Laura share more about her senior thesis: Moderating History: North Carolina's Public Schools and Home-based History Education in the Black Community. 1915 to the present.

 Laura's Thesis

About Laura: Laura Collins is the 2021-2023 A.J. Fletcher Foundation Fellow. She is a graduate of Davidson College with a degree in History.

Note: The North Carolina Justice Center is a grantee of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation

It’s been said repeatedly that we are living in historic times but how can historic times help us navigate this one. For that, we turned to Ernest Dollar, Executive Director of the City of Raleigh and Pope House Museum so we can learn more about what history can tell us now and how it can help us move forward. 

In this episode, we cover…

• Ernest’s definition of a pivot (3:42)
• The role of history museums post-pandemic (8:00)
• “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes” (13:06)
• Can the end of the 1918 pandemic inform us on how this one will end? (22:06)
• “History has taught me that ‘it too shall pass.” (24:27)

About Ernest: Ernest Dollar is a triangle native and has spent most of his work in the history museum field since his first director job in 2001 at the Orange County Historical Museum in Hillsborough. He serves as the Executive Director of the City of Raleigh and Pope House Museum

Links

• Learn More about the City of Raleigh Museum 
• Learn more about the Pope House Museum 
• Article on Ernest Dollar from Walter Magazine

Follow the City of Raleigh Museum on Facebook (City of Raleigh Museum), Twitter (@CORMuseumFriend), and Instagram (@cormuseumfriends)

Related Podcast Episode: Our conversation with Eric Dorfman, Director/CEO of NC Museum of Natural Sciences included a bit about where he sees the future of Natural History Museums. He even edited a book about it. 

As we seem to make a slow exit out of the pandemic, collaboration within and across sectors will be required for the world for the future. It will also be required for positive change within our communities. We talked with Rob Shields, founding Executive Director of the ReCity Network, which is working to be Durham’s social impact hub. ReCity works to bring nonprofits, public entities, and businesses together to figure out how to tackle some of Durham's biggest challenges.

In this episode, we cover…

• Rob’s definition of a pivot (3:08)
• The role of “proximity” in their work (10:19 & 20:02)
• Justice as “retributive and restorative” (28:25)
• “Who owns stuff” (35:41)
• “Redemption is possible for our communities” (40:00)

Links:

• Learn More About Rob 
• Learn More About The ReCity Network
• Tune into the JUST Podcast 
• ReCity Blog Article: Stronger Together: How to Help in the face of COVID-19 

Follow the ReCity Network on Facebook (ReCity Network), Twitter & Instagram (@recitynetwork)

This pandemic has not only been a masterclass in leadership but also helping people to figure out how to truly take care of themselves and honor their humanness. There’s a nice intersection that I chatted about with Kristine Sloan, Executive Director of Leadership Triangle

In this episode, we cover…

• Kristine starting a new role during one of the pandemic surges (2:45)
• Kristine’s definition of a pivot (8:10)
• adrienne maree brown and paying attention to the small  (9:45)
•  "Good facilitation helps groups of people do their best thinking" and I think a lot about leadership in that way. (14:30)
• Kristine’s first protest (22:12)
• The long view and short view of time (27:43)

Links

• Learn More About Kristine
• Learn More About Leadership Triangle
• Leadership Triangle’s Blog
• Emergent Strategies: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

Follow Leadership Triangle on Facebook (Leadership Triangle), Twitter (@LeadershipTri), and Instagram (@leadershiptriangle)

The North Carolina Rural Center identified that out of the 100 counties in the state, 80 of them (80%) are classified as rural. A whole different world away from NC’s more urban areas but they add so much to our character. We wanted to learn more about the challenges they faced during the pandemic and their strengths so listen to this energizing chat with Brandy Bynum Dawson, senior director of policy and advocacy for the NC Rural Center.

In this episode, we cover…

• Brandy’s definition of a pivot (3:08)
• How the pandemic has expanded the audience of the NC Rural Center (6:12)
• Our roots in North Carolina Rural communities (17:56)
• What Brandy hopes to see when she looks out of her window in the future? (22:10)

Links

1. Learn More About Brandy
2. Learn More about the Rural Counts Program
3. https://www.ncruralcenter.org/
4. NC Rural Center  Advocacy Page
5. Sign Up for the Rural Counts Newsletter
6. Follow the Rural Center on Facebook (NC Rural Center), Twitter(@NCural Center), and Instagram (@theruralcenter)

We're back with new voices of leaders from Durham Raleigh, and Rural NC telling the stories of how they have pivoted, what they have been learning, and what they are looking forward to post-pandemic. Buckle up because it's going to be an amazing ride!

The pandemic upended a lot of things in education. Classes online. No sporting events. Masks and distancing. It has been tough for students, teachers, staff, and families. It has got us thinking about how education can be different and how we can best support our students. We chatted with Dr. Paul Atkinson, Head of School for The Fletcher Academy- A School of Achievement. The Fletcher Academy (TFA) is a school for students with learning differences. The effects of the pandemic aren't ideal for TFA's model. I talked with Paul about what has pivoting looked like and what he has been learning this year.

*The A.J. Fletcher Foundation is a significant supporter of The Fletcher Academy.*

Website: https://tfaraleigh.org/

There are lots of things I have been missing. One thing is the arts. Attending a play or a concert. Seeing haze slowly fill the room, people taking their seats, the artists getting ready. These spaces have been empty and quiet. Such the case for the North Carolina Symphony who has had to pivot the offerings online but guided by their mission, they are making sure that the show still goes on. We talk to Sandi Macdonald, President & CEO, of the NC Symphony about what pivoting has looked like for them and what this time means for art and cultural organizations.

Website: https://www.ncsymphony.org/

Social Media: @ncsymphony

North Carolina Symphony Youtube Channel

The Intersect Conference not only had to pivot to being a virtual conference but also served as a mechanism for a larger pivot of how do we re-imagining our new world. The Intersect Conference is a diversity and leadership conference at Elon University and this year's theme was "enVISIONing a new way." Pretty timely. I sat down with Gaby Jimenez, Paige Wilson, and Maddy Starr, the directors of the conference, and talked about what pivoting looked like for them and what they are envisioning. 

Simon Sinek Ted Talk: How great leaders inspire action.

Elon Intersect

Social Media: @Elon_Intersect