by Johnathan Husbands, Atlanta Daily World
Usher’s New Look Foundation recently hosted its annual Disruptivator Summit at Georgia State University. The Grammy-winnining crooner delivered the inaugural speech to the youth, sharing what it means to be a disruptivator.
This year’s theme was “Be Your Own Superhero,” helping kids find their spark. Usher told the youth, “If you find your spark, you find the most important part of life. You find passion. You find commitment.”
The “Be Your Own Superhero” theme came from the idea of personal belief, encouraging the youth to follow their dreams and be confident in who they are.
Usher said, “To be a superhero starts with believing you can be one.” He also shared the New Look Foundation’s goal: “What Usher’s New Look does is help you recognize something significant for your future.”
A lesson Usher wanted the young disruptivators to walk away with is encouragement and being open to the number of opportunities available.
Award-winning journalist Tony Betton Jr. and Dai Time teen influencer and founder of Dai Time Magazine hosted the Disruptivator Summit. Dai Time shared with the youth what it means to be a disruptivator, “A disruptivator is a person who is using their spark to change the world for the better.”
The summit kicked off with a keynote panel hosted by DenisèAnn Malcolm, who is a singer, rapper, model, dancer, and creative director from Atlanta, GA working towards building her brand as an influencer, and Ryan Wilson, the co-founder, and CEO of The Gathering Spot.
They shared with us the importance of networking and why an event such as the Disruptivator Summit is so impactful. Wilson had shared stories with the youth that embodied valuable life lessons, such as people never forget how you treat them.
They also touched on the fact that you never really know who you are talking to, so be mindful that the people close to the person you may be trying to reach could be sitting off to the side casually but are valuable pieces of their team. A takeaway from Wilson’s panel was having a confident attitude about yourself—the willingness to do what needs to be done to achieve the aspirations that motivate us.
One of the significant points of emphasis Wilson wanted the youth to grasp was that shooters shoot and not to be discouraged if an interaction doesn’t go as planned.
After the networking best practices panel, the youth broke into groups and went out on their excursions for the day. Through firsthand interactive excursions, the summit allowed the youth to witness what it is like to work in various fields such as medical, technological, business, government, and architecture.
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