All Roads Lead To. . . Rockford, IL

Tonight was a difficult night. It was my Uncle John's memorial service, and our entire Suh family gathered from all over the United States to mourn his passing. Many tears were shed as we remembered his life and the impact he had. During the service, my cousin Steven (John's son) shared something that we all know to be true: if Uncle John had not boldly come from South Korea and settled in Rockford, IL, none of us would exist.

I honestly can't imagine what it would have been like to be in your 20's, heading to a foreign country, starting your own business, forging your way through school while having to learn a new language, and trying to convince your 6 brothers back in South Korea to join you. Yet Uncle John was determined, and as Steven shared, though he sometimes fell asleep on his way to work, he tirelessly pioneered a new path for his entire family. His restaurant, called "Uncle John's", was quickly becoming a huge success in Rockford, IL, well-known for its Swedish pancakes and innovative menu items. (Yes, a Korean restaurant owner making famous Swedish pancakes; Uncle John was always breaking conventions!)

You can still visit the restaurant in Rockford today!

My dad came next to the States to help Uncle John in the restaurant business. It was during one of his shifts as the manager that he met my mom,  a nurse who had come from South Korea on her own as well. She was living in Chicago at the time, but had come up to visit a friend who had moved to Rockford, and they chose to eat at the best place in town. The rest, as they say, is history.

My dad in front of Mary's Market, his first job in the States.

One by one, all the brothers came to join Uncle John in Rockford, IL to help with his wildly successful restaurant business, which had changed its name to "Aunt Mary's" and "Mary's Market." Eventually each brother got married and had children, with many of us cousins staying close to each other for years. Though we all started out in Rockford, IL, most everyone has moved to other parts of the country. We now have many Suh cousins, aunts, and uncles in California, Minnesota, Texas, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, and Indiana. And with the 3rd generation entering college (my daughter Ellie is the oldest in the 3rd generation), we will be even more spread out.

All the girl cousins

All the boy cousins

3rd Generation

Before the memorial service began, I had to smile when all the Suh brothers, without speaking a word to anyone, automatically sat in the front row together. The aunts filed into the 2nd row,  giving their husbands the space they needed, and the group of cousins took up the 3rd row. This is just the natural hierarchy of the Suh family; we define ourselves not only by each family unit, but according to the ranking order of the 7 Suh brothers. (Even the brothers refer to themselves as #1, #2, #3, etc. and the wives do as well.) There is a rare comfort that comes from this Asian tradition, one that we all readily accept and even celebrate.

As I sat in the pew during the service tonight, surrounded by my cousins and family, I cried not only tears of sorrow but also of joy and gratitude. I am thankful to Uncle John for the sacrifices he made to create a life in the States, and for the beautiful family that has grown from his American dream. There is so much love in this family, and it stemmed from the ability that John gave us to be together in the land of opportunity. Rest in peace, dear Uncle John. We will miss you.

Suh brothers: (L-R) Uncle Dave, Uncle Glenn, Uncle Tom, and my dad 

All the aunts and uncles

Top 5 Takeaways from #FriscoLEX18

From October 17-19, a group of 42 Frisco representatives traveled to Scottsdale, AZ for the Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Leadership Exchange trip. The goal was to learn best practices from a city of a similar size that has experienced the growth trajectory Frisco has. It was 3 days of learning, discussing, exchanging, breaking barriers, and frankly, a lot of fun.

Watch Frisco Chamber Promo Video

Represented in the inaugural group are the Mayor and city leaders, university representatives from 4 institutions, Bank of America executives (sponsors), FISD Superintendent and School Board President, media, developers, corporate leaders, technology experts, lawyers, and more. I was asked to attend as the representative of Arts and Culture as Executive Director of Frisco Association for the Arts.

Here are my Top 5 Takeaways from #FriscoLEX18.

1. Frisco is doing a lot of things right!

We had 2.5 days of a packed agenda, hearing from the Mayor of Scottsdale, the President/CEO of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, Assistant City Manager, traffic engineer, and multiple panels that focused on Innovation, Education, Entrepreneurism, Workforce Development, Business, and more. I have always been impressed with our city's forward-thinking in building a Smart City, and it shows through many of our leading initiatives and unique public-private partnerships in these sectors. The more I heard, the more I appreciated how much our city has already invested in each of these areas by making them priorities.

2. What is our identity?

One of the things that stood out to me was how both Frisco and Scottsdale leaders spoke about the identity of their respective cities. We referred to Frisco as "The Fastest-growing City in America," the "Best Place to Raise an Athlete," and "The #1 Place to Live" according to Money Magazine.

Scottsdale leaders across the board said "Arts and Culture are part of our DNA", they are the "13th Happiest City in the US", and that their identity is based on 4 things: "Arts and Culture, Healthcare and Medical, Technology, and Sonoran Desert," according to the Assistant City Manager.

Can I tell you how refreshing it was to hear that this city of roughly 250,000 proudly states that their core identity is rooted in arts and culture? It is what they are known for and what visitors expect in Scottsdale. The first artist community sprung up in Scottsdale in 1902, and there are now 40 arts galleries in Old Town Scottsdale. In 1985 they passed a percent for arts in their capital improvement projects (Frisco has done the same), but they also require a percent for art from all PRIVATE developments as well, which goes into the Public Art budget (WOW!). This has led to an abundance of public art near roadways, sidewalks, and every development you see.

The way that we speak about our cities reveals our priorities and what we value. I'm committed to helping our city add on the tagline someday, "Best Place to Raise an Artist," or "Sports and Arts City USA." There's no reason we can't aspire to be both as a well-rounded city.

Frisco already has an impressive public art collection of over 70 pieces, and we've just updated the new Public Arts Master Plan. We also have a percent for art, and we have multiple developers who believe in adding art to their developments without a mandate. We may be behind in arts venues, but we are NOT behind in talent, passion, and parents who have children invested in the arts. We have a thriving creative arts community that when mobilized and given a chance to succeed, can positively impact the quality of life for all and become part of the identity of Frisco, just as we saw in Scottsdale.

3. Creative Placemaking drives identity and tourism.

As the Scottsdale leadership spoke about their city, they kept referring to different districts in town: "The Arts District, the Entertainment District, the Museum District, the Fashion Square District, Old Town," and more. It was clear that Scottsdale has intentionally defined areas to tell a story of the community and highlight the strengths of each neighborhood. Their Scottsdale visitor's map outlines each district and describes the history of the place, the beauty of the place, and the culture of the place. This is the essence of creative placemaking, which contributes to their overall identity and drives tourism.

When I asked this question at our final debrief session, Frisco Development Services Director John Lettelleir shared that Frisco has recently adopted 5 distinct placemaking areas, though unnamed, in the new Downtown Master Plan. This can be accessed from the agenda of Tuesday October 16th's Council Meeting. This was one of the many benefits to the structure of the trip: being able to ask a question and having the right people there to answer.

4. It's time to focus on Arts in Frisco.

To my delight, we spent an entire half day focused on Downtown Revitalization and Arts and Culture. After visiting the Museum of the West, the Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, the Contemporary Art Museum, and hearing from Scottsdale Arts President/CEO, the Public Art coordinator, and the story of how Canal Convergence came together, one thing was crystal clear: Scottsdale has made an investment in the arts and they have no regrets.

Friends, this is the missing piece of the puzzle in Frisco. We've got to up our game for the arts, plain and simple. And it's not about the buildings themselves; it's about the mindset that the arts are valuable, that artists are important, and that "investing in the arts is not an either/or thing," as Gerd Wuestemann, President/CEO of Scottsdale Arts shared.

Also, the fact that we spent time touring the Performing Arts Center (PAC) as a group- not just select individuals, but with everyone, really shows how important this project is to our Frisco Chamber and city leadership. There was a time in Frisco (read previous blogs) where the discussion of a PAC would have resulted in further division and generating more ill-will than creative conversation. Now, the arts and an arts center project are embraced as a focus for our city, and though we have a lot of work to do before we get to the destination, it was an encouragement to see how far we've come.

5. Relationships are the secret sauce to everything.

It's one thing to know a person in their role and title; it's entirely another to interact outside of work and discover new things together. I had already met about 75% of the group through previous work-related meetings, but this trip created opportunities to connect, discuss, and relate with each other at a whole new level.

For instance, I learned that a rugby-playing lawyer is actually an arts advocate, who loves to sing country music and has children in the arts. After chatting at length with the Scottsdale leadership and discussing ideas on the bus ride back, we are exploring a project together that emulates one of Scottsdale's signature events, Canal Convergence. This is the kind of collaboration that may never have happened without this trip.

But most importantly, the biggest takeaway I learned that trumps all others is:

Brush up on your karaoke skills before you take a trip with the Chamber!! 

I may or may not have debuted as an Asian rapper at some point on this trip. (Sorry, no photos or videos. . . available to the public, that is.) #blackmail #please #culturalappropriation #poison #gangstaparadise  (#LEX18 is the Best Trip Ever!)

In all seriousness though, thanks to all at the Frisco and Scottsdale Chamber that made this trip happen. It was an honor to represent Frisco Arts and Culture, and I left with new friends, deeper relationships, and fresh ideas for Frisco's future.

A Creative Revolution in Frisco!

Something magical happened on Saturday, March 18th, 2017 in Frisco, TX. 

It was a beautiful, 75-degree evening, and about 4,000 people congregated outdoors at a football facility's outdoor pavilion on a Saturday evening. . . to watch the Dallas Opera's LIVE Simulcast of Madame Butterfly.

They started arriving around 5pm and brought lawn chairs, blankets, strollers, and my goodness, LOTS of kids!  Before the opera started, the children enjoyed face painting, butterfly crafts, games, behind-the-scenes interviews with KLUV's Jody Dean.  

As the sun began to set, the excitement and anticipation for the opening of the Opera was palpable.  Not a square inch was available on the football turf, and people were spilling onto the concrete to find a spot to sit.  

Then suddenly, projected on the big jumbotron, was the stunning, massive chandelier inside the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.  It truly felt like we were right there with our arts friends in Dallas.  We could hear the audience's chatter inside the Opera House, and the orchestra's instruments warming up.  

The announcer began speaking, and the chandelier slowly disappeared into the ceiling, as it does before every performance.  After the National Anthem was performed beautifully by the orchestra, the crowd cheered, and then everyone settled back into their blanketed seats and lawn chairs.  A hush came over the crowd; we were ready to step into another world, told through the art of musical storytelling.

As the opera began, I wondered, "Would people stay for at least the first act?  Would they be fidgety and bored?  Would they decide after 10 minutes they had tried enough?"  To my amazement, almost everyone sat in rapt attention.  The videography brought you close up on stage, so you could see every expression, emotion, and nuance of color.  The audience was quiet, respectful, and engaged.  And it was a vastly diverse crowd- young, old, single, married with kids, all walks of life and all cultures.  But this group came with a singular purpose; they had all chosen to give up their entire Saturday night to attend the Opera, and that's exactly what they did.  Almost all 4,000 people stayed for the entire 3 hours. 

What this event showed so clearly is the NEED, not just a want, for greater performing arts programming in Frisco.  I'm not talking Jimmy Buffett concerts, which are still great to have.  But entertainment is different from performing arts, which includes opera, symphony, choir, Broadway, and more.  The size of the audience at the Opera Simulcast in Frisco was the first tangible proof that if you build it, they will come.  Actually, they are already here!!

Frisco is known for its hotels, office parks, malls, sports facilities, and great schools.  But we CAN have more and expand the pie, bringing balance and something for everyone.  Someday, Frisco will be a destination for the ARTS, and I won't stop until we get there!

Opera at a Football Facility. . . Why Not?

When I was 4 years old, my parents took me to my first orchestra concert.  The Chicago Symphony was performing at Orchestra Hall downtown, and we sat near the front.  My parents are not proficient at any musical instruments, but they wanted to expose me to the world of music and orchestra.  I was completely mesmerized by the violins, the sweet vibrato, the flying fingers, the experience of being engulfed in the incredible ranges of emotion and sound.  

I told my parents that night I had to learn the violin, and they didn't believe I was serious.  So what did I do?  I created a violin from a Kleenex box, ruler, rubber bands, and a chopstick bow.  I was determined to play the violin!  Eventually my parents realized I wasn't going to give up, and they found a great violin teacher for me.  With her guidance, I performed my first concert at age 5 with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra at the Metro Center, and at that young age, I realized that the violin was my voice.  It was how people could know the real Tammy.  I went on to study music at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and I can honestly say that my involvement in music has completely changed my life.  It set me on a course to where I am today, still performing both piano and violin, and now advocating for the arts in my new hometown of Frisco, TX.

All that started from a spark at one concert, on one night, at age 4.

Exposing children to the vast, powerful, and engaging world of the arts is a passion of mine, and it's something that I believe every child should experience.  We never know the full impact of a child's first taste of music, dance, theater, and visual art, but I can attest, it plants a seed that can take deep roots with time.  There is great potential to birth inspiration as you open young minds to something they've never heard or seen before.

So why not give the opera a try on March 18th at the Star in Frisco?  Who knows- it could be the start of something new and exciting, for you and your kids!  And what do you have to lose- this event is completely FREE!  All the typical barriers that might have kept you from attending are gone: paying for tickets, driving to downtown Dallas, getting a sitter, or having to wrangle the kids to be quiet for a few hours.  

There's even a Family Fun Zone of free butterfly-themed activities from 5-7pm before the show starts at 7:30pm.  Even if you don't know the first thing about opera, just come.  Give it a chance.  If you don't like it, no one will judge you for leaving, but if you are intrigued, stay.  Opera is essentially beautiful, musical storytelling, and what better way to try the opera than relaxing under the stars with your loved ones?  So pack up your picnic blankets and chairs, bring your friends and family . . . and feed your soul in ways you never knew possible.  

The Arts in Frisco, TX- Why the Controversy?

When I ask people about the arts in Frisco, TX, I am shocked when I see a visceral reaction of negativity and fear.  It is palpable.  I'll get a terse smile, a deep breath, and I can tell words are being carefully crafted before daring to be spoken.

I grew up near Chicago, IL, a city that deeply understands the great public value of arts and culture.  It's not questioned, it doesn't need to be justified; it's simply part of the daily conversation, intentionally woven into the very fabric of the city.  I have to say, I miss it.  I miss it terribly.

What has caused this black eye in Frisco's history with the arts?  What happened that has turned something so innately beautiful and unifying as the arts into fractured, broken pieces?

Let me pull back the curtain to reveal what I've learned about this complex history.

2000
In 2000, a nationally award-winning Millenium plan was put in place for the city of Frisco.  It included a vision for the arts that states, "The City of Frisco should develop a community center for all ages, and/or cultural facilities (museum, performing arts center, etc)."  That was the vision for the arts in Frisco, 14 years ago.

2002
In 2002, a project came to the table called the Arts of Collin County, or later renamed the Arts of North Texas.  It was a joint effort of neighboring cities to create a 2,100-seat performing arts venue as a regional cultural arts magnet.  There was a bond election at the time, and Frisco voters approved $19M towards creating this facility.

2006
In 2006, a Comprehensive Plan was formed for Frisco created by citizens who had a vision for Frisco's future.  One of the objectives was, "Establish Frisco as a center for arts, education, and entertainment."  Other points included: "Increase cultural opportunities and choices through initiatives including more public art venues," and "Enhance the role of downtown as the cultural and social center of the city; reinforce and strengthen downtown as the heart of Frisco."

With this Comprehensive Plan in place, a new bond election occurred in 2006, and voters approved $5M towards Frisco's own "science and cultural arts facility," a separate bond from the larger Arts of Collin County project located in Allen, TX, right on the outskirts of Frisco.

2010
In 2010, the Frisco Discovery Center was born.  It was created by converting the former aerospace building on Cotton Gin Road and the Dallas North Tollway into the Sci-Tech Discovery Center (a children's science museum), a 120-seat Black Box Theater, an "Art Gallery" (one hallway and central lobby space in the building), and a back-of-house space that could be used for special events.  Frisco Association for the Arts, the city's official arts agency, was chosen to be the managers of the entire space.

2011
In 2011, all hell broke loose.

I can't pinpoint how it all started, but I can say, it was BIG.  Big enough to recall the 2002 bond measure for $19M that was already approved, big enough to have so much campaigning and politicking for or against the bond measure that it caused irrevocable damage to the community's understanding of the arts.  Friends became foes, lines were drawn in the sand, and the city became divided. . . over the arts.  Being pro-arts was considered fiscally irresponsible, rhetoric like "needs vs. wants" or "arts is a hobby" became pervasive, and there was no middle ground.  You either supported Frisco's infrastructure and safety, or you were a crazy arts person.  You couldn't be both.

Essentially, Frisco voters were given an opportunity to change a bond measure that had already been approved in 2002.  How did that happen?  Why was it targeted?  That in itself is disturbing.  But what's just as disheartening is that the project was less than $300,000 away from getting the shovel to the ground, and had it started before 2011, there would have been no turning back.

The end result was that in 2011, Frisco voters revoked the city's authority to issue the remaining $16.4M from the original $19M.  The City Council members stated that they couldn't support a performing arts center that was not in Frisco.  If it were located in Frisco, some councilmen assured, they would have voted for it.

Once Frisco pulled out of the 3-city project, it died.  There was no recovery.  Frisco was blamed for ruining the project and having no vision, but on the flip side, Frisco was also called a hero by those who believed it was the most fiscally responsible thing to do in an economic downturn.  And again, it wasn't in Frisco.

2014
It's 2014.  Suddenly, a perfect storm has arrived.  A judge ruled that the 3 cities involved in the Arts of Collin County project will receive a small portion of funds back from their initial investment.  A week later, I gave a presentation with 2 other volunteers/arts advocates and the Community Development Corporation president to the 2015 Citizen Bond Committee in favor of a Cultural and Performing Arts Center IN Frisco and BY Frisco, asking for $20M in bonds to show the city's commitment to the arts and to attract a quality, dedicated partner.

The very next day, there were 4 forms of media asking our team's input on this issue: KRLD News Radio, Dallas Morning News, Community Impact News, and Channel 11.  The number one question?  What do you say about Frisco voting down the Arts of Collin County project in 2011?  Is it too early to be asking for an arts venue in Frisco given the history?

Is it too EARLY?  I submit it is 14 years TOO LATE!

2015
As we get close to entering the new year, we must change the conversation about the arts in Frisco.  Art is the most beautiful form of human expression, a universal form of communication.  Art unites, it does not divide.  Art inspires, it does not create enmity.  We must remove the fear and negativity that surround the arts in Frisco.  No one likes a nagging wife who can't let go of an issue and keeps bringing up what didn't work, especially after it has been resolved.  That's how this 2011 issue is treated; we have to LET IT GO.  If we just keep looking back at this dark history, we will never move forward.

I believe that this 2015 Bond election is a litmus test in time.  Future generations are going to point to this moment, this particular bond election, and make a determination about what we value.  The character of the city is on the line.  What is Frisco all about?  Are we designing a well-rounded city?  Are we preserving our culture and creating sustainability for the remaining 40% left to build?  Or will we continue to be known as the best place to raise a professional athlete because of our public commitment to world-class sports facilities?  Will we only focus on the bones of the city (infrastructure), and neglect the heart and soul (arts), which is what gives every city its unique identity?  Will we decide a facility for the arts can wait another 5-7 years until the next bond election in 2020?  Or can we finally fulfill a 14-year vision for the arts to create a balanced face for Frisco?

These are all questions that I will be bringing to the table at our Citizen Bond Committee meetings in January 2015.  I expect opposition, but I know I am in the right place at the right time for this issue in Frisco.  And I hope that someday, the arts will become part of the very fabric of Frisco as it is in all great cities, and that we will be known as the place to be for the arts, not in spite of it.

The Multicultural Minute

This year I started something at our elementary school called the "Multicultural Minute", celebrating the cultural diversity within our own school.  I've had a lot of people ask me what it is and how it works, so here are the answers to some frequently asked questions!

1.  What is the Multicultural Minute?

It is a short segment during our Friday morning school assembly where we feature a child whose parents were born in another country or whose family speaks another language at home.  The child comes on stage, says "Good Morning Bledsoe (Elementary), my name is ____" in their language, counts to 10, and teaches us how to say "hello" and "goodbye".  The child and his family are also featured on the bulletin board in the main hallway which includes a large map of the world; this helps the student body learn their geography as well as get to know their multicultural peers.

To get a quick overview of how we implemented the Multicultural Minute at Bledsoe Elementary in Frisco, TX this year, here's a video featured by Frisco ISD-TV: Multicultural Minute

2.  How did the Multicultural Minute get started?

It literally came from a lunch conversation I had during a PTA conference in Austin last summer.  After attending a few Diversity/Inclusiveness breakout sessions, I heard a lot of interesting facts about the changing demographic of our schools in TX, and I realized that we didn't have a consistent way to highlight these different cultures.  I shared with our PTA president my idea about featuring a student/family during the morning assembly and calling it the "Multicultural Minute."  She loved it and we shared it with our principal, who was also totally on board.  I wasn't sure if we would have a lot of participation in our first year, but we ended up having 21 countries represented, 24 languages, and 43 student speakers!

3.  What is the purpose of the Multicultural Minute?

The mission and purpose of the Multicultural Minute is to celebrate the diversity at our school, help kids feel proud of their heritage, and open the minds of the entire student body to the value of each person regardless of racial differences.  Personally, this is such a stark contrast from how I felt growing up as a 2nd-generation Korean-American; I was embarrassed by my race, hated speaking a different language at home, and was ridiculed by others for being different.  The Multicultural Minute does the opposite and allows kids to see that being different is not bad- it's actually special and should be celebrated!

4.  What's the process to implement this at my school?

I recommend the first thing to do is talk with your PTA president and your principal to make sure you have their support.  After that, you can follow some of these processes I used this year.  Feel free to change and modify anything to best fit your school!

A.  FLYER

Create a flyer describing the Multicultural Minute and ask people to sign up if they are interested in participating in the program.  Ask for the child's name, grade, teacher, parents' email, country of origin, and language to be spoken.  We sent out the flyer during the first 2 weeks of school and I collected them throughout the year.  I also passed out the flyers during Meet-the-Teacher Night later in the fall.

B.  SCHEDULE

Based on your responses from the flyer, organize a schedule of speakers.  We started out with a speaker every other week at the morning assembly and that worked well.

C.  BULLETIN BOARD

Using a map of the world (I purchased one at the local teacher's store), create a bulletin board that displays the following:

- Continents and Countries

- Speaker's family picture

- Name and grade of speaker

- Name of Country and Language featured

- "Hello" and "Goodbye" written phonetically in their language

-  Arrow pointing to the country featured

- Gold star placed on the country featured

Having a bulletin board displayed through the week helps the student body (as well as visitors) learn about the program, speak a new language, and get to know the participating students and their families.

D. QUESTIONNAIRE

Send out an email questionnaire to the speaker's parents 2 weeks before they are up for the Multicultural Minute.  Ask for the following information:

- Birthplace of the parents

- Birthplace of children

- When the family moved to the US

- Name of the country and language featured

- Written words for "hello" and "goodbye" in their language

- 1-2 interesting facts about their country

- Ask for a family picture (or an email with an attachment which I then printed out for the bulletin board)

- Ask students to wear any traditional clothing for the assembly. (One little girl wanted to keep wearing her traditional outfit from Pakistan all day long!)

- Ask students to practice saying "Good Morning, my name is _____", counting from 1-10, and saying "hello" and "goodbye" in their language.

Note: Some of the families did not use email.  In those cases, I sent a hard copy home with the teacher.  Also, there were times throughout the year where I had 2-3 different speakers for the same language, so I would combine and have them come on stage together.

E.  SCRIPT

Once you obtain the information from the questionnaire, write out a complete script of what you will say during the assembly and who will say what.  This should include everything in the questionnaire that you think is relevant and can fit within 1-2 minutes.  Send this to the parents a week before their turn so they can practice it with their children before the kids come up on stage.  In some cases, parents also wanted to come on stage and participate with their children, which was really special.  (We had a mom from Ghana sing their national anthem, and a mom from Australia help teach the Aussie war cry!)

Note: Our first few times, I did not write out a script and several of the kids froze once they got on stage.  It's difficult to get up and speak when you have 500 eyes staring at you!  I found that once I wrote out a script and asked parents to practice it with their kids at home, the stage fright greatly decreased and kids were more prepared for what was going to happen.

F.  PRESENTATION

The most visible part of the Multicultural Minute is coming up on stage with your speakers and presenting them to the assembly.  In my script, I wrote out exactly what I'd say so that I could memorize the interesting facts about each country, introduce the student by name/grade/teacher, and make the "interview" feel really personal.  I don't think it's necessary to memorize the script, but it certainly made it easier for me to be more comfortable on stage.  It also helped to practice saying "hello" and "goodbye" in all the different languages beforehand!

G.  FOLDER

After the Multicultural Minute was complete, I would put everything back into a folder that had a file for each country.  The file includes the printed words for "hello" and "goodbye" in their language that I used for the bulletin board, name of country/language, and the script used for the presentation.  This helped organize the countries/languages we featured this year in order to prevent overlap and repetition.  I would ideally like to see new countries and new speakers in the next year!

5.  Is there anything you would change for next year?

Yes.  I need help!!  It was a lot of work to undertake this on my own, and I would recommend having a team of people to help you with the flyers, the bulletin board, gathering information from parents, printing pictures, writing the script, and presenting at the assembly.  I am hoping to divide up the responsibilities next year so we can have a rotation of people who will present at the assembly.  Right now I have one other volunteer to present, but I could definitely use more!

______________________________________________________

Hope that helps!  If you have any other questions, feel free to comment and let me know how I can assist you.  I think you will find that this program will bring your school's community together and create a very welcoming and inviting culture!

Does playing metal mean I'm losing my religion?

I've recently purchased an electric violin.  It's something I never thought I'd play, but I borrowed one over Christmas break, and the sounds that came through my amplifier made me feel like I was playing an electric guitar!  It has catapulted me into wanting to hear and play the craziest guitar-driven songs, primarily. . . metal.

I wasn't allowed to listen to pop music growing up, let alone metal!  My days were filled with Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, as well as some Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Debussy.  I was trained classically on the piano and violin, and with all of the practicing required of me, I didn't have a chance to explore any other types of music unless I stealthily changed the channel on my radio while I was studying late at night.  That's when I was introduced to bands like Depeche Mode, Erasure, New Order, and also Chicago,  Cheap Trick, U2, and of course, George Michael.  "Got to have faith. . . yeah, yeah. . . got to have faith, faith, faith!"

Interesting point George.  I do have faith in God and a personal relationship with Jesus, but now that I am listening to Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Baroness, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC, Guns 'n Roses, etc., does that mean I've lost the faith?  Can I listen to some of their dark lyrics yet still call myself a Christian?

Here's my answer: Yes.

Why?  Well first, I'm actually not listening to any lyrics, so I'm not looking to change my life philosophy.  I'm only interested in the music, and can I say, these metal guitarists are mad talented!!  It's not easy to play their riffs, and they have created some very innovative melodies that when stripped from high-octane lyrics and performance antics, are incredibly beautiful and technically challenging.  Dare I say that some riffs are practically on par with Paganini and Mendelssohn as far as level of difficulty?

I'm also finding that when I take the skeleton of the song and put flesh on it with the electric violin, it becomes a completely different animal.  Is there a name for it?  Violinist David Garrett calls it "Rock Symphony," pianist Scott Davis refers to it as "Rockfluence," my name for it is. . . "Metalin."  I never dreamed I'd listen to metal and then want to play it on the violin, but it is my newest hobby and has completely taken over the hours of 10:30pm-1:00am almost every night.  I just plug in my headset on the electric violin, and my family doesn't have to be bothered while they sleep and I practice!

But the other thing about my faith is this: I believe that God loves me, and because He loves me, He takes joy in my joy.  Just as I take great delight in my children's delight of something I've given them, I believe He delights in my love of music.  He's the Creator of music, and when I play, I play for Him, regardless of what genre the song comes from.  Colossians 3:17a says, "And whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord."  That means that everything counts; everything I do can be an opportunity to give God glory, whether it's washing the dishes, making a meal, teaching lessons, or practicing metal on the electric violin!  God desires to be at the center of everything I'm doing, and when I give Him the best in every aspect of my life, it's all about Him and not about me.

So no, I don't think playing metal means that I'm losing my religion.  In fact, I lost my "religion" a long time ago- I don't like that word anyway!  Playing "metalin" allows me to spend time enjoying the gift of music that God created, and there's nothing I love more than being in His presence, playing for Him.