welcome and hello everybody how are you feeling today good fantastic
feeling today good fantastic
feeling today good fantastic well most students arrive at college
well most students arrive at college
well most students arrive at college with no roadmap for success having just
with no roadmap for success having just
with no roadmap for success having just spent their entire high school careers
spent their entire high school careers
spent their entire high school careers with a checklist on how to get into
with a checklist on how to get into
with a checklist on how to get into their college of choice and after
their college of choice and after
their college of choice and after graduation we often turn to self-help
graduation we often turn to self-help
graduation we often turn to self-help books or motivational seminars sharing
books or motivational seminars sharing
books or motivational seminars sharing their wisdoms on how to be successful
their wisdoms on how to be successful
their wisdoms on how to be successful and thrive in life but what if the path
and thrive in life but what if the path
and thrive in life but what if the path to success was simple and attainable for
to success was simple and attainable for
to success was simple and attainable for all of us what if it was as simple as
all of us what if it was as simple as
all of us what if it was as simple as identifying and building on our own
identifying and building on our own
identifying and building on our own strengths and those of others and not
strengths and those of others and not
strengths and those of others and not their deficits I’d like everyone in this
their deficits I’d like everyone in this
their deficits I’d like everyone in this hall to close their eyes take one deep
hall to close their eyes take one deep
hall to close their eyes take one deep breath and think about a strength that
breath and think about a strength that
breath and think about a strength that you’re particularly proud of and I want
you’re particularly proud of and I want
you’re particularly proud of and I want you to hold on to that thought and to
you to hold on to that thought and to
you to hold on to that thought and to the end of my talk when we will revisit
the end of my talk when we will revisit
the end of my talk when we will revisit it okay I’m gonna start with me in a
it okay I’m gonna start with me in a
it okay I’m gonna start with me in a prune now when I think of prunes I think
prune now when I think of prunes I think
prune now when I think of prunes I think of their unapologetic deliciousness
of their unapologetic deliciousness
of their unapologetic deliciousness they’re nutrient value for iron and of
they’re nutrient value for iron and of
they’re nutrient value for iron and of course they’re cathartic effect I also
course they’re cathartic effect I also
course they’re cathartic effect I also think of picking them and Sun drying
think of picking them and Sun drying
think of picking them and Sun drying them on my family Sonoma County farm
them on my family Sonoma County farm
them on my family Sonoma County farm every summer of my childhood and I used
every summer of my childhood and I used
every summer of my childhood and I used to use them as a screening device for my
to use them as a screening device for my
to use them as a screening device for my friends and those who love them have
friends and those who love them have
friends and those who love them have been my friends for life this is how I
been my friends for life this is how I
been my friends for life this is how I view my life how I view other people how
view my life how I view other people how
view my life how I view other people how I view communities I look at their
I view communities I look at their
I view communities I look at their strengths and not their deficits and in
strengths and not their deficits and in
strengths and not their deficits and in fact John McKnight and John kretzmann
fact John McKnight and John kretzmann
fact John McKnight and John kretzmann from Northwestern University they
from Northwestern University they
from Northwestern University they pioneered and telegraphed this strategy
pioneered and telegraphed this strategy
pioneered and telegraphed this strategy of identifying your strengths and assets
of identifying your strengths and assets
of identifying your strengths and assets and mobilizing them and they have found
and mobilizing them and they have found
and mobilizing them and they have found that it’s been a recipe for success for
that it’s been a recipe for success for
that it’s been a recipe for success for Community Development from the inside
Community Development from the inside
Community Development from the inside out
out
out and you can apply this to individuals to
and you can apply this to individuals to
and you can apply this to individuals to universities to cities and towns and
universities to cities and towns and
universities to cities and towns and countries and in fact you can actually
countries and in fact you can actually
countries and in fact you can actually build
build
build culture of well-being a healthy
culture of well-being a healthy
culture of well-being a healthy community success for life using this
community success for life using this
community success for life using this strategy now why are we so interested in
strategy now why are we so interested in
strategy now why are we so interested in the glass half full not half empty well
the glass half full not half empty well
the glass half full not half empty well here are the facts I’d like everyone in
here are the facts I’d like everyone in
here are the facts I’d like everyone in the middle rose to please stand up if
the middle rose to please stand up if
the middle rose to please stand up if you can
and I’d like you to stay standing until
and I’d like you to stay standing until I tell you to sit down okay one out of
I tell you to sit down okay one out of
I tell you to sit down okay one out of every two Americans over the age of 20
every two Americans over the age of 20
every two Americans over the age of 20 are pre-diabetic or diabetic that
are pre-diabetic or diabetic that
are pre-diabetic or diabetic that amounts to the percent of people
amounts to the percent of people
amounts to the percent of people standing compared to those that aren’t
standing compared to those that aren’t
standing compared to those that aren’t in this Hall now the good news is that
in this Hall now the good news is that
in this Hall now the good news is that if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce
if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce
if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce your risk by 58 percent by healthful
your risk by 58 percent by healthful
your risk by 58 percent by healthful eating regular exercise and a modest
eating regular exercise and a modest
eating regular exercise and a modest weight loss now I’d like the first three
weight loss now I’d like the first three
weight loss now I’d like the first three rows or four rows to sit down please
rows or four rows to sit down please
rows or four rows to sit down please the bad news is is that only one out of
the bad news is is that only one out of
the bad news is is that only one out of ten people who are pre-diabetic or
ten people who are pre-diabetic or
ten people who are pre-diabetic or diabetic know it and that amounts to the
diabetic know it and that amounts to the
diabetic know it and that amounts to the percent of people who’ve just sat down
percent of people who’ve just sat down
percent of people who’ve just sat down in other words ninety percent of people
in other words ninety percent of people
in other words ninety percent of people who have pre-diabetes or diabetes in the
who have pre-diabetes or diabetes in the
who have pre-diabetes or diabetes in the United States today do not know they
United States today do not know they
United States today do not know they have it
have it
have it okay you can all sit down now please
this is not sustainable this is a
this is not sustainable this is a tsunami waiting to happen what if we
tsunami waiting to happen what if we
tsunami waiting to happen what if we stop looking at people with a list of
stop looking at people with a list of
stop looking at people with a list of diseases and we look at them with a list
diseases and we look at them with a list
diseases and we look at them with a list of attributes in other words instead of
of attributes in other words instead of
of attributes in other words instead of treating disease to improve health we
treating disease to improve health we
treating disease to improve health we improve health by promoting health by
improve health by promoting health by
improve health by promoting health by identifying our assets and our passions
identifying our assets and our passions
identifying our assets and our passions for cooking or hiking or running or
for cooking or hiking or running or
for cooking or hiking or running or socializing this is what is meant by
socializing this is what is meant by
socializing this is what is meant by holistic health promotion what if we
holistic health promotion what if we
holistic health promotion what if we embrace the 1948 World Health
embrace the 1948 World Health
embrace the 1948 World Health Organization’s definition of health
Organization’s definition of health
Organization’s definition of health which is the complete state of physical
which is the complete state of physical
which is the complete state of physical mental and social well-being not merely
mental and social well-being not merely
mental and social well-being not merely the absence of disease or infirmity now
the absence of disease or infirmity now
the absence of disease or infirmity now our greatest assets are people like all
our greatest assets are people like all
our greatest assets are people like all of us in this room and like our
of us in this room and like our
of us in this room and like our undergraduate Savannah Savannah was five
undergraduate Savannah Savannah was five
undergraduate Savannah Savannah was five years old on 9/11 when her New York City
years old on 9/11 when her New York City
years old on 9/11 when her New York City firefighter father lost most of his
firefighter father lost most of his
firefighter father lost most of his friends and his fireman family he not
friends and his fireman family he not
friends and his fireman family he not only lost his fellow firefighters on
only lost his fellow firefighters on
only lost his fellow firefighters on 9/11 he ultimately lost his relationship
9/11 he ultimately lost his relationship
9/11 he ultimately lost his relationship with Savannah’s mom Savannah and her
with Savannah’s mom Savannah and her
with Savannah’s mom Savannah and her mother ended up moving to California
mother ended up moving to California
mother ended up moving to California where Savannah’s courageous mom started
where Savannah’s courageous mom started
where Savannah’s courageous mom started a new life
a new life
a new life a new family but not without financial
a new family but not without financial
a new family but not without financial hardship Savannah followed her mom’s
hardship Savannah followed her mom’s
hardship Savannah followed her mom’s lead devoting herself to her family
lead devoting herself to her family
lead devoting herself to her family while she pursued her college dreams and
while she pursued her college dreams and
while she pursued her college dreams and as a freshman here at UCLA she would
as a freshman here at UCLA she would
as a freshman here at UCLA she would chip in and babysit her younger siblings
chip in and babysit her younger siblings
chip in and babysit her younger siblings so her mom could study for her Community
so her mom could study for her Community
so her mom could study for her Community College exams
College exams
College exams she also often found herself not being
she also often found herself not being
she also often found herself not being able to go out and socialize with her
able to go out and socialize with her
able to go out and socialize with her friends because she didn’t have the
friends because she didn’t have the
friends because she didn’t have the pocket money to pay for the food instead
pocket money to pay for the food instead
pocket money to pay for the food instead she would sit in her dorm room and eat
she would sit in her dorm room and eat
she would sit in her dorm room and eat cereal by herself
cereal by herself
cereal by herself now many people would have compared
now many people would have compared
now many people would have compared themselves to the students who could go
themselves to the students who could go
themselves to the students who could go out at a drop of a hat
out at a drop of a hat
out at a drop of a hat and while Savannah did MIT and doesn’t
and while Savannah did MIT and doesn’t
and while Savannah did MIT and doesn’t MIT to have feeling lonely when she sat
MIT to have feeling lonely when she sat
MIT to have feeling lonely when she sat there and ate her cereal in her dorm
there and ate her cereal in her dorm
there and ate her cereal in her dorm room she was also a brave student and
room she was also a brave student and
room she was also a brave student and she shared her feelings and her story
she shared her feelings and her story
she shared her feelings and her story about her food insecurity publicly and
about her food insecurity publicly and
about her food insecurity publicly and she identified her assets for advocacy
she identified her assets for advocacy
she identified her assets for advocacy and she found professors who got her
and she found professors who got her
and she found professors who got her excited about learning and she took this
excited about learning and she took this
excited about learning and she took this food justice course where she was
food justice course where she was
food justice course where she was introduced to a nonprofit called food
introduced to a nonprofit called food
introduced to a nonprofit called food for word that viewed food waste as an
for word that viewed food waste as an
for word that viewed food waste as an opportunity and then she applied her
opportunity and then she applied her
opportunity and then she applied her classroom knowledge to real life and she
classroom knowledge to real life and she
classroom knowledge to real life and she observed that the fruits and vegetables
observed that the fruits and vegetables
observed that the fruits and vegetables at food ford gleaned from the fruit
at food ford gleaned from the fruit
at food ford gleaned from the fruit trees from private backyards and farmers
trees from private backyards and farmers
trees from private backyards and farmers markets could be delivered to the
markets could be delivered to the
markets could be delivered to the students who were food insecure and she
students who were food insecure and she
students who were food insecure and she didn’t stop there she identified a
didn’t stop there she identified a
didn’t stop there she identified a student group called swipes for hunger
student group called swipes for hunger
student group called swipes for hunger that she’s belong to now for over a year
that she’s belong to now for over a year
that she’s belong to now for over a year and this group has delivered 250 pounds
and this group has delivered 250 pounds
and this group has delivered 250 pounds per week of fresh fruits and vegetables
per week of fresh fruits and vegetables
per week of fresh fruits and vegetables gleaned from the farmers markets to the
gleaned from the farmers markets to the
gleaned from the farmers markets to the students doorsteps that’s
students doorsteps that’s
students doorsteps that’s [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] now Savannah is amazing and I not only
now Savannah is amazing and I not only
now Savannah is amazing and I not only want to highlight how amazing she is but
want to highlight how amazing she is but
want to highlight how amazing she is but I also want to emphasize that she
I also want to emphasize that she
I also want to emphasize that she identified her strengths and assets and
identified her strengths and assets and
identified her strengths and assets and she didn’t dwell on her deficits and
she didn’t dwell on her deficits and
she didn’t dwell on her deficits and then she took her assets and she
then she took her assets and she
then she took her assets and she mobilized them and if you follow this
mobilized them and if you follow this
mobilized them and if you follow this path that Savannah did a Gallup Purdue
path that Savannah did a Gallup Purdue
path that Savannah did a Gallup Purdue study has found
study has found
study has found whether you’ve attended most highly
whether you’ve attended most highly
whether you’ve attended most highly ranked university like UCLA or not if
ranked university like UCLA or not if
ranked university like UCLA or not if you’re a graduate from four-year
you’re a graduate from four-year
you’re a graduate from four-year universities for your colleges you will
universities for your colleges you will
universities for your colleges you will rank the highest and five areas of
rank the highest and five areas of
rank the highest and five areas of well-being in your lifetime and those
well-being in your lifetime and those
well-being in your lifetime and those include social purpose financial
include social purpose financial
include social purpose financial community and physical social well being
community and physical social well being
community and physical social well being is having strong supportive
is having strong supportive
is having strong supportive relationships and love in your life
relationships and love in your life
relationships and love in your life purpose well-being is following your
purpose well-being is following your
purpose well-being is following your path of what you want and liking what
path of what you want and liking what
path of what you want and liking what you do and being motivated to meet your
you do and being motivated to meet your
you do and being motivated to meet your goals financial well-being is having
goals financial well-being is having
goals financial well-being is having effective being effective at managing
effective being effective at managing
effective being effective at managing your economic life so that you are
your economic life so that you are
your economic life so that you are secure and you’re not and you don’t have
secure and you’re not and you don’t have
secure and you’re not and you don’t have less stress and community well-being is
less stress and community well-being is
less stress and community well-being is being engaged and liking and feeling
being engaged and liking and feeling
being engaged and liking and feeling safe and feeling proud of where you live
safe and feeling proud of where you live
safe and feeling proud of where you live and physical well-being is having good
and physical well-being is having good
and physical well-being is having good health and enough energy to get your
health and enough energy to get your
health and enough energy to get your daily activities done and following this
daily activities done and following this
daily activities done and following this path of identifying assets and and
path of identifying assets and and
path of identifying assets and and mobilizing them we’ve seen this great
mobilizing them we’ve seen this great
mobilizing them we’ve seen this great work that Savannah’s done we’ve also see
work that Savannah’s done we’ve also see
work that Savannah’s done we’ve also see it in business and universities and also
it in business and universities and also
it in business and universities and also in elementary schools that they’re
in elementary schools that they’re
in elementary schools that they’re benefiting from this approach like the
benefiting from this approach like the
benefiting from this approach like the ugly fruit campaign that was launched in
ugly fruit campaign that was launched in
ugly fruit campaign that was launched in 2014 in France aimed to reduce the 300
2014 in France aimed to reduce the 300
2014 in France aimed to reduce the 300 million tons of fruits and vegetables
million tons of fruits and vegetables
million tons of fruits and vegetables that are thrown away annually around the
that are thrown away annually around the
that are thrown away annually around the world the largest supermarket chain in
world the largest supermarket chain in
world the largest supermarket chain in France identified that these discarded
France identified that these discarded
France identified that these discarded ugly fruit were a business opportunity
ugly fruit were a business opportunity
ugly fruit were a business opportunity and they
and they
and they discounted the price by 30% and they’re
discounted the price by 30% and they’re
discounted the price by 30% and they’re just flying off the shelves and so not
just flying off the shelves and so not
just flying off the shelves and so not only are the consumers pocketbooks
only are the consumers pocketbooks
only are the consumers pocketbooks winning but also ugly stress fruit have
winning but also ugly stress fruit have
winning but also ugly stress fruit have been proven actually to have higher
been proven actually to have higher
been proven actually to have higher nutrient value than their pristine
nutrient value than their pristine
nutrient value than their pristine counterparts so the eater wins and then
counterparts so the eater wins and then
counterparts so the eater wins and then the earth wins because we have less food
the earth wins because we have less food
the earth wins because we have less food waste or this there’s the let’s move
waste or this there’s the let’s move
waste or this there’s the let’s move salad bars to school campaign that
salad bars to school campaign that
salad bars to school campaign that former first lady Michelle Obama
former first lady Michelle Obama
former first lady Michelle Obama launched and was based on research that
launched and was based on research that
launched and was based on research that I did with my colleagues here in Los
I did with my colleagues here in Los
I did with my colleagues here in Los Angeles and I’ll never forget the Los
Angeles and I’ll never forget the Los
Angeles and I’ll never forget the Los Angeles consultant when I pitched the
Angeles consultant when I pitched the
Angeles consultant when I pitched the idea of the research project he told me
idea of the research project he told me
idea of the research project he told me Oh Wendy you’ll never get rid of the
Oh Wendy you’ll never get rid of the
Oh Wendy you’ll never get rid of the sloppy joes but the parents and the
sloppy joes but the parents and the
sloppy joes but the parents and the principals and the teachers and the
principals and the teachers and the
principals and the teachers and the advocates and the let’s move campaign
advocates and the let’s move campaign
advocates and the let’s move campaign and US researchers believed in the
and US researchers believed in the
and US researchers believed in the children’s assets and willingness to
children’s assets and willingness to
children’s assets and willingness to accept healthful food if it was
accept healthful food if it was
accept healthful food if it was presented in a delicious-looking way and
presented in a delicious-looking way and
presented in a delicious-looking way and it tasted delicious and now they’re two
it tasted delicious and now they’re two
it tasted delicious and now they’re two and a half million children around the
and a half million children around the
and a half million children around the country who have salad bars and that’s
country who have salad bars and that’s
country who have salad bars and that’s growing by the day
and here at UCLA through the Cemil
and here at UCLA through the Cemil healthy campus initiative we’re
healthy campus initiative we’re
healthy campus initiative we’re embracing and we’ve adopted the strategy
embracing and we’ve adopted the strategy
embracing and we’ve adopted the strategy of identifying strengths and assets and
of identifying strengths and assets and
of identifying strengths and assets and mobilizing them and we’re building a
mobilizing them and we’re building a
mobilizing them and we’re building a healthier community a culture of
healthier community a culture of
healthier community a culture of well-being success for life and so I’d
well-being success for life and so I’d
well-being success for life and so I’d like to end and return to the prune at
like to end and return to the prune at
like to end and return to the prune at my family’s Sonoma County farm where my
my family’s Sonoma County farm where my
my family’s Sonoma County farm where my dad who is a fourth generation farmer
dad who is a fourth generation farmer
dad who is a fourth generation farmer believes in building on your strengths
believes in building on your strengths
believes in building on your strengths and being a model for others which I
and being a model for others which I
and being a model for others which I aspire to and I want all of you to
aspire to and I want all of you to
aspire to and I want all of you to return back to your strengths that you
return back to your strengths that you
return back to your strengths that you identified at the beginning of my talk
identified at the beginning of my talk
identified at the beginning of my talk and I want you to think about how you
and I want you to think about how you
and I want you to think about how you can build on it how you can mobilize it
can build on it how you can mobilize it
can build on it how you can mobilize it how you can share it with others and see
how you can share it with others and see
how you can share it with others and see what happens
what happens
what happens and so I’d like to share with you one of
and so I’d like to share with you one of
and so I’d like to share with you one of my strengths which are my children and
my strengths which are my children and
my strengths which are my children and end with a haiku that my then
end with a haiku that my then
end with a haiku that my then third-grade son wrote and it’s fruit
third-grade son wrote and it’s fruit
third-grade son wrote and it’s fruit comes from flowers fruit is good to eat
comes from flowers fruit is good to eat
comes from flowers fruit is good to eat I love to eat fruit thank you so much
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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