Movers and shakers take the time to eat and talk

When the Breakfast Roundtable started nearly two years ago, Christopher Norwood imagined bringing change-makers and visionaries together with no set agenda in mind. The idea was to break bread and share wisdom about the issues that mattered most to those gathered around the table. What developed was an informal gathering welcoming the insight of community leaders who could share their thoughts and answer questions pertaining to non-partisan public policy, business and community change opportunities.

“It all started with me and a couple of civic leaders,” Norwood explains. “We often sat around and talked about the lack of opportunity for information sharing around issues affecting our community. We decided there was a need to provide that information in an informal setting.” 

The informal gathering now takes place once a month at the Jackson Soul Food Restaurant in Overtown. It is an opportunity for community members to bridge the gap and gain insight into the personal perspective of Miami's nonprofit and community leaders.

Since its inception, The Breakfast Roundtable has hosted the Director of the Port of Miami, the CEO of Business and Tourism Bureau, the CEO of the Children’s Trust, the Superintendent of Schools, the Director of the Port of Miami, City Commissioner and many others. 

Just last week, Catalyst Miami's President Daniella Levine made an appearance at the Roundtable. She shared her personal leadership journey—walking each one of us through the challenges she’s faced, the victories she’s experienced and the lessons she’s learned while working to create justice and equality for families and children in Miami-Dade County. Levine explored the ups and downs of leadership, describing the importance of having integrity and building trust.

“I learned a very powerful story about what gave her the edge and the personal motivation to start an organization like Human Services Coalition [now, Catalyst Miami],” Norwood said.


The Breakfast Roundtable is a unique sum of all its parts. The speaker, the attendees and organizer all play a unique role in allowing the discussion to flow organically. The idea that we cannot work together if we do not come together is tried and true and something the Breakfast Roundtable keeps at the forefront of each gathering.

As Norwood said, “Receiving information empowers people in the community to make more informed decisions…[The Roundtable] is an opportunity to cut through the filter, break bread, and have a conversation.”

For more information on past and future round table discussions, visit The Breakfast Roundtable on Facebook.

  

Catalyst Miami Hosts AmeriCorps Works: Save Service Strategy Session

Contributed by Jaime Botero

        Wednesday March 14^th, Catalyst Miami hosted AmeriCorps Works: Save Service Strategy Session. The program was an evening discussion of current AmeriCorps legislation and advocacy strategies to save national service. AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and serves an important role as the Federal sponsored civilian service institution.

Catalyst Miami hosts several AmeriCorps programs employing VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), sponsoring Public Allies and ReServe. Daniella Levine is a firm believer in the power of AmeriCorps and community volunteers in reaching solutions to social ills.

The event was a first of it’s kind meeting to engage various stakeholders including community members, and participants of VISTA, Teach for America, City Year, and Public Allies. Attendants included a team of AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers that managed to secure permission to attend the advocacy event.

Democracy Summer 6th Session

written by Bryan Troupe

Democracy Summer Session 6, hosted by Catalyst Miami, was very edifying and enlightening. There was a panel discussion which was facilitated by Catalyst Miami CEO, Daniella Levine.  The panel members were: Mario Artecona, CEO of Habitat for Humanity; Paul Hunt, Board Member of the March of Dimes Foundation; and Julia Dawson, Board Member of the Civil Liberties Union.

One of the questions posed by Daniella Levine to Mario Artecona was, “What would you recommend to nonprofit leaders in order to engage their board and advocacy directly; or to get their support for their staff to do advocacy?”

Mario’s response was that staff does not participate in board meetings enough, and should participate more. Staff members need to tell board members what it is that they need. Board members also need to know up front exactly what is expected of them and be provided a clear mission.

Paul Hunt was asked by Daniella, “What is the biggest challenge in promoting advocacy in your staff?”

Paul’s answer was one of the challenges “is having a clear agenda and one that is staff-oriented.”  Mr. Hunt also stated that staff needs to build a relationship with policymakers, which helps the staff to better advocate their position.

Daniella introduced Julia Dawson as “an icon of women’s rights.”  One of the points that Julia made during the panel discussion was that it is important for board members to know that they should help constituents, and important to find board members that are actually interested in the organization.

Wendy Wilson, Project Attorney for Dade Legal Aid, said this: “I really liked the panel discussion on board development because it emphasized the necessity for having specific goals for board members…”

The goal of Democracy Summer is to build strong social justice analysis, skills and strategy into the nonprofit sector of Miami-Dade County.

There are two more fantastic sessions to go! Session 7 of Democracy Summer will be held next Thursday, August 18.

CEO & President Daniella Levine's Op-Ed Published in TheLedger.com

"With special thanks to Coalition for Human Needs, our national sister organization, for mentoring and support, I was pleased to have this Op Ed published in the Miami Herald and in other publications around the state. If you want more information, consult www.chn.org"

 -Daniella Levine, CEO & President of Catalyst Miami

 

 

Poor Shoudn't Bear the Burden Op-Ed by Daniella Levine

 

 

Interns for Impact: ENEAMI BESTMAN



Hello! My name is Eneami Bestman, it is pronounced E-nae-me, which is Nigerian meaning, “my day is coming!” I am a native of Miami, Florida and have served over eight  years in the United States Air Force. During my time in the Air Force I was stationed in several places including serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait and Iraq. After completing my commitment to the Air Force, I attended the University of West Florida where I earned my bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. I have recently completed graduate school at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA with my MA in American Government along with two certificates in both Global Politics and Law & Public Policy.

ENEAMI BESTMAN

With my military experience and education,  it would have been logical for me to move to Washington, DC and seek employment. However, after viewing an interview on YouTube of First Lady Michelle Obama, she expressed how her parents instilled in her the importance of college graduates returning to their hometowns and giving back. She commented on how her parents presented her with the question of, “How much better would our communities be if people returned for a few years to give back?” It was at that moment I decided after graduate school I would return home and serve in my community. I have been granted that opportunity through interning with Catalyst Miami.

As a summer intern at Catalyst Miami, I work directly with Daniella Levine, the nonprofit organization’s President  & CEO. Working with Daniella is very exciting, no day is ever the same as I get to watch her  in action. On the day I came in to interview with Daniella and receive an orientation of Catalyst Miami, as I passed Daniella's office, I heard someone say “What are you doing the next couple of days?” I thought she was speaking to the volunteer coordinator who was showing me around, but no, she was speaking to me! The next morning at 6:30am I was headed, with Daniella, to the Annual Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) Conference in St. Pete, FL.

At this conference, I learned of the Prosperity Campaign (PC), which is the flagship initiative of Catalyst Miami. The Prosperity Campaign helps low-wage individuals and families in South Florida connect to quality healthcare programs and services, establish financial security, and improve their quality of life. I am designated as the point person working with Daniella to plan and organize the utilization of a grant that will afford us the ability to further expand the Prosperity Campaign's services statewide. I am helping to create a survey that will be distributed statewide to all of the prosperity centers. The information that we gather will help us to asset map, evaluate the various services of the prosperity centers which will lead to greater collaboration locally and statewide. Outside of this great task, I have been presented with numerous opportunities to gain experience in other areas. I have represented Catalyst Miami at a public hearing advocating against Florida Medicaid Reform, which would increase hardship for low-income, elderly, and the disabled population. I am also working on an article for publication in the Georgetown Poverty Law Journal. The unique and rewarding aspect about interning at Catalyst Miami is that I am not given busy work; I am made an integral member of the team.

Recently, I was notified that I have been selected as a Pubic Ally. This program is a ten month apprenticeship where I will be placed at a non-profit within the county where I will contribute to the development of that organization. At the end of this exciting journey, next year, I desire to enter law school and continue my life as a public servant.

Catalyst Miami awarded Proclamation of Honor at Miami-Dade County School Board Meeting

By: Viviana Mauri, Communications Intern

            Last Wednesday, July 13^th, 2011, marked a very special day for our nonprofit organization, Catalyst Miami. Our CEO & President Daniella Levine, the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) and the Children Leadership Training Institute (CLTI) programs of our Civic Life Academy were honored by Miami-Dade County's School Board Member of District 6, Raquel Regalado.

            Ms. Regalado was present at this year’s 2011 PLTI and CLTI graduations as a special guest speaker, and walked away from the event so impressed with the work of our Parent and Child Leadership and Civics education programs, that she decided to bestow this  Proclamation of Honor  upon our organization, Catalyst Miami.

            Present to receive our Proclamation of Honor with Daniella Levine were members of our staff, our School Engagement Director, Abigail Asgaralli, and our CLTI Coordinator, Lizabeth Verjano. Among the School Board members who also shared kind words of the work Catalyst Miami has completed and presented to our South Florida community were Dr. Gilbert “Tee” Holloway, Dr. Marta Perez, and Chair Ms. Perla Tabares Hantman. Also commending Catalyst Miami were Mr. Martin Karp and Dr. Larry Feldman.


             Additionally being recognized at last Wednesday's School Board meeting was the Heaven on Earth Foundation. View below pictures taken at the Proclamation of Honor School Board Meeting and click here for Raquel Regalado's official photo album of the special moment.

The Second Session of Democracy Summer

By Bryan Troupe, Catalyst Miami Communications Intern

The second session of Democracy Summer was a success! Participants discussed a variety of different topics ranging from a neo-liberalism (headed by Jake Coker-Dukowitz) to the dos and don'ts of lobbying (presented by our CEO Daniella Levine). Democracy Summer’s goal is for nonprofit organizers to be able to advocate more efficiently after completing the 8-week program.

There were several group activities that kept the members of the group interested in the opportunity to learn a lot more about each other. One of the activities, aptly named "Six Degrees of Separation", consisted of each individual making a list of things that they liked, and then finding others in the group that liked at least five of those same things.

LaRhonda Odom headed another great activity. This one aimed to show how the wealthiest 10% compared to the bottom 90% of income owners. Ten participants were seated in a line of ten chairs, when suddenly six of those seated were made to stand as their chairs were given to one person - who represented the top 10% of the wealthiest members of society. An observation that many of the group made was that those removed from their seats appeared to have a difficult time organizing themselves in order to get those chairs back that were owned by one person. This seemed to identify with the top 10% of today's most wealthy individuals being given preference in the tax system, while the rest of society are not able to properly organize themselves in order to create a level playing field.

This informative group session ended Week 2 on an incredible and positive note. The following session is titled "Organizing Concepts." Week 3 here we come!

Democracy Summer is a program of Catalyst Miami being offered by our Civic Life Academy through the sponsorship of the Allegany Franciscan Ministries.  



Catalyst Miami's friend, Laura Levey

By: Viviana Mauri, Communications Intern

This Saturday, July 16^th, 2011, marks Catalyst Miami’s Birthday Bash Celebration for Daniella Levine and Laura Levey at the home of Laura and Lewis Levey. 

            As the supporters and readers of Catalyst Miami’s online media sites and blog, you definitely know well our President & CEO, Daniella Levine, but you may want to learn more about our event’s hostess, Mrs. Laura Levey.
         

Mrs. Levey was introduced to our nonprofit organization, Catalyst Miami, through her grade school friend, our Vice President of Community Partnerships, Karla Gottlieb. Mrs. Levey spoke only the kindest words of her grade school classmate, calling Karla a great friend whom she knows not only works very hard on behalf of Catalyst Miami, but believes the passion for her work truly comes from the goodness of her heart. She is deeply moved by Karla’s devotion to her community.


A mother of five children, Laura shares that her passion of giving is something she hopes to transfer to her kids by supporting organizations such as Catalyst Miami. Laura shared: “I love to be involved with the community. They need my help.” She fears, “too many organizations are disappearing.”

            Laura shared with our Communications Director, Cheryl Mizell, her admiration for our Catalyst Miami CEO & President Daniella Levine as well as for the work she has accomplished in both Miami-Dade County and the international community. Additionally, she shared her recognition for the respect that Daniella commands within the Jewish community.

Among the three public concerns Catalyst Miami identifies (economic opportunity, health, and education), the one Laura focused on was education. She is deeply grateful to the work Catalyst Miami has conducted in schools to support the children and families who cannot afford the supplies and help they need to succeed. 

At only three days away, you are still in time to RSVP for this Saturday evening’s 6-11PM beautiful Birthday Bash for Daniella & Laura! Please do so by contacting our Events Coordinator, Monica Matteo-Salinas, at (305) 576-5001 x 22 or e-mailing her at monicas@hscdade.org. In lieu of a birthday gift, the birthday girls request a $50 donation to your nonprofit organization, Catalyst Miami. See you then for a delicious Spanish paella, live music and a great time!

Visit our website, www.hscdade.org, to view our official invite (Also below)!



RSVP for this Saturday's Birthday Celebration!

If you haven't done so yet, please RSVP by Thursday by contacting our Event Coordinator, Monica Matteo-Salinas!

MAKE your contribution to our official website, www.hscdade.org

 &
 JOIN our Birthday Bash Event Page for this beautiful evening in Miami Beach!

See you then!

Interns for Impact: SCARLETT MONTENEGRO



SCARLETT MONTENEGRO



Hello everyone! My name is Scarlett Montenegro, and I am currently an intern at Public Allies Miami with Catalyst Miami. No day is the same here, I can come in and create a new flyer for a fundraiser or I can be interviewing new prospects for next year’s Public Allies Miami class. I have gotten the chance to work on a variety of interesting projects with my supervisor and Public Allies Miami Director Asha Loring, as well as the rest of the Public Allies team. My supervisor had this to say about my time with Public Allies Miami, “In her short time with us, Scarlett has become an integral part of our team. Her follow through and dedication have truly increased our capacity to support Miami’s nonprofit sector.” The Public Allies team has made me feel like another co-worker rather than an intern. Throughout my time here I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of the growing network of Public Allies Miami. I’ve worked closely with my team preparing end of the year events for Public Allies Miami class of 2011. I was part of the preparation for their Presentations of Learning (which by the way were amazing)! I also helped set up and coordinate their successful Graduation at Jungle Island Ballroom Tree top, where we celebrated their accomplishments.

 I’ve learned so much in the past month, I can now say that I’ve written a press release and have planned for fundraising events. Social Media is also one of my fortes here.  I’ve created Public Allies Miami a twitter account which you can now follow and scoop in on all the new great things we are working on. I’ve also worked with YouTube and Facebook.  Not only do I get to work with Public Allies Miami but also with Catalyst Miami. I am currently working with Daniella Levine and other interns here on an article on poverty which we hope to publish soon for the Georgetown School of Law. I’m going to be working on this article even after my internship here is over. It will be a great reward and accomplishment to see my name published in a Law journal.

 I am originally from Miami. I graduated cum laude from G Holmes Braddock Senior High School, one of the largest schools in Miami-Dade County. I am one out of eleven scholars of the first ever Posse Foundation Miami, attending Mount Holyoke College, in South Hadley, Massachusetts. I am currently a second year majoring in Sociology with a Nexus Minor in Law and Public Policy. I’m also the new InternQueen Ambassador at Mount Holyoke College.  I am presently working on a project of my own on campus that will take place in the spring semester of 2012. I am working closely with the Career Development Center, President Pasquerella, and other staff on creating an event inspired by the non-profit Dress for Success that will give young women on campus the empowerment they need to succeed in the work force. When I graduate, I hope to enter Law School and become a great lawyer in the City of Miami.

 While working at Catalyst Miami I’ve also developed a passion for non-profits and hope to one day have one of my own. The skills and tool sets I’ve learned while interning here will help me reach my goals. I thank Catalyst Miami, Public Allies Miami, and The Posse Foundation for such a great opportunity.  Feel free to contact me via Twitter @scarmontenegro or email at monte22s@mtholyoke.edu.

Thank you, Scarlett Montenegro



Daniella's Hot Topic: Harvard Advanced Leadership Seminar visits the University of Miami

By: Viviana Mauri, Communications Intern

            Last week on June 17^th, 2011, our President and CEO Daniella Levine attended a prestigious leadership conference by Harvard University called the Advanced Leadership Seminar at the University of Miami’s Newman Alumni Center. The program was opened by Thomas LeBlanc, Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Miami, and Dennis Scholl of the Knight Foundation. 

           Themes of the conference included understanding what it takes to adapt in a changing environment, determining how to pick the right causes compatible with your skills and connections, how to help grow a good idea, dealing with conflicting stakeholders, and learning to think in both the long-term and short-term simultaneously.

            Within Daniella’s wonderful notes from the event, there was one particular section I felt worth sharing with our amazing supporters and readers here at Catalystmiami.blogspot.com: the “7 Leadership Skills”, presented by program designer Rosabeth Moss Kantor, a Harvard School of Business professor. Check them out and see how they can help you in your life!

1. Learn to Listen: Tune into your environment.
2. Be dissatisfied. By looking for the thing that is not working, you can improve your situation and work.
3. Communication. It’s important that one not only has a vision and passion, but the ability to communicate clearly what it is you want to accomplish.  
4. Coalition building. Two heads think better than one. Believe in the power of teamwork.
5. Perseverance. Know how to deal with unexpected obstacles. Everyone loves a beginning and the finished end goal. But it is often the middle, the hard work, the “sweat, blood, and tears,” if you will, that requires from us the most sacrifice. Move from rhetoric to action
6. Face your critics! With a positive, proactive approach, stand up for yourself, but at the same time, listen, to know where you can improve, and the most important word in any environment: accountability.
7. Last, but not least, celebrate your success! You deserve to be happy in all of the amazing things that you do!

          The workshop was attended by diverse leaders from twelve countries and four continents, including top representatives of South Florida’s institutions of higher education, President of the University of Miami, Donna Shalala, and President Emeritus of Florida International University, Modesto Maidique. Also present were Florida State Senator for District 33, Oscar Braynon, Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education at UM, William Green, Florida House Representative, Frank Artiles of District 119, Jim Cason, Mayor of Coral Gables, and former Mayor of the City of Miami, Manny Diaz, who served as a featured panelist to the event. 

 

Daniella & Laura's Birthday Celebration Invitation!

 You are officially invited to Daniella Levine and Laura Levey's Birthday Bash Celebration!

Public Allies' Presentations of Learning

By: Bianca Mijares, Catalyst Miami Intern
Cheryl Mizell, Communications Director

Yesterday June 16^th 2011 was the first of two days of Presentations of Learning put on by the Public Allies to illustrate what their experiences with the program have been in the past 10 months. Eleven Public Allies presented. Their presentations ranged from performance pieces to singing to dancing. All were extremely moving and insightful.

Laselve Harrison, Communications Coordinator with Catalyst Miami, launched the day by presenting his Public Ally learning experience through the template of the Voice, the e-newsletter, drawing parallels to the organization’s values while highlighting a transformative path to finding his own voice. Anne-Valerie Pierre-Canel gave a stellar performance worthy of an Oscar by spotlighting her star experiences and allies in best supporting roles in award winning films. Autumn Romer from Take in Stock Children, a scholarship program that pairs children with a mentor and an advocate and gives them the opportunity to receive a scholarship for college upon completing a set of requirements, did a performance piece about her personal transformation, growth, and discovery. She is a Leader! Jalyssa Whitaker spoke emotionally about her professional and personal growth and later expressed the same feelings through a choreographed dance to “Pieces of Me” by Ledisi. Diana Pena Rojas wrote a letter to her fellow allies detailing the struggles of her troubled life and everything the program has done for her. Then she had everyone plant their very own peanut plant.

All of the allies who presented spoke about one or more of these things: adapting difficult sometimes chaotic situations, realizing you are a leader, learning from experiences no matter the outcome, redefining success, and finding happiness. The event was inspiring and provided an opportunity to spotlight these wonderful people and to reflect on oneself and on the value of service.

Democracy Summer: Advocacy is in Season

By Bianca Mijares, Catalyst Miami Intern

 

Catalyst Miami’s “Democracy Summer” is an advocacy training designed to strengthen the understanding, commitment and skills of nonprofit staff and board. We will help nonprofits meet their missions by incorporating advocacy and policy analysis into their strategic planning. Participants will leave understanding the importance of engaging constituents and clients in leadership development, capacity building and strategic planning. Participants will leave with tools to protect services and organizations through client engagement. Democracy Summer is an 8-part training series taking place July 7 through September 1, 2011. We will enroll up to 25 advocates. Be on the look out as Catalyst Miami will begin contacting potential organizations this week!

“A Call to Prayer” at MASKED

By: Viviana Mauri, Communications Intern

Our 11^th Annual Theatre Event, MASKED, is “An explosive Israeli play about three Palestinian brothers locked in a life-and-death struggle over issues of deception and betrayal. Set in a village on the West Bank in 1990, it depicts the tragedy of one family torn between duty, kinship, principles and survival.” We are pleased to announce that we will start this special evening with “A Call to Prayer.” We will be joined by two faith leaders of our South Florida community who will each open and close the show in inter-denominational prayer.

The idea for the prayers came from Catalyst Miami’s President and CEO Daniella Levine who shared, “The play is about Palestinians in Israel, written by an Israeli but dealing with Palestinian brothers. It’s been called ‘explosive,’ so I know it’s going to stir a lot of emotions and passion. It seems impossible to resolve the crisis in the Middle East. Only when we’re called to a higher purpose can we understand possible solutions. The play depicts the conflict of two different faiths that actually share the same God and pray to the same God, in their own way. That is what inspired my idea of a Call to Prayer in the Muslim tradition. Even those who don’t believe in the power of prayer and who are not religious hopefully can gain from appreciating this message that bridges traditions of prayer and peace.”

Tickets are available at http://www.hscdade.org/ or by calling (305) 576-5001

Pathway to Prosperity

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of HSC, we have been working on a series of videos about the history of the organization. This video, the second in the series, focuses on the Prosperity Campaign, which has helped thousands of people become more financially literate and self-sufficient.

HSC Pres honored for leadership

I'm going to talk about HSC President Daniella Levine (above, left) winning the M. Athalie Range Leadership Award from Belafonte Tacolcy Center (BTC) on Saturday, but first can we talk about how cute those kids at the dinner were? Hearing the participants of BTC's literacy program, the Freedom School, sing, "Something Inside So Strong" was enough to make anyone empty their pockets and become a Tacolcy Angel. "We like to say we're an oasis in a desert," BTC CEO Alison Austin told the Herald. "Our focus is to provide access to our children, access to computers, access to hope, access to everything they need.'' Don't forget access to microphones; those kids are talented!
But I digress. Levine, as I said, received the award named after community organizer extraordinaire M. Athalie Range. Range, Levine recounted in her acceptance speech, once got garbage pickup increased in Liberty City by organizing community members to dump trash on Commissioners' desks. That is a woman to emulate, Levine said. Read about Levine's own impressive career.