OGTV believes: Empower Me-Empowers You.
Over 600 young people ages 15-22, and an auditorium filled with parents, teachers, bankers, business men, women, public speakers, political leaders, and Hollywood stars, convened at Essex County College in Newark New Jersey on April 30th to learn about the importance of financial literacy, test scoring practices, higher education, and positive decision making. The day-long information sharing expo conveyed to the attendees what was required to become a valued contributor to today’s work force. In the campus hallway, the event was filled with the energy of hip hop and R&B music, and exhibitor booths contributing to the day filled with invaluable information to help student’s become self confident, and their parents to make healthy, and informed decisions on college, financial management, and career choices. The OGTV team of social media experts, made this conference and future tours available to chat about online through twitter and Facebook. Social media moving forward will become an engagement tool guided by OGTV’s New Media Director, Stephanie Noble.
During the panel discussion with actresses Kim Coles, Tatyana Ali, Monique Jacksons, moderated by Gigi Dickson’s Senior Vice President and National Director of Partnerships for Wells Fargo, parents were impressed with how the young people were engaged in an adult conversation about overcoming life’s challenges, fears about the future, and how to dream big, and never to let the fear of failure or failure itself get in the way of one’s pathway to success. The presentation by the Chairperson of the Newark Chamber of Commerce gave an outstanding presentation on education, and its relationship to earning power. Each of the day long-presentations concluded with a long line of questions both by students and parents further empowering a sense of appreciation for the information exchange experience. The highlight of the day clearly was the powerful content from the presenters, and for Open Government TV and Empower Me Tour National Director of Strategic Alliance and Corporate Relations Monica McCluney, it was the historic first time ever for the UNCF-HBCU Empower Me tour engaging in social media to reach out to those not in attendance.
Stephanie Noble, OGTV’s New Media Director conducted several interviews throughout the day and gauged the expectation of the day. Wells Fargo’s Senior Vice President and Director, Gigi Dickson was quoted about the tour “this tour demonstrated the power of community, industry and public engagement” Keith Moore, Founder of OGTV says about the Tour, “Captivating an audience and incorporating empowering information is, I believe, a solution to engaging students and adults to become more educated and empowered contributors to rebuilding our economy. Focusing on advancing such programs will reduce the number of people and communities who traditionally become victims of the political whims that tend to shape the destiny of our young people’s future. One teacher said about attending the Tour, “the exciting dynamic for me personally was that this event represented a great day for the future of valuing diversity. Empowering minority youth is our best chance of ensuring that our young minority community become a prepared part of our country’s economic fabric.”
We believe that by building this bridge between industry, community, and government can help government more wisely prioritize budgets and public policy to support a greater focus on career development of our young to help restore our nation’s economy. We are encouraging all government professionals, and those who work with government, and are interested in building a better government to join the conversation on www.empowermetour.org facebook and email us at [email protected] if interested in financial support or if you are aware of government or foundation funding opportunities that will help support the 2011-2012 12 city tour starting in September 2011.
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