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How childhood dreams helped Lexus’ Michael Moore mold a legacy of success

ROLLINGOUT — It’s safe to say most kids grow up playing “That’s my car!” as they watch their favorite vehicles ride by and dream about one day owning one. But for Lexus’ Michael Moore, that dream not only became reality, but it also became a calling. For Moore, a native of Los Angeles and the senior manager of Lexus Product Marketing for Toyota Motor North America, that dream was tangible growing up only about five minutes from a Toyota headquarters. Admittedly, he knew nothing about the planning or marketing of the vehicles. He knew nothing about the nuances of working for the massive dealerships that he admired. He just knew that he wanted in.

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Michael Moore speaking at Dreaming Out Loud event on Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo credit: PointBlackPeriod, LLC — Raevaughn Lucas)

By N. Ali Early

It’s safe to say most kids grow up playing “That’s my car!” as they watch their favorite vehicles ride by and dream about one day owning one. But for Lexus’ Michael Moore, that dream not only became reality, but it also became a calling.

For Moore, a native of Los Angeles and the senior manager of Lexus Product Marketing for Toyota Motor North America, that dream was tangible growing up only about five minutes from a Toyota headquarters. Admittedly, he knew nothing about the planning or marketing of the vehicles. He knew nothing about the nuances of working for the massive dealerships that he admired. He just knew that he wanted in.

“I would [just] look at those buildings and it made me dream,” he says. “[I thought], ‘I would love to one day go and work for one of those companies.’ And, you know, it happened.”

With over 20 years of experience within the Lexus Toyota family, Moore has traveled globally on behalf of the brand to execute, plan and develop marketing strategies that have contributed to long-term success in the U.S. and abroad. He recently took some time out to share more about his role and changes that have come with the digital age.

Please tell us about your role.

The key responsibility for our group is to create the marketing strategy for the new vehicles that we have coming out.

So any of the major changes that we have and the all-new vehicles that we have, our group is responsible for writing that marketing strategy for that vehicle. And then leveraging that strategy with all of the different stakeholders within the Lexus division and around the company.

So PR, the digital marketing team, the advertising team, the training team, any group that’s going to have some connection to this new vehicle, we share that strategy with them so that whatever they create can stay true to that strategy.

The other key responsibility that we have is what we call lifecycle management. [At] the beginning of this year we launched the Lexus UX. Our team is working with Japan to determine, what changes [we are] going to develop for that vehicle? The final two pieces would be pricing support … Lexus motorsports marketing, and then marketing for our connected vehicle technology.

How has digital marketing changed programs and campaigns in your 24 years with the company?

That’s a really good question. There are certain elements of marketing that have remained consistent. With digital marketing, you can be a lot more focused [and] targeted to an audience. It also allows you to do much more in-depth storytelling about your product or your technology.

How important are multicultural agencies to advertisers?

I think it’s really important. We have multicultural agency partners that we’ve been working with for years. Walton Isaacson, for Blacks, Hispanics … LGBTQ, we have been working with them for years, and IW for our Asian audience. What that allows you to do [is] make sure that you’re speaking to that audience in an authentic way, in an authentic voice.

This article originally appeared in RollingOut.com.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …

The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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