We are thrilled to welcome back Conversation Starters from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day conversation with CPL member and Art of Convening Graduate Gregory Johnson and friends and colleagues in transformation John Barnes, Jr. and Len Baldwin.
January 16, 2023 was the nation's annual recognition and celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday. Many conversations and related behaviors and reporting of Moving Forward are structurally DIVISIVE. WE, the People, cannot move ahead with the Vertical Thinking and Strategies of the past and the time has passed and is present to begin embracing Horizontal Thinking and Strategies that are outreaching and inclusive.
Gregory, John, and Len will speak to a more embracing type of outreach and inclusive brand of thinking when developing strategies to move forward in the intention of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's spirit of progressive inclusivity, and how they apply it at the local level in their communities.
Gregory Johnson, CEO, C3 Leadership Coaching and Global Parent Network. No matter the setting or community, Gregory is known as a catalyst on behalf of generative transformational initiatives. In Greg’s words, “I am a fairly simple person with special blessings, personal and professional in nature but all seem directed to a life of helping others. My purpose is to SERVE. My passion is Leadership with a special penchant to recognize and support Parents as the most natural Leaders on earth. While my work has been with Leaders in the professional hierarchical corporate world to make a living, my heart has respected and sought to strengthen the presence and unlimited unappreciated contributions of Parents in shaping nearly every aspect of our human society. As such, through my family nonprofit, much of the work is directed toward a movement to create a cadre of Parenting Ambassadors throughout the world in addition to my Coaching activity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-johnson-1b63b63/
John Barnes Jr., People First - Always. State Representative for the 12th House District in the Ohio General Assembly. John has a reputation for getting things done in Columbus (OH) by cooperating to solve problems. He has extraordinary energy, compassion and leadership to get it done for people.
A product of the Union-Miles Neighborhood, and the Cleveland Public Schools, he has served in several positions of public trust, including as a State Legislator, Chairman of the Ohio Commission on African American Males, and as a Cabinet-Level Director in the Administration of Former Mayor Jane L. Campbell of the City of Cleveland.
Additionally, John E. Barnes, Jr., has received a Masters Degree from Case Western Reserve University, has received professional education from Harvard University, an Honorary Doctorate from Chancellor University, and has studied at the Kathlieke Universiteit in Leuven, Belgium. John has focused his career on job creation, economic development, and international business and commercial relations, where he has traveled all over the world in order to work with public and private entities in order to share ideas on how to increase capitalistic efforts.
https://www.facebook.com/barnesforohio, https://www.linkedin.com/in/globaltwo/
Len Baldwin, aEON Building Concept Designs / Today’s Footprints Construction Coordinator and Program Developer for Education Activities, OURMUN Director of Model United Nations Programs; Arbitrator, Mediator
"Every day brings a new opportunity to make a difference." Len steps up to respond to New Challenging opportunities in the building industry. He brings experience and abilities to getting a job done, as well as assisting others to do their best.
From Len: “How wonderful it is when you have the opportunities to work and experience so many areas of 'work' and 'service'. Some at times were really WORK, but the experiences are awesome. Raised on an Iowa farm I loved the work, especially running equipment. While still an undergrad at Iowa State University I was appointed as the youngest United Methodist Minister, serving in Iowa and Colorado. But at the same time and following I worked at the UN Headquarters in New York, developed a Motivational business, a Financial service brokerage, Insurance agencies, construction companies, and more. Absolutely wonderful partners in Paul, Sandy, and David in these fields with terrific family and great caring communities - I can truly say "Been there, done that" to most everything. But I can also say that plus family there has been terrific involvement from friends, colleagues, churches, communities, and so much more!!” https://www.linkedin.com/in/len-baldwin-07b10b22/