Gotta Love Network Dearborn

This week I found out that I won the monthly prize from Network Dearborn! All I did to qualify was play a fun sudoku and submit my email address when I had completed it. I won a t-shirt and a $25 gift certificate to Lord and Lady salon…incredible! The best part was that I got to choose from many different, wonderfully made shirts.  Now that I know about these I plan on buying quite a few for myself and as gifts. Not only is this a great prize but I am constantly impressed with the efforts and opportunities presented by Network Dearborn. They bring together local business and residents in a creative and engaging way. I applaud this website and encourage you to visit at www.networkdearborn.com. While you are there, play a game or two!

CPL Candidate Training

I found out this week that I got accepted to the Center for Progressive Leadership’s local Candidate Training.  I just completed the survey confirming my spot in the training and I wanted to share the news.  What’s so great about this program is that it is a training for future candidates or campaign managers – you don’t have to know what you are running for, just that there are things you might want to learn. 

Hope for Haiti

I haven’t posted anything about this since the earthquake but I think it is still so important to say something and do something.  The Hope for Haiti telethon is on right now and I encourage everyone to donate to the relief efforts.  My brother is in the Army Reserve and his unit has been dispatched to Haiti to provide relief and support.  Unfortunately, he was in New Hampshire for training at the time and wasn’t able to leave in time to go with his unit.  He is doing what he can to re-join them and offer his help.   I am so proud of him and his unit for their willingness to help.  I hope all of the help in the form of donations or physical work is received quickly and goes directly to the greatest needs of the people there, as well as toward rebuilding to become a greater and stronger country.  If you have not done so, please visit www.hopeforhaitinow.org and give what you can.  Let’s show those in Haiti that the world cares.

Masters Degree…check

I am so happy and proud to say that yesterday (12/20) I walked across the stage and received my Masters of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from Eastern Michigan University.  I love to learn and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to school and keep working towards these goals in my life, gain education at higher levels, and have a job that allows me to apply this knowledge and become a true expert.  The graduation was great, I finally got to meet some of the people who worked so hard alongside me to earn this degree.  Conducted through the College of Business at EMU, this program was all online, making it more flexbile to fit around the work day but it meant you might never actually meet your fellow classmates or professors.  That was quite a challenge.  Integrated Marketing Communications is the ability to take a business, organization, or even group and identify their means of communicating and marketing to all types of customers – then creating a plan to optimize those elements to achieve whatever results they are looking for.  The program gave us the chance to practice these skills often and I was able to apply them in real life to my job, which is invaluable.   I look forward to continuing to hone these skills and grab any other opportunity I have to apply them.

Shop Dearborn

I found out about the Shop-Dearborn a few weeks ago and just recently purchased a few of these cards to give out as Christmas presents, so I had to share my thoughts on it.  If you don’t know, the Shop-Dearborn campaign came from an Intro to Marketing class at Dearborn High School.  You purchase a card for $25 and enjoy discounts at many different local businesses.  I think it’s a great way to re-engage with the businesses in Dearborn as well as get your family and friends to participate by giving them a card as a gift.  Just going through the list of participating companies encourages you to try out the ones you may not have visited yet. 

I think the greatest value in this campaign and in each of us purchasing a card is twofold – the money goes to support Dearborn schools, and our participation gives encouragement and support to these bright students who are hoping for positive reaction to their idea.  We have to show that the community is behind our students’ creativity as well as their attempts to increase success for our businesses, something we all know is desperately needed right now.  So, if this campaign is successful, these students may have the support they need to take it to the next step and become even more engaged in the progress of Dearborn.   All I heard on the campaign trail was how great it was to have so many younger people interested in getting involved.  So, let’s support those who are getting involved and give them the confidence from the start that will allow all of us to build a stronger and more competitive Dearborn.   For a list of all businesses participating in Shop-Dearborn, click here.

To purchase your card, go to www.Shop-Dearborn.com.

Happy International Human Rights Day!

I bet you didn’t know it was International Human Rights Day.  That’s ok.  I didn’t either until about a week ago.  I have been looking at specialties for law school and decided I want to specialize in either Civil Rights or Human Rights law.  So, naturally, I have been researching the different ways I can get involved in these two interest areas and I’ve noticed that there are a lot of huge things that can be done to help and raise awareness.  One thing I saw that was great is that today is the official Internation Human Rights day because it is the day that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948.  This document is incredible and I wish we all carried it around with us to remind us of the way we should treat and look at each person.  It’s not that long but even skimming through it you will find some good things to take away.  Click here to read the declaration.

Checking Back In

Hi Everyone!  I know it has been a long time since I have posted and I apologize for that.  This Fall has literally flown by and I have just been insanely busy.  But, that’s not an excuse because I think this blog is still a great way for me to send out some ideas and get people talking.  So, here’s a quick update on what happened during the little break and what you can expect from me going forward:

1.  I am still working on my new house but I am happy to say that I am AAAALlllmost done with the major projects.  Although I’m pretty sure that every homeowner is always almost done   Speaking of the house,  I went Christmas Tree shopping with my boyfriend and his family as a holiday tradition and got a great tree.  It’s decorated already and looks great with the other few decorations I have around and outside the house.

2.  I have officially applied to law school and now I’m trying to exercise every trick for patience I know while waiting for the official responses.  I won’t know anything until the new year but of course, I check daily.  I applied to Wayne State and University of Michigan law programs. 

The Results Are In…

I am so happy with every moment spent today, every positive and negative response, and every effort given throughout the campaign.  Unfortunately, I did not make the top 14 tonight.  Let’s be honest, I came in dead last.  This may be the eternal optimist in me but I consider my 94 votes a victory.  I knew going into this the very slim chances for a write-in and first time candidate.  On top of that, I didn’t grow up in Dearborn and don’t have the family and friends connection that most other candidates have.  With that in mind, 94 votes means that I convinced over 90 relative strangers that I have a good vision and the talent necessary to be effective on the council.  I will never know who those people are but I am so grateful to them!  This is just the beginning!

I appreciate all of the help I received both from Rabih Hammoud and his incredibly run campaign and my family and friends who  came out to talk about me at the polls today and to those who were able to vote for me.  This kind of support is invaluable and I hope every one of these people know how thankful I am to have them in my life.

I said this is just the beginning and I mean it.  I will be out there campaigning for the candidates I believe in and I will be an active member of this great city in whatever capacity is available to me.  I jump in with both feet and I have just begun to explore the depths of opportunity for making an impact in Dearborn.  Thank you for your support.  Please keep checking back for my Perspective on what’s happening in Dearborn and the new ways I am getting involved.  It’s just the beginning!

To see the final breakdown of the results click here.

Candidate Profiles and Great Discussion

 The well-known Dearborn blog: www.dearbornnewsonline.com has been profiling candidate responses to the League of Women Voters guide questions for the past few weeks.  I contacted the blog and sent them my responses and information, which I have done for many other publications with varying results.  They responded with a very enthusiastic “we will run your story next!” Click here to go to the blog to read my responses and participate in any discussion about the elections, as well as to read about some of the other candidates they have profiled. 

The Last Week…Any Questions?

We are in the final week before the primary on August 4th.  I have talked this whole time about my experiences, who I am, and what I want to do on the Dearborn City Council.  Now I want to open the floor to you! 

Do you have any questions left before you make your decision about who to vote for?  Is there anything out there that you want to know more about?  Whether it is a question directed at me or in general, please share your thoughts here and we all can discuss.

Don’t forget, you can vote for 7 people on August 4th for Dearborn City Council.  The polls are open from 7am – 8pm.  Write-In Kristyn Taylor!