#piecingitalltogether

Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould has Savannah Mast making a life change after her fiancé calls off their wedding.   Drop by to learn more 1st book in Plain Patterns series & read my review.  Happy Reading!

Title: Pieces  of me

There’s a pounding in my chest that simply wouldn’t go away.  It’s kind of like having an adrenaline rush coursing through your veins, except it’s been ongoing for about a week or so. Now if you attended Global Tassels’ 2nd Annual Founder’s Gala, you might be experiencing something similar. Please do not be alarmed, I am pretty sure it’s symptoms from all that dancing and standing too close to the DJ’s speakers. Perhaps, it’s the natural effects of such an inspirational night. Incase you missed out, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered.

While the first Founder’s Gala back in 2015 emphasized on “The Power of One,” it was important to show Global Tassels’ growing efforts in year’s theme: “Piecing It All Together.”

This year’s theme is focused on the extraordinary work we are “piecing” together. In Global Tassels, we are carefully crafting and authoring an organization that will have long lasting impact for individuals and their communities. We, along with so many other individuals, companies, governments, and organizations alike are contributing to the bigger puzzle to find ways to alleviate global poverty.

2017 is a big year for the organization as we continue to assist our first selected cohort of Student-Leaders during their transition phase into U.S. based universities. In the past two years, Global Tassels has been in full force with developing partnerships and opportunities for our students. It has been quite the journey but we know all the hard work is worth it. From those behind the scenes, to our amazing supporters, and students, we will continue to piece together the Power of One to create the vision we see for the global community a reality. 

Not only do we see strength in numbers, but also in belief. We are surrounded by individuals who are devoted to making this world a better place. We all believe it’s possible, therefore it is just as important to act. The combination of education and service, thought and action, and networks of people to their passion, results in a purposeful life. “It takes a village to raise a child,” so we need every individual, every idea, every course of action, to sustain the life we hold so dear for all people; most especially for our youth. Piecing it all together is not a simple theme, but a call to action.

The Annual Founder’s Gala is a night of celebration. It is a celebration of Global Tassels’ continuous strides in change along with our chosen honorees who are walking similar paths.

Without a doubt, our honorees have inspired the entire Global Tassels organization, as well as the lives they’ve encountered during their journey. They are the true MVPs of the night.*

There are two kinds of recognitions given during the Gala award ceremony: The Founder’s Key Award and The Global Innovator Award. As a recipient of these awards, the honorees have shown a tremendous amount of dedication in their perspective fields, while tackling issues faced in the global community.

Our Founder’s Key Awardee and Honorary Guest Speaker of this year’s Gala is Zoetic Globals’ Founder and CEO, Jerome Ringo. Mr. Ringo has shown a great deal of dedication to sustainability and responsible development though his organization as well as in previous positions of leadership. He was the former Chairman of the National Wildlife Federation and President of the Apollo Alliance, where he was known to lead conversations regarding global environmental issues. Mr. Ringo has lead millions of members in his career. With the span of his global networks, he is able to fulfill his vision of greater energy and resource security for governments, businesses, and communities worldwide. He and his team has delivered renewable and sustainable technology solutions to both developing and advanced countries. The dedication he has put forth throughout the years and the outcomes that are done from his efforts are truly incredible. Mr. Ringo has touched the lives of so many by being a speaker at prestigious conferences like the 1998 Global Warming Treaty Negotiations in Kyoto, Japan, and the 2006 United Nations African Climate Conference in Nairobi, Kenya; just to name a few. We were graced with his wisdom and truly inspired by his speech as the Honorary Guest Speaker. Mr. Ringo was the recipient of Global Tassels’ highest honor of the night.

The first Global Innovator Awardee, Daniel Hernandez, has extensive experience in the field of affordable housing and economic development. During his time as Executive Director of Mission Housing in San Francisco, he developed outstanding affordable housing to a low-income neighborhood. Mr. Hernandez continued on to serve Jonathan Rose Companies where he focused on the firm’s projects as well as devising a Planning Practice to extend real estate consulting and project management services to other sectors. Since then, Mr. Hernandez started Topology, his own consulting firm which focuses of the various factors of  urban development projects. The development of innovative programs and community engagement Mr. Hernandez has done is honored by Global Tassels though this award.

Jacqueline Murekatete’s story and work as a human rights activist definitely speaks volumes. At the age of nine, Jacqueline lost her immediate family and most of her extended family to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In 2001, she was inspired to share her story after listening to that of the late David Gewirtzman, a Holocaust survivor who became a friend and mentor to Jacquline. She has participated in many genocide-prevention and human rights presentations in plenty of institutions like schools, NGO events, and the UN General Assembly. Her voice has lead her to communities all across the United States, Germany, Israel, Ireland, Bosnia, and Belgium. Jacqueline is the founder and president of the Genocide Survivors Foundation which is a New York based not-for-profit organization that teaches people about genocide and other forms of this crime, as well as raising funds to support survivors. Jacqueline Murekatete efforts in empowering communities and focus on social services are part of the core values reflected in the Global Innovator Award. Her strength and courageous work is why she is one of Global Tassels’ distinguished honorees.

Kevin Murungi is the third recipient of the Global Innovator Award. During his time in Global Kids, he was involved in a handful of program developments within the organization such as education, curriculum development, and international and foreign law policy. Kevin was involved in planning international travel opportunities for Global Kids students to go abroad and work alongside fellow youth, with a focus to address human rights issues. He has also served as Council on Foreign Relations Summer Institute, which is a summer program where the youth explore their participation in the use of international  law and policy to tackle the issues faced by the global community. Kevin’s work in promoting youth engagement inspired Global Tassels to honor him with the Global Innovator award. Since continuing on with a new organization, Global Poverty Project, we have full confidence that Kevin will extend his great work to even more people.

Aubrey Saunders serves as Vice President of Bank of New York Mellon, where he manages Tax Operations in the Tax and Compliance and Quality Assurance Group. Mr. Saunders has a great history with BNY Mellon, serving the company through various roles since 1974. In addition to his present role, he also holds the position of Co-Vice Chairman of Prism, which is BNY Mellon’s Employee Resource Group. Mr. Saunders promotes a collaborative environment with the banking industry through his representation of BNY Mellon on the OPEN Finance Committee. Truly a role model in leadership, Mr. Saunders’ dedication is a deserving recipient of the Global Innovator Award.

Our next honoree, Colin Serling, is an associate at a real estate development firm called Prodigy Network. The firm democratizes real estate financing by granting accredited global investors to engage with assets in New York and Latin America. As a co-founder and visiting scholar of the Capital Markets Foundation, Colin plays a pivotal role in the student's educational journey. He has helped open the opportunity for students to attend four semester classes in Cali, Colombia as well as facilitate educational trips to our very own New York City. Global Tassels commends Colin for opening the doors of opportunity for students to further their education and extend their knowledge outside the classroom experience.

Dr. Christine Warnke works with both public and private sectors to build, sustain, and grow national as well as international relationships. She serves as a bridge to many, helping clients manage public policy mandates and business needs. Dr. Warnke has been highly recognized for her work in the development of infrastructure, energy, and health-related projects impacting worldwide populations. As the recently elected member to join the International Board of Sister Cities International, Dr. Warnke unites cities worldwide via economic and business development opportunities in the U.S. cities. The work she has done within government has also lead her to join a trade association where she lead coalitions concentrated on reauthorizing our national clean air, safe drinking water, and small-quantity waste generation laws and regulations. Dr. Warnke’s continuous efforts in the integration of worldwide communities and addressing global concerns is exemplary and deserving of the Global Innovator Award.

Want to see more pictures from the Gala? Take a look here. 

The 2nd Annual Founder’s Gala was a hit. We are so grateful to all those who joined us in celebration and support of our cause. All the encouragement and contributions help in keeping our mission alive. It was truly a night to remember. Let that inspirational pound in your chest continue on, and we hope to see you again next year!