An exciting event for FLYP’ers to attend- Check it out!

The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) is pleased to host a special event with the James Irvine Foundation: A Community Forum — Implications of Cultural Engagement in California’s Inland Regions

August 27, 2009
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Arte Americas
1630 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno

The landmark study, Cultural Engagement in California’s Inland Regions, commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation, is receiving national attention. The results paint a detailed picture of cultural engagement in the San Joaquin Valley, much of which occurs ‘off the radar’ of the traditional arts organizations.

The goal of the forum is to have a dialogue about the study from many perspectives. As the organization that co-authored the study with WolfBrown, the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) is committed to sharing the study results back to the community at large.

Featured Speakers:

• Alan Brown, Wolfbrown, principal author of the study
• John McGuirk, Director, Arts Program, The James Irvine Foundation
• Ron Eichman, Executive Director, Fresno Grand Opera and Past Board Chair of FCASH
• Maria Eraña, Director of Broadcasting, Radio Bilingüe
• Dr. Deborah Wong, UC Riverside Professor of Ethnomusicology…. And You!

Link to the 24 page report summary

Link to the full 189 page report

Please RSVP to ACTA 559.237.9812 or alawrence@actaonline.org by August 25. Space is limited.

Have you visited FLYP’s website but aren’t sure what we’re all about?  Check out this video from KSEE 24 on how FLYP is working to keep our brightest and most talented young professionals here in Fresno.

FLYP on KSEE 24

As I sit here thinking about just exactly how I am going to write this article, my mind races and comes to a few conclusions. I wanted to share with you what professionalism and professional development mean to me.  There are literally hundreds of books about what it means to “be a professional” and I have read a few myself, but what it really boils down to is this: What does professional development and professionalism mean to you?

We all have heard or at least have an idea of what this means and I will give you an example here. According to Wikipedia.org, professional development is defined as, “Skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice.” So, my question to you is, how does that translate to your own personal situation?

Professional development can mean different things to different people.  To me, both professional development and professionalism mean ongoing education about what drives and motivates you in your personal and professional life.

Being able to adapt, change, and make adjustments to your life so that you are always one step ahead of the game.  Being a problem-solver and a resource in your field of study or career. Being courteous, honest and respectful with people that depend on you for advice and look to you to help them make better decisions.  Listening and understanding truly what it is people are saying before you say anything in return. Always wanting to be better than you are today so that, as you grow over time, you can someday share that same passion and become a role model for younger generations.

I am sure I can go on for a few more paragraphs, but you get the point. Think about your own personal situation today and where would you like to be in the future.  Remember that there is no right or wrong answer to this question–what’s more important is how can you take what you already know, what you have learned in the past, and what you will learn in the future to make yourself a better person in both your personal and professional life.  Give it some thought and you, too, will soon come to a conclusion about what professional development means to YOU.

Posted by Ivan Legorreta