Social Enterprise SOULutions
My educational and professional background have taught me that despite decades of efforts to reform education and billions of dollars of expenditures, the harsh reality is that America – and many other countries – is still failing to prepare millions of people – particularly those from underrepresented communities – to lead healthy, prosperous lives as adults. Evidence of this failure is everywhere particularly in the dropout epidemic that plagues high schools and colleges, poor investments in preparation and compensation strategies for educators who in turn experience burnout and leave the profession where classrooms become overcrowded and even more students are left behind, and it can also be seen in unemployment rates not experienced since the Great Depression. Truthfully, the list of tragedies with our education system can go on well beyond the points I’ve raised here.
Given these realities, I took an unpaid sabbatical and the biggest leap of faith to completely commit myself to “being the change I want to see.” I have spent hours and the last few years exploring how I might design a broadened range of high-quality pathways that are offered to modern learners. My vision includes an emphasis on unmatched, paid, experiential learning environments that take place around the world, as well as a push for more tools that prepare learners and modern educators for social entrepreneurship, global relations and inclusivity, and compassionate leadership with an emphasis on personal well-being as I firmly believe that is the catalyst to social impact and moving humanity forward.
I am inspired by and have been on Zoom and WhatsApp calls all hours of the day and night introducing myself and building relationships with the “Pillars of the Village” – the creative leaders and strategic thinkers from all over the globe who possess a vision and commitment to innovation, particularly as it relates to new avenues to educational attainment and expanding economic opportunities for those who have been historically under-resourced and underrepresented in schools, communities, the workplace and society.
I am confident that this chapter in our history is about intentional collaboration, exploration, and documentation. We’re being presented with an opportunity to collectively experiment with approaches to adequately equip people with the relevant content, enriching environments, and the dedicated time to practice what’s essential to thrive in a post-pandemic society. But let’s be clear, this is not the sole responsibility of the teacher or those in the education profession – it’s going to take a village. It’s well beyond time we commit to reimagining the future of education. Journey with me!
The Road Ahead:
To kick start this mission, I assessed my skills, experiences, and passions that would be essential for me to use in my next chapter. This time of reflection guided me to found ZENtertainment™ Enterprises – a boutique, black woman-owned entertainment experience consultancy serving a roster of handpicked, social impact-minded clients from a variety of essential industries worldwide.
While I’m no stranger to much of the work that I’m pursuing during this professional pivot, the agency specifically enables fun, offers practical solutions, and ensures radical change for causes, businesses and brands seeking fresh and relevant approaches to amplify their story and more efficiently connect with the people that matter most to their success – their teams and customers. Champions of purposeful collaboration, experiential, project-based learning, and economic development, ZENtertainment™ operates as a social enterprise that provides career seekers and modern learners opportunities to work on client projects as a vehicle to advance their knowledge and skills in essential industries and high wage trades of the future.
For more information, to explore collaboration, or other inquiries, visit ZENtertainment Enterprises. Please know there’s SOOO much more to do AND share with you…Please, BARE With Me!
Ready, set, soon!