2012 THE POWER OF IDEAS CONFERENCE
Dear Supporter: We believe the bright young minds of tomorrow have so much to offer, yet they are often faced with obstacles or limited mentorship to turn their ideas into reality. In 2011, the SIPO foundation launched its first Powers of Ideas Conference (TPIC) , a not-forprofit platform where people can learn from Inspirational Leaders that have created positive action in our world. The focus is to inspire and mobilize young people between the ages of 16-35 to turn their ideas into action. A collection of North American elite and influential “movers and shakers” were invited to speak regarding their own personal, powerful journeys and ideas on how to overcome challenges, how to improve our world, and how to positively contribute to society. Speakers included Peter Sloly (Deputy Chief of Police), Catherine Ryan Hyde (best-selling author and founder of Pay It Forward Foundation), Theresa Laurico (awardwinning television producer, Chris Asaad (singer/songwriter) and other distinguished speakers. TPIC 2012 will be held on June 2, 2012, at the Glenn Gould Studio. Our goal is to raise $25,000 with proceeds going toward funding SIPO’s numerous youth mentorship programs and workshops, as well as community, family, and charity outreach services (within the Toronto area, as well as globally). We sincerely thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting TPIC 2012 and would be honored to also build an alliance with your organization as one of our strategic corporate partners going forward. We truly believe your support will make a great difference in the young adults in our community. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Michael Yat , our Sponsorship Director at michael@sipofoundation.com or 416-895-4319.
Warmest Regards,
Sean Myers President, SIPO foundation
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CTI: CANADIAN TRAINING INSTITUTE INSTITUT CANADIAN DE FORMATION
BREAKING THE CYCLE - AMBASSADOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 1790 Albion Road, Unit # 101, Etobicoke, ON M9V 4J8 Telephone: 416.745.1829 Fax: 416.742.4240
January 2012 Sean, It is with pleasure that I am writing you today to reflect on & share with you my experience being a keynote speaker at the inaugural Power of Ideas Conference. As you know, I am currently involved in several community initiatives in addition to my primary role as the Sr. Program Facilitator with The Canadian Training Institute’s Breaking the Cycle program. While creating experiential learning opportunities for marginalized youth has long been a passion of mine, I have recently been given a chance to re-engage my creative aspirations as Director of Film & Education with Manifesto Community Projects. Merging my fervour for youth, community, & culture with travel & the arts, I hold myself as a prime example of someone who is creating their journey & truly “manifesting my destiny.” In 2010, I began The Ripple Effect, an initiative which aims to bridge polarizing gaps & connect young people through travel, volunteerism & engagement to positive & meaningful, life-changing experiences. Though it makes for a hectic schedule, when not executing the many responsibilities that accompany the variety of roles mentioned, I can often be found delivering workshops in barbershops for trivialized fathers of minority descent with More Than a Haircut: The Barbershop Project, in addition to devoting energy to the direction of New Leaf Yoga foundation as a board director. In anything I venture to accomplish, being a catalyst for facilitating change is something that I constantly seek to fulfill. Similar to values held by SIPO, I too am keen on providing opportunities & promoting growth, both individually & collectively, in an effort to develop stronger & healthier (mentally, physically & spiritually) communities that are more connected & mutually invested. It is for this reason that I believe in & support SIPO’s mission to facilitate platforms & spaces where youth & young adults can “create, manage, & grow their ideas, projects & events with other like minded people.” Speaking at TPIC provided the right set of circumstances to share my own inspirations with an intimate audience of my peers, allowing me to take another step in my personal growth & development. I feel quite fortunate to have shared such an amazing space with last year’s keynote speakers as they all shared great stories of learning, triumph & turning dreams into reality. Being in the presence of such an inspiring group of individuals who are truly difference makers within their communities & in the lives of others was truly an honour. I must humbly admit that accepting an invitation to speak at TPIC required me to acknowledge that I share a perspective that both interests & inspires others, & that in & of itself, the ability to inspire is such a powerful & precious gift. Being mindful of this, I would encourage anyone nominated to speak at TPIC to seriously consider such an offer as it is a great experience that provides a platform to meet & engage others who are essentially emerging as “game changers” in their own right. It is with their support that I have evolved, not only within my professional career but in my personal life as well, & will continue to do so. With sincere gratitude, Shaka Licorish
Hey Future TPIC speaker,
My name is Charley Johnson, President of the Pay it Forward Foundation, creator of the Pay it Forward Bracelet and Founder of the Pay it forward Experience and Pay it Forward Hall of Fame. I am a very simple person with a very simple mission and I believe this world needs simple to solve our most complex problems. I believe in TPIC and chose to speak there because of what they think, what they believe and simply because they are a group of Action more than talk. TPIC had an amazingly different impact on me after speaking there because it showed and reminded me what happens when a group like this cares as much as they do about the future of this world. It reminded me that Pay it forward is not alone in the massive undertaking of shifting Humanity for the better. The people behind TPIC and the people they have inspired to get involved helps us stay focused on our tough days. I would recommend speaking at a future TPIC event because of the info above, really no other reason than that. The above pretty much sums it up, you will leave the event feeling better about our future and that始s what all speakers and organizations want. They want to know they are not alone and they want to know there are many out there willing to step up and take action for a better planet.
Regards,
Charley Johnson President Pay it Forward Foundation