The last time I was in Indianapolis, I became the first woman to race the road course at Indy (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) — in a Ferrari Challenge support race on a Formula One (F-1) weekend, no less. Although I did not know it at the time.
So, when I heard about a national conference of adult educators being held in Indianapolis, I thought it was the perfect location.
Are you wondering, “What is the connection?”
In racing, people focus on the driver. The one in the car. The one who crosses the finish line. But, that is not how racing works. No driver is alone — there is always a team with us. Plus, we are constantly learning — from coaches, from other drivers, from trying something new. And, adapting — to changing conditions, new technology, more experience.
There is an old racing axiom,
To finish first, first you must finish.
But, even more basic … you cannot finish if you do not start. And, for many adult learners, starting is the hardest part. Some are doing it for the first time. Some are trying again. All are stepping into something uncertain. For some, it is scary. For others, it is exciting. Often, it is both. No different than when I go to a new track.
There are many similarities between racing and adult education. So, if I could provide adult educators with just one takeaway, it would be this,
You are an integral part of the student’s “crew” … You are often the reason people start. You make sure they are not alone when they do. You help them get to the finish. And, without you, they might never get out of neutral.
So, throttle on.
Long before we had an ABOUT page, readers met Black through the back flap of our bestselling book, What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired!and Got Fired! But a lot has happened since Neiman Marcus launched our book, including countless Red & Black adventures and detours.
Surprisingly, little about Black has changed.
WHAT WE SAID THEN
Black picked the photo, and our book editor summarized Black in about 80 words:
Black is all business. With an MBA in international Finance, she retired before she was 40 from a successful career in the oil and gas industry. She has been involved with The Make-A-Wish Foundation for over 20 years and has raised over $1 million. But without a day job, her life did not provide enough excitement and challenge, so she began racing cars. Black, the ultimate pragmatic, lives in Houston where she approaches everything with high-speed intensity and determination.
WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW THEN …
We knew Black was all business. We didn’t know that, instead of becoming the basis of a sitcom, our book would take us into the world of education … and then criminal justice.
We knew racing would always be part of Black’s story. We didn’t know that her experiences racing Porsches and Ferraris would inspire countless car and racing analogies about navigating life.
We knew Make-A-Wish mattered to her. We probably should have known that she would still be involved decades later, and that the amount she has raised would continue to grow (it’s now approaching $2 million).
And we described Black as “the ultimate pragmatic.” Well, no update required.
AND THERE’S A STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO …
We have no shortage of stories, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this isn’t just an ordinary photo. It was taken by artist and sculptor Fletcher Benton in 2003, when he came to cheer Black on during the Ferrari Challenge races at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.
So, how did an internationally recognized artist end up at one of Black’s races? Although neither of them knew it at the time, years earlier, Fletcher and Black had both been racing at the same Porsche event. But they didn’t actually meet until Black started collecting art and spotted his race car at his studio.
And that may be the real story behind the photo — how so many seemingly separate parts of Black’s life have ended up connecting.
A lot has changed since 2009. Black being Black isn’t one of those things.
Long before we had an ABOUT page, readers met Red not only through the back flap of our bestselling book, What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired!, but because her crisis was the book’s title! But a lot has happened since Black turned her crisis into a book — a brand — a business. Including a lot of growing up.
And Red? Still warm and fuzzy. Just a lot less sheltered.
WHAT WE SAID THEN
When we started working on the book, Red couldn’t find a photo of her and the girls, so they posed for one in the fall of 2004. Later, our book editor captured Red this way:
After getting a degree in Theater Arts, Red moved back in with her parents until she married an outgoing Englishman and followed his career around the globe. Now she lives in Sugar Land, a suburban city on the outskirts of Houston, Texas. Red is a warm and fuzzy mom whose life revolves around her two red-headed girls. With Red, it's all about the feelings.
WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW THEN …
We knew Red was used to letting others take the lead. We didn’t know that once she took control, she’d discover how much she was capable of.
We knew her life revolved around her two red-headed girls. We didn’t know how much growing up was still ahead — for them and for Red.
We knew Red had learned a lot when her husband got fired. We probably should have known she’d want to use what she learned to help others.
And we described Red as “warm and fuzzy” and “all about the feelings. ”Still true. She’s just learned that sometimes warm and fuzzy isn’t enough.
AND THERE’S A STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO …
What makes this seemingly ordinary photo remarkable? Red’s in front of the camera!
She was almost always the one behind the camera, so when we needed a photo of her for the book, it had to be staged. In fact, she’s not even sure who took the photo.
At the time, it was simply a photo we needed. Looking at it now, it’s more than that. It captured Red in the middle of the life she’d always dreamed about — and when her girls were still young and being their mom was the center of her world.
She knew they would grow up. She just didn’t know how quickly that picture would become a memory.
A lot has changed since that photo was taken. Including Red.