One of my SFSU students has a food blog, in which he discusses food he makes as well as food he eats out. One of his recent posts is about Mission Street Food (visit this link for beautiful photos of the food by Vincent). It's a great little idea and the food looks excellent. But the real draw for me is that fact that Mission Street Food donates their profits to charities, usually ones that feed the hungry. To keep overhead low, Mission Street Food uses the free blogger platform to keep in touch with their customers. They are only open Thursday/Saturday and they don't take reservations. Of course you can also find them on Twitter and Facebook. What a great little example of viral marketing and what a delicious way to make a difference!
I love this. My good friend MD of QuietAction, shared this link with me and it's so inspiring I have to share it with you. I love that Zoe compares composing music to organizing information. My friend Jonathan Atleson, who's Intuitive Instructional Design for Teachers and Presenters class you should take on May 28th, told me the same thing over dinner about a year ago and it totally makes sense. The sense of form and structure that you learn in music definitely applies to information technology, design and software development. Maybe that's why I enjoy the field I'm in so much. Enjoy!
I'm not sure how I missed knowing about William Kentridge when I was growing up in South Africa, but perhaps it was because I left the country before he was really discovered. My good friend Laurie of HelloWorldSF made me go to the exhibit at SFMOMA. She said "You absolutely have to go," and I felt the urgency, but didn't really understand the impact the show would have on me.
If you like art, appreciate someone who can draw as well as have something to say with the drawing, then that's just the beginning. The show was incredible. I know this is going to sound like I am working for SFMOMA, so I'll tell you right now that I'm not. The show is amazing and it ends on May 31st, so if you haven't been, find some time and go. Yes, move things around in your calendar to do it. SFMOMA is open until 8:45 p.m. on Thursdays and you'll need at least a couple of hours to soak it all in.
The exhibit is just really timely in the sense that people are so distracted, A-D-D (attention deficit disordered) and responsive to speed, noise (Channel swapping) and random messaging (think Twitter). William Kentridge is a master at charcoal drawing, but also worked in theatre and puppetry and these experiences bring his work into the realm of multimedia. It's serious and funny at the same time. The work is playful yet painterly in quality and the erased marks are just as important as drawn ones. The ability to undo is ever present and the animated films are mind-blowing. Think drawing meets Flash animation, meets film, puppetry and opera, but there's tongue in cheek at the same time as mockery. Most importantly, my description can't do the show justice and you really really really have to see it.
Here's a sample, but it is by no means a substitution for seeing it in real life - full size and experiencing it in space and time at the museum. You must must must go. In fact I might go again next week, so let me know if you're going and we can make it a WK party!
I'm very excited about the Create Your Business Plan Workshop with Michaela Hayes starting on May 30th. Forget about looking for work and start your own business. It's the perfect time to be starting your business and having a plan will put you one (big) step ahead of your competition.
Afterall what's the most important thing you need to succeed in anything? A goal of course! What's the second most important? Yes, that's right, a plan. This class will guide you through the process of creating a plan for your business that will help you stay on track with your goals for your business.
It's easier for family and friends to invest in your business idea than to invest in the stock market or real estate right now.
Suppliers are giving better credit
You can get noticed, because people think you are crazy to be going out on your own "in this economy"
There are plenty of ways to cut costs and start your business on a shoestring budget - it's time to get creative
Borrowing money is easier than ever
You may have lost your job and are having a hard time finding another one. Take charge and be your own boss!
The Create Your Business Plan Workshop will guide you through the process of creating a business plan using a structured process of inquiry accompanied by worksheets designed to stimulate reflection and responses from you. As you completed the worksheets, you will be building the components of your business plan. You will received feedback and suggestions from the instructor and will have an opportunity to share your ideas with fellow students and learn from them, as well. You will be required to do research and homework in between each of the sessions so that you can complete each section of the plan.
You will work on your plans during the workshop and will get one-on-one support from the instructor. By the end of the workshop, you will have a good first draft of your plan, a much better understanding of your unique selling proposition and a solid road map for going to market with your business. Your plan will focus on your first year of operation. You will develop a detailed work plan focused on the next three month to support you in moving towards your Year 1 goals. You will learn how to periodically monitor the work plan and adjust it so it becomes a “rolling” work plan moving you through each quarter and allowing you to evolve your one year plan into Year 2 and beyond.
The workshop will be held on Saturday May 30th and Saturday June 13th and there will be time for online discussion and collaboration in between these two sessions.
This morning I received a phone call from a very pleasant woman named Karen at the Internal Revenue Service. She said she had a few questions for me regarding the 501(c)3 application for Classes for Causes. This is very exciting news as it means that the application is being reviewed and judging is in process.
The discussion lead to me needing to provide two statements regarding our operations as Classes for Causes and I feel it is fair to keep all of you, our valued blog readers, informed. The statements are:
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1. Statement regarding donation to charities:
Classes for Causes will make sure that each instructor’s cause is a 501(c)3 charity. We understand that if the instructor wants to donate the tuition money to a private organization (i.e. not a 501(c)3 organization) the money must be specifically designated for use on a project with a certified 501(c)3 purpose.
Classes for Causes will verify that each cause is a 501(c)3 designated entity before offering any class. Furthermore, it will also be noted on the Classes for Causes website as well as in the agreement that each instructor must sign when registering to teach, that Classes for Causes has the right to change the instructor’s recommended charity if the charity is not a 501(c)3 organization.
2. Statement regarding involvement of individuals and businesses:
Classes for Causes certifies that no-one will be offering or hosting a class with the intent of advertising or promoting their own goods or services. Classes for Causes’ mission is connecting people to raise awareness of, and money for causes through teaching and learning. Education and awareness building for charities are the core purposes.
A business may sponsor a class by offering a venue to host a class and/or teach a purely educational class, but the business may not promote any goods or services through offering such a class.
An individual may offer a class only for the purposes of educating the public about a particular issue or on a particular subject in order to raise money for a designated 501(c)3 business. The individual may not use the teaching forum to advertise their own services or products to the students through Classes for Causes.
All teachers will agree that the organization for which they are teaching is a non-profit organization with 501(c)3 status as bestowed by the Internal Revenue Service. If the charity recommended by the instructor is not a qualified non-profit entity, Classes for Causes has the right to donate the tuition raised to another organization.
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Also, it is important to note that non-profit organizations are not allowed to organize networking events. If you are promoting a fundraiser event, it is best not to include that the event may be a networking opportunity. Since our mission is to connect people to raise money for and awareness of charities (non-profit organizations as designated by the IRS) through teaching and learning, we are focusing on that and building our community around teaching, learning and giving, one class at a time.
The class is an introduction and is intended for individuals wishing to increase their ability to offer inclusive and nonjudgmental service to transgender clients or patients. Renata plans to discuss a model for understanding sex, gender and identity and specific steps you and your organization can take to increase the inclusiveness of the service you offer.
SPECIAL INVITATION: Since this type of training is often something that organizations pay to bring a speaker like Renata in to present, organizations serving trans clients who may be unable to afford in-house training should strongly consider sending a representative to this course.
What does transgender mean?
Who is transgender? And who isn’t?
What kinds of challenges do transgender people face?
How can my organization provide more respectful, more inclusive service?
Renata J. Razza is a Professional Coach and Transgender Trainer. From working as frontline staff and management with transgender clients at Lyon-Martin Health Services to teaching medical students to provide sensitive transgender healthcare through Project Prepare, Renata's trainings are based in practical experience.
Renata fosters a safe learning environment, even around sensitive subject matter. His trainings build from a basic understanding of the terms through an overview of some of the challenges transgender people face to tangible steps to create inclusion in your organization.
Renata has trained hundreds of people on transgender inclusion in organizations such as Women's Community Clinic, Kaiser Oakland mental health providers, Westmont College Urban Program, CSU Chico, Sojourn Chaplaincy at SF General Hospital and UC Davis Medical School.
Renata Razza is one of those people that you'll feel privileged you met. He is one of the most compassionate, intelligent and funny people I know and I respectfully recommend this class to all employers hiring from our very diverse and beautiful workforce here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Transgender Law Center has consistently advocated for and educated about transgender rights. Covering a broad spectrum of issues from health care to transitioning identity documents, TLC has been at the forefront. Renata Razza says, "This is just a way to be able to say 'thank you' for all they do!"
Space is limited. Secure your seat by registering now and I'll see you there.
On Saturday, May 2nd, our very own Jennifer, the programmer extraordinaire (and developer of this website,) was married to the man of her dreams, Dustin. It rained on the ceremony, but that didn't dampen the spirits, happiness and true love that exuded throughout.
Here are a few pictures of Jennifer on her special day.
Congratulations Jen and Dustin. May you live a very long and happily married life together. Be kind to each other and remember how you spell love.
Renata J. Razza is a 
