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What One Travel Expert Learned From Hosting a Women’s Empowerment Retreat in Africa

JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS — The idea behind this specialized learning journey and safari was simple: to create a learning experience for women and led by women, which would bring gender equity onto the front lines and set in motion a change throughout the safari industry. As with all of our itineraries, this one gave guests unique access the Herding Academy, Tracking Academy, and South African Girls Tourism of Tourism, as well as a curated panel of female speakers who inspired us across the fields of conservation, philanthropy, business, and science. Ahead, I proudly share my personal lessons learned from this life-changing journey.

Published

7 years ago

October 1, 2019

Jacksonville Free Press

Photo by: Aline Coquelle

Travel advisor Deborah Calmeyer of Roar Africa shares a few takeaways.

By Deborah Calmeyer

I have long predicted that African women can only embrace the value of their contributions to local tourism when they work to shatter the geographical, gender, and social barriers that have been in place for centuries. This is part of what drove me to launch my company in 2005, as I truly believe as “African women rise, wildlife will thrive.” Roar Africa is a luxury safari specialist run by women, and supported by native-born guides and a curated network of experts. Thirteen years since I started the company, we remain committed to donating time and resources to the hospitality education and professional training of young, impoverished African women, with the goal of improving their lives as well as the lives of their communities.

This enduring mission was brought to life through Roar Africa’s recent inaugural Women’s Empowerment retreat in South Africa. The idea behind this specialized learning journey and safari was simple: to create a learning experience for women and led by women, which would bring gender equity onto the front lines and set in motion a change throughout the safari industry. As with all of our itineraries, this one gave guests unique access the Herding Academy, Tracking Academy, and South African Girls Tourism of Tourism, as well as a curated panel of female speakers who inspired us across the fields of conservation, philanthropy, business, and science. Ahead, I proudly share my personal lessons learned from this life-changing journey.

1. We have started a movement of shattering the glass ceiling in the safari industry.

The conversation has now been “put on the table” and there’s no turning back. We commit to seeing the process through in everything that we do as a business, and encourage everyone to ask critical questions about female representation in staff positions, management, and conservation teams when deciding where to stay.

2. Hospitality is in our DNA and this is proof positive that women can thrive on the front lines.

We chose to host our first empowerment retreat at The Drosdty Hotel and Tswalu Lodge because they are leading the way in terms of their commitment to putting women in leadership positions.

3. It takes a female village, and a brave one at that.

We were privileged to have met those pioneers — the brave wave of African women who have shattered the tribal and western glass ceilings of Africa, and carved a path for future generations of women to come. Some of these inspiring women include Isis Swarahle, a female pilot on a Pilatus PC-12 airplane; Sandy, the first female captain in the world on a Global 6000 aircraft; and Kelathilwe Malakai, the first certified female tracker.

4. The education of women is the best way to save the environment and economy.

There are approximately 30,000 women herders in South Africa left to run the herds of cattle, sheep, and goats while men go into the cities to work. This impacts grazing, climate change, and tourism in ways we hadn’t begun to imagine until we visited the Herding Academy, where women are trained to effectively graze and herd animals so that land is restored and remains rich in nutrients. Here, we witnessed their innovative train-the-trainer programs and saw life-changing skills taught to women first-hand. Spending time with the hospitality graduates from the Girls College of Tourism and Tracking Academy was equally inspiring, as these are tomorrow’s leaders in the one industry that can solve Africa’s unemployment crisis. The reported unemployment rate is around 30 percent, but tourism provides more jobs in Africa than farming, fishing, and forestry combined. It is an industry absolutely vital to Africa’s future.

5. Who inspired who?

The global female leaders I brought on as speakers to talk about the communities and conservation projects they have pioneered in their own countries both inspired and encouraged me. I knew that I could create a platform to share their successes and educate others about the work they have done in their respective fields, and in so doing inspire more women to have the courage to pursue non-traditional roles. I was blown away by the many expressions of appreciation and emotion that these women personally expressed for our group.

6. The beauty and power of philanthropy is always humbling.

Philanthropy lives in the DNA of Americans, which is why they chose to support and attend Roar Africa’s Women’s Empowerment retreat. Their generosity and will to help however they can to improve the lives of others is both humbling and awe-inspiring.

This article originally appeared in the Jacksonville Free Press.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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1 week ago

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Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
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“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY