Urban Career Institute October 2018

THE RENEWABLE READER 10100 VENICE BLVD.LOS ANGELES, CA 90232

OCTOBER 2018

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REFLECT ON THE PAST, PEER INTO THE FUTURE The Mission of IBAMA Corporation

“There’s no way to know what makes one thing happen and not another. What leads to what. What destroys what. What causes what to flourish or die or take another course.” –Cheryl Strayed,“Wild” A ll too often, I findmyself looking back at my life and asking“What if?”What if I never drifted into the union trades?What if I only tried tomeet others’ expectations of me?What if I never met the people who influencedme? Throughout the hundreds of times I posed these questions tomyself, I realized that everything in life is connected. Some people refer to this phenomenon as“the butterfly effect,”meaning that small changes in a complex system can create large changes elsewhere. Somuch of my life is based on changes that initially seemed small but ended up being overwhelmingly significant. Creating small changes that go against the grain with the hopes of having a bigger impact is what formed the basis for the IBAMA Corporation. My company’s mission is to reach the surprisingly large number of people that haven’t been treated fairly by the American education system— the ones whose learning styles were never considered, the ones who were never given the necessary tools to succeed, the ones who wanted to take advantage of school opportunities but were never given the chance. For a long time, I was one of those people, like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole; it just didn’t work. Here’s my story: Duringmy senior year of high school, I thought I was destined for college. Not only did I want to take part in the traditional“college experience”along with the vast majority of 18-year-olds in the country, but I was going to be one of the first inmy family to attend. This accomplishment was important tome; I think it still is. But a change in perspective made me reconsider my plans, and that had a ripple effect on the rest of my life.

In the 1970s, trade unions in California finally opened their doors tominorities and women. So, in 1973, I joined the Santa Monica Plumbers Union, where I worked in construction. Then, I decided to pursue my Journeyman’s License, so I could formmy own company. I apprenticed during the day and took classes at night, and after five years, I completedmy training. In 1980, after passing the State Contractors Licensing Test, I startedmy first company, Systems Designed Installed Plumbing and Heating. Duringmy company’s eight-year run, I was awarded a $300,000 plumbing contract for a 60-unit condominium complex, quite impressive for a smaller business at that time. This awardmeant that I was constantly working with city inspectors. So, whenmy company closed its doors in 1986, the connections I hadmade helpedme transition tomy next job as a City Building and Plumbing Inspector. It was duringmy tenure there that I started pondering the“What if”questions. Such as“What if I didn’t go against the grain?”But the more I tried to pin down an answer, the more convoluted the questions became. So instead of rackingmy brain to find the catalysts for the amazing directionmy life took, I decided instead to be patient, be thankful, and help others in similar situations. The best way I could think to help others was to forge the Urban Career Institute, an original educational approach tailored to fit various types of learners such as myself. Urban Career Institute is about innovating to propel the green revolution forward, evolving the education system to fit the needs of a diverse body of learners who are “trying to fit in”while connecting urban workers with tenable and enriching careers. Our first offering will be a seven-module online course involving renewable energy. Our aim is to provide resources for mechanics working with both electric motors and electric storage batteries. It is important for us to work with business owners on ways to incorporate sustainable products in their companies. The first-hand education that our students receive can open the path to working directly with companies that strive to preserve the planet they know and love. When you work with IBAMA Corporation, our No. 1 goal is to give you the tools, skills, andmindset that you need to create your own path for the future that you envision for yourself.

“So much of my life is based on changes that initially seemed small but ended up being overwhelmingly significant.”

–Ken Redway

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Creating 21st Century Entrepreneurs • 1

‘THE ART OF LEARNING’

A Child Prodigy Rethinks Success

A Lovely Night for a Run

This is a book about a journey. It chronicles a life of international chess tournaments, high-stakes martial arts competitions, a boy who found too much success, and the man who had to relearn everything because of it. Yes, “The Art of Learning” reads like a gripping, emotional memoir, but make no mistake — Josh Waitzkin’s work doubles as an effective guide for business owners striving to attain perfection in their fields. Josh Waitzkin’s name will be familiar to longtime chess fans and movie buffs alike. As a child prodigy, Waitzkin won his first national chess title at age 9, which quickly made him an international sensation. His father, FredWaitzkin, wrote the renowned book “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” chronicling his young son’s journey into the world of chess. This then inspired the movie of the same name. Now, one does not normally think of child prodigies as being great sources of insight into finding success. By definition, prodigies are exceptional — exceptions who operate on a different playing field than most. But Waitzkin firmly positions his journey through the chess world as the antithesis of what he calls “the art of learning.”

SHOULD YOU GO FOR A RUN AFTER DARK?

Have you ever been driving home after dark and seen someone jogging on the side of the road? You might have thought they were crazy for waiting until so late in the day to go for a run, but there is actually research that suggests running in the evening is better than going for a run at any other time of day. Here are a few reasons why you should save your run until you can join all the things that go bump in the night. YOU CAN HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON. Many people who run first thing in the morning find themselves pressed for time. Hitting the snooze button is not an option, and with so little time, breakfast is usually a banana on the way out the door. Moving your run to the evening means you can enjoy a more leisurely morning. Not feeling stressed out first thing in the morning can also lead to a more relaxed day. YOU CAN PUSH YOURSELF HARDER. It can be hard to get a good workout in the morning after your muscles have been still for eight hours during sleep. A study at the University of North Texas found that your body is better prepared to exercise in the evenings, since your muscles have been warming up all day. With improved muscular function and strength, you can push yourself harder and see greater improvement. YOU SLEEP BETTER. You will obviously feel tired after a good run, so why not time it right and use this to your advantage? Research from the University of South Carolina found that people who ran before bedtime enjoyed a better night of sleep and increased energy levels when they woke up, meaning they felt more awake and better rested throughout the following day. The best time to run is honestly whenever you have time to run, but if it works with your schedule, nighttime running might provide your best workout ever. Just remember that if you do decide to save your run for after sunset, you should stay safe by wearing bright, reflective clothing, sticking to the left side of the road, and running only in well-lit, populated areas.

As the author states, “The moment we believe that success is

determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity.”Waitzkin was very gifted at chess, and he didn’t have to push himself early on, but by the time

he did find challenging opponents, he found loss and adaptation impossible to handle. It wasn’t until he stepped out of the rigid grids of chess and into the flowing movements of tai chi that Waitzkin was able to formulate a guide to success.

Appropriately subtitled “An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance,”Waitzkin’s story of grappling with childhood stardom and climbing the brackets of the tai chi chuan circuit is full of wisdom applicable to anyone looking to achieve mastery in their field. With compelling personal anecdotes and a unique perspective on what success really looks like, “The Art of Learning” is a fresh, vibrant addition to the personal development genre.

2 • Creating 21st Century Entrepreneurs

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LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE AS A FAMILY Let Your Children Speak to the World

As the weather cools down, finding ways to spend quality time as a family can become challenging. It’s too cold to camp or barbecue, and money may be tight with the holidays coming up. So why not turn learning a new skill into a bonding experience this fall? You can do it inside, it’s free, and it will open doors around the world for the rest of your children’s lives. WHY LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE? Speaking multiple languages creates opportunities for your child. Being bilingual makes you more qualified for a variety of exciting careers and can improve your competitiveness in the job market. Knowing a second language can also allow you to travel with greater ease and become more culturally well-rounded. There are some studies that claim learning languages is even good for your health. Research shows that our language acquisition skills peak in childhood or adolescence, so starting young is the best way to become fluent. If your child is in school, they probably already know classmates who speak another language. WHICH LANGUAGE SHOULD YOU LEARN? Did you know that 40 million Americans currently speak Spanish at home? The U.S. is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, and we border the largest, so learning this language is a great way for children to communicate with more people in their community, and they’ll be more hirable as adults. Bonus: It’s commonly considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

Mandarin is the most-spoken language on the planet, and China’s growth as an economic powerhouse has made this language even more useful around the world. German, Arabic, and Japanese speakers are also highly sought-after in the job market.

Of course, you can always let your wanderlust or passions decide for you! Is your child obsessed with K-Pop? Have them learn Korean. Want to take them to Paris someday? Enroll in French classes. THE LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD ARE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. Learning a new skill has never been easier! While there’s no substitute for a full-time class or moving to another country, there are countless ways to teach yourself a new language right at home, usually for free. YouTube tutorials, podcasts, and audiobooks let you rewind and listen to the lessons as many times as needed to master pronunciations. Can’t tear your child away from their cellphone? Download Duolingo, rated by PCMag.com as the best free language-learning app of 2018.

PALEO PUMPKIN COCONUT SMOOTHIE

TAKE A BREAK

Inspired by cookeatpaleo.com

This meal-in-a-glass smoothie will cure your craving for a pumpkin spice latte. It’s packed with nutrients and fall flavor. If you’re the type of person who uses your blender more than your pots and pans, you’ll definitely want to add this recipe to your rotation.

Ingredients

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1 cup coconut milk

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1 frozen banana, sliced

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1/4 cup organic pumpkin purée

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1 cup ice

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2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or substitute with cinnamon and ginger)

Instructions

1. 2.

In a blender, combine all ingredients.

Blend on high or on smoothie setting until smooth.

Solution on page 4

3. Transfer to a cold glass, garnish with pumpkin pie spice, and serve.

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Creating 21st Century Entrepreneurs

• 3

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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INSIDE

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The Mission of IBAMA Corporation

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Running at Witching Hour Discover ‘The Art of Learning’ Learn a New Language as a Family Paleo Pumpkin Coconut Smoothie

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Cop Lip-Sync Challenges Go Viral

POLICE OFFICERS SING THEIR HEARTS OUT

Check Out These Lip-Sync Challenges Across the US When you think of viral videos of police officers, Kumbia Kings on June 19 of this year. His video, which gained over 1.5 million views, encouraged other officers to follow suit. Mena, a recruiting-team deputy with Bexar County for three years, has been making lip-sync videos since he downloaded Snapchat on his phone. The day he recorded this particular video, he sent it to his sergeant, who passed it along to the officers who handle social media for their office. Then it went viral.

you may not imagine your local police department lip-syncing pop songs. But this new online trend is taking the internet by storm. To show a more positive side of their departments, many stations all over the country have participated in a lip-sync

Several of the other individual officers responded with their own videos of mainstream hits like ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.”The popularity of these initial challenges inspired other stations to create their own videos featuring entire departments singing and dancing in unison. Some of the videos with the most views are the Norfolk Police Department lip-syncing Bruno Mars’“Uptown Funk,” the Apple Valley Police Department lip-syncing The Tokens’“The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and the San Francisco Police Department lip-syncing Too Short’s “Blow the Whistle.” Keep checking your social media to see who gets challenged next!

challenge. While these challenges were created to make viewers laugh, their driving purpose was to create a connection between officers and their communities. They hope to remind civilians that behind every badge is a person who isn’t all that

different from you.

The challenge started when Alexander Mena, a deputy in the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, posted a video of himself lip-syncing “Fuiste Mala” by the

4 • Creating 21st Century Entrepreneurs

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