Ravi Hutheesing

In this presentation, Ravi encourages attendees to pursue their passions regardless of preconceptions or obstacles. However, following one's dream is not about rebelling against one’s parents, school, or traditional values. It is about collaborating with these influences while broadening horizons and learning to “be the change you wish to see in the world” (Gandhi). A child’s talents, strengths, and interests often differ from their culturally traditional path. As they become teenagers, those same interests can become aspirations that are then in conflict with the expectations of any given family, society, or culture. Ironically, it is this very difference that can give a young adult "the edge,” enabling him or her to achieve greater success. Moreover, in the age of automation and globalization, the perceived security of a traditional career is no longer the reality.

Using his own story of growing up in a family of politicians and bankers but ultimately pursuing a career in music, Ravi tells the story of how he earned the support of his parents, engineered his own very successful career, and as an adult, made his family extremely proud by not just living his dreams, but also by contributing positively to the world around him.

With 40% of today's jobs about to be automated (source: PwC), today's students will no longer be defined by what they do, but rather, by who they are. By focusing more on cultural competence, equity, and unity, students will grow into compassionate global citizens, discover worldwide opportunities, and master the required skills for the future of work and society.

Born into one of the world’s most influential families but rejecting the obvious choices presented to him, Ravi takes the audience on his exciting journey as a rock star, entrepreneur, aviator, and cultural diplomat, and shows how his own education empowered him to build relationships and pivot whenever necessary. Using humor, points that resonate and make you think, and statistics that make you question what you thought, he explains how to transform students into culturally and globally competent lifelong learners by pursuing equity, teaching and engaging in civil discourse, and inspiring students to overcome generations of implicit biases so that they can develop a healthy curiosity about the world and become truly empathetic global citizens.

Based on the forward-thinking concepts explored in his acclaimed book, PIVOT: Empowering Students Today to Succeed in an Unpredictable Tomorrow, Ravi will shift your thinking on how public education can put society on a path to equity, equality, and ultimately world peace.

Discover how to:
• Cultivate cultural competence and equity in schools and communities
• Use the arts to overcome implicit biases and sciences to promote critical thinking
• Practice and teach civil discourse
• Inspire curiosity, nurture talent, provoke critical thinking, and foster communication
• Convert privilege into leadership skills that will help achieve social justice
• and so much more

Tailored for education leadership conferences/convocations (school boards, superintendents, principals, school districts, etc.)

As even the most local of workforces become more diverse, the ability to cultivate a team among employees is more challenging but essential. To create a culturally competent and competitive company, one must first establish a culture of embracing our commonalities along with a healthy curiosity about our differences.

In this presentation, Ravi extrapolates from his background as a member of one of the most influential families that created the world's largest democracy (encompassing 7 major religions and 22 official languages), his peacekeeping work as a cultural diplomat for the US Department of State (including in Iraq and Russia), and his experiences as both the sole non-white member of an otherwise all-white world-famous band and a non-white pilot in the 80% white aviation industry to prove that one can effectively collaborate with people from vastly different backgrounds, including traditionally opposed cultures and religions. Using humor, points that resonate and make you think, and statistics that make you question what you thought, he will elevate your thinking and arm you with the tools to create unity within diversity.