Meet Duane Cobb

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Duane Cobb. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Duane below.

Duane , thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I’ve been the only one who looked like me in the room since I was 8yrs old.

I was a post-civil rights child of the 70’s, bused to some of the most affluent neighborhoods in Los Angeles and California from childhood through college, solely based on my aptitude and individual academic & athletic performance.

Post college, I remained one of the only persons in the room into my professional life. I’ve thrived and excelled throughout, due to a combination of belief and support from family and an innate curiosity and ferocity to compete at the highest levels.

Whether it was a form of benevolent underestimation or outright bigoted expectations of less, inherently, I always knew my worth and what I was capable of, and how I expected… demanded to be treated.

When I arrived at Brentwood Science Magnet in the fall of 1980 as a 3rd grader, faculty did not know what to make of me. I was reading at an 8th grade level and performing math at the 6th grade level. Initially, I was labeled problematic by my first instructor and sent to the Principal’s office for my first three days of instruction. It was only on the fourth day, with a new insightful instructor, was I seen for who I was. I was tested and found to be a gifted student who’s interest could not be held by the normal curriculum. The Principal was wildly apologetic to my Mother, the two forming a friendship that would last for decades, and setting a bar of infinite potential I have strived since to satiate and share with others. Beginning as an educator for over two decades with LAUSD, then as an executive in the public sector assisting municipalities and non-profits, I have always been my best self in the service of helping others become their best selves.

Just like that teacher did for me so many years ago, my vocation, regardless of my specific role has been in eliminating the barriers that keep us from becoming who we truly are.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Presently, my passion lies in my consulting work with TEC Leimert. TEC Leimert is a non-profit providing workforce training verticals at the intersection of technology and entertainment for the South Central Los Angeles neighborhood of Leimert Park. I serve in a multitude of positions for TEC Leimert. Primarily I serve in the role of Organizational Development Director, providing human resources, organizational, and operational guidance & leadership. Additionally, from my past career as a curriculum writer, advisor, and former Vice Principal with LAUSD, I am able to develop new, and refine existing, curricula within our verticals for more meaningful instruction, certificate-generating, and 21st century career-ready individuals to help combat the loss of entertainment and technology roles from southern California. Furthermore, along with our entertainment (Disney, Sony, Paramount, etc.) and technology (Google, Serrato, 100 Thieves, etc.) partners, I have produced panels at our annual conferences, bringing industry executives, creatives, and insiders into direct contact with the TEC Leimert population. Presently, I am working with LA28, the committee supporting the Olympic games in Los Angeles in 2028, to provide exposure and economic opportunities for our TEC Leimert populations.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I was an only-child, latchkey kid. When not in school or playing sports, I spent most of of my time, and virtually every summer, alone in my room with cable T.V. a VCR, books, magazines, comics, and a complete encyclopedia set. It was all I needed.

First, I was a natural dreamer. I was a voracious reader and viewer of all stories, from the small & familiar to the humongous and fantastic. There was never anything I couldn’t imagine in the world or for myself.

Second, I was supremely curious. If ever reading a story or watching a film and encountering a word or concept I was unaware of, I would become consumed with becoming an instant subject matter expert on the matter. This skill benefitted me not only in school and general trivia, but also as a researcher and developer of lessons and operational structures for others in my professional life.

Third, I was never ashamed of being a neophyte and working hard while others played. I realized early on that being erudite wasn’t nearly enough. I needed to be willing to do what others were unwilling to do in order to stand out. Eventually, it became a habit of overperforming, organically evolving into effortlessly & regularly doing what others were simply unable to do.

My work now focuses on helping others find and maximize their paths. Everyone may not be a dreamer or naturally curious. But once their interests & abilities are exposed and nurtured, I am able to impart the work ethic necessary in order to maximize their individual journey.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Presently, investors and employers within the technology and entertainment spaces of southern California are who most I am seeking to partner. Investors and VC’s in the local technology and entertainment spaces with vested interests in providing seeding, specialized industry certifications, and career opportunities to local underrepresented talent in order for these industries remain uniquely dynamic and prominent in southern California.

With TEC Leimert, we have a number of workforce verticals at the forefront, including social media marketing, advanced audio training, video game development, apparel design, motion-capture and affordable studio production solutions.

We look forward to the opportunity to build new relationships to further synergize with our current entertainment (Disney, Sony, Paramount, etc.) and technology (Google, Linked-In, 100 Thieves, Serrato, etc.) partners, to better serve not only South Los Angeles, but the industries surrounding us for the foreseeable future and beyond.

https://www.tecleimert.org/
duane@tecleimert.org

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