Getting Inspired at YP Summit with Brad

The YP Summit brings more than 1,500 young professionals together to grow personally and professionally, to learn more about community and convert insight into real, positive action using our strategic imagination to see beyond today and redefine what we are collectively capable of accomplishing

This year Dr. Bradley Ekwerekwu, our director of financial stability, helped host a busy session called “Fueling Purpose in Your Career.” He teamed up with Dulce Sherman, CEO of Whispering Roots, and Alberto Varas, executive director of Latino Center of the Midlands, to inspire attendees to do work they love and become more civically engaged in our metro.

Calling on their own personal stories, they asked the crowd to think about moments in their life where they felt passionate about what they were doing.

For Dulce, she starting thinking about whether her work and life values aligned about 10 years ago when she felt something was missing.

When it comes to a job, she said, “It needs to be your home away from home.”

To help attendees get thinking about where their passions lie, they partnered up and went through these questions together:

When I think back to when I was younger and fast forward to today, what were some of my life “ah-ha” moments (career, personal)?
When I think about the job I have today or held in the past, why did I accept the job? Was it about money, experience, leveraging your strengths?
When I think about my values, what are my top 3-5 (personal and work)?

Brad also encouraged the crowd to make sure they make time to help ignite passions in others around them. He shared that his football coach from childhood always told him to follow his dreams, and that really stuck with him.

“It’s important for each of us to be there for others who need that influence, even if we think we’re too busy or not enough.”

Attendees also spent time doing a call to action exercise to help them get started on their path towards passion, purpose and making our community stronger.

At the end of the session, Brad gave everyone the green light to go out and start following their passions today! (Hover over the image and click the white arrow to look through the gallery.)

Thank you so much to the Greater Omaha Chamber and sponsors for making this event possible!

About the Author

Kylie is the Manager of Digital at United Way of the Midlands. Whenever you see a social media post or something new on the website, chances are she was behind it! She loves finding new ways to share stories online that inspire people to give back. Her favorite things in life are her family and friends, her pets Maisel and Bunny, and nachos.