Common People United

10/13/2022

(4/4) Communicating stories that unite audiences is what CPU is all about. So, when we were asked to sponsor a film this year, Tomorrow’s Game was at the top of our list. But rather than just come see a great film, we wanted the audience to get a little taste of the magic of a baseball game. Importing Dodger dogs was not an option, so thankfully, Fort Wayne has Coney dogs! Equally good (though not as long).

While it’s not a high-budget blockbuster (as some of the special effects may betray) it’s a very good story and a perfect film to take the kids to. It’s also a film for anyone who has ever known the joy of singing “buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks” with thousands of other folks all hopped up on cotton candy and Americana. It’s a story I loved, and Grandpa Joe would have loved it too.

If you’re in Fort Wayne, go see it and enjoy a Coney Dog on us!

My grandfather loved the Dodgers. I’m sure that our close proximity to Los Angelas was part of it, and maybe he loved them long before 1980, but for literally as long as I can remember “the Dodgers” was synonymous with “Fernando Valenzuela.” Grandpa Joe had Fernando posters, baseball cards...

10/13/2022

(3/4) These are the thoughts and memories that came flooding back as I watched Tomorrow’s Game as part of the jury for the Hobnobben Film Festival.

For several years, I’ve been honored to be a part of this exceptional film fest. And each year, I’m blown away by the submissions. I get to view stories I wouldn’t normally find on my own, and there is always one that stands out more than the others. This year, for me, it was Tomorrow’s game, and even though I recognize that many of the reasons it resonated with me are deeply personal, there’s a universality to baseball that others will appreciate too. The story is important., and powerful, and it’s also fun!

Tomorrow’s game is a family-friendly film that asks the question: what would happen if one game were called differently? It’s not about a ref calling a strike that should have been a ball, but how the story of baseball has been impacted by the announcers. It’s something I’d never considered before, how something as seemingly benign as a baseball announcer can impact how we come to see the world – or at least, how we see the players and the game.

10/13/2022

(2/4) It wasn’t until I was older that I really understood what it meant for my Mexican-American grandfather to watch someone who looked like him take the mound. As a WWII veteran, and someone who deeply loved a country that didn’t always love him back, seeing El Toro out there on the field must have felt like acceptance.

10/13/2022

(1/4) My grandfather loved the Dodgers. I’m sure that our close proximity to Los Angelas was part of it, and maybe he loved them long before 1980, but for literally as long as I can remember “the Dodgers” was synonymous with “Fernando Valenzuela.”

Grandpa Joe had Fernando posters, baseball cards, and bobble heads proudly on display in his room, and he never missed an opportunity to see “El Toro” pitch on TV. Whenever possible, he would gather my dad and my uncles for a trip to Dodgers Stadium to watch the action live. They would come home talking about impressive pitches, home runs, bad calls, and Dodger dogs. Every once in awhile, I got to go too, and I could see why they were so excited – extra long hot dogs, cracker jacks, and fireworks. What’s not to love?

11/21/2018

Inspired by the CDE, we encourage you to keep indigenous people in your thoughts and conversations as you honor the holiday season. Check out their Thanksgiving Toolkit 2.0 for tips on how to do so.

"Let us put our minds togethe

06/24/2018

Did you know wine can be made from honey?

Check out Pearson Brothers Winery to learn more, and if you are in California, look for them at a location near you!

Our wine started as a passion to create something unique and fantastic for our friends and family. It was made first as a true Private Reserve, but our friends told us it was too good to keep a secret so here we are today. You can find our wines at locations throughout California and online at https...

04/05/2018

A call to Indiana business owners in response to The Institute for Women's Policy Research's findings on the status of women in Indiana.

→If you aren't aware of the findings, you can learn more and view our state’s embarrassing rankings at iwpr.org.

02/27/2018

Last week we completed a new website installation for Healthier Moms and Babies!

We love working with this organization both because of the wonderful people who work there and the amazing work they do in Allen County. Whether you already know about them or not, please take a moment to visit www.healthiermomsandbabies.org to see what they're all about.

01/22/2018

What do Mark Zuckerberg's latest News Feed announcements really mean?

In this post, we get deep about what we know (and don't know) when it comes to Facebook's plans to make our digital interactions more meaningful.

By now, you’ve likely read at least something about the changes Facebook is making to the algorithm that determines what you see in your News Feed. Facebook’s aim, as stated by founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is to focus on more “meaningful social interactions.” Of course, pretty much all t...

01/18/2018

TFW your favorite museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, shares an emoji pack from the incomparable Laura Owens... 😍✨

Now available on the App Store: iMessage stickers by Laura Owens. The artist based the set of 50 emojis on a series of hand-carved, glazed porcelain sculptures she created in 2015. Download the pack now for free. Happy texting, all! https://apple.co/2Ba757O

11/21/2017

Our friends at BoulderTalks put together a handy digital toolkit designed to encourage Thanksgiving conversations around contemporary environmental events, and to honor the best of the holiday season! Click the link to learn more.

At Common People United, we like to focus on “work that matters.” Usually, that phrase is in reference to our own work or our clients’ work. But sometimes, we just have to stop and take note of others who are doing important work, especially if it involves digital tools.