The Colors of Diplomacy

By Beth Dolinar

        When I reflect back on the three days Luminari’s “I Want to be an Ambassador” camp spent in Washington, D.C. , I see colors—the bright colors of culture and diplomacy and learning and fun.

    It was a busy three days in June for our 14 young ambassadors. While in the nation’s capital, we enjoyed a whirlwind of activities designed to broaden our minds, encourage innovation and understand how the world of diplomacy works.

    The colors were vibrant in the lobby of the State Department that first day. Dozens of flags hung above our heads, announcing the many nations of the world and reflecting their bright hues on the polished marble floor. Our young ambassadors played an impressive game of “Guess the Country.” Peru, anyone? And is that the Cuban flag?

     In a conference room down the hall, we met with Peter Selfridge, the Ambassador for Protocol for President Obama. His is a job of details—of paving the way for productive, respectful meetings between the President, the Secretary of State and other U.S. diplomats, and representatives from other countries.

   “I never thought I would be in charge of so many details,” Selfridge said. Those details include understanding the customs of other cultures, knowing what gifts the President should bring on his visits—and what gifts not to bring. He explained that his staff is in charge of rolling out the red carpet, literally, for President Obama when he visits a foreign country, and of rolling it out when foreign dignitaries visit here.

   The small details can mean the difference between a productive diplomatic meeting and one that is less so, he said.

     The trip brought other bursts of color, from the ornate décor at the Royal Thai Embassy, to the plates of chicken tagine, hummus and paella we shared at our Moroccan dinner.

     We had lunch at Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown, a favorite haunt of presidents, senators, congressmen and Supreme Court justices. Four of our ambassadors ate hamburgers in the exact booth where then-Senator John F. Kennedy proposed marriage to Jacqueline Bouvier.

   At the German Embassy, a military diplomat talked about how much he and his young family love living in the United States. The meeting was just days before voters in Great Britain voted to leave the European Union, a development the diplomat was hoping would not happen. He shared little bags of authentic German gummi bear candies, which we gobbled happily, feeling we deserved them. The meeting was on the 7^th floor, and we did not take an elevator to get there.

     As we said goodbye, we paused to look at the piece of the Berlin Wall on display. The bit of stone was covered in a riot of colorful graffiti, a reminder of a historically remarkable victory of diplomacy.

   And yes, that was the blue, white and red flag of Cuba hanging at the State Department. It was another reminder of the importance of diplomacy, both on the large scale and for the rest of us in our everyday lives. 

***

Luminari Coordinator, Beth Dolinar brings her talents and experience as a writer, Emmy-award producer, public speaker and deadline driven multi-tasker to our team. She writes a popular column for the Washington "Observer-Reporter." She is a contributing producer of documentary length programming for WQED-TV on a wide range of topics and currently teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Robert Morris University. Beth has a son and a daughter. She is an avid yoga devotee, cyclist and reader. Beth says she types like lightning but reads slowly -- because she likes a really good sentence.

Teen Ambassador: Fearlessness

By Molly Potts

On the first day of camp, when I walked into the Heinz History Center, I was nervous, and I did not know what to expect. Coming out of camp now, I do not feel like I have been totally changed. What I think happened was my brain got a little fuller, and I learned a really important value. That value is fearlessness. Do not be afraid to ask questions and interact because that is the way you will truly learn by questioning, discussing, and seeing different points of view.

The ‘I want to be an Ambassador’ Camp is definitely a camp full of experiences and interesting people. From getting an understanding of the refugee crisis, to learning about cultural traditions and food, to our Cold War Cuban Missile Crisis negotiation simulation, there is so much I have learned. The simple skills we were taught can end up being major. Even from meeting the wise man in the Moroccan restaurant to learning about the positions of diplomats and ambassadors I have gotten a better understanding of what these people are actually doing and the impact their actions have on us. I have also learned from my fellow campers who showed helpfulness and leadership throughout the last week.

I do not know what my future is going to be yet but that's okay. I just want to continue questioning, discussing, experiencing, and expanding upon what I learned right here. And maybe one day, I can have a positive impact on the world in whatever career I choose too. So thank you to everyone who made this camp all that it was.

***

Molly Potts, 13, is a rising Eighth grader at the Campus School of Carlow University. 

Luminari Award Winner Rohit Nandakumar

Meet one of our 2015 Luminari Award Merit scholars, Rohit Nandakumar, a freshman at Fox Chapel Area High School. Rohit plays tennis and is involved in the Technology Student Association (TSA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA). Rohit's other interests include computer programming and playing the violin.

Rohit was nominated by Mrs. Jennifer Klein, who teaches AP US, Government and Politics and the Gifted Support program at Fox Chapel Area High School: “I nominated Rohit because of his wonderful essay and his diligence in continuing to apply year after year. Rohit expressed a strong desire to learn about foreign relations and diplomacy. Since he applied three years in a row, I was thrilled that he was awarded this opportunity.”

“The ‘I want to be an Ambassador!’ program is a special opportunity that encourages student involvement in the global community and fosters a dynamic environment in which students can grow. Fox Chapel Area High School students who have attended in the past, have truly enjoyed the program for the scholarly speakers, simulations, and real world experiences that were made available through the camp,” said Mrs. Klein.

Q & A with Rohit: 

What your expectations for the 2015 “I Want to be an Ambassador!” Camp?

“In the I Want to be an Ambassador program, I hope to gain the necessary leadership and speaking skills to help me achieve my future endeavors. As a rising sophomore, I hope to learn new and exciting skills at this camp that will be a stepping stone into other opportunities.”

“I would like to learn about diplomacy a little bit more. I am already interested in government and global affairs, but I have the urge to learn more.  It will be exciting to visit embassies and how everything works in politics, which is why I was interested in participating in this summer program. I can't wait to go on the trip to Washington D.C.!”

 What does “diplomacy” mean to you?

I feel like diplomacy means to tactfully communicate to someone to help solve issues and develop meaningful relationships.

What does 2015 have in store for you (or what are your future plans/career goals)?

I would like to major in computer science.

What/Who inspires you and why?

Someone who inspires me is Steve Jobs.  He showed that no matter how low your life gets, you can always pick yourself up and catapult to success.

Can you share something with us that people may not know about you?

I love to program.  It's what I do for fun sometimes if I have nothing to do.

1. I’m currently reading: Romeo and Juliet (for school)
2. My favorite movie of all time: The Bourne Series
3. My favorite hobby: Programming
4. My top 3 food picks in Pittsburgh are: Primanti Bros, The Original Hot Dog Shop, Olive Garden
5. I’m looking forward to summer because: School ends!
6. Thing I cannot live without: My family
7. The quality I most value in my friends: They are trusting and faithful
8. The quality I most value in myself: Being responsible
9. The quote or mantra I live by: By Steve Jobs: "My favorite things in life don't cost any money.  It's clear that the most precious resource we have is time."
10. My biggest pet peeve: People with a short temper
11. My most significant lesson learned: Always use your time to your fullest; you won’t get this exact minute ever again
12. Project I’m energized by: Something that motivates me to get up and do something is that aftermath of that.  I think about how much time that I will have after I finish my work, and how I can do whatever I want with it.

6-Word Autobiography

Cool, nice, smart, tactful, happy teenager

Embracing Pittsburgh's New Immigrants

2014 I Want to be an Ambassador! students with leaders and entrepreneurs from the Business Round Table session. Front row (L to R) Jesse Schell (Schell Games), Paul Brahim (BPU Investment Management), Candi Castleberry Singleton (UPMC), and Rebecca Harris (Chatham University Center for Women's Entrepreneurship)

Pittsburgh is a great city and home to so many visionaries and entrepreneurs. That is one of the reasons Luminari was established – to heighten the awareness of those innovators, dreamers and doers and foster activities that expand imaginations to drive change. Luminari believes people create success when they offer different perspectives, ideas, skills and work ethics that stir things up and inspire innovation. As a result, Luminari is excited about a new initiative to bring more students from immigrant communities into the conversation.

For more than 25 years, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s K-12 English as a Second Language program (ESL), has been helping students from around the world. Arriving in Pittsburgh for the first time, these students must learn very quickly how to adapt and excel in their neighborhoods, language and culture.  They must quickly build cultural competency and tolerance, and approach the world with fresh, open minds. To this end, Luminari is a natural partner. 

As a Pittsburgh-based non-profit which seeks to promote community engagement, Luminari was pleased to offer a Luminari Award/ESLScholarship to a student in the AIU’s ESL program.  The scholarship, valued at more than $1,200, will allow a future leader to participate in the 2015 I Want to be an Ambassador! camp in June. Focused on building cultural competency and tolerance, the 2015 I Want to be an Ambassador! camp will focus on developing the vital art and skills of diplomacy. This is the first year that Luminari has offered a camp scholarship specifically for an ESL student.

There are currently 441 total students in the AIU ESL program.

With the wave of immigrants and refugees who have been slowly making their way to the Pittsburgh area, it is essential that we find as many opportunities as possible to include our newcomers into local events and programs. The AIU is excited to be a partner with Luminari and looks forward to announcing the first winner in February.

Written by Gina DeMarco Oliphant, K-12 ESL Coordinator and Sarah McCluan, Supervisor, Communication Services

Allegheny Intermediate Unit
475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120

Statistics from the 2010 Census:

• From 2006 to 2010, there were 38,799 new immigrant business owners in Pennsylvania, and in 2010, 9.1 percentof all business owners in Pennsylvania were foreign-born.

• Pennsylvania is home to many successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including Fortune 500 companies such as U.S. Steel, Comcast, Cigna Health, and PPG Industries. Those four companies together employ 243,000 people and bring in $128 billion in revenue each year.

• In 2010, of the Pennsylvania metro areas that are among the 25 largest U.S. metropolitan areas by total population, the foreign-born share of business owners was 14 percent in Philadelphia, and 4 percent in Pittsburgh. In each case, the immigrant business ownership rate was higher than the particular metro area’s foreign-born share of total population.

• The Pittsburgh metropolitan area had 2,370 H-1B visa requests in 2010-2011, with 72.6 percent of visa-holders working in STEM occupations. Major employers include the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Deloitte Consulting, and Fujitsu America Inc.

Looking Forward to 2015

On Thursday, February 19, 2015 we welcome the Year of the Goat. Chinese New Year is an annual event that marks the beginning of the Lunar calendar with a spectacular 15-day celebration observed by many Asian cultures as a time of reflection, renewal, and most importantly reformation – embracing change and looking to a new and prosperous year ahead!

To ensure our growth and continued success in 2015, Luminari is pleased to announce that three of its long-time partners have pledged their support for this year’s summer programs including Schell Games, an award-winning, Pittsburgh-based game development company; Berner International, Corp., a leading manufacturer of air curtains and doors headquartered in New Castle Pennsylvania; Brown Brothers Harriman, a banking institution with more than 200 years of experience in investment services; and UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion, which promotes dignity and respect in the workplace and cultural competency in patient and family care.

We are extremely grateful to these outstanding organizations for their belief in our mission and continued support. If you would like to join them in supporting Luminari, or would like to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities, please visit our website or call (412) 877 - 1888.

Looking ahead we have big plans for the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp, and under the leadership of our new director Gina Catanzarite, we will be incorporating more new media in the camp this year. Luminari is all about the “ripple effect” of positive change and throughout the camp, our teens will be sharing inspirational images, quotes, video clips, and advice for being an “ambassador” at home, at school, in the community and beyond. Be sure to follow Luminari on Facebook and Twitter for instant updates and to witness first-hand the progression of our new ambassadors.

In addition, we have an exciting change for our Teen Writer! Fantastic Fiction camp too. In the past, our teen writers frequently told us they wished the camp lasted even longer – and we heard you. Luminari is happy to say that this year’s Fantastic Fiction camp has been extended to four days!

More good news! For the first time, Luminari invites Teen Writers to apply for a scholarship to its Teen Writer! camps. Students who want to submit entries for the Teen Writer/Luminari Award can write a 500 - 700 word essay on the importance of contributing diverse opinions and ideas to the public through creative and journalistic writing. They should also state how they, personally, want their writing to broaden the minds of readers. One student will be selected for a Teen Writer Luminari Award, which includes a full scholarship to attend a Teen Writer! camp in 2015, a $395.00 value.

To learn more about the Luminari Award, other available scholarships or to apply, visit www.luminari.org.

Luminari Award winners will be announced beginning in February (beginning with our ESL Award) – so stay tuned!

Sincerely,
Team Luminari