TEDx Flint - Doug Knight

It is with much love that I say- this is a must watch video! I am honored to say that this is my brother Doug, speaking and inspiring at TedxFlint! If you have never heard of this, "TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown". My brother is in good company- Wow! I am beaming and in awe watching this- so very proud of you DK! :)



Source: http://www.tedxflint.com/

Infinitus Music

Last week I was delighted to attend an assembly that featured some amazing musicians. The group is called Infinitus and features Alex Cheung, Anthony Cheung, and John “Adidam” Littlejohn who play cello, viola, and violin respectively. This string trio has the background of highly successful trained musicians but incorporate a style that is free to showcase their extreme raw talent. They can blend classical works with modern day pieces (such as Harry Potter, Mario Brothers, The Simpsons theme song, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, etc). When I saw them, they not only captured the attention of a room filled with young students, they featured a platform for musical education (which may inspire many blossoming musicians in the process).

Their high-energy performance showcased Classical works such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ but with true Infinitus style infused it with some beatboxing that truly fascinated all in attendance. If you are an educator and want a fun interactive way to showcase string instruments and music appreciation, I would definitely check out their clip above for more information. If you’re the type of person that appreciates all music from classical to hip-hop (like me) these musicians really take it to the next level. Great job and I hope to see them sometime in the future!


Video Source: http://youtu.be/TA0eW7U47os

'Women Strut for Women'

If you are in the Toronto area this week you may just want to attend a special fundraising event that supports Fred Victor’s women shelters and services. The event is called the ‘Women Strut for Women’ and it's almost here! What is it you may ask?

'Women Strut for Women' is a food and fashion show that will be held Thursday, March 8 at the Glenn Gould Studio from 6:00-9:30pm. This event will feature Toronto designers from Frou Frou Vintage, Fresh Collective and more! The host of the event is Hilary Farr, most famous for being the strong minded and talented designer for “Love it or List it” on the “W” network. Per the website they also state that food is catered by Chef Fawzi of Veloute and wine provided by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly. All of the proceeds from the event and major silent auction go towards supporting Fred Victor Women’s Services- a “40-bed emergency shelter and day program which are safe havens, sources of information and referral, and access points for health services for women who are homeless or living below the poverty line in downtown Toronto”.

The event will be held on International Women’s Day- so it a great opportunity for all to get out there and show support toward a great cause!


Image Source: http://www.fredvictor.org/fundraising-events