By DREW MILLER

Let me take you on my journey to being a leader in our community! This wasn’t an immediate decision I woke up with one day. It started out like a seed and grew into my wonderful rewarding life. In the late 90s, my partner Kevin and I had the opportunity to volunteer at the HRC annual dinner where we heard Al and Tipper Gore speak along with the riveting Maya Angelou (who spoke for 50 minutes when she was only given 10, amazing). That was the first seed!

When we arrived home and looked into joining our local HRC Steering Committee, we discovered there wasn’t much activity in South Florida where HRC was concerned. It wasn’t for several years till we heard about “HRC Club Blue” and we started attending (watering the plant now). In no time at all we were on the HRC South Florida Steering Committee and were working on our first “HRC Boat Parade Fundraiser”. The following year Kevin and I co-chaired the boat parade committee (we were spreading roots).

I have discussed my own efforts in joining the board of directors for several other organizations.

• Business Professional Group “BPG” Networking and Learning

• Gay and lesbian Business Exchange “GLBX” at the Greater Ft Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce

• Rainbow Business Coalition “RBC” Uniting the LGBT community with leadership and advocacy

I have also explained in past columns, how I was meeting the LEADERS of our community. These are the people who are making decisions to enhance our city with events like Halloween, next year’s Aids Walk and Pridefest. Taking an active roll on these boards has definitely helped my business grow with visibility and profit. Seed is now a tree!

Kevin and I are on the host committee for “An Evening in Paradise,” a fundraiser for “The Pride Center at Equality Park.” While at the host committee meeting with several leaders in our community, we discussed the marketing material donated by Fastprintz. The previous printer selected wasn’t able to complete the work for us and we needed someone fast to finish the job. Victor Flores, the owner of FastPrintz, is getting a great recognition in our community as the person to go to when you need the job done on time and looking great. Victor is on the board for GLBX and works closely with RBC. Several people in attendance noted his business name and contact information for future printing needs because of the great things they heard at the host committee meeting. Victor is a true leader in our community!

Kevin and I are currently enrolled in a “Self Expression and Leadership Program” at Landmark Education in Dania Beach. In the course, we are learning how WE can all be leaders and impact our communities positively. I am learning the importance of living a full life and making a difference in the lives around me. We are learning skills to communicate in such a way that encourages others to do the same.

While on the course, I have created a project to impact my community in a positive way. Working closely with Mark Ketcham at Sunserve, we have created a NEW fundraising opportunity that will bring in much needed funds for their “Sunserve YOUTH Support Groups” and help bring an end to BULLYING!

Guess what it’s about? Yup, the 21-day challenge with some slight changes to the format. The challenge starts November 21st and runs through December 12.

Rules for the challenge “Kindness Speaks = Bringing Awareness to Words and Put an End to Bullying”:

1. Sign up on Facebook and declare your time period. (21, 14, 10, 7 days).

2. Donate $21 to “Sunserve Youth Support Groups”/donate.

3. Inform the important people around you about the challenge so you can enlist their help.

4. Clean up any negativity, complaining, gossip, criticizing or bullying that arises.

5. Post on the Facebook group page your successes and setbacks. Openly discuss the effects this is having on your life and read about others in the challenge.

6. Join us for the celebration and commiserate with other challengers on the effects “Kindness Speaks” has had on your life. (Not required for the challenge but appreciated.)

Note: Being aware of our words is also just the beginning. When we find ourselves spreading negativity, complaining, gossip, criticizing or bullying, we need to clean it up. Let me explain. We have now declared our challenge to our family, friends and colleagues. Then we start the challenge on November 21st. If, on the second day you gossip with a co-worker. BAM!!! You need to clean it up! Stop the conversation, recognize the words you were using with your coworker and choose to start a new conversation that doesn’t revolve around spreading gossip.

Remember, this is an awareness challenge, not a competition. Our main objective is to Bring Awareness to Words. “Kindness Speaks” could end bulling all together with your help! My Inspirational Stories and Why I Chose to Challenge Myself are on the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=245884562128118.

I do hope some of you find inspiration to join me with my “Kindness Speaks” Challenge. I can’t wait to hear how it impacts each and every one of you in your work, networking and your life. It has truly made a remarkable difference in mine.

Oh, and guess who is creating all my marketing material and overall look for “Kindness Speaks?” You guessed it, our community leader and my good friend, Victor Flores. Thanks Victor!

Drew Miller is a business and networking consultant. He can be contacted at Drew@DrewMiller.biz.