Leadership was the theme of day one of the 2019 Millennial Summit, which took over the Chase Center on the Riverfront on Tuesday with more than a dozen panels, high-profile keynotes and a room full of exhibitors.
Here’s a combo of our top takeaways, plus favorite #MILLSUMMIT tweets to help fill the gaps:
1. The definition of inclusivity is broader than you might think.
Twinkle Borge, leader of Pu’Uhonua O Wai’anae (POW), a self-governed village of people living unhoused (Borge doesn’t use the word “homeless”) in Hawaii, and a keynote speaker, said communities should build relationships with its members who don’t have houses.
Communities need to build stronger relationships with their unhoused members, says Twinkle Borge, Leader of Pu'uhonua O Wai'anae, a self-governed encampment for people without houses in Hawai'i #MILLSUMMIT #netde pic.twitter.com/KGX9esmvAd
— Holly Quinn (@harlequinn823) August 6, 2019
2. Inclusive teams may be uncomfortable sometimes.
Create them anyway, because, as Mike Wisler, CIO of M&T Bank said during the “Diversity as a Business Imperative” panel, “disagreement is not optional.”
https://twitter.com/NatalieHines1/status/1158872378115534848?s=20
3. Take risks, choose your fear.
Kechi Okwuchi — a burn victim advocate who survived a plane crash, immense personal loss and the trauma of body-transforming injuries — talked in her powerful keynote about accepting that fear will always be there, but doesn’t have to hold you back. Since the accident, she went on to become a finalist on “America’s Got Talent.”
She sang for us 🤩
This is a moment we will never forget. Thank you @Kechi🙏🏻 #MILLSUMMIT https://t.co/0lx4TLMcgx
— #MILLSUMMIT (@MillSummit) August 6, 2019
4. Action (even if it’s small) begets action.
The panel “The First Person You Must Lead is You” brought together leaders in the area innovative leadership. Zack Jones, director of Dual School, talked about teaching people to start something, “so they can go on and start more things.”
Winners of this year’s high school competition! While the millennials were learning at the panel sessions today, these high schoolers were hard at work! #MILLSUMMIT pic.twitter.com/JuSfV44ZPv
— #MILLSUMMIT (@MillSummit) August 6, 2019
5. Education equity starts with listening to students.
In the fishbowl talk on “Education Equity and Adequacy,” administrators and educators were “tapped out” and replaced by students, who shared their own stories of firsthand experiences in today’s high school classrooms.
AMAZING to have student voice in the #equity discussion around education at #MILLSUMMIT. Well done, these young ladies should be proud of their voice. #netde #edude #delawareonline. pic.twitter.com/YA1SEUksld
— Gabe Phillips (@gingerifficgabe) August 6, 2019
Do you have a #MILLSUMMIT takeaway that we missed? Reach out to us on Twitter.
Having #dogood problem solving conversations at the #MillSummit with local #netde nonprofits! 🌟 @DelmarvaBlood @MakeAWishPHL @DEStateChamber @DelawareHospice @ywcade #BeTheChange @MillSummit pic.twitter.com/vT1gCFu0Eb
— Catrina Jefferson (@CatrinaDelaware) August 6, 2019
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