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Community Corner

Building Up Bedford-Stuyvesant, Pt. I

Making A Bigger Impact On The Community May Be Within Reach. Bed-Stuy Is Gearing-Up For The "Transformational Leadership Summit."

A better Bedford-Stuyvesant is on the agenda for , as it prepares for the “Transformational Leadership Summit” taking place later this month.

Organizers of the summit are calling on all community leaders, change makers, entrepreneurs and visionaries from every sector of Bed-Stuy to step-up and sign-up.

It’s a three-day commitment beginning August 17, through August 19, from 9:00am to 6:00pm at Restoration Plaza.

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It will open people up to a new way of seeing what’s possible for Bed-Stuy, said Herma Schmitz, an executive coach and leader of the Transformational Leadership Summit. "There will be concrete results, and people will benefit from it personally in a very powerful way."

Many employees at Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation have already gone through this coursework, under the guidance of Schmitz, and they say the workshop digs deeply and is worth it. Now, the program is available to all residents of Bed-Stuy.

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Tuition is $475. But no one will be turned away if they can’t afford it, said Schmitz. Full and partial scholarships are available. The maximum group size will be 80 people.

“If people could really get that they can make a difference and that leadership is not a function of some important position; that they don’t have to wait for their local minister or their local priest, they don’t have to wait for their politician to take that on,“ said said Schmitz who has worked in community building with people across the globe.

Schmitz is nicely dressed, polished and refined with excellent posture and a sharp German accent. She has a commanding presence but is also an approachable listener.  

“The transformation happens regardless of their age, regardless of their color, regardless of their education, regardless of their social-economic situation," said Schmitz. "Each person literally finds a new level of confidence in themselves and what’s possible for them in their lives. And that extends out to the community.”

The course is part-self actualization/part leadership academy focusing on how we see ourselves as individuals, our role world, and the subsequent actions we take because of those views.

“There is a direct correlation between the conversations we engage in and the environment we live in,” Schmitz pointed out.

The Bed-Stuy Restoration Corporation and Schmitz are inviting leaders from clergy, law-enforcement, education, medical fields, business owners, realtors and regular citizens to come to the table as partners in tackling issues important to the Bed-Stuy community. The group will cultivate action plans together and set the agenda.

“We’re all skeptical," said Schmitz of those who may feel unsure. "Bring it on. I live in the world of anything is possible.”

Pre-registration forms are available. For further information, please call Doris or Rachel at 718. 636.6930 or visit the event's listing on Restoration's website.

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