1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to the show. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 2: I'm Rashan McDonald, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 2: where we encourage. 4 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: People to stop reading other people's success stories and start 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: planning their own. 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 3: Listen up as. 7 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: I interview entrepreneurs from around the country, talk to celebrities 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: and ask them how they are running their companies, and 9 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: speak with dog prophets who are making a difference in 10 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: their local communities. Now, sit back and listen as we 11 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: unlock the secrets to their success on Money Making Conversations Masterclass. 12 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: Welcome to Money Making Conversations Master Class. I'm your host, 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: Rashan McDonald. We're down here in Atlanta, Georgia, actually community 14 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 2: called Summer Hill, where we're visiting the founder of STEM 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: Atlanta Women, doctor Maxine Kane, and we're going to learn 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: the secrets to her success. 17 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 4: Doctor Maxine Kane, Stem Atlanta Women. How did it get started? 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 5: That is an awesome question. So let me kind of 19 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 5: give you the backstory. So my background, I'm just kick Yeah, 20 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 5: I'm gonna tell you a story. So Stem Atlanta Women 21 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 5: started back in twenty sixteen. So my background is human 22 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 5: resources by trade, and so in the world of hr AT, 23 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 5: a fortune five hundred company. We had a really tough 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 5: time trying to staff and recruit women of color in 25 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 5: our innovation space, and so I didn't really think about 26 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 5: it at the time, because you know, we're always out 27 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 5: in the community, We're doing trade shows, owning college campuses, 28 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 5: just really trying to find the right talent. And so 29 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 5: it was a time where I had an opportunity to 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 5: really take advantage of a very rich pension plan at 31 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 5: this fortune five hundred company, and I decided to take 32 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 5: advantage of that, and I was really going to be 33 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 5: doing a different type of career, but God had other plans, absolutely, 34 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 5: and he said why not you? And the reason that 35 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 5: started was because I was on event planning. I had 36 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 5: an event planning company called Maxine Kane Events, and I 37 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 5: was working with a lot of high wealth individuals and 38 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 5: they were looking for people to sponsor various initiatives. And 39 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 5: they would come to me often and they would say, Hey, 40 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 5: can you ask this company what they sponsor? Is woul 41 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 5: they sponsor that? And so I would ask them, well, 42 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 5: what am I selling to them? Because right now, the 43 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 5: most important thing that these companies are focused on is science, technology, engineering, 44 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 5: and math. Back then, that was really when it was 45 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 5: taken off and they were looking for real talent. 46 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 4: Doctor Maxine Kane stem Atlanta Women. I'm in their office space. 47 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 4: Here is two store office space. Tell me about this 48 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 4: location in Summer Hill. 49 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 5: Summer Hill, Oh wow, you know so. Summer Hill is 50 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 5: the oldest community in Atlanta and one of my corporate partners, Moxie, 51 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 5: behind the gathering spot in Atlanta. I had an opportunity 52 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 5: to work with them a few years back, and Carter 53 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 5: Development was really the organization that's totally redeveloping this community 54 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 5: and they knew that I was looking for space to 55 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 5: be able to provide some education and training in the city. 56 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 5: And they say, hey, we have the great a great 57 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 5: space for you. Why don't we introduce you to the 58 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 5: vice president of Carter Development so you can go over 59 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 5: in the community and see what's happening. And this was 60 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 5: nothing but dirt. There was nothing hard ap the hard tours. 61 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 5: They walked us through what was what was going to 62 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 5: be what you see today, and we were going to 63 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 5: have two units that was big, and so because of 64 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 5: some construction constraints, we ended up having this two story life, 65 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 5: which we love, and they wanted to ensure that as 66 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 5: they were redeveloping the community, that we were here to 67 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 5: make sure that we were serving and supporting the residents 68 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 5: that have been here for over sixty years. 69 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 4: Doctor King, I love the colors game pink Green, intentional. 70 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 5: Yes, very much. So, so in this community, I think 71 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 5: you know that Summer Hill is the oldest community in 72 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 5: Atlanta and it's an underserved, underrepresented community for years. When 73 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 5: underserved on the ny that there's not a lot of 74 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 5: resources that were available in the community, one being that 75 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 5: it has been a food desert for over sixty years. 76 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 5: They've not had a bank in this community for years, 77 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 5: if not longer. So now you're starting to see as 78 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 5: a part of the redevelopment, you have banks over here, 79 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 5: you have a new grocery store here. But this community 80 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 5: has really been underserved, I mean really underserved. 81 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 3: It's a beautiful community, thank you. 82 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 5: It is beautiful. Cardial Development has done a phenomenal job 83 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 5: in redeveloping, but we still know that the legacy community 84 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 5: is still here. And so when they brought us into 85 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 5: and they really embraced us with open arms and make 86 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 5: sure that we had everything we need to provide the 87 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 5: services to the community. So the reason we were very 88 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 5: intentional about the colors is because I wanted to create 89 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 5: a space that was welcoming, that was safe, where the 90 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 5: girls can come in and feel like, this is a 91 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 5: place that they can relax and feel good. And colors 92 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 5: create it brings about creativity and so and we're all 93 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 5: about girls, and we wanted it to be beautiful. I 94 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 5: wanted it to feel luxurious, and I wanted them to 95 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 5: know that, yes, you can have a high end creative 96 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 5: space where you can come and feel good. I would 97 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 5: not dare deliver anything to them that was not as 98 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 5: exquisite as this place is. 99 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: It's beautiful. 100 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 4: Now, let's talk about the community academics in this community 101 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 4: of what schools are you are you are you serving 102 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 4: schools within the Summer Hill community? 103 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 5: Yes, give us absolutely. So we have Key Middle School, 104 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 5: which is the first middle school that was created by 105 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 5: doctor Martin Luther King right in this community. We have 106 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 5: Carver Early College High School, we have Maynard Jackson High School, 107 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 5: we have Georgia State University, we have Parkside Elementary School, 108 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 5: and then we also have Michelle and Barack Obama in 109 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 5: the community too. So it is a historic community with 110 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 5: a lot of historic names and schools because we're right 111 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 5: in the heart of downtown, but it's the Summer Hill community, 112 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 5: which we're very proud of, and we wanted to create 113 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 5: this urban creative oasis that are girls, not only the girls, 114 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 5: but their moms, their grandmoms that can come in this 115 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 5: community and use this center as a space for them 116 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 5: to learn and to develop and to feel safe. 117 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 4: No lose STEM, which is Science, Technology, Engineering math Atlanta women. 118 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 3: Yes to me. 119 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 4: When I were talking to you twenty sixteen, Yes, very 120 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 4: important year for you, when we were talking about secrets 121 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 4: to success. 122 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 3: What was the inspiration for you in starting this foundation? 123 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 5: Yeah, So my background is human resources. I was an 124 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 5: HR leader with one of the Fortune five hundred companies 125 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 5: around the country and during that time, I had a 126 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 5: very tough time and my team, of course, trying to 127 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 5: staff and recruit women of color in science technology there 128 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 5: sixteen in twenty sixteen, Yes, and it's still the same today, 129 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 5: but we were having a tough time. And when I 130 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 5: say tough, we were out in the community, we were 131 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 5: at trade shows, we were owning the college campuses. But 132 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 5: women of color were not embracing technology and innovation and 133 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 5: a lot of that was due to the lack of representation. 134 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 5: They didn't see people that looked like them. They felt 135 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 5: that the culture was not welcoming, They felt like they 136 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 5: were not smart enough, and that they didn't feel like 137 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 5: that was a career path. Maybe it was too hard 138 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 5: or whatever. And so my focus was to change that 139 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 5: because I've been in the industry for so long and 140 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 5: we had a culture and an environment where it was 141 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 5: all about leaders first, where we would learn all the 142 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 5: things that we needed to learn about the telecommunications industry, 143 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 5: and then we would cascade that information down to our 144 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 5: frontline employees. And I wanted women and girls to understand 145 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 5: that technology was the number one industry in the world 146 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 5: and they needed to have a space there. So my 147 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 5: purpose of starting STEM Atlant of Women was because I 148 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 5: was too one of those little girls. 149 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 3: I was born and. 150 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 5: Raised in Decatur, Georgia. My mother didn't have a whole 151 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 5: lot of resources. She was in an underserved community, and 152 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 5: we didn't have a lot of money, and I didn't 153 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 5: have a lot of resources. And I thought, because I've 154 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 5: been able to be successful today, I wanted to be 155 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 5: one of those leaders that reached back in the community 156 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 5: and bring up other young women to say you can 157 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 5: do it too. And because I was so passionate about 158 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 5: technology and science technology entered in the math. I knew 159 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 5: that if we didn't try to close that divide and 160 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 5: create a pathway for young women coming up behind me 161 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 5: to pursue careers in STEM, we were going to still 162 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 5: be in trouble. And it's the same today. So a 163 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 5: whole lot has not changed. We've made some impact, but 164 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 5: we still have so much more work to do. 165 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 4: I know, we go see the rest of the building 166 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 4: because I want to go upstairs, and that's where we're 167 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 4: going to leave. 168 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 3: One of your foundation members, the head of your foundation. 169 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 4: Correct, she's a board chair, board chair. And so the 170 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 4: whole thing about this is, you know, the hard hat, 171 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 4: the dream. 172 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 3: It's work, it's work. 173 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 5: It has worked. Oh my god, it's worked. People. 174 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 4: How do you get because you know, everybody has a dream, 175 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 4: everybody has a passion to desire to pursue something that's different, 176 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 4: and this is different. 177 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: It is not a forty all week job. 178 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 4: So how do you get how do you go through 179 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 4: the process of You've always said this was the location 180 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 4: you were in used to be a food desert. Twenty sixteen, 181 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 4: you couldn't even find women of color in this STEM field. 182 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 4: Even today, there's a lot of that their availability. Where 183 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 4: does the future hold for this organization or foundation and 184 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 4: how do you continue to make a difference along with 185 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 4: your board members. 186 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 5: Well, because we're very clear about our mission. We're very 187 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 5: clear about our mission. We're very clear that we want 188 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 5: to see equality with women and girls, that whole gender equality. 189 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 5: Were very clear. But our focus is to enhance and 190 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 5: increase the talent pipeline or pathway for women and girls 191 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 5: in STEM more specifically black and brown girls and underserved 192 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 5: and underrepresented communities. Because these babies are brilliant. They are brilliant. 193 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 5: We have a Steminus Ball that we do every year 194 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 5: or the end of the. 195 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 3: Year, and so quickly, as you said quickly, it is our. 196 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 5: Steminus Ball, steminist yes, and our Steminus Ball. We highlight 197 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 5: beautiful black and brown girls and underserved communities who have 198 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 5: done phenomenal work in their grade levels of achieving high 199 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 5: scores in science, technology, engineering, and math. And at the 200 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 5: end of every year we do a Steminus Ball, which 201 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 5: is the schools love it because it's their celebration and 202 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 5: we honor them by giving them cords, certificates, and awards. 203 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 5: They get a beautiful crystal award for their accomplishments in 204 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 5: their school. Wow, And they come to a black tie 205 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 5: event they get their awards. They are just beautiful and 206 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 5: they're brilliant. And so I want the world to know 207 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 5: that there are beautiful little girls who are pursuing these 208 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 5: careers and they are smart, they are strong, they are creative, 209 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 5: and they love stem. Believe it or not, they do. 210 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 5: So we're not unicorns. We do exist, but you just 211 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 5: have to nurture it. You have to nurture that. We 212 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 5: and by design, we serve middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students, 213 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 5: and recent college grads between the ages of nineteen and 214 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 5: thirty five. And you may think, wow, that's a big spread, 215 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 5: but it's by design because you need to create the 216 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 5: pathways and it starts early. So one of the programs 217 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 5: that we put into middle schools build on the programs 218 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 5: that go into high school. The high school builds on 219 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 5: the programs going into college. And then when you're in college, 220 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 5: we've helped you navigate from middle school to college, so 221 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 5: now it's time for you to prepare for that career. 222 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 5: We made sure that we've created that bench or that pathway, 223 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 5: so that now they're. 224 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 6: Ready, Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with 225 00:12:50,640 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 6: more Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money 226 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 6: Making Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations 227 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 6: Masterclass continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and full of 228 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 6: Money Making Conversations master Class on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which. 229 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: Dud said there was a love for. 230 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 4: There's not just a business side, because there's business because 231 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 4: you got to counter number. 232 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 5: Takeet the doors of corporation. 233 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 3: You got to get sponsors to come in and buy 234 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 3: into this. 235 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 4: When I, when I, when I go through the calendar 236 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 4: event because that's what that's what sponsor dollars do. 237 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 3: This is a nonprofit of Steming the City. 238 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 5: What is that STEM in the City is our after 239 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 5: school program. And it was really interesting when I created 240 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 5: that program because it started way before we moved into 241 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 5: the Summer Hill community. 242 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 3: I used to. 243 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 5: Work do work in a school called the Atlanta Girls School, 244 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 5: and one program that they have that I found fascinating 245 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 5: was that they travel around the world to different locations 246 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 5: and it's required for those girls to experience an international city. 247 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 5: And I thought Wow, that would be really cool if 248 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 5: our girls had that same type of resource to be 249 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 5: able to travel abroad to experience international culture. But as 250 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 5: you know, in these underserved communities, they don't have that resource. 251 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 5: So we during COVID, we created a program called STEM 252 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 5: in the City, and we wanted to be able to 253 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 5: bridge the gap between like a Coretta Scott King Young 254 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 5: Women's Leadership Academy and an Atlanta girls school, so they 255 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 5: get to know each other, right, they get to experience 256 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 5: each other. So we created an international virtual international trip 257 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 5: to Paris, France. I partnered with one of my partners 258 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 5: in Paris and we took them on a journey and 259 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 5: they it was all on a Goal Pro, So the 260 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 5: go Pro leaders were in Paris, we were on a 261 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 5: zoom and we had the entire school, the Correta Scott 262 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 5: Young Women's Leadership Academy School go on a trip. And 263 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 5: we also had girls from virtually virtually We had girls 264 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 5: from the Global Village Project in downtown Decatur. We had 265 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 5: girls in Nigeria, we had girls in Spain and Japan 266 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 5: and everywhere from all over the world. They logged in 267 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 5: and they were able to take this journey to Paris. 268 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 5: They were able to see the Eiffel Tower. They went 269 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 5: on a black cultural tour of Paris, and so that's 270 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 5: where it all started because we wanted to give access, 271 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 5: opportunity and exposure to international experiences. So we decided to 272 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 5: do it through a virtual experience first, and I said, 273 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 5: you know, let's create a program called STEM in the City. 274 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 5: We're in the city and we want to be able 275 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 5: to bring STEM education and training through an after school 276 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 5: program so that we can teach them all of the 277 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 5: emergent tech. And that's one thing that we specialize in 278 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 5: is emerging technologies. So it's all about advanced tech worth 279 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 5: industrial revolution, so that means artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the hybrid cloud, drones. 280 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 5: We do a lot of drone technology, business and tech, 281 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 5: cosmetic science. Coca Cola teaches our flavor science, so they 282 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 5: learn what it's like to be a flavor scientist. So 283 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 5: we exposed them the things that they would never really 284 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 5: have access to. So that's what STEM in the City 285 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 5: after school program is. 286 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 3: All back now. 287 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 4: Now, he was in the Super Bowl this year performing 288 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 4: at halftime. Just recently got honored at NAACP in the rewards. 289 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 4: His name is Usher Yes and you did a big 290 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 4: event with Usher. 291 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 3: Tell us about that. 292 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, So Usher's new Luk Foundation, their leader, Krisha Moore, 293 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 5: and I are colleagues and they do a Disruptivator summit 294 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 5: every year, and she asked me to come in and 295 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 5: do a STEM activation and so with me and my 296 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 5: partners at IBM, we went in and we taught an 297 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 5: artificial intelligence course. So that was we created, and well, 298 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 5: she created these various excursions to different corporations and we 299 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 5: invited the Usher's group. We probably had about seventy five 300 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 5: students that travel to IBM in their Sandy Springs corporate office, 301 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 5: and we taught them about the new Watson X IBM 302 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 5: orchestrates software and we centered it around creativity and so 303 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 5: IBM is really strong about let's create or what if? 304 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 5: And so we told the children, if you had the 305 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 5: opportunity to create or disrupt something in the industry leveraging 306 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 5: artificial intelligence, what would it be. So we broke them 307 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 5: up into groups. So we had retail, we had shoes, 308 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 5: we had the beauty industry, the car industry, we gave them, 309 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 5: we had sports, and so we gave them opportunities to 310 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 5: come up with creative ideas that they can disrupt that 311 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 5: industry by leveraging artificial intelligence. And when I tell you 312 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 5: they brought brought it, they brought it. And so the 313 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 5: winning team got five hundred dollars gift cards and I 314 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 5: mean fifty dollars gift cards for their entire team for 315 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 5: a total of five hundred dollars. And the winning team 316 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 5: also came up with this idea to serve and support 317 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 5: the blind by putting artificial soft artificial intelligence software and 318 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 5: sensors in their shoes, so they understood how to walk 319 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 5: around and get information feeding into them. And we're like, wow, 320 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 5: that's crazy. But I tell you, if you give them 321 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 5: the opportunity to utilize their creativity and imagination, you'll be 322 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 5: surprised what our young people can do. 323 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 3: You know, we're always surprised because you know, this is 324 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 3: really it. Hit told me. I grew up with six 325 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,239 Speaker 3: sisters and so. 326 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,440 Speaker 4: But in the African American community, we're always stereotyped, yes, 327 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 4: and we always last. You know, we're not stereotype when 328 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 4: it comes to entertainment, not stereotype when it comes to athleticism, 329 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 4: but when it comes to education, we always steer a type. 330 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,439 Speaker 4: You know, we've heard people say, like you said earlier, 331 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 4: we can't find that it's not available. Right, HBCUs out there, 332 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 4: you know, delivering thirty three percent of overall STEM graduates 333 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 4: who are black are coming from HBCUs. Now, are you 334 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 4: creating college pathways let's go through. No, are you creating 335 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 4: college pathways in your relationship that you have with your foundation. 336 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 5: Yeah. So one of the things that we've done is 337 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 5: I work with Emory University and Clark Atlanta University, which 338 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 5: is an HBCU, working with doctor George French over there. 339 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,119 Speaker 5: And so we put a workforce development Center at Clark 340 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 5: Atlanta University because we wanted to be able to reach 341 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 5: into the community, not just on the campus, but also 342 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 5: in the community. There are people who want to learn 343 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 5: and get certifications, and the students also want to get 344 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 5: certifications and emerging technology. So we created a program. It 345 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 5: was called Business Intelligence, and we set it up what 346 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 5: it can be virtual, so anybody that's interested in learning 347 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 5: business intelligence can come through the clock and Lanta University program. 348 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 5: And so our whole goal is to expose even though 349 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 5: you know that most of the HBCUs or literal art schools, right, 350 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 5: and this particular program was giving them the opportunity to 351 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,719 Speaker 5: get a certification so they can immediately go and apply 352 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 5: that to a job, versus having to get a four 353 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 5: year degree, which we think is important to do. That 354 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 5: doesn't get me wrong, but there are some people in 355 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 5: a community that need additional skill sets and so we 356 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 5: were able to do that through Clock Atlanta and Memory together. 357 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 4: So are you kind of just throwing out titles a 358 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 4: your doctor of an academia, vaxine kine. But I talk 359 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 4: about talent acquisition. I think that's why I'm really here 360 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 4: to understand. Can people come to you for a resource 361 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 4: or your resource when it comes to talent acquisition? Yes, 362 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 4: talk about that aspect of what you're doing at Still 363 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 4: Atlanta Women. 364 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 5: So yes, still a lot of women works with a 365 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 5: lot of organizations in the city to provide access to talent, 366 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 5: more specifically black talent. Okay, And as you know, I 367 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 5: think it's about seventy eight percent of the nation and 368 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 5: I may not have that exact number, but some large 369 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 5: population that do not have four year degrees. And so 370 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 5: when you think about the African American community, that's probably 371 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 5: about sixty seven percent or more don't have college degrees. 372 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 5: And so my job in the city is to work 373 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 5: with major organizations to help find talent to give them 374 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 5: a family sustaining wage. So we give them the skills 375 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 5: that they need. We work with several talent developers, and 376 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 5: we work with colleges and universities and just in the 377 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 5: community alone to help them get these certifications that they 378 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 5: need so that they are equipped to be able to 379 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 5: go and have job interviews and go into these organizations, 380 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,479 Speaker 5: which now I think you know most of them are 381 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 5: saying that we don't require a four year degree as 382 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 5: long as you have the skills. And it's all about 383 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 5: skills first and making sure that you are able to 384 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 5: get certifications and the appropriate training and make sure you 385 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 5: have the development that you can go in there and 386 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 5: be successful. You can still get a family sustaining job 387 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 5: of at least sixty thousand or more to be able 388 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 5: to to be able to take care of your family. 389 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 4: I know that before you started this foundation, you was 390 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 4: an event planner. Yeah, and so in twenty sixteen, a 391 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 4: shift in you. You know, we always talk about mentorship, 392 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 4: We always talk about faith. 393 00:22:58,440 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 3: What drove that shift? 394 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 5: So that's interesting that you used to say that. So 395 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 5: when I was at this fortune five hundred company. I 396 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 5: did corporate event planning for them, training and setting up 397 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 5: training and development for our metal managers to have company training, 398 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 5: and so we would do that quarterly and I loved it. 399 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 5: I loved it, and so when I left an organization, 400 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 5: I started my own event planning company called Maxine Kane Events. 401 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 5: I love doing that, and a lot of the leaders 402 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 5: in the city knew that I was working with a 403 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 5: lot of high wealth individuals and companies and they would 404 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 5: come to me from a business development perspective and say, hey, 405 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 5: can you help us get connected to this company or 406 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 5: this athlete or this leader, and we would love to 407 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 5: know if they would sponsor us. And I'm like, okay, 408 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 5: so what am I going to sell to these individuals 409 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 5: to make them say, hey, we're interested in sponsoring you. 410 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 5: What are you focused on? Are you focused on technology 411 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 5: and innovation? Because that was on the minds of many 412 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 5: leaders and most of them were not. And so I said, 413 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 5: you know, you're making my job harder because I know 414 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 5: what's important to the companies and so when they give money, 415 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 5: they're expecting a return and they're expecting to make sure 416 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 5: that they can see impact. And if you're not aligning 417 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 5: to what their given criteria is more than likely you're 418 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 5: not going to be successful with that sponsorship. And so 419 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 5: I remember one morning and I'm a person of faith. 420 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 5: I'm a person of faith and I believe in God, 421 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 5: and I was praying and I said, you know, Lord, 422 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 5: I wonder why. I wonder why that is that so 423 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 5: many of us are just not really focused on STEM 424 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 5: education and training because it's so needed. And I heard 425 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 5: a still small voice say why not you? Why not you? 426 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 5: And I paused and I thought, that's not that's I'm 427 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 5: planning company. This is what I'm doing. And I really 428 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 5: had to think about that. I had to really think 429 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 5: about that, because you know, when you. 430 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 3: Responded, why didn't you go how about you? 431 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 5: And I thought, and so I really had to do 432 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 5: a lot. 433 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 3: Of I was just talking. 434 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 5: I was just talking. 435 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 3: I was really talking that loud. 436 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 5: And so I had to really think about it. And 437 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 5: so I started doing some research around that, like is 438 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 5: this something that I can really do? And I just 439 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 5: really kind of resonated on my experience, my background, and 440 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 5: the whole purpose of it. But more importantly, it just 441 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 5: took me back to when I was a little girl, 442 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 5: and I'm that little girl that needed that support, and 443 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 5: I wish that I had organizations like Stement Line of 444 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 5: Women that will really reach out and develop and mold 445 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 5: and show us the way, tell us the unwritten rules, 446 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 5: help us figure out the pathway. So I want to 447 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 5: give a big thank you to you Money Making Conversations 448 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 5: Masterclass for selecting us to be highlighted in this way 449 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 5: to tell our story, because by doing that it really 450 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 5: continues to help us further our mission and impact the community. 451 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 3: So thank you, Wow, thank you. 452 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 2: This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass 453 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 2: posted by me Rushawn McDonald. Thank you to our guests 454 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 2: on the show today, and thank you listening to your 455 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 2: audience now. If you want to listen to any episode 456 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 2: I want to be a guest on the show, visit 457 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 2: Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversation. 458 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 2: Join us next week and remember to always leave with 459 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:40,959 Speaker 2: your gifts. 460 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 3: Keep winning.