Politics

The Road of Success: Valeisha Butterfield Jones

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(Photo: Valeisha.org)

How can a successful working mother, wife, daughter, CEO, and a leader of the Global Head of Women and Black Community Engagement for Google have it all together? The amazing Valeisha Butterfield Jones had gone through the ups and the downs from the entertainment to the technology industries to get where she is today.

“My purpose was validated through my work. I was 100% fulfilled and never dreaded coming into the office. I was clearly in my zone – being able to combine working in the sexy, pop culture of entertainment while doing work that gave back to the community,” Butterfield Jones stated from her book “THE GIRLPRINT: The ultimate blueprint for girls to propel their dreams into action.”

Valeisha Butterfield Jones graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a degree in Political Science. After college, Butterfield Jones had a job offer as the Executive Assistant for the President of HBO Sports. “I was coordinating matches at Caesar’s Palace,” Butterfield Jones stated from her book. 

Furthermore, she was an intern for Entrepreneur Mogul Russell Simmons, which led Butterfield Jones as the Executive Vice President of Rush Communications. As she continues her road of success, Butterfield Jones landed a volunteer job for then-Senator Barack Obama to assist in campaigning his run as the next 44th President of the United States. Butterfield Jones co-founded and is the current CEO of Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN), a non-profit organization “to spark change” and leadership in male-dominated industries in entertainment and media, and other businesses for women of color.

Nothing has stopped her there; Butterfield Jones was also the National Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Alzheimer’s Association. In 2009, Butterfield Jones had a change of a lifetime to work with the Obama Administration as the Deputy Director of Public Affairs and helped the former President with the re-election campaign as the National Youth Vote Director. “The position was a dream opportunity for me. I got to spend time engaging young people, promoting awareness of the political process…,” Butterfield Jones stated from her book. 

The marketing and communications strategist and North Carolina native had made many career moves that helped herself to be in the top of the game of many industries. Nothing is impossible for the mother of two.  “Let your day job finance your passion,” quoted by Butterfield Jones. 

You can follow Valeisha Butterfield Jones on Twitter,  Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

How Karen Civil leveled up in the Digital Marketing World?

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Karen Civil is one of today’s successful entrepreneurs. The weezythanxyou blog she helped create for American Rapper Lil Wayne, to connect with his fans while he was in jail back in 2009, caught much attention that boosted her career. 

The Haitian-American trailblazer is the owner of KarenCivil.com and LiveCivil.com, a Digital Marketer, PR (Public Relations), Social Networker, Author, and Philanthropist that takes waves on any creative and influential ways in business, entertainment, and in politics. 

Entrepreneur Karen Civil and Jonilda Francois at the Woman Up and Man Up’s Talk Civil Conference on April 8, 2018; Credited by: Jonilda Francois

In the start of her career, Civil started in Hot 97 as an intern for DJ Funkmaster in 2002. Throughout her years in the digital marketing industry, she has helped artists like Nicki Minaj, Drake, the late Nipsey Hussle and Mac Miller, and few others.

Civil was a Digital Marketing Manager for Beats by Dre. She paved the way to brand the cool wireless headphones and targeted customers with the help of influencers like artists Big Sean, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga. And athletes like Lebron James and Serena Williams.  

According to Essence, Civil stated, “… I left my hometown of Elizabeth, NJ to become the Social Media Manager for Beats by Dre in Los Angeles. I continued to grow my site, which had a male-dominated audience. I decided I was ready to launch my lifestyle and beauty site, LiveCivil.com. I wanted to create content that women could enjoy, too. With LiveCivil.com, we did a ground-breaking in Haiti for a playground, launched a women’s empowerment tour and partnered with Carol’s Daughter and CoverGirl.”

As a philanthropist, Civil has her Live Civil Computer Lab, a playground, and gave 500 children books in Haiti. She also has done several other community projects for her hometown. 

“Even as a child, my parents have instilled the importance of giving back, especially to the community that has given to you. Haiti gave me my family and heritage, so this playground is only my first way of giving back to Haiti,” said Civil on Forbes.

In 2016, Civil was part of Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Campaign. She helped the former presidential candidate to reach young people to vote. This was Civil way of getting millennials to become active voters. 

Civil has done tremendous things to uplift the social media world. With her terrific work, why wouldn’t anyone want to follow Civil on her next adventure of success?

You can follow Karen Civil on Instagram and Twitter

What we need to know about Human Trafficking

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Only 51% of women are known to be targeted, and among them are in the sex industry by 72% in human trafficking than men and children, according to Anti-Slavery.

What can you say to many people about Human Trafficking? Does anybody know this continuing issue that is a problem in their community, county, and country?

According to anti-slavery, human trafficking is being forced to do enslave and inappropriate activities. Human Trafficking is not only happening in the United States, but it’s also a global situation in many other countries. 

On April 24, 2019, Kevin Griffin, a former Front Desk Agent for Courtyard by Marriott and a Human Trafficking Activist, discussed in the first blog’s podcast about Human Trafficking and self-defense. As the interview was being conducted at one of the most popular Starbucks at Brandon, Florida, Griffin went into detail about this horrific-violence exploitation recruitment of vulnerable individuals, that are being forced to do inappropriate behavior to their “owners” during labor work. 

Kevin Griffin, a former Courtyard by Marriott Front Desk Agent, being interviewed about Human Trafficking at Starbucks in Brandon, FL on April 24, 2019.

“There are two types of human trafficking… There is basically slavery, borderline… It’s actually just cheap labor that children and some women are sold off into certain countries,” said Griffin. 

As many people like Griffin, that works in public areas (hotels, restaurants, parks, etc.) can detect several signs of people that are showing unusual behavior that might attack or kidnapped someone in a matter of time. According to Homeland Security, you can identify an individual by recruiting people that want to live the “American Dream,” in a vulnerable stage of their lives, or other promises that are convincing to do labor work.  

If you need more information about Human Trafficking, please visit the website https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-trafficking or call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888.   

How the Results of the Mid-Term Elections predicts Millennials, as the Next Generation of Active Voters? 

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Video by: Jonilda Francois via Instagram

“Every vote counts. Whether you see it or not…,” said Rachel Smith, a USF undergraduate studying mass communication.

According to Hillsborough County Supervisor of Election Official, there was a 40 percent turnout of voters of the ages 18-25 and 44 percent turnout for ages 26-30 during this year’s mid-term election.

Comparing to 23 percent of the ages 18-25 and 29 percent of the ages 26-30 of young voter turnout in 2014, as the election official specified via email. 

Smith said this past mid-term election result was a significant difference of younger voters being active within the county than four years ago.

“This affects our values… The way we see things, the way we behave,” said Smith. “People go off what their parents say than what we think.”

Some millennial voters do understand the issues that are causing the U.S. not to “be great.” 

“We as millennials… your vote is your voice! Your voice is to have a say in everyday decisions that made by your different representatives for your life and community. Why wouldn’t you vote?” said Jordan Pride, the former State-Wide Data Manager of NextGen Florida. 

Millennials have made a significant historical change of this year’s mid-term election. Not many expected a great turnout that will influence and gave an ability of power to several people in the U.S. House and Senate offices to better our country. According to Circle – The Center For Information & Research on Civic Learning And Engagement, 31% of millennials of the ages 18-29 voter turnout made an impact of the 2018 mid-terms, compared to 21.3% in 2014 as younger voter turnout at the time. 

Pride also touch based on how millennials have a voice that wants to shape the future of politics that also reflects some of the policies on climate change.

“If we don’t start acting on climate change that is happening… Then we won’t have an earth to orbit in or to live in,” Pride said. 

It is vital for millennials to continue to vote in their community, county, state, and country that will pave the way for them to strive better for their future. Racial diversity has changed the mindset of this country, as millennials are toward for a better equally liberal for a diverse society. Throughout this year, the U.S. had issues with many massacres of gun violence with school shootings, public areas, and among other in counters. Voting is essential to help this great nation to view all aspects for the citizens of the U.S.

“We need someone who shows millennials that we can all co-exist. We need someone to bring diversity… Someone who has empathy and sympathy,” said Smith.

In a year in a half, will be the next presidential election, which means that it will be a buzz kill for many to vote a new leader or keep President Trump of the free world. In 2016, a majority of the votes for Hillary Clinton were less from the millennials. This generation wants someone that follows and believes the values of a diverse society.

“We need someone reasonable. I think we forgot what politics was all about,” said Pride.

For more information about millennial voting numbers in Hillsborough County, visit votehillsborough.org.  

Contact Jonilda Francois at JFrancois2@student.fullsail.edu or 

Follow on Twitter: @jonilda_f