Emlyn Lee on LinkedIn: #sundaefunday #makeatxbrave #bebrave #lovewins (2024)

To the extraordinary #ProfessionalFellows, Ahlem Gherabi, Amin Abdallah Bouaricha PhD, Atef Khammar, hadhami henia, Ghazi Saddem, Radwa S. Abo Shady, Sirène Radwan, Saif Eddine Laalej, thank you for bringing your positive energy and innovative minds to Austin this past month. You are all missed and loved! 💗 Your presence has not only enriched our community but also reignited my love for Austin's unique blend of entrepreneurship, Southern hospitality, and 'weirdness.' Have an incredible time at World Congress in D.C. and safe travels back home. 👋 I'll cherish our conversations, especially during our drives, where we often talked about the wealth gap and racial disparities in Austin and beyond. Thanks for sharing your insights and perspectives of how our respective countries treat humans and the paths to economic empowerment with love and compassion. 💞 A heartfelt thank you to all the Austin host organizations for generously sharing your expertise, skills, and passions with our Professional Fellows. Shout out to Candyce Hunt Mondaine, Joi Chevalier, Lesley Robinson, PhD, Alyssa Studer, Anita C Roberts, Kevin Koym, Danielle Danae Arnold, Nakeenya Wilson, and Kerstin Johannssen. And, always grateful for Nuha Elkhiamy, Nathan Tacha, Michelle Rascati, Pooja Lala Walid Oquendo and Madison Knapp's community love. And, huge s/o to Julie Dean for all your support, backflips, and joy - whether it's working with people or spreadsheets. 😎 Here's to continuing our journey of empowerment, learning, unlearning, and making a positive impact in this world. #beBRAVE 🙌🏼🌟

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🌟 Join us for BRAVE Communities Connection May’s event! 🌟Austinites, come celebrate Mental Health Awareness and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) with us! This event will highlight the importance of mental well-being and cultural appreciation.🗓 Date: Sunday, May 19th🕒 Time: 2-4pm (Doors open at 1:45)📍 Location: 810 Guadalupe St - free street parking on Sundays! Discover the ancient practice of Tai Chi, a gentle form of exercise known for its mental & physical health benefits. Tai Chi can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being. Vince Cobalis will be leading the Tai Chi lessons, and we'll have light Asian refreshments to enjoy while connecting with other community members. Hope to see you there! ☯️🥟🧘🏻https://lnkd.in/gGZV7HEi

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Sunday afternoon’s BRAVE Communities - EmpowHERing Movement was deeply meaningful to me, as I grew up in a full house of strong, resilient women. Seeing so many diverse people come together to hear the stories of our panelists and build commUNITY, reminded me of the strength and power that lies within us all. 💪🏽Thank you to the ah-maaaazing panelists - Candyce Hunt Mondaine, Jaymie Orozco-Howard, Kitty McLeod, Mindy Hofman and to Izazi Mosli (from Brunei) and Lydya Anokye (from Ghana), who are on a 3-month Community Engagement Fellowship with BRAVE, for their global perspectives and work that they are doing in their respective countries, and to our 18 yo BRAVE Young Leader VP, Faylyn Wang, for being moderator extraordinaire.Following the panel discussion, Jaymie and Kitty co-facilitated a guided meditative movement session that continued to warm our hearts and got our bodies moving and grooving! 

S/O to EVERYONE that came out - including the exhibitors and vendors that shared their products, services, and resources to the community @5minutecareerhack @amandawallingsford League of Women Voters-Austin City of Austin - Small and Minority Business Resources @urbanbekah_art.Towards the end of the event, the joy of watching a room full of beautiful people - different ages and backgrounds, dancing to Beyoncé’s “You Can’t Break My Soul” and Tina Turner’s “Rolling on the River”- looking and feeling fun and free…💃🏻🕺🏾 #SundayFunday #MakeATXBRAVE #herstory #womenempoweringwomen #communityThanks to our sponsors Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and City of Austin Cultural Arts Division and sustaining BRAVE Member supporters for believing in BRAVE Communities mission to co-create more diverse spaces in our communities and to empower the next generation of equity-centered leaders.

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What a honor and blessing it was to have Rev. Fred Dixon join us for a BRAVE Communities All Teams lunch yesterday, as we were preparing final touches for our upcoming B.R.A.V.E. Communities Connection “Heritage Harmony, Black Joy is BRAVE” event THIS Sunday, February 25th at Greater Mt Zion Church-Adult Assembly Room (4301 Tannenhill Ln), 2-4:30 pm. To say this man is a legend is an understatement. Fighting for Black rights and participating in the Civil Rights movement in his college days to leading the way to integration and equal rights in Austin from 1970s. We are in for a treat to hear his words of wisdom and lived experiences this Sunday, and how his faith and community allow him to find joy. I’m excited to hear more words of wisdom and love from community champions: Meme Styles (Taliaferro), MPA, Fabian Barkwell, and KB Bookins (who will be reading their poems), that will be the panelists talking about celebrating Black Joy! Oh, and to top it off, we’ll finish the event off with an UNO Tournament and have delicious refreshments catered by Pam’s Way Kitchen!Come join us for this FREE (with RSVP) family-friendly, multi-cultural event to Build Relationships Awareness Voices and Engagement!! #MakeATXBRAVE #beBRAVE #BlackHistoryMonth #CelebratingBlackJoyhttps://lnkd.in/grXazaQ8

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What an inspirational week in #Detroit (What Up, Doe?) attending U.S. Department of State Community Engagement Exchange’s Welcome Orientation. My hope bucket overflows from connecting with 128 social changemakers, ages 21-28, from 75 countries—for most the first time out of their hometown, for many the first time to see snow! ❄️ Thrilled for BRAVE Communities to be hosting, mentoring, and learning from Izazi 🇧🇳 and Lydia 🇬🇭 for the next 3 months!And, this extra dose of hope, energy, and inspiration is perfectly timed as BRAVE will begin to prepare for PFP placements and Austin experiences for 8 Professional Fellows, ages 26-38, from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, & Tunisia to be here in May 11-June 9. If you or any #Austin-based organization you know are interested to host these amazing social entrepreneurs addressing economic development, especially accelerator or venture capital initiatives, please DM me for more info or fill out this interest form. https://lnkd.in/g8ddjDFH #bettertogether #wearetheworld #MakeATXBRAVE

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So much commUNITY love, kindness, joy, and hope this MLK weekend at the Central Library. 🫶🏼What an honor to be a part of this collaboration to honor and pay tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We’ve still got a lot more systems to change for everyone to experience justice…and hopeful with the young people’s actions, drive, and dreams!! 🌟 Special thanks to the Austin Public Library- Central and Carmaleta McKinnis-Williams, MBA for holding space for generational dreaming to happen with such grace and goodness. 🙏🏼✨ #MLKDay

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Celebrating more MLK events. Such a beautiful day filled with inspiration and community! 💕BRAVE Communities was a co-sponsor at today’s Central Library community MLK program for AISD’s Crockett HS, Gus Garcia’s YMLA, and Clifton Career Development HS. 💗🌟Rev. Dr. Dixon shared his incredible experiences from the Civil Rights movement, 🌟 A dynamic student panel and interactive audience Q&A.🌟Riley O’s I Am Affirmations🌟 Live painting from Craig & Jared with students’ dreamsBut wait, there's more! 💖 Join us tomorrow (Saturday, 1/13) at Central Library - 1st Fl Demonstration Area from 12-2pm for our BRAVE Communities Connection. Soooo excited for our Fall23 Cohort BRAVE Young Leaders final community-building project. They conceptualized having a fun, social, therapeutic creative afternoon, filled with calming creative stations: 😎✨Lantern/Tea Light decorating✨Biodegradable garden starters decorating✨Rock painting + MLK inspired words✨Tree Cookie decorating✨Dream board mosaicRefreshments provided. Free and open to all! Most of the supplies for this event ar from reused, repurposed, and recycled materials. See you Saturday!! ✊🏽Special S/O to Carmaleta McKinnis-Williams, MBA and Austin Public Library for holding space and sharing love throughout our community. And, Tiffanie Harrison, MBA & Sara Freund, who are always rays of sunshine and joy to do life with 🫶🏼https://lnkd.in/gYk--xHC

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Every day is a great day to reflect on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr views and beliefs on nonviolent social change for justice. We’re getting people to do some “extra” reflecting as we head to MLK Day on Monday (which falls on his actual birthday!) Yesterday, I had the wonderful experience to collaborate with Max Ekesi (board co-chair extraordinaire 🤩!) and PayPal’s Amplify Black Employees Resource Group for a BRAVE Communities Connection panel discussion. There’s no one better to invite as a guest speaker than 5th generation Austin-native, Darwin Hamilton, one of the finest truth-tellers I know. In just one quick hour, along with Christopher F., and eloquently moderated by Saidat Audu, they covered gentrification, economic mobility for Black & Brown small businesses, Afrotech, representation in the tech field, oppressive systems, fair chance and action steps for change. All ears were tuned in, hearts overflowed, and perspectives changed. Thank you, to the Austin PayPal’s Amplify group and all the PayPal team members that came out! Let’s be brave and keep moving forward… 🌟👊🏼“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ~MLK

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