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851. How to Turn Your Skills Into Community Impact · Daily Influence

• 0:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Daily Influence, your daily dose of positive influence.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Brian Smith founder of IA Business Advisors and co-author of the Iain team series.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Each day we share stories and insights to help you find be and build your influence in a positive and responsible way.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm Greg Clino, partner at IA Business Advisors, and co-host of Daily Influence.
• 0:32
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• 0:38
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• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to Daily Influence.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Today, I'm joined by Harold Jones, founder of Harold S. Jones, Fine Art Center in Carol, Illinois.
• 0:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Since establishing the center as a nonprofit in 2018, Harold has worked to give young people access to music, dance, visual art, etiquette, and other experiences that can help them discover their creativity and recognize their own potential.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: The center also offers workshops, exhibitions, community technology resources and events that bring people together from across Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and Southern Missouri.
• 1:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: What stands out about Harold's work is that he did more than identify and need.
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: He acquired and helped restore a physical space.
• 1:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: built programming around it and created a place intended to provide inspiration, education, and hope.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: His efforts show how responsible influence requires vision, persistence, and a willingness to invest in people whose abilities might otherwise go undiscovered.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Today, we'll talk about what inspired Harold to begin this work, what it takes to sustain a community-centered mission, and what each of us can learn about turning,
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Harold, welcome to Daily Influence.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for having me.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Harold, the Fine Arts Center grew from your desire to create greater opportunities for young people and Carol.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: What did you see in the community that convinced you this center needed to exist?
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what moved you from recognizing the need to personally doing something about it?
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, upon my arrival to Carol.
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: I originally came here to transition my mother because my parents were from Cairo.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the transition her out of the where she was staying to a more adaptable place for her age because she was not able to live in her home anymore.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: And with that visitation, I looked around.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I said, wow, there are some very, very positive things
• 3:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I decided at that time that I would stay coming from the Greater Atlanta area, I decided that maybe I can do something special here in a smaller community.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so being a violinist and a musician trained, I talked to people that
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: uh, the elementary school and high school and realized that they didn't have strings they had band.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I said, well, let's see what we can do about strings.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so I wasn't going outside of my own element.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: I just decided to maybe do something with what I already knew to do.
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: And uh, I think that's something that a lot of people should follow when they're thinking about what can they do to help.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think you should go from your skill set and see how you might be able to incorporate that to help the greater community.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I talked to the people and they let us have a violin program as an elementary school in the cafeteria and that in itself has its own challenges.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: downtown that was vacant and had been overgrown in the collective for 20 years.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so that's when I decided I would move the Carol violin program from the elementary school to the building, but the building had to be re-hacked.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so it took time to get it to where we
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: And every since then, we've been able to do a care of ballet, workshops, community meetings and in an area development and in function as a organization that feels in the gaps, what I mean by that is, which the kids are not getting at home and what they're not getting at school.
• 5:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: So we are gap fillers and that's why we had the etiquette programs, the computer literacy programs, financial literacy, all these different workshops feel that the gap.
• 5:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for sharing that.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Once the vision became real, the impact was no longer theoretical.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: It started showing up in the lives of the young people walking through the doors.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've described the center as a place where young people can receive inspiration, education, and hope.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Can you share one specific example of how exposure to art, music, dance, or another program changed the way a young person saw themselves or their future?
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, it's a well-known fact that the arts and music is a great developer of cognitive skills.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: kids that are taught that they must practice a certain amount of time are more focused and make better students because they can concentrate.
• 6:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: So the more things that we can do to create that environment for kids, it helps them across the board and all things that they do.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: So I have kids oftentimes in their parents.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: We'll tell you, well, this person, because of this, is able to focus more on her academic.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then sometimes the, the at the school activities can be used as a
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_02]: a carrot for performance that if you want to continue in this program, then you're going to have to make sure you're doing your basic reading writing in the program to take.
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: So it can enrich kids in all
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: areas.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Many communities treat arts education as optional, especially when they are also facing economic and social challenges.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why do you believe access to the arts is essential rather than simply a nice to have?
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, because it brought into the educational experience for kids and
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: to success.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it gets the right and left brain activity going.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it shows them that they can do more than just function in the established box.
• 8:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: And many corporate leaders and scientists attribute.
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: their musical and artistic training as reasons for their success gave them a foundation of structure that helped them become what they want to do.
• 8:31
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now, everyone that comes into our Guiding Program or Valley, will not be professional musicians.
• 8:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: but it's a template for them.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's showing them that they can be whatever they want to be.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: And even though they might be economically challenged situation, they can still achieve those things.
• 8:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: And that's why we focus on making it free.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: to the public and to kids because you want to make it where the parents can have the kids participate in these without paying all that all the fees associated with it.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: So that helps them and when they can see that they can play
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: And they can do what they only thought other people could do for instance in our violin program use the Suzuki pedagogy.
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: And what I do is every student that starts, I make sure on the first lesson, they learn how to play a song.
• 9:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Because if they look at the violin, it's all that's so difficult, I can't do it.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: but then I showed them how to do a Twinkle Twinkle Little Scar, the very first day.
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so they're so encouraged by that, wow, I can actually play something on this thing.
• 10:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: Something that I thought could would take years.
• 10:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: See, once you do that, then they have a different outlook and they have a different anticipation and realizing that they can do these things too.
• 10:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's not as complex as they thought.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and you didn't just create programming, you took responsibility for preserving and renovating a physical space.
• 10:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: What was one obstacle or difficult decision you encountered in that process and what did it teach you about leadership and accountability?
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: Part of our mission too is a community development.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_02]: Carol, just like so many small towns throughout America.
• 10:53
  [SPEAKER_02]: uh, you find that the emphasis is not one redevelopment of old structures that try to tear them down in the creates urban blight, uh, all the state resources usually are funneled towards the major cities in the state.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: And, uh, and when people don't realize the deposits to realize that cities like Kero is America.
• 11:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you get in your car and you do have a cross the country,
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: You're going to find out there's almost nobody in it.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: The whole country is dotted with little care of times the towns.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: And these kinds of places, the old structures can be repurposed and reused to and become an asset to the community.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're trying to also help redevelop a gladiatorious by reusing.
• 11:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the finance center is an example of how you can take an old structure and repurpose it.
• 12:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: people who want to help a community, sometimes begin with their own ideas instead of listening to a residence actually need.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: How have you made sure that center reflects the voices, interests, and realities of the people it serves?
• 12:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, one thing that you have to take in consideration
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: You have to look at what you can do to change the temperature.
• 12:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: What I mean by that is poverty is not just economics.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a frame of mind, you see.
• 12:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so,
• 12:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the people in these types of areas is really not there for it's it's just it's just a condition the social condition that the communities across America find themselves in so sometimes when you come into an area like this you are not going to get
• 13:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: this type of support that you would anticipate only because it's foreign to them.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: So, and you can't, you have to be patient and don't get upset when they say, initially, when you experience a some push back initially, because some people are just not used to change,
• 13:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: then the people can see the difference.
• 13:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: And anybody can talk about improving things.
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: But the doing, sometimes people have to see something.
• 14:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then they say, oh, well, you know what?
• 14:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: That is something I want to have my kid involved in.
• 14:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, well, that is something that's to help in the community.
• 14:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: that they didn't have that in their life.
• 14:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: So you have to try to introduce something incrementally to get the community behind you.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: So there's social dynamics that go along with doing these programs and bringing these programs to cities that really didn't have them.
• 14:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: And you have to understand what's going on with people in general and how they find themselves
• 14:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: in a position like that they are.
• 14:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, community work can depend heavily on one committed founder, which can make long-term sustainability difficult.
• 15:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: What are you doing to build partnerships involved other leaders and ensure this mission can continue beyond your individual efforts?
• 15:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, what I do is a collaborative effort with community leaders and young people because young people are a future.
• 15:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: And you have to empower and energize the them to want to see these programs continue.
• 15:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: A lot of older people are set in their ways and mean not be as flexible, but the young people or you can actually make a difference and bring them on board so that in years to come, they will want to continue to see this type of activity.
• 16:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: For someone who sees a need in their own community, but feels they lack the money, influence, or experience to address it, what practical first step would you encourage them to take?
• 16:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: What I did initially, I just started out with personal funds.
• 16:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: And the power of one person can make a difference.
• 16:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: One person can change the world.
• 16:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: You don't have to be in a committee.
• 16:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: or part of a large organization, you just personally decide that if you see a need try to fill it.
• 16:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so I wasn't overly ambitious.
• 16:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: I just went by my skill set.
• 16:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: So everybody has a skill set that they can bring.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it doesn't come with a lot of economic burden, if you, if you an artist, you know how to paint, well, then you can teach somebody how to paint.
• 17:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: You don't have to pay somebody.
• 17:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: So that's the approach that I feel works start from what you can do.
• 17:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: And then
• 17:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: others will come aboard, especially if they see that what you're trying to do is not revenue driven.
• 17:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: See people will help you help others, but they're not going to help you help yourself.
• 17:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: You see them saying, so you have to make sure that you always have that framework
• 17:41
  [SPEAKER_02]: people and sponsors will see your good work and then want to see what they can do to help help you continue it.
• 17:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Harold, before we close, what's the best way for listeners to learn more about you and the center and also connect with you?
• 17:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, we have a Facebook page to Harold S. Jones, Fine Arts Center, Carol, with a pop-up, and you can also see us if you could just Google us.
• 18:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: We have a web page too, and so we're online.
• 18:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: So all you have to do is put in the Herald S. Jones Fine Arts Center, Google Search will also pull us up.
• 18:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: And so we're out there.
• 18:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: And we can be found.
• 18:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Arrow, thank you.
• 18:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll include that information or show notes.
• 18:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And thank you so much for joining me and for showing us what it looks like to turn a concern for community into intentional, sustained action.
• 18:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Your work is a meaningful reminder that when we create opportunities for people to discover their abilities, we influence not only what they can do today, but what they believe is possible for their future.
• 18:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much, Arrow.
• 19:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for having me.
• 19:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to our listeners, thank you for joining us on daily influence.
• 19:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Take one key insight from today's conversation and intentionally put it into practice in your own life so you can have a positive, responsible influence on those around you.
• 19:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Remember, every interaction is an opportunity to influence and influence you create is always your choice.
• 19:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have a great day.
• 19:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bye-bye.