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Did you know that procrastination is opposite behavior of holding yourself accountable? Think about it. When you have things on your To-Do list and you know it’s there but you still haven’t made an effort to get it done; that’s because of the lack of accountability. By definition accountable means (of a person, organization, or institution) required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
In other words, you’re not getting certain things done because you’re not taking yourself seriously. When you truly want to accomplish something, you do what it takes to get there. When you don’t, you’re either being extremely lazy or you’re simply lacking accountability.
Accountability can come in many forms, but here’s a few tips on hold to hold yourself more accountable:
Get a Accountability Partner
Accountability partners are people who can literally hold you accountable for your actions. They can be a friend, a teacher, a boss, or even a mentor. Accountability partners are great when looking to accomplish a task. They can discuss and help you plan out your action goals. After doing so, they can then check in on you frequently to make sure you’re doing what needs to be done. Because of this, you will have a higher success rate with your tasks. Find a partner or hire one.
Use Your Calendar
Put a date on your goals and get it done. Look at your calendar everyday on every occasion. Whether the task is big or small, it can be added to the calendar and crossed off when complete. This feels good and subconsciously promotes more task success.
Honesty
None of these tips are going to work without honesty. You can’t expect to move forward in anything without figuring out what you really want and where you truly are. No matter how good or bad you’re doing in regards to a particular thing, being honest is where to start. There will be no progress where dishonest lies. So be true to yourself. It’s the only way to measure your success.
Around 9PM on Saturday, October 2nd, an 11-year-old was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting. Her 5-year-old sister was also wounded and taken to the hospital. The incident happened in the Sherman Park neighborhood in northwest Milwaukee, according to Milwaukee Police Department.
The girls were in the car with family when a vehicle pulled up alongside them and shots rang out, police said.
According to WISN, a family member immediately drove the wounded children to the District 7 police, where officers and firefighters from the Milwaukee Fire Department performed first aid.
According to ABCNEWS, the girls were taken to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, where the 11-year-old died from her injuries, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner told ABC affiliate station WISN in Milwaukee. Police said the younger girl was in stable condition.
A relative immediately drove the wounded children to the District 7 police precinct several blocks away, where officers and firefighters from the Milwaukee Fire Department performed first aid, according to WISN.
The names of the children were not immediately released. No arrests have been made and police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect.
The shooting marked the 148th homicide in Milwaukee this year, according to a database on homicides compiled by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. At least 22 of the homicide victims this year have been children 18 years old or younger, according to the newspaper.
This information is extremely sickening. It’s heartbreaking to know our kids are dying like this nearly every week. Who could do this and why? How do we stop this from happening? What do we do, Milwaukee?
By Roger Caldwell, NNPA Newswire Contributor
There is a pervasive sickness in America, and it is called White supremacy, and systemic racism. These ideologies are invisible, and many Americans now believe that success has nothing to do with the color of an individual’s skin. Discrimination no longer exists, and everyone has the same opportunities.
It is very easy to get caught in this frame of mind, because you can look at the millions of people of color, who are a success in one generation. Instead of challenging and fighting racism, they put the blame on the person.
On many different levels people of color are advancing, and there is much to be proud of. There are now more children of color being born, than White children each year, and White people are concerned with their existence.
“White supremacy or White supremacism is the belief that White people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of White power and privilege. White supremacy has roots in the now discredited doctrine of scientific racism, and was a key justification for colonialism,” states Wikipedia.
The Democrats would want Americans to think that in 2021, only Republicans are the only party that is racist, but racism is systemic and institutionalized. When White folks get together, there are always the Black jokes, and the jokes about how fast Black men can run.
Many would think that Black jokes are harmless, and they would never say them in front of their Black friends, but sometimes other words slip out. There is something fundamentally different about being born White, and more doors are opened, from the start.
Some call it “White privilege” and it is a benefit that is enjoyed by all White folks, and it does not matter if you are a Democrat or Republican. There is a cultural thread that runs through the society, and Whites take advantage of all these benefits. White privilege is an aspect of White power, and all White people have the ability to pull out their White power card.
History in America has demonstrated that White citizens will make war, and justifying horrific atrocities against Black people, including lynching. Even after slavery was abolished, there was still lynching, and many today believe police brutality is still connected to the history of lynching. There were 3436 people lynched from 1889 to 1932, and the majority was Black people, according to publisher Ida Wells.
As Black Americans look to the past for answers, Ida Wells was always very vocal in her campaigns to stop lynching and racial violence against her community. When her newspaper was published, she risked being lynched, and her office was burned to the ground.
She was determined to make a change, and in 2021, Black Americans must agree on a Black Agenda to make significant change. When White supremacy and racism shows its ugly face, it is important that the community is prepared to fight.
In 16 states, White supremacy is fighting to disenfranchise Blacks and people of color. Everyone and it does not matter your color, should be fighting to uphold voting rights. All these organizations should take a page from Ida Wells, and become the loudest voice in the room. We must be more vocal, and racial justice and change must be a part of every conversation.
Intimidation never stopped Ida Wells from getting up in the morning, to do what is right, and it cannot stop us from winning in 2021. Our ancestors have shown us the way, and it is time to come together and start a Black, people of color movement for change.
The color of your skin makes you Black, and All Black Lives Matter, and we must change America, and next the world.
Durham, NC – A unique opportunity has been created for HBCU students interested in covering or working in the automobile industry from a media, marketing, and business perspective. Dubbed The Driving Force (TDF), founding members of the Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG) recruited 15 scholars to participate in the 10-week, virtual, field internship, which incorporates mentoring sessions, writing classes, video and photography production, and media courses.
“We are excited that Stellantis and the Black Automotive Media Group have engaged with NCCU students in providing this unique opportunity,” said Keisha Williams, director of marketing/communications NCCU School of Business. “The exposure to industry received through this experience will be of great significance to both their professional and academic lives.”
TDF evolved following discussions between automakers and BAMG relating to increased programming for deserving but often neglected schools. While those conversations began to improve the diversity and inclusion of African American journalists covering the industry, an idea presented itself to help prepare the next generation of automotive media professionals. With four HBCU and auto manufacturer partnerships established, this fall’s collaboration connects Stellantis with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) enrollees from the School of Business and the Department of Mass Communications.
“Possibilities! When BAMG visited NCCU’s campus to present our students with new possibilities and career development choices, they responded with eagerness and enthusiasm,” stated Brett Chambers, lecturer, Department of Mass Communication. “Correspondingly, they now have a keen understanding of the power of networking, so I look forward to this internship representing productive efforts for all parties involved.”
In its second year, TDF will expose interns to careers as journalists, videographers, marketers, publicists, digital media associates, and social media influencers within the auto industry. Students will showcase their work on various platforms during the program, including vehicle evaluations, video advertising projects, and content creation and hosting. They will also liaise with automotive executives from Stellantis and companies that support the industry, from Turtle Wax and Bose to JBL and Michelin.
“An important part of our longstanding, enterprise-wide commitment to diversity and inclusion is our investment in diverse people and communities sharing our success and expanding access to future opportunities,” said Lottie Holland, Director – Diversity, Inclusion, Engagement and EEO Compliance, Stellantis – North America. “We are excited to collaborate with the Black Automotive Media Group and North Carolina Central University to expand awareness of future career opportunities in the automotive industry for talented young people.”
TDF is led by respected media experts Kimatni D. Rawlins, publisher of Automotive Rhythms Communications, Greg Morrison from Bumper2Bumpertv, auto expert Marcus Amick, and an array of Black automotive media journalists and publishers.
“Our collaboration with Stellantis and North Carolina Central University marks the 4th diversity-focused and academic program for BAMG that allows us to extend new pathways to HBCU students,” stated BAMG founding member Kimatni D. Rawlins. “An internship with automaker Jaguar 25 years ago deeply influenced my decisions, ultimately leading to comprehensive experience and an extensive automotive career. Thus, creating similar opportunities for African American interns with a strong interest in this field represents another opportunity to uplift our kids.”
Greg Morrison, a Lincoln University alumnus whose 52-year career in the industry with media outlets such as CNN, NBC, The Black Family Channel, and others, said, “This brings my career full circle. Many events in our country led to the awareness that Blacks are underrepresented in many industries, and BAMGis proud to have created the synergy between the auto industry, HBCUs, and student media hopefuls.”
About Stellantis
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world’s leading automakers and a mobility provider, guided by a clear vision to offer freedom of movement with distinctive, affordable and reliable mobility solutions. In addition to the Group’s rich heritage and broad geographic presence, its greatest strengths lie in its sustainable performance, depth of experience and the wide-ranging talents of employees working around the globe. Stellantis will leverage its broad and iconic brand portfolio, which was founded by visionaries who infused the brands with passion and a competitive spirit that speaks to employees and customers alike. Stellantis aspires to become the greatest, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders, as well as the communities in which it operates.
About North Carolina Central University: School of Business
The School of Business delivers high impact undergraduate and graduate business education programs through innovative teaching, relevant scholarship, and academic service learning. NCCU School of Business offers programs of study leading to Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting, Business Administration (with concentrations in Management, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Financial Analytics, General Business, and Human Resource Management), Information Technology (Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Computer Information Systems), and Hospitality and Tourism Administration (face to face and online program). The School offers the MBA and joint graduate degrees with other programs on campus, including the MBA/JD (with the School of Law) and the MBA/MIS (with the School of Library and Information Sciences). Five MBA concentrations were added inclusive of Marketing, Data Analytics, Hospitality and Tourism, Real Estate and Wealth Management. A new business school facility is under construction with anticipated completion in 2022.
About the Black Automotive Media Group
The BAMG is a distinguished group of Black reporters, publishers, writers, and entrepreneurs representing over 200 years of combined experience in automotive journalism within radio, television, print, experiential marketing, and social media. BAMG members either work for or own various automotive media platforms targeting diverse audiences. BAMG’s primary objective is to bring equity and equality to Black professionals who work in and around the automotive industry. For additional details regarding The Driving Force HBCU internship program, please visit AutomotiveRhythms.com.
By C.C. Campbell-Rock, The Louisiana Weekly Contributing Writer
Louisiana native Terence O. Blanchard is the first Black artist to debut an original Opera at the famous Metropolitan Opera House. “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” is based on the memoir of Charles M. Blow, another Black Louisianan.
Blow is a Best-Selling Author, New York Times columnist, CNN Contributor, and the host of Prime with Charles M. Blow on the Black News Network.
“Fire Shut Up in My Bones” tells about a young man’s journey to overcome a lifetime of trauma and hardship. The opera follows Charles through his adolescence and ultimately leads to a fateful moment: when he must decide whether to break free from his trauma and begin to rebuild his life.
“Terence Blanchard’s ‘Fire Shut Up in My Bones’ is the first work by a Black composer to be presented at the Met. Based on Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir of the same name and featuring a libretto by Kasi Lemmons, the new staging is co-directed by James Robinson and Camille A. Brown. Brown, who is also the production’s choreographer, becomes the first Black director to create a mainstage Met production. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a stellar cast, led by Will Liverman as Charles, Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta, and Latonia Moore as Billie,” according to the Met’s press release.
“I had no idea I was the first Black to have an opera at the Met,” Blanchard said in the “Creative Forces Behind Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” “It’s an overwhelming, huge honor, but I know I’m not the first qualified to do it,” Blanchard, a New Orleans native, adds.
Blanchard, 59, began playing piano by the age of 5, switched to trumpet three years later, and played alongside childhood friend Wynton Marsalis in summer band camps.
Blow marvels at the Met’s embrace of his memoir. “I’m still that little boy from a nowhere place in the world. For the Met to say it’s grand enough is truly an honor.
Charles McRay Blow, 51, is a native of Gibsland, Louisiana. Gibsland is a town of 563 residents in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. The city is best known for its connecting railroads, the birthplace of Coleman College, and the nearby capture in 1934 of the bandits Bonnie and Clyde.
Senior VP at Harper-Collins, Jonathan Burnham, describes Blow’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” as a psychological thriller. During a public discussion about the memoir, Burnham questioned Blow about his motivation for writing the book.
“The title comes from the Bible,” Blow explains. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not hold back.”
At age 7, Blow was sexually assaulted by a cousin, Chester. Blow didn’t tell anyone about it. He struggled with the trauma Chester caused. As a young man, Blow had to accept that what happened wasn’t his fault. He also had to deal with confusion over his sexual identity.
The memoir opens with 20-year-old Charles sitting in a car, holding a gun, and deciding whether to kill his abuser. “To me Chester was the devil,” he adds.
He credits the self-sufficiency he learned watching successful Black professionals in a segregated community thrive while owning property, growing their own food, and leading institutions. Blow, like his mother, is a “super survivor.”
Blow came out as bisexual in 2014 upon the publication of “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” memoir. He is the divorced father of three adult children.
Blow survived the trauma, graduated magnum cum laude from Grambling University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications, and became an award-winning graphic designer, journalist, author, father and husband.
“With an expansive body of work, including the scores for numerous Spike Lee films and an extensive discography, 2018 USA Fellow and six-time Grammy-winning trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements concerning painful American tragedies. He studied jazz at Rutgers University and was invited to play with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in 1982. Following a string of collaborative recordings, he released his first self-titled solo album on Columbia Records in 1991. In 2015, he released his first album with his jazz quintet E-Collective, and most recently, the ensemble collaborated with the Turtle Island Quartet for a new album, Absence, that released in 2021 on the Blue Note label. He was nominated for Academy Awards for his original scores for the films ‘BlacKkKlansman’ in 2019 and ‘Da 5 Bloods’ in 2021. In 2013, his first Opera, ‘Champion,’ had its world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and six years later, that same company premiered his ‘Fire Shut Up in My Bones,’” according to the Met.
Opening Night of the 2021–22 season, will be a historic occasion – the Met’s first performance of an opera by a Black composer. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Grammy Award-winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir, which The New York Times praised after its 2019 world premiere at Opera. Theatre of Saint Louis as “bold and affecting” and “subtly powerful.”
Featuring a libretto by Filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” is about a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship.
James Robinson and Camille A. Brown – two of the creators of the Met’s sensational recent production of Porgy and Bess – co-direct this new staging; Brown, who is also the production’s choreographer, becomes the first Black director to create a mainstage Met production.
“Baritone Will Liverman, one of opera’s most exciting young artists, stars as Charles, alongside sopranos Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta and Latonia Moore as Billie,” the Met reported.
“I want to make sure the people whose shoulders I’m standing on will be proud. My hope and dream is to have some little kids come up knowing they can overcome and succeed in life.”
“Terence is a genius. When this is over, I will have a soundtrack to my life written by Terence Blanchard,” Blow said gleefully.
“Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” a two-hour, forty-minute Opera, opens on Wednesday, September 27, 2021, and runs through October 23, 2021. metopera.org.
Statement of Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs
September 30, 2021
I could not be more proud of Tonda Thompson, local entrepreneur, community advocate and founder of the HaRunBee Walk/Run for Healthy Birth Outcomes kick-off event during Bronzeville Week, who will be a guest on the Kelly Clarkson Show that airs today at 3 p.m. on TMJ4.
Tonda is truly a jack of all trades and her recent venture, She Slangs Wood that will be featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show, encourages people to be self-sufficient and confident through woodworking.
During the pandemic Tonda turned to woodworking as a way to heal and cope. She shares that she was first introduced to woodworking as a high school student at what is now Bradley Tech, and has since been able to turn that introductory class into a business, and proving that anyone, regardless of their circumstances, can turn a passion and interest into something more.
Her commitment to the community is truly unmatched, and I cannot wait for Tonda to use her woodworking skills to rehab a building in Harambee that will house her studio, retail space for her woodworking and offices for her other nonprofit ventures. Anyone interested in learning more should visit https://valorcreativecollective.com/
I would encourage everyone to tune into the Kelly Clarkson Show later today to hear more about Tonda’s story.
By Tammy Boyd and Dr. Michael Knight
Congress may soon enact a historic expansion of Medicare benefits to include services like dental, vision, and hearing. For millions of seniors, access to these services will be life changing.
But a critical issue is missing from the conversation around Medicare expansion, with serious consequences for millions of Americans nation’s health. Congress must also prioritize care for obesity, a national epidemic, dire health equity issue, and leading comorbidity for serious cases of COVID-19.
Not only does obesity impact 1-in-3 Americans, it also takes a disproportionate toll on communities of color since almost half of Black Americans are living with obesity. Obesity is also a leading risk factor for COVID-19; 78% of people who were hospitalized, placed on a ventilator, or died from the pandemic were overweight or living with obesity. And we know that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts Black and Latino communities, who are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized for severe cases of COVID-19 than whites.
In short, obesity is a life-or-death issue, but Medicare restrictions on obesity care perpetuate outdated, dangerous, and, frankly, discriminatory laws that disenfranchise millions of Americans and block access to safe and effective treatment options.
Many people don’t know that when Medicare Part D was first passed in 2003, the nation wrongly viewed obesity as a chosen lifestyle. In the intervening years, the medical community caught up with the science and in 2013, the American Medical Association took the historic step of designating obesity as a disease requiring treatment and medical attention.
Despite this decision, Medicare rules remain dangerously out of step. Today, obesity care is on a short list of excluded drug categories, including hair loss drugs, erectile dysfunction medication, and cold and flu treatments. These categories were meant to exclude cosmetic or traditionally over-the-counter treatments when Part D was passed, yet instead they deny people life-saving obesity care, with far-reaching health implications on Black and Latinx communities.
Along with intensive behavioral therapy, studies show that anti-obesity medications lead to clinically meaningful weight loss of up to 15%. Without action from policymakers, patients will not have access to these new therapies, since weight loss medications are rarely prescribed to eligible patients. As COVID-19 worsens, this lack of access to the full continuum of care for obesity puts our entire community at increased risk from the pandemic, especially communities of color.
Congress must, and can, take action to right this injustice. Obesity care must be part of the conversation around Medicare expansion, including in the ongoing negotiations around budget reconciliation.
The solution is simple, since legislation already exists to fix this problem: The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide the full continuum of care and relief for the many seniors living with obesity, making their lives safer and healthier. As part of a new nationwide Obesity Care Now campaign, an effort by 25+ obesity care advocacy groups, including the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the YMCA, and others, we are leading the fight to modernize policies and actively working with Congress to provide obesity care, save lives, and pass TROA now.
As lifelong advocates for healthy Black communities, this issue is personal. Over the past 18 months, we have seen friends, family, and community members impacted by obesity and the pandemic. Now, with the rising Delta variant, the threat is only getting worse. We cannot address all of the pandemic related issues affecting the Black community, but we can take action to provide obesity care now to those in need.
Tammy Boyd is the Chief Policy Officer & Senior Counsel for Black Women’s Health Imperative. She leads the strategic policy and government affairs direction for the organization.
Dr. Michael Knight is board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine, and practices clinically at the GW Medical Faculty Associates in Washington, D.C.
The Sherman Phoenix shopping mall located on 36th and Fond Du Lac has always been a dream come true for the urban community. It’s one of a kind in the sense that everything inside of it is Black Owned. From the wonderful barbershops, to the restaurants and even a beauty salon, there’s literally no limit to what can be found inside of this great establishment.
Amongst all of those businesses, there is one that truly stands out. Queen’s Closet MKE. Known to be owned by the non profit Grateful Girls, Inc., this establishment not only offers an amazing line of used and new clothing, but also does its part in giving back to the community. It does so in the way of donating all of it’s proceeds to the aforementioned non profit, to which was created to help provide young women who were once at risk for sex trafficking a place to hone new skills as well as acting as a mentorship.
With an amazing selection of purses, clothes, shoes and boots, (as seen in pictures below) this boutique is highly recommended as a place to shop! So, if you’re ever in the area and decide to stop inside of the Sherman Phoenix mall, please give the Queen’s Closet a visit. You won’t be sorry that you did.
The demands on your time can be overwhelming – and yet instead of easing up, they keep coming as seemingly everyone has a request.
Maybe it’s an organization that needs volunteers for an upcoming event – yet again. Perhaps it’s your boss, who comes to you first because you always pitch in while others beg out of additional assignments. Or it could be a close friend who needs a favor, another favor and yet another favor
Your to-do list is already filled to overflowing, but guilt sets in whenever you try to utter the simple word “no.”
“Say the word anyway if commitments are stacking up and another one is going to just add to your stress,” says Andi Simon (www.andisimon.com), a corporate anthropologist, founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants, and author of Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business.
Simon says it’s worth noting that you aren’t the only one who has trouble saying no. In a review of research on the subject, social psychologist Vanessa K. Bohns wrote that “many people agree to things – even things they would prefer not to do – simply to avoid the considerable discomfort of saying ‘no.’ ”
Bohns further wrote that refusing to take no for an answer is a good strategy on the requester’s part because research showed that people “found it just as uncomfortable – seemingly more so – to refuse someone a second time.”
Simon recently participated in a roundtable discussion about the difficulties of saying no, especially to people who have come to expect that you will always say yes. The stories people told proved jarring.
One woman provided pro-bono support to a non-profit that needed assistance with its website.
“She kept thinking that her project was completed, but they kept asking for ‘just one more change,’ ” Simon says. “Finally, she had to say no and they were very angry at her.”
Simon says another participant turned away a potential client because she did not think she could provide the support that was needed. But she was dealing with someone who did not want to take no for an answer. Ultimately, she stuck with her no, but both she and the potential client ended up with a bad feeling about their relationship.
A third participant was a leader of a group in his company, Simon says. At times he had to take what others thought were good ideas and say, “No, that isn’t a good idea.”
“He had no way to say that diplomatically and ended up being labeled as a boss who wasn’t creative or innovative,” Simon says. “He felt he was managing within the limits he had available to bring new ideas to market.”
Sometimes yes may indeed be the correct response, Simon says, but the ability to set boundaries and say no is important. She says some things worth knowing about saying no include:
It’s essential that you take care of you. Sure, it’s nice to help others when you can, but saying yes even when you long to say no can result in people expecting they can always turn to you – and that becomes overwhelming after awhile. “The challenge with expectation management is just that,” Simon says. “How do we manage expectations so we protect our own ‘brand’ and our identity, retain our respect and that of others, and still show people why their desires are not ones you are going to fulfill their way. Is it bad to take care of you?”
Saying no doesn’t mean you’re a bad person who can’t be counted on. Don’t let the discomfort caused by saying no force you into doing something you prefer not to do, Simon says. “It isn’t terrible to find yourself saying to someone, ‘I’m sorry, I simply cannot do that by the time you would like me to,’ ” she says. “It’s not a problem and once you do it you will just begin to say no more often. Just pick carefully the requests you agree to and those you turn down.”
Everyone needs time for themselves. Most people realize it’s important to use their time wisely, but part of using it wisely is to set aside quiet time for yourself, Simon says. That’s difficult to do if you’re acquiescing to every request that comes in via email, text message or someone knocking on your office door. “Quiet lets the brain stop moving for a moment and it really works well,” Simon says.
“You can only do so much,” Simon says. “It’s important to keep in mind that ‘no’ is not a four-letter word.”
About Andi Simon
Andi Simon, Ph.D. (www.andisimon.com), author of Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, is an international leader in the emerging field of corporate anthropology and founder and CEO of Simon Associates Management Consultants (www.simonassociates.net). A trained practitioner in Blue Ocean Strategy®, Simon has conducted over 400 workshops and speeches on the topic as well as consulted with a wide range of clients across the globe. She also is the author of the award-winning book On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights. Simon has a successful podcast, On the Brink with Andi Simon, that has more than 125,000 monthly listeners, and is ranked among the top 20 Futurist podcasts and top 200 business podcasts for entrepreneurs. In addition, Global Advisory Experts named Simons’ firm the Corporate Anthropology Consultancy Firm of the Year in New York – 2020. She has been on Good Morning America and Bloomberg, and is widely published in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Business Week, Becker’s, and American Banker, among others. She has been a guest blogger for Forbes.com, Huffington Post, and Fierce Health.