Zócalo Public Square

In a state where the majority of residents are migrants from elsewhere, how much does Arizona’s history matter?

On February 7, a week before the centennial of Arizona’s statehood, Zócalo will host a public event in Tucson to delve into the question. Jack B. Jewett, president and CEO of the Flinn Foundation, will serve as moderator for the free event, which will be held at the Hotel Congress at 6:30 p.m.

• Panelists at the event will include:
• Thomas E. Sheridan, University of Arizona professor of anthropology;
• Eric V. Meeks, Northern Arizona University professor of history;
• Lattie Coor, founder of the Center for the Future of Arizona; and
• Tom Zoellner, author of A Safeway in Arizona.

Among the related questions that Zócalo will invite the panelists to consider:

How are these people who pulled up stakes and changed the course of their personal histories to become Arizonans influenced—if at all—by the events that preceded their arrival? One hundred years ago, Arizona emerged as a state after a two-decade-long struggle to convince Congress that its citizens were “American” enough. Did the way it joined the union shape its present-day culture?

Reservations for the event, and more information about it, are available on the Zócalo website.

To that end, we have updated the Arizona Civic Leadership Directory with even more local and regional programs around Arizona that help build civic leadership skills and knowledge about public-policy issues. In addition to the Directory’s easy-to-browse map format, the AzCCL website includes a hyperlinked list of the organizations included in the directory.

The Arizona Civic Leadership Community Calendar is another terrific way to find out about many of the state’s upcoming leadership-training programs, conferences and workshops. The most immediate upcoming events are also posted on the AzCCL homepage. If you would like to request inclusion of a leadership event on the calendar, please email AzCCL program manager, Emily Rajakovich.

The Black Board of Directors Project (BBODP) is currently accepting referrals for its 28^th class. The BBODP was founded in Phoenix in 1984 as an advanced leadership program to fill the void of blacks and others on corporate, charitable, and public-policy-making boards and commissions at the local, state, and national levels and in other leadership positions.

Annually, the Project recruits a select number of highly talented and motivated individuals who have usually reached middle to senior levels of their careers. A few high-potential individuals in the formative years of their careers are selected.

Those selected are vigorously promoted by a variety of direct and indirect methods. Members profiles along with their pictures are published in a directory which is widely circulated to diverse publics, including corporate chief executive officers, high level government officials, the local and national press and charitable organizations.

Nonprofit Management Institute

The Nonprofit Management Institute was founded in 1993 out of the ASU College of Extended Education in partnership with Valley of the Sun United Way.

The Nonprofit Management Institute at Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation is currently enrolling for its High Impact Leadership course on January 27-28. This intensive leadership course will:

• Introduce participants to current models of leadership and seven core leadership competencies;
• Help participants identify personal leadership strengths and core values;
• Teach methods for building internal and external relationships and applying those skills in a business setting; and
• Assist participants with developing a leadership action plan for achieving personal and organizational impact.

Civic leaders look to many sources for solutions to the problems of the day. In the posts below, public and private organizations present new options; program evaluations show what works; and collaborations demonstrate how change can happen.

PHOENIX–Following completion of an intensive, 10-week seminar to build their civic-leadership capacity, members of the Fall class of the nonpartisan Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy are now planning their next steps toward public service in Arizona at the state level. In time, expectations include some running for public office, while others will choose to pursue roles as policy advisors, state-agency officials, or members of critical state boards and commissions.

The Flinn-Brown Fellows, who devoted 12 daylong sessions to enhancing their civic-leadership capacity and studying key public-policy issues that affect Arizona, are now being matched with advisers who are themselves seasoned leaders. The Fellows will consult with these advisers as they begin to apply the knowledge they gained and consider their next moves as civic leaders.

Tony Gonzales, a Flagstaff attorney, said that participating in the Academy has reinvigorated the desire he had as a young college graduate to pursue direct involvement in civic leadership.

“Ten years later, I was still helping candidates run for office, but I had lost some of my passion,” Gonzales said. “The Academy made me realize that people like me, with children, careers, and other obligations, can become politically active in their communities and across the state. I realized that I am part of a generation that needs to be active in the civic-leadership arena.”

The 26 Flinn-Brown Fellows in the Academy’s Fall class represent many Arizona regions, professional backgrounds, and perspectives. Among them are small-business owners, nonprofit executives, local elected officials, and numerous experts on particular public-policy issues, including economic development, K-12 education, and natural-resources development.

“The Academy convinced me that it is urgent to gather people together to address Arizona’s future,” said Doug Von Gausig, mayor of Clarkdale. “It was clear during our classes that the Fellows of this Academy are exactly the sort who are interested in solving our challenges. Only when more likeminded people begin to serve will we be capable not only of solving our current problems, but advancing with prosperity and dignity into the coming years.”

Each session of the Academy seminar focused on a specific topic, such as the state budget, higher education, human services, and immigration. Dozens of veteran lawmakers, business and nonprofit leaders, state agency heads, and policy experts provided facts, figures, and perspectives on the issues and shared some of the lessons they had learned working at the state level.

“Leaders inspire others to take action and go in a direction they might not otherwise have gone alone,” said Beatriz Rendón, Arizona State University associate vice president and CEO of ASU Preparatory Academy. “Insurmountable challenges seem achievable when you are working alongside others that share your passion and are committed to making a difference.”

Nancy Welch, director of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, which administers the Flinn-Brown Academy, cited the potential for the Flinn-Brown Fellows to become significant contributors to Arizona’s realization of its potential.

“Today we have 51 individuals who have participated in the Academy, learning the essential details of critical issues that confront Arizona, how those issues are intertwined, and what real-world challenges stand in the way of addressing them,” Welch said. “A year from now, we expect to have 100 alumni Fellows who will bring a wide variety of perspectives and experience to state-level public service.”

The Academy is one of three core components of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, created in 2010 by the Flinn Foundation and the Thomas R. Brown Foundations, respectively based in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz. Sponsored by both foundations, the Center is operated by the Flinn Foundation under the guidance of the Center’s Leadership Council.

Other components of the Center include the Arizona Civic Leadership Collaborative, established to leverage and expand the efforts of local civic-leadership programs throughout the state, and a Communication and Outreach program designed to inform organizations and individuals about the importance of civic leadership and increase civic engagement among Arizonans.

The Spring 2012 Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy class will be held beginning in March. The selection process, which began with the submission of formal application portfolios, is now underway.

Fall 2011 Flinn Brown Fellows – photos and affiliations

About the Flinn Foundation: The Flinn Foundation is a Phoenix-based, private, nonprofit philanthropic endowment. It was established by Dr. and Mrs. Robert S. Flinn in 1965 with the mission of improving the quality of life in Arizona. The nonprofit philanthropy supports the advancement of Arizona’s bioscience sector, the Flinn Scholars Program, the arts, and the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.

About the Thomas R. Brown Foundations: The Thomas R. Brown Foundations are dedicated to raising the quality of life for present and future generations through expanded understanding and application of economic principles in private and public decision making. The Foundations are also dedicated to advancing solutions to community problems through strategic grants, research, and policy analysis.

The award recipients being honored include:

• Mark Eberle, Frank W. Hodges Alumni Achievement;
• Rachel Sacco, Drinkwater Community Leadership;
• Melissa Conrad, Youth Leadership; and
• Merrill Lynch, Corporate Leadership.

Award recipients will be honored at the Scottsdale Leadership 12^th Annual Spirit of Community Leadership Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Scottsdale Insurance, on Friday, December 9, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and will be held at the Doubletree Resort by Hilton.

Additional information on the recipients and purchasing tickets for the event can be found on the Scottsdale Leadership website’s events page.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

Children’s Action Alliance (CAA) is accepting applications for its Spring 2012 Leadership Academy. Founded in 1988, the nonprofit CAA works to improve children’s health, education, and security through information and action.

The Leadership Academy teaches participants the skills to be effective advocates for children and families throughout Arizona. Through the seven-session program, participants will build leadership, advocacy, and communication skills and learn how to bring children and their families to the forefront of policy in order to create change. As part of the Academy, participants will also design an individual community-involvement project.

CAA is accepting applications and nominations until Tuesday, November 29, 2011. For additional information, please visit the CAA events page, where a link to the application is available.

And that isn’t even half of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy’s seminar series.

Healy and Rustand, two Flinn-Brown Fellows from Tucson, recently spoke with Michael Chihak, host of Arizona Illustrated, about what they have already gained from the Academy. In the interview, which aired November 9, they describe how participating in the Academy has influenced their professional endeavors, and they share with Chihak thoughts about their future roles in civic leadership.

This year, TFA is expecting more than 100 TFA members/alumni to attend, and expects to attract nearly 50 organizations.

For organizations that would like to participate in What’s Next, TFA will provide: table space; the opportunity to network with TFA members, alumni, and other organizations; and lunch.

When: Saturday, November 19, 2011 10:00 a.m.– 1:30 p.m.
Where: University of Phoenix, 4025 S Riverpoint Pkwy, Phoenix
Registration: Free for partner organizations

Please direct questions and RSVPs to Edith Jennings.

The partner organizations are sponsoring an essay and video contest to give students in grades 7-12 a forum to address why differences in political opinion tear people apart instead of uniting them to work toward a solution for the common good.

Students are invited to write a 300-word essay or make a 30-second video to answer:

Our political debate in America is too often filled with anger and disrespect. How can your generation solve this problem?

In their answers, students should feel free to cite real-life examples of working together or developing a respect for people with whom they disagree.

Prizes:

• Ten finalists will win an iPad 2 and be invited to appear in a television special with 12 News anchors Mark Curtis and Lin Sue Cooney.
• The Arizona Republic will also publish the winning essays in the paper on January 1. The winning videos will be featured on azcentral.com and in the television special.

The deadline for the essay/video contest is Monday, November 21.

More information on how to submit an essay or video is available on azcentral.com.