AHHHH! Month 12 has finally arrived and I now have the opportunity to see the culmination of my hard work. Having submitted my 23+ page Business Plan, Company Snapshot and my Business Plan Presentation Slides, I can now assemble all of the documentation for 6 Leadership Portfolio Activities. My "BIG SIX" LP Activities included involvement in the Full Sail Black Student Union (1) and MEISA (2); Volunteering for the Youth Scholarship project at the Crosby YMCA (3), Hannibal Square Heritage Center(4) Coalition for the Homeless (5) and serving as panelist for film festivals in NY, TX and FL (6). B&W photo credits: Elizabeth June as Louise in "Seven Guitars" (Khe Kikomo-photographer) & Elizabeth June as Bride in "JITTERS" (Louis Tavarez-photographer).
Under the leadership of Director CeDarian Crawford, seven actors got on the stage at the former, smaller Full Sail Live and performed a genre of the arts never before performed on Full Sail's campus: a play. CeDarian held a casting session in December 2009 and assembled a wonderful group of actors, some experienced Equity actors (ok, one such actor, ME-playing the part of Louise as pictured above with FAKE cigarette) and others who had never performed a play before, but regardless of background or resume, we did something no other group of students had ever done on Full Sail's campus. We rehearsed in our extremely capable Stage Manager's (Sade Battle) apartment. We used our own money to rent our costumes, we gave up weekends and late, late nights of our lives for two months in preparation for our Black History Month celebratory performance. There was laughter, tears and gnashing of teeth, but we got the job done. We performed Tony Award Winning August Wilson's play "Seven Guitars" and the Black Student Union will never be the same as the bar has been significantly raised.
Participating in A HISTORIC THEATRICAL Black Student Union Event:
Under the leadership of Director CeDarian Crawford, seven actors got on the stage at the former, smaller Full Sail Live and performed a genre of the arts never before performed on Full Sail's campus: a play. CeDarian held a casting session in December 2009 and assembled a wonderful group of actors, some experienced Equity actors (ok, one such actor, ME-playing the part of Louise as pictured above with FAKE cigarette) and others who had never performed a play before, but regardless of background or resume, we did something no other group of students had ever done on Full Sail's campus. We rehearsed in our extremely capable Stage Manager's (Sade Battle) apartment. We used our own money to rent our costumes, we gave up weekends and late, late nights of our lives for two months in preparation for our Black History Month celebratory performance. There was laughter, tears and gnashing of teeth, but we got the job done. We performed Tony Award Winning August Wilson's play "Seven Guitars" and the Black Student Union will never be the same as the bar has been significantly raised.Volunteering at Coalition of the Homeless:
Before I even enrolled in Full Sail's EBMS program in August 2009, I applied to be a volunteer for the Central Florida Coalition for the Homeless. And waited. Around October 2009, I received a packet in the mail stating that I had to fill out forms granting permission for a criminal background check, which, of course, I did and sent back to the Coalition immediately.
In March 2010, I was emailed about an orientation for volunteers, which I happily attended.
I then asked the Volunteer Coordinator, Marty, if there was any interest in Yoga among the Homeless Residents and she got excited and told me the women at the WRCC (Women's Residential & Counseling Center) would love free yoga classes. Marty was an excellent leader to observe as she gave us volunteers a tour of the facilities and she didn't sugar coat the responsibilities. She told us straight out that she would completely understand if we decided that working with the homeless was not for us. I don't know how many people walked away, never to return. I just know that I am glad that I had the chance to provide free yoga sessions for the women and children of the WRCC as well as help out at the front desk or in the kitchen whenever I was needed. Marty's leadership style was so charismatic that it made it difficult to refuse her any request. Especially when that request was to volunteer to help out at the STYX benefit concert at Universal Studios!
Volunteering at Hannibal Square Heritage Center:
The Hannibal Square Heritage Center, a non-profit organization located in Winter Park, FL, was in need of a videographer to document special events and edit them for a dvd to be screened in their facility. The founder and docents made plans to purchase a large HD Flatscreen TV and they needed a dvd featuring footage from their events to play continuously for visitors to the center to sit and watch for awhile. I was able to observe Peter Schreyer, the Founder and Executive Director of the Center along with his Docent Manager Ms. Fairolyn Livingston organize and promote events, talk about how to use the funding from grants and strategize on ways to get more foot traffic into the center. I videotaped, interviewed and edited documentary shorts for the Heritage Center including the Lauren Austin: Talking Quilts (see below) event.
Volunteering with YMCA Scholarship Campaign:
One main difference between the YMCA and other gyms is the fact that the Y provides scholarships to offset the cost of the monthly membership fees for individuals who can't afford the full price. As a yoga instructor at both the Winter Park and Crosby Y centers, I was in a unique position to influence members to make pledges to contribute to the scholarship campaign to help underprivileged kids go to summer camp or take swimming lessons or help a family who suffered from downsizing. I secured 10 donors who helped out the campaign and I also secured "Storytellers" who were trained to share their favorites YMCA stories with new members to help create a feeling of "community". I was given the opportunity to observe scholarship fund raising experts like Heidi Farber strategize ways to get members and community leaders to get involved by donating or storytelling to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Scholarship Campaign.
Participating in MEISA Event:
Under the leadership of then MEISA President Jamecia Stoudermire, I was given the task of performing as Mistress of Ceremonies for the January 21, 2010 OPEN MIC at the Diesel Bean on Full Sail's campus. It was a great show, but none of it could have come together without the organizational skills of Jamecia Stoudermire. She rallied up the troops to get to the meetings to discuss the idea of the open mic and the networking benefits. Jamecia also delegated responsibilities to various members making sure the flyers were created and distributed around campus and on Facebook. She made sure the show was jam packed with great Full Sail musicians, singers and, of course, a great MC!
Panelist for 3 Film Festivals featuring my film short, JITTERS, in NY, TX and Orlando:
The past 12 months have been exciting for me as a Full Sail Student and as an indie filmmaker. My first stab at writing, producing and performing in a short film was rewarded and awarded with Official Selections and First Place wins in the Enzian FilmSlam in Orlando, FL; The Texas Black Film Festival in Dallas and The Women of African Descent Film Festival in New York.
I was grateful for the opportunity to observe the leadership of the executive directors of these festivals. They each had very laid back, modest styles of leadership similar to the leadership style described in the Developing the Leader Within You book we studied in Executive Leadership during Month 1.
John Theisen, director of the Enzian FilmSlam and the host of the local cable tv film review
show, Indie Cinema Showcase, was very encouraging, informed on all types of film genres and sympathetic to the plight of the no-budget indie filmmaker. He is a filmmaker himself so he fully understands what we go through. The Enzian FilmSlam is well respected in the Orlando area as it partners with the local art film mecca, The Enzian. So very grateful to Mr. Theisen for his support of JITTERS by placing us in the FilmSlam and on TV!!
David Small, executive director of the Texas Black Film Festival, was so incredibly generous with his time, his resources, his praise and even his vehicle. He's a big time entertainment lawyer with major record label signed acts, yet he personally picked up us indie filmmakers from the hotel and brought us to the screening venue and made sure we were taken care of. The more I "googled" his accomplishments AFTER I met him, the more I was impressed with his humility.
Deirdre Corley, programmer of the Women of African Descent Film Festival is a wonderfully friendly, tireless, hard working organized White Girl.
Which reminded me of two things: never assume what a person looks like from emails and the love of film has no color. Working with Deirdre was a delight and she made sure that all the filmmakers who attended were taken care of and they even gave us a Certificate for Achievement in Film plus, they used my still (see above, as Bride) from JITTERS on their poster and on the cover of their programme booklet.
For a glimpse of the announcement of winners from the March 2010 Enzian FilmSlam, please click below:
For a peek at the 8 minute video of the short film, JITTERS, please click below:
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