12
May 2011
Humanitarian Resource Institute
Phone: (203) 668-0282
Url: www.humanitarian.net
United Nations Arts Initiative
Arts Integration Into Education
Url: www.unarts.org
Twitter: unarts
On The Lecture Circuit: H-II: Stephen Michael Apatow
2010 marked the 20th year anniversary of work in project
development and humanitarian operations. -- Leadership in the Face of
Adversity, Against the Odds and Outside of the Box (TM: Publication).
Two national youth leadership projects impacted hundreds of cities
across America, the first for substance abuse in 1990, in cooperation
with the National Clearinghouse for Drug and Alcohol Information (today
CSAP), [1] and the second for community service in 1993, in cooperation
with the U.S. House Select Committee on Hunger and twenty national
organizations. [2] Efforts to address the vast unmet needs
revealed during these projects,
led to the formation of the nonprofit organization Humanitarian
Resource
Institute (HRI) [3] in 1994.
As an athlete, coach of arts, sports and Olympic development programs
and graduate of the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts Professional
Program, [4,5] Stephen Michael Apatow [6] had an interest in connecting
with a
broader spectrum of youth. Both projects encompassed a daily
physical
challenge, combined with speaking engagements, town meetings and press
conferences in hundreds of cities across America. Today, the many
challenges and lessons learned, are the focus of his U.S. and
international
leadership initiatives. The importance of this discussion
relates
to the current spectrum of challenges facing communities across America
today, and in 192 United Nations member countries, that are striving to
recover from the most severe economic downturn since the Great
Depression.
Before forming HRI, while on return flight to the West Coast, Stephen
was fortunate enough to sit next to one of the attorneys from the Nixon
Library. When asked what guidance, this legal council had, regarding
the formation of HRI, his advice was direct and pointed, "keep your
board small and mission focused." He noted the nightmare
associated with too
many board members, many with their own agendas, leaving little room
for
progress.
The next person who significantly impacted the development of HRI was
mentor Dr. Ralph Swisher, Director of the Community and Family
Preparedness program at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
formerly with the Department of Justice and member of the National
Association of Scholars. His advice was also direct and pointed,
"As the executive director, don't focus on fundraising and grants as
your primary operational task, keep your focus on the mission of the
organization."
During the 1993 Community Service Project, the focus in 133 cities from
Washington, DC to San Francisco California was to provide a platform
for executive directors of front line service programs, so they could
share about the size and scope of needs in their area. This mission
focus
was to "Bridge Unmet Needs to Untapped Resources," to assist strategic
planning and development of projects to fill any gaps. The
tragedy, in many cases, was that communication, in our advanced
technological age, was the single variable that stood between,
the unmet needs in those communities and a public response.
The first major project of HRI was named "Focus On America," and with
the help of FEMA, HRI was able to network to the directors of the
Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Programs in approximately
3000 counties, in all 50 states. The objective of the project was
to
establish an Unmet Needs Coordinator in each city, who would
(1) serve as a contact point for all front line service programs, (2)
establish an email and fax communication network that would reach
all churches, youth leadership programs, central school districts,
businesses,
corporations and the media in that area and (3) communicate quarterly
unmet needs reports.
Though effectively networked, HRI soon learned that there was
resistance against the mission objectives of the project. The
first came from churches, while working with the national leaders of
interfaith organizations, who were asked to help communicate
information on the project down to the grassroots level. The
challenge, "there was no interest in the development of any
communication network that would reach the constituencies of the local
churches, that was outside of their control," even if they
were regarding the unmet needs in those communities. In time,
umbrella
organizations for nonprofits and community leaders shared the same
sentiment.
On the nonprofit level, HRI learned that threats, regarding
funding,
were even held over the heads of numerous executive directors of
frontline
programs, who considered participation with the initiative.
Understanding
the scope of political challenges and agendas, behind the scenes,
encompasses
the type of support system needed for the development of humanitarian
initiatives,
today.
Representative Presentations, Workshops and Media
- Current
Policy Development: Humanitarian Resource Institute, United Nations
Arts Initiative. [7]
- Keynote
Speaker: The Future of Biodetection Systems Workshop [8] brings
together industry, academia, national labs, and federal agency
personnel in an interactive process, to develop a roadmap for research
and development investment in biodetection. Sponsored by Los
Alamos National Laboratory, September 26 & 27 2006.
DNA-based Detection Technologies: Powerpoint Presentation.
[9]
- Member
of the scientific committee of the World Health Organization
Collaborating Centre for Tourist Health and Travel Medicine, 2005:
Fifth European Conference on Travel Medicine. [10]
- EHPNET:
Humanitarian Resource Institute Emerging Infectious Disease Network:
Environmental Health
Perspectives (EHP), an online publication by the Public Health Service,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of
Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS),
Volume 112, Number 1, January 2004. [11]
-
Keynote Speaker: 8th annual meeting of the Association of Veterinary
Biologics Companies (AVBC), 5 November 2003. [12]
-
2002 Award for Excellence in Outbreak Reporting on the Internet:
International Society for Infectious Diseases, ProMED-mail. [13]
-
U.S. Representative for Agricultural Security: U.S. Medicine Institute
for Health Studies Forum "Food, Air, Water, and Terrorism: Assessing
the Risk," sponsored by the Department of Defense, Global
Emerging Infections System and Annapolis Center. 29 January 2002.
The paper "Agricultural Security
and Emergency Preparedness: Protecting One of
America's Infrastructures," [14] Stephen M. Apatow, Humanitarian
Resource Institute, was a reference point for agricultural security.
Arts
Integration Into Education
2010 marked 20 years of dedication to humanitarian relief efforts and
policy development by Stephen Michael Apatow, though around the year
2000, his interest once again refocused on the arts, music, composition
and production. In the late 2000's, he expanded these efforts as
an artist/publisher with American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers (ASCAP) as an
artist member of the Country Music Association. It was from this
transition that the HRI "Arts Integration Into Education" focus
evolved, leading to the development of the United Nations Arts
Initiative. [15] The focus, utilizing artists, who have the
innovation, creativity and a connection with
the grassroots level as the bridge, to lead U.S. and international
humanitarian
relief efforts and policy development.
2010 marked the release of his first album entitled "Country Goes
Global." Reflecting upon "the cost of putting your life on
the
line to help the needy, rich and poor," the lead soundtrack is "The
American Way," and in dedication to the troops, the compilation
includes
"Special Forces Prayer" and "The Soldiers Tear." [16]
H-II: Stephen Michael Apatow is available for lectures, consultations
and interviews, with additional information available online at:
http://www.apatow.org
References:
1. 1990 NCADI Project: Url: www.cycleacrossamerica.org
2. 1993 National Campaign for Community Service: Url: www.runacrossamerica.org
3. Humanitarian Resource Institute: Url: www.humanitarian.net
4. Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts: Url: www.nutmegconservatory.org
5. International Dancescience Development Program: Url: www.edancescience.org
6. Stephen Michael Apatow: Founder, Director of Research and
Development for Humanitarian Resource Institute and the United Nations
Arts Initiative. Url: www.apatow.org
7. Policy
Development: Humanitarian Resource Institute United Nations Arts
Initiative. Url: www.unarts.org/news
8. The Future of Biodetection Systems Workshop: Los Alamos
National Laboratory. Url: www.lanl.gov/bioscience/biodetection.shtml
9. The Future of Biodetection Systems Workshop: Los Alamos,
Keynote Presentation, Powerpoint. Url: www.pathobiologics.org/btac/lanl/bioscience/ref/SMABDS_Final.pdf
10. 2005: Fifth European Conference on Travel Medicine: World Health
Organization Collaborating Centre for Tourist Health and Travel
Medicine: Scientific
Committee. Url: www.travelmedicine.it/news/ectm5_abstract.pdf
11. EHPNET: Humanitarian Resource Institute Emerging Infectious Disease
Network: Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), Volume 112, Number 1,
January 2004. Url: ehis.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/112-1/forum.html
12. 8th annual meeting of the Association of Veterinary Biologics
Companies (AVBC): Keynote Speaker, 5 November
2003. Url: Keynote Speaker. Url: www.pathobiologics.org/avbc_biosecurity2003.html
13. 2002 Award for Excellence in Outbreak Reporting on the Internet:
International Society for Infectious Diseases, ProMED-mail. Url: www.humanitarian.net/promed2002.html
14. Agricultural Security and Emergency Preparedness: Protecting One of
America's Critical Infrastructures. Stephen M. Apatow, Biodefense
Threat Analysis Discussion Paper ASEP-2001-12.
Url:www.pathobiologics.org/btac/ref/ASEP-2011-4.html
15. HRI: United Nations Arts Initiative: Url: www.unarts.org
16. Country Goes Global: AirPlay
Direct. Url: www.airplaydirect.com/music/stephenmichaelapatow/
|
