Donald King (LRI ’02) to be Honored as “Leader as Host” at 30th LRI Awards Luncheon

Donald King (LRI ’02) will be recognized for his work at the Providence Cultural Equity Initiative and his past leadership of the Providence Black Repertory Company / Providence Sound Session

For the 30th edition of the Inspiring Leaders Awards Luncheon, Leadership Rhode Island is proud to recognize leaders in our community who have been effective conveners, facilitators, bridge builders, and alliance creators, in keeping with the 2018 theme of “Leaders as Hosts.”

As defined by Margaret Wheatley, hosting leaders must:

• Provide conditions and good group processes for people to work together;
• Provide resources of time, the scarcest commodity of all;
• Insist that people and the system learn from experience, frequently;
• Offer unequivocal support- people know that the leader is there for them;
• Keep the bureaucracy at bay, creating oases (or bunkers) where people are less encumbered by senseless demands for reports and administrivia;
• Play defense with other leaders who want to take back control, who are critical that people have been given too much freedom;
• Reflect back to people on a regular basis how they’re doing, what they’re accomplishing, how far they’ve journeyed;
• Work with people to develop relevant measures of progress to make their achievements visible;
• Value conviviality and esprit de corps– not false “rah rah” activities, but the spirit that arises in any group that accomplishes difficult work together.

Donald King is a cultural liaison and convener, who bridges gaps and breaks down barriers by bringing people together through food, music, and art. His past accomplishments include the founding of the Providence Black Repertory Company and Providence Sound Session, and he now serves as the Chief Creative Officer for the Providence Cultural Equity Initiative. A current resident of Austin, Texas, he is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island’s 2002 Chi class and was a Program Committee Co-Chair for the 2014 Kappa II class. Leadership Rhode Island is proud to recognize him on March 22nd for the great impact he’s made in our state!

Please join us at the Providence Marriott Downtown as we celebrate Don and other leaders as hosts who are yet to be announced. Tickets and sponsor packages are available at lriluncheon.eventbrite.com.

Bio

Donald King is a creative director, curator, educator, producer, branding/marketing specialist and socio-musicologist with more than 20 years of notable accomplishments. King has extensive expertise in the arts, education and literacy training, including developing and producing large scale, multi-stage festivals and placemaking events. King has been instrumental in creating viable cultural arts institutions, venues, events, and brands in highly competitive markets. He was the founding Executive & Artistic Director of The Providence Black Repertory Company for 13 years. He served as a visiting professor at his alma mater, Brown University where he was selected to join The Center for Slavery & Justice (Black & Red Cluster) via The Providence Cultural Equity Initiative where he serves as Creative Officer.

King resides in Austin, Texas. He is also a managing partner and the Creative Director of King Saint Germain, a boutique marketing & entertainment agency. King was recently appointed Creative Officer of The Providence Cultural Equity Initiative (PCEI) where he helps to facilitate local, regional, national and international cultural exchange initiatives.

King’s facilitation skills, creativity, leadership abilities and engagement practices are sharpened through his work with The Arts Lit Project at Brown University, The Learning Alliance (Moonshot Academy), and his ongoing role as an active alum of Leadership Rhode Island and as a previous LRI Program Co-Chair.