Speaking at the 32nd annual Martin Luther King Day observance at Lawrence University, Madison365 publisher CEO and publisher Henry Sanders drew from one of Dr. King’s lesser-known speeches to inspire hope and also announce the upcoming launch of Blueprint365, a new publication that will cover Wisconsin’s business community from the perspective of diversity and inclusion.
“When I was first asked to speak to you all tonight, my first thought was ‘What can I say about a Man who was so important to the world?'” Sanders said. “Then I remembered listening to Dr. King give a speech to a room full of middle school students in Philadelphia. In that speech he asked his audience the question: ‘What is your life’s blueprint?’ And that really hit home for me, both personally and professionally.
In that speech to junior high school students, King emphasized the importance of creating a plan for one’s life, and including in that plan a “deep belief in your own dignity” and “the determination to achieve excellence.”
“In short, we all need a blueprint,” Sanders said. “We need a plan – a purpose and a mission that lays out the foundational principles on which we can build our values, the values that guide our actions, our forward motion, our goals, and ultimately, our successes.”
The new publication from 365 Media Foundation will look to lay out that blueprint for the Wisconsin economy, Sanders said.
“Blueprint365 will be a business, leadership, workforce development platform, focusing primarily on a multicultural and multi ethnic community,” Sanders said. “This online platform will become the source for news, information, and advice on workforce, workplaces, corporations, executives, and more, from the perspective of inclusion and innovation – all critical to a thriving economy. The magazine will help people create a blueprint for leading. A blueprint to building a thriving business. A blueprint for gaining insights from thought leaders in the community. A blueprint for a community in which we all share a sense of responsibility in the successes of our neighbors. Ultimately, this platform will aim to create a blueprint for equitable growth and prosperity, authentic connections and a sense of belonging for all members of the Fox Cities community.”
365 Media Foundation, which publishes Madison365, announced Monday that Blueprint365 will begin publishing at Blueprint365.org on February 13. It will also distribute content on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Sanders also noted that today’s youth require a blueprint no less than the young people Dr King was speaking to in 1967. He cited sobering statistics that indicate within the next 24 hours, nearly 1,500 teens will attempt suicide, 15,000 teens will try drugs for the first time and 3,500 teens will run away from home.
“Who is telling these kids what their blueprint could be? How is the life blueprint of white children affected when they hear that the only reason they can succeed is because of their whiteness?” Sanders said. “What blueprint do we encourage in our Latino children – when they are constantly exposed to controversy about illegal immigration and whose mothers and fathers are called illegal aliens? What is the blueprint for those children and their futures? What’s the blueprint for Black children when Black Americans are incarcerated at 5 times the rate of white Americans. How are we helping them create a blueprint of faith, hope and love? What’s the blueprint for Indengious children who hear glorified stories of events in which their ancestors were robbed of their land and culture and relegated to reservations? How are we instilling self-worth and dignity into the blueprints of these children?”
Sanders concluded with a challenge.
“Reflect on your blueprint often. Use it to guide your selfless ambitions and actions. Let it propel you to encourage those around you in faith, hope and love,” he said.
