Using Media to Uplift and Inspire: When to Tune In, Not Out.

Dec. 20, 2011 True confessions, it’s been a heckuva challenging year, and it got me thinking about what different people do to bootstrap themselves out of adversity in its many forms whether it’s “first world” stress, third world crisis, health, home or holiday blues. I turned to our SY advisory board child development specialist, Dr. Robyn Silverman and pointed the ‘whatcha … [Read more...]

Harry Potter Alliance: Using Pop Culture Pervasiveness Positively

July 17, 2011 No, I haven’t seen the Harry Potter grand finale yet.Yes, it’s been covered from every angle, dominating Twitter streams, Facebook status lines and yielding the largest weekend box office on record with one out of four tickets sold going ka-ching for the wizard boy.And maybe it'll be worthy of the 3D hyped up media zeal, but like the Twilight series or any other … [Read more...]

Happy 15th B-day: TEDxTeen & CEO of Lil’ MDGs Dylan Mahalingam!

Aug 2, 2010 As I opened my Facebook to check messages from GWLN's Global Leaders for Justice organizers who I’ll be working with tomorrow and Thursday at SCU mentoring inspiring projects from all over the world, I scanned the 'birthdays' sidebar. Keeping with the global theme, I was alerted to change agent Dylan Mahalingam’s 15th birthday today…I KNEW I had to give a huge … [Read more...]

Blame Drew’s Cancer For My Attitude of Gratitude

August 8, 2009 Who IS this hipster? Meet Drew Olanoff. Media geek. Mobile guru. Inspiration. Yesterday I wrote about kids' propensity to get their yucks at someone else's expense fostering an 'ouch, I can relate to that' empathy to bring humor to each life lesson... Today I want to focus on one of my favorite themes of 'turning a negative into a positive' and using new … [Read more...]

This Video Sings Volumes About Snap Judgment in Media

April 14, 2009 Our appearance-based culture has become increasingly coarse, cynical and stereotyped, judging people in rapidfire profiling more often than any mindful Malcolm Gladwell style ‘Blink’ of rapid cognition. Such was the case when 48 year old Susan Boyle took the stage as the audience of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ rolled their eyes in ‘puhleeeeze’ mockery with … [Read more...]