Creativity Makes Change: Power Up Concert Performers Deliver
MILCK performing live at the Recent Power Up Concert for Take The Lead.
“Just give us a chance for the next 2,000 years and we will clean it all up,” Gloria Feldt, co-founder and president of Take The Lead, told the enthusiastic crowd at the recent Power Up Concert closing out the recent 2023 Conference, “Lead Your Intention.”
““Just give us a chance for the next 2,000 years and we will clean it all up,” @GloriaFeldt, co-founder and president of @Takeleadwomen, told the enthusiastic crowd at the recent #PowerUpConcert.”
Speaking about the mission of Take The Lead to reach gender parity in leadership across all sectors by 2025, Feldt said, “Get involved at the local level; that’s how you make the change with intention. It’s fun to be part of what is going on in your community.”
Alyson Palmer, vocalist and bassist in the indie rock band, BETTY, performed the live song, “It Girl,” with band member Elizabeth Ziff to wide applause before introducing acting icon Kathleen Turner and Suzanne Lerner, co-founder and CEO of Michael Stars.
“Speaking about the mission of @Takeleadwomen to reach #genderparity in #leadership across all sectors by 2025, @GloriaFeldt said, “Get involved at the local level; that’s how you make the change with #intention.””
Lerner, winner of the first-ever Wear The Shirt Award in 2022, presented the 2023 Wear The Shirt Award to Turner, award-winning actress, activist icon and advocate for gender parity. Feldt is co-author with Turner on her memoir, Send Yourself Roses: Thoughts on My Life, Love, and Leading Roles.
Read more in Take The Lead on Suzanne Lerner
Turner performed a mesmerizing scene from her role in the 2010 one-woman play, “Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins.” Ivins, who passed in 2007, was a celebrated social justice journalist, award-winning columnist and author.
“Molly Ivins tells it the way it is and so do you,” Lerner tells Turner in the award presentation.
Read more in Take The Lead on Kathleen Turner
Turner began volunteering with Planned Parenthood at 19, and has spent a lifetime volunteering and serving on humanitarian boards including United Way and Meals on Wheels.
“@RealKTurner began volunteering with @PPFA at 19, and has spent a lifetime volunteering and serving on humanitarian boards including @UnitedWay and @_MealsOnWheels. #activist ”
“How do you look at our heroes to take them off the pedestal?” asked Ari Afsar, playwright, activist and actor who performed a never been seen before song, “Disrupt,” from her upcoming musical, “Jeannette.”
The musical is about the life of Jeannette Pickering Rankin, an early 20th century women’s rights advocate who became the first woman to hold federal office in the United States in 1917 and the only woman ever elected to Congress from Montana.
“The only way to tell these stories is through change and disruption.” Afsar said.”Art changes culture and culture changes policy. We need to stand in solidarity and continue to disrupt.”
Afsar introduced performing artist and activist Connie K. Lim, whose professional name is MILCK. Her protest song, “Quiet,” went globally viral. MILCK recently wrote the song, “Stardust,” with John Legend and has produced a documentary, “I Can’t Keep Quiet.”
In times of chaos, MILCK said, “Creativity is such a beautiful place to take back that agency.”
“In times of chaos, @MILCKMUSIC said, “Creativity is such a beautiful place to take back that agency.” #revolution #genderparity”
She enthralled the audience with the song, “We Are The Revolution,” with the lyrics, “We are the voices, we are the truth, we make a future.”
She then performed, “Animal,” and commented, “Everything is alive and wild. It was fitting for me, as I wanted to see the superpower of wildness.”
Read more on MILCK in Take The Lead
The final performer of the evening was Marina Arsenijevic, renowned composer and pianist with a massive global following. Dressed in a barbie pink jumpsuit, she announced, “And now I’m a Barbie. We have a barbie astronaut, physician, surgeon, but there is no Barbie pianist. So I have created my own version of Barbie the pianist.”
““And now I’m a Barbie. We have a barbie astronaut, physician, surgeon, but there is no Barbie pianist. So I have created my own version of Barbie the pianist.” - Marina Arsenijevic. #womenleaders”
Read more in Take The Lead on Marina Arsenijevic
She delighted the audience with highlights of “Rhapsody in Blue,” before launching to her original composition, “Tesla Rhapsody, that will premiere in New York in November.
Wowing the crowd with her skill, Arsenijevic then performed what she called a Barbie version of Mozart style.
Read more in Take The Lead on Marina Arsenijevic
“You are the embodiment of joy when you play,” Palmer told her.
Closing out the evening, after a full conference schedule, Feldt told the audience, “Mark August 26, 2024 on your calendar now for the next Power Up Conference & Concert.”
“Closing out the evening, after a full conference schedule, @GloriaFeldt told the audience, “Mark August 26, 2024 on your calendar now for the next #PowerUpConference & Concert.””
Leadership Takeaway of the Week:
”Art changes culture and culture changes policy. We need to stand in solidarity and continue to disrupt.” Ari Afsar, Playwright, Performer, Activist
