"They're both old. But..."

[View this email in your browser]( Michael’s Monday Motivation We don't get Yesterday Back so Live for Today. It's a phrase that is on my mind and spirit, that I share with our Team regularly. From attending a Homegoing of a loved one gone too soon to then celebrating my Goddaughter's Sweet 16, last week reminded me again that life can change in a second. I wrote something during my Freshman Emerging Leaders Program in 2001: Dear God, may today be my greatest day. Greater than the great day I had a day before. But, my goal has not been met, unless Tomorrow is the greatest of them all. Let me revise slightly. Make TODAY your Greatest Day. Tomorrow isn't promised, and, we don't get Yesterday Back! Michael Blake joined "The Weekend" this past Saturday on MSNBC to counter the age narrative about President Biden, focus on how to excite voters and announced the KAIROS: DEMOCRACY PROJECT. [Watch Here]( Together, we can secure a brighter future for all Americans. [Support the KAIROS DEMOCRACY PROJECT to mobilize]( [Communities of Color around Issues and Democracy.]( KAIROS: DEMOCRACY PROJECT exists to promote social welfare and civic betterment by mobilizing and engaging Communities of Color and Young Adults through Issue Advocacy and awareness on the impact of safeguarding our Democracy on their everyday lives. [Donate Now]( Celebrate the Birth of W. E. B. Du Bois [The W. E. B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy]( will be hosting a pre-birthday reception in honor of Du Bois on Thursday, February 22nd at 5:30pm at Saint James Place in The Berkshires. - Meet our new Executive Director, Ny Whitaker - Learn about our upcoming "Reflections on Democracy" programming for 2024 featuring Visiting Democracy Scholar, Michael Blake - See design concepts for The Center's future home - the revitalized Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Barrington, MA The W. E. B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy (dba, the Du Bois Freedom Center) is dedicated to educating the public about the life and legacy of civil rights pioneer and NAACP co-founder, W. E. B. Du Bois. Our 501c3 organization is restoring the historic Clinton A. M. E. Zion Church in downtown Great Barrington for adaptive reuse as an African American heritage site and cultural center with museum-quality exhibits and contemporary programming. Built in 1887 by the A. M. E. Zion Society, the church was a formative influence in the life of W. E. B. Du Bois, who was born and raised in this rural New England town. The extant church, located at 9 Elm Court, served as the spiritual, cultural, and political hub of African American life in this southern Berkshire community until its closing in 2014. To support the Center’s on-going work in celebration of the rich African American history of the Berkshires, [Learn More and Support the Center]( [Black History Month 2024: Celebrate Black Excellence at these events!]( [Register Here!]( Barbershop Books recent event with the National Football League (NFL) and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (LVCCLD) was a resounding success, reaching 150 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada! We distributed over 1,000 free books, including signed copies of "Crown" by Derrick Barnes and "Supadupa Kid" by Ty Allen Jackson, and provided free haircuts. Commissioner Roger Goodell and over 20 NFL Legends were among the notable attendees who enthusiastically dived into the fun with the children! The day was filled with player-led read-alouds, Microsoft Minecraft stations, and engaging football drills, leaving lasting memories and impactful experiences for all involved. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the NFL, LVCCLD, and our Las Vegas barber partners for such an impactful event and collaboration!  Please join us in welcoming our Las Vegas barbershops to the Barbershop Books program! - 101 Barbershop* - Certified Barbershop - Expertise Barbershop - Fade ‘Em All Centennial - Masterpiece Barber School* - 5 Star Barbershop* - Certified Barbershop 2 - Expertise Cosmetology Institute - Main Campus* - Fade ‘Em All Summerlin* *NFL Inspire Change Event Participant [Read the Article]( Weekly KAIROS Conversation with Allessandra Bradley-Burns and Joe Paul Allessandra Bradley-Burns Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer DEILAB Allessandra Bradley-Burns has over 25 years of experience in leading and partnering with the public and private sector to support organizational growth, sustainability, social change and innovation. She has founded, fostered, incubated and grown local and national organizations through her leadership, management and strategic acumen. She provided leadership for the growth and expansion of Platform’s Learning Team from seed funding to a $12M rollout in 16 states within two years. At NTL, she led the product development division including ideation, creative services, manufacturing and product-to-market teams in five locations, utilizing two languages, and comprised of four cultures to launch eight new products and capturing three new market sectors. Allessandra is an expert in innovation and strategic development. She has led internal restructuring of multi-million dollars firms, from publishing to financial services. Her work has resulted in triple digit growth in new product development as well as accelerated product delivery for her clients. Her work has engaged senior leadership, staff and board members to improve KPI metrics, scale business development efforts, and increase productivity through training and systems enhancements. In addition to meeting the needs of her clients, Allessandra remains committed to service. She has served on the boards SMYAL, the advisory board for the new Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University, and as incubator for several start ups. In the past 10 years she has been a Principal at Palacio & Associates, Strategic Development and Board Advisor to the National Crime Prevention Council, taught leadership in the School of Public Affairs at American University, served as an Executive Strategist with the Calvert Foundation, and the Director of Product Development at NTL. She currently contributes to the Huffington Post, and is Managing Director with Periphery Park and Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer for DEILAB. When not helping to set the world on fire, she is home snuggling with her 6 incredible children and her very beautiful, very wise, and very funny wife. -and- Joe Paul Black Men Vote, LIBERATION Joe Paul is an innovative leader and a fervent advocate for the intersection of technology and social justice, currently steering OptimaNova AI as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer. At OptimaNova, Joe is pioneering the development of AI strategies and solutions designed to address complex societal challenges. His work is informed by a rich history of tech-driven community empowerment, building on his experiences at Byte Back where he contributed significantly to digital inclusion efforts. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Joe served as the 29th Executive Director of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and currently serves as the Executive Director of Black Men Vote, an organization dedicated to mobilizing and empowering Black men in the political process. His leadership here underscores his commitment to not only technological innovation but also to civic engagement and social equity. Joe's journey is characterized by a passion for creating pathways to opportunity through technology and advocacy, positioning him as a catalyst for change in both the tech industry and community engagement spheres. Joe is the author of “Morning Cup of Joe,” “100 Ways to Change the World,” and “AI for Good.” About Black Men Vote Black Men Vote ([www.blackmenvote.org]( is focused on empowering and mobilizing African American men to participate in the voting process, emphasizing the importance of their voices and votes in shaping policy and social change. Our organization encourages individuals to pledge to vote, representing their commitment to being active participants in democracy and advocates for issues affecting our communities. About LIBERATION "LIBERATION" is a groundbreaking virtual gallery that redefines Afrofuturism, where African and African American history is reimagined through the lens of Artificial Intelligence, presenting a vibrant celebration of Black excellence, resilience, and the boundless potential of imagination. It's a digital space where the past is revisited, futures are reenvisioned, and the narratives of Black heroes are transformed into powerful beacons of inspiration and change. See you Wednesday! Wednesday, February 21 · 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST Video call link: [( Or dial: ‪(US) +1 651-571-1259‬ PIN: ‪460 226 103‬# More phone numbers: [ Biden-Harris Administration to Kick off Fourth Investing in America Tour to Highlight How the President Is Delivering for Communities February 15, the Biden-Harris Administration will kick off its fourth Investing in America tour to highlight how Bidenomics and the President’s Investing in America agenda are growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up—not the top down. The tour will demonstrate how the President is delivering for communities across the country, including those that have been left out or overlooked. Officials across the Administration will highlight how President Biden’s investments are lowering costs for families, creating good-paying jobs, and advancing opportunity for all Americans.  Throughout the Investing in America tour, President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Cabinet members, and Senior Administration Officials will visit communities across the country where the President is cutting costs for American families, growing our clean energy economy, rebuilding our infrastructure, and creating good-paying jobs along the way. To date, the Administration has now launched over 50,000 infrastructure and clean energy projects and mobilized over $640 billion in private sector clean energy and manufacturing investments.  During the Investing in America tour, Administration officials will also call out Congressional Republicans who voted against the President’s agenda yet continue to claim credit for its transformative impact—including the jobs it’s creating and the economic growth it has spurred in their communities and across the country. While the President is busy delivering for the American people, House Republicans are fighting to give more tax cuts to wealthy and big corporations, raise costs for prescription drugs and utilities, and cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  When the tour kicks off tomorrow, the Administration will announce nearly $1 billion for airport terminal projects that will modernize airports for the 21st century—improving passenger experience, accessibility, and sustainability while creating good-paying jobs. Over the course of the tour, President Biden and Administration leaders will make major announcements made possible by the President’s Investing in America agenda, which includes the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and American Rescue Plan. The tour will also underscore how under President Biden, cities and towns across the country that have historically been left behind are making an economic comeback. A [recent report]( found that economically distressed counties are receiving a disproportionate share of the private sector investment in industries of the future targeted by the President’s agenda, including clean energy and semiconductors and electronics. This complements similar findings by the [Treasury Department](. [See Fact Sheet Here]( Democratic lawmakers are most trusted by their constituents to protect abortion rights, to make health care more affordable, and to protect democracy Big Takeaways: - Majorities of constituents trust their Democratic lawmakers most on protecting abortion rights, making health care and prescription drugs more affordable, and protecting democracy. - Two in three battleground constituents think it is likely Democrats in Congress will fight to protect a woman’s right to an abortion nationwide. [Read the Report]( Upcoming KAIROS Conversations February 28 Barbara Arnwine, Esq. Founder, Transformative Justice Coalition Save the Dates Feb 22nd-25th Festival Of The Diaspora Rio De Janeiro[RSVP]( Feb 26th & Feb 29th KAIROS & athLEDA at CIAA in Baltimore February 27th @ 7pm University of Maryland Eastern Shore where up to 255 student athletes will be present February 29th @8:30am Student Athlete Empowerment Symposium KAIROS "a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action : the opportune and decisive MOMENT" "The right or critical MOMENT" [Website icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( [YouTube icon]( [Facebook icon]( Copyright (C) 2024 Atlas Strategy Group. 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