deerstalker
The Google Doodle for Monday is refreshingly pro-black. It features a young black woman surrounded by colorful, affirming symbols of blackness, including a braid that spells out the word “Google.”
A high school sophomore named Akilah Johnson from Washington, D.C., is the artist behind the stunning artwork which she titled “My Afrocentric Life.” Her captivating work of art beat out about 100,000 student submissions and won Doodle 4 Google — an annual competition by Google which allows kids to reimagine the tech company’s logo for the chance to win a $30,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 education-technology grant for their school and a chance to have their work featured on the site’s homepage.
This year, the contest asked participants to draw a doodle that answered the following question: “What makes me… me?”
“I grew up learning a lot about my history as an African-American. As I grew older, I realized that the black people that came before us has made us into what we are today, so of course I had to include them in my doodle,” Johnson, who is the first African American to win the national competition, wrote in a blog.
In addition to the celebration of natural hair, the 15-year-old’s drawing is full of powerful imagery which gives several nods to black historical figures (Nelson Mandela, Frederick Douglass, among others), symbols that link the black experience in the United States to Africa and demonstrations from the past and present that declare black lives matter.
Johnson, who’s been painting since she was 7, said she worked on her project over her Thanksgiving break. The teen said art is just a hobby and she aspires to go into the criminal justice field one day.
Even if she never picks up a pencil again, Johnson’s art has already made history and she said that now she has a found a new appreciation for art.
“Doodle 4 Google gave me an understanding of why art matters and why MY art matters — it’s because it speaks to people,” Johnson wrote. “No matter the differences we have, everyone is touched by all art in some way.”
As a fitness enthusiast, Tony Wells knows what it takes to maintain an optimum workout routine.
As a fitness executive, he’s developed a formula to help drive business. Having joined 24 Hour Fitness just over four years ago as vice president of brand marketing, he has since been promoted to executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
Wells, who was groomed in public relations as a Marine, has worked as a marketer for companies that include Nissan, General Motors, and Visa—experiences that helped him arrive at a basic philosophy: “Know my job; know my people; know myself. When you put those things together, you always have an opportunity to succeed.”
And 24 Hour Fitness has enjoyed significant successes with Wells and the company’s executive team such as certification for 400 clubs; member-satisfaction surveys through J.D. Power and Associates; sponsorship of The Biggest Loser and the U.S. Olympic Committee; and raising its Better Business Bureau rating from F to A+. Here he demonstrates how he works it all out, in and out of the gym:
Workout schedule:
Three times a week, mainly through cardio and resistance training—30 minutes of heart activity and weightlifting to develop a strong core and build muscles. “I have a great trainer who helps with accountability and motivation.”
Because of injuries to his knee and rotator cuff, his trainer has guided him in strengthening and stabilizing muscle groups in those areas. “I’m also fortunate that most of my travels take me to one of our fitness clubs.”
Favorite training equipment:
TRX Suspension Training uses your body weight to engage muscles. “It was developed by the SEALs and is very helpful in working out without putting stress on your knees.” The adaptive motion trainer, or AMT, offers a combination of treadmill and elliptical.
Favorite footwear:
Nike Free, [1] a model he has worn for the last four years. “It’s a very lightweight training shoe that’s also easy to travel with.”
Favorite athletic wear:
The brand Jordan for shorts and Lululemon (www.lululemon.com) for shirts. “[Jordan is] a really well-designed product that lasts.” For him, both brands are comfortable and durable.
Favorite destination for personal travel:
“I’m a big fan of New York City—the energy, the culture, the shows, nightlife, the restaurants. I love live entertainment, culture, and sports.” It’s also why he loves Paris, [3] a city that offers a broad range of cultural activities and showcases.
Favorite city for business:
Los Angeles. [2] “Southern California is one of the largest markets with more than 80 clubs.”
Favorite leisure activity:
“I’m a huge movie buff. I’ve actually gone on a Saturday and seen three movies back to back. I am also a big fan of live entertainment. Also, anytime I can admire people who have artistic talent, I love to do it.”
Favorite technology for business:
“The iPad. It’s an amazing product. FaceTime allows me to talk to my kids, who have iPhones. I can do live videoconferencing with them.”
[This Part One of BE’s Cigna Wellness in the Workplace weekend series on improving your health and staying well at work]
