Become a Google Things To Do Beta Tester!

In March, news leaked out that Google would be launching a new program for activities and experiences operators called Google Things To Do. Redeam is a Google Things To Do launch partner, with a unique opportunity to bring a few qualified, early adopter operators into the beta test.

Interested in learning more about joining the Things To Do beta test?

EMAIL SALES@REDEAM TODAY!

 

Monai Rooney is the Executive Director of Big Break Foundation, which was founded in 2020.  After the murder of George Floyd, a greater spotlight was put on the need to diversify the stories being highlighted, the talent being hired, and the audience being reached by themed entertainment.  Big Break Foundation’s mission is to “shatter the systemic barriers within the location-based experience industry.”  Monai emphasized the importance of starting to create change within your spheres of influence and local communities before expanding to more areas.  That is why Big Break Foundation is starting with companies and facilities tied to amusement parks, museums, zoos, aquariums, family entertainment centers, live shows, and other related entertainment offerings.

She describes herself as a “professional do-good-er,” and she attributes this fact to her parents, who always “led with love.”  Monai and her brother are biracial and were the only students of color in their school in San Jose, California.  Later in life, Monai would attend college, but she chose not to finish because she preferred to learn new skills on-the-job.  Monai may have subconsciously fallen in love with themed entertainment during a two month long road trip that she took with her family when they moved from San Jose to Orlando, Florida when she was twelve.  On the way, they passed through 30 states, visited every Six Flags in the country, and went to tons of zoos, family entertainment centers, and museums.  At one point, she was getting sick of attractions and just wanted to swim in the hotel pool.  However, her family insisted that these were adventures that she would never forget.  Monai says that one of her first big breaks came when she started working at Give Kids the World Village.  Monai describes a “big break” as an opportunity to use your skills and experiences in a way that makes you shine instead of having to fit into someone else’s mold.  At Give Kids the World, Monai worked a variety of roles, including guest services and attractions.  Her second big break came when she was asked to lead Big Break Foundation as their Executive Director.  In her current role, Monai strives to create a more equitable and diverse themed entertainment industry where more people, especially those from marginalized communities, can find their big break.

One of Big Break Foundation’s current focuses is teaching an organization’s leadership about the importance of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, or IDEA.  One reason that Monai is focusing on educating those at the top of companies is because they are the ones making the highest-level decisions affecting their organizations.  Without their support and buy-in for organization-wide change, very little can be accomplished.  The information that the leaders learn will be trickled down to employees underneath them, which will lead to change throughout the organization.  Monai and her team start their leadership training by explaining the overwhelming, data-driven benefits to diversifying a company and amplifying a variety of different voices.  Then they dive into the psychology behind bias and how it is something that everyone has, no matter the environment in which they were raised.  After thoroughly explaining the “whats” and the “whys” of the need to focus on IDEA, Monai and her team dive into the “how.”  

One key question that a lot of people beginning this journey have is how to measure the change and how to know when the work is done.  The short answer is that a commitment to IDEA