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Recent Projects:
Channel
17Latin American Montessori Bilingual (LAMB) School
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Barkada
Consulting NetworkBackground
Since 1991, Dr. Balón has served as consultant, speaker, and facilitator for colleges, school systems, community- and faith-based organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and youth groups on topics such as: diversity awareness, cultural competence, social justice, intergroup dialogue, cross-cultural leadership and social change, trainer/facilitator effectiveness, leadership styles, organization development, group dynamics, and teambuilding. He is founder and president of the Barkada Consulting Network, a social change organization that empowers difference-makers to build effective, inclusive, and caring communities.
Learn more about Dan and his background HERE
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“engaging,” “eye-opening,” “energizing,” “interactive,” “inspiring”
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Barkada Philosophy
Barkada is the Tagalog/Pilipino word for a “group of friends” or as I like to call my “community circle.” In my life, I have come in contact with so many different types of people who have shaped my views of the world in so many ways. I do not take this for granted. Through the years, not only has barkada represented the ideals of friendship; it also depicts the most genuine form of interaction with those around me. My constantly growing barkada keeps me energized and focused on the relationships we form and the commitments we make as we engage in the work of empowering individuals and groups for socially good and socially just purposes.
A commitment to barkada is central to my work. In dialogue, it means: being real; knowing one’s self; trusting the process; remembering where one comes from; honoring and respecting the person; fundamental safety and risk by choice; listening to the story; and learning from each other. In teaching and training, it means: communal and individual learning goals; diverse learning styles; active participation; conversation with content; awareness for action; and shared commitments. In reflection, it means: we learned together; we enjoyed together; and we now act together.
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“catalytic,” “productive,” “focused,” “deeply personal,” “validating”
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Representative Past Clients and Project Partners
- Alexandria Volunteer Bureau, Alexandria, VA
- Arcadia University Storytellers Dialogue Peer Educators, Glenside, PA
- Asian American LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, And Development) Board of Directors, Washington, DC
- BearingPoint (formerly KPMG Consulting, Inc.) U.S. Coast Guard Civil Rights Project, Lorton, VA
- Coalition for Asian Pacific American Youth, Boston, MA
- College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
- Corporation for National and Community Service (w/ NorthWest Regional Education Laboratory), Portland, OR
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- The George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
- Shelter Network, Redwood City, CA
- United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, Washington, DC
- University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
For more complete list of clients and projects, click HERE
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What are participants saying about spending their time with Dan?
Find out by clicking HERE!