Latest news with #2020Vision
Miami Herald
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘These stories can be a lifeline.' How a Miami creator found her mission on stage
As a 17-year-old, Gena Sims found inspiration while taking care of her sister. Now, she is sharing that inspiration with the world. 'Everyone has voice, whether or not they can easily speak.' Those words and lessons from growing up with her autistic sister helped set the course for helping others. Her vision became the Autism Theater Project, which she founded in 2014. 'The Autism Theater Project was created to inspire hope by sharing authentic stories of struggle, triumph, and resilience,' she says on her theater's website. A start at New World School of the Arts in Miami The 28-year-old Sims, who lives in Cutler Bay, found her passion for theater when she started the organization in her senior year of high school at New World School of the Arts in Miami. She then brought the program to college at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Sims produced her first play, 'In the Life of a Child,' at the university and graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting and musical theater in 2019. Since then, she has performed in an off-Broadway production of 'An Enchanted April,' opened for Oprah Winfrey's 2020 Vision tour, and continued her work and mission with her Autism Theater Project. The Miami-based organization, through its various theater productions and entertainment projects, continues the path Sims is paving for those on the spectrum. Besides Florida, members of the organization live in Nigeria, the Philippines, Canada and New York. 'We work very closely with people with disabilities who are exceptional at what they do, but who have also overcome exceptional obstacles in order to get to where they are,' Sims said in an interview with the Miami Herald in July. How the Autism Theater Project was born The theater program showcases lives on and off the spectrum in an authentic way, helping crew members and actors work on productions. 'In the Life of a Child' was one of the first productions developed through the program about Sims' sister. 'Accepting that a child will have a life different from what you imagined can be painful — but it's also incredibly eye-opening,' Sims said. 'I realized the world could benefit from understanding her perspective.' Her sister's autism diagnosis when she was 2 had a big impact on her family in the early 2000s. It was a heartbreaking time, but perseverance helped Sims' find inspiration. While her sister wasn't able to express herself in the same ways as others, seeing her get through her daily challenges helped form Sims' future mission. 'That realization fuels my mission to create positive, realistic portrayals of people with autism and their families, because for many, these stories can be a lifeline,' Sims said. On PBS South Florida In addition to live theater, the project has a new television series, 'The Voice Inside,' which discusses grief, trauma and growing up against the odds. 'Oftentimes, people with disabilities are overlooked or not given the same opportunities. However, this show has given actors and actresses with autism or who are neurodiverse a chance to be a part of something groundbreaking,' said Kaylah Taylor, a Miami actress who plays Lily in 'The Voice Inside.' 'The stories that the Autism Theater Project tells and the way it shows the realness of being a person on the spectrum really moves me,' Taylor said. The show, which has had its first three episodes featured on South Florida PBS and streaming on the station's YouTube page, aims to show audiences a realistic look at people who often aren't showcased in a three-dimensional way. It also helps to further one of the many goals of the organization. Jeneissy Azcuy, vice president of communications at South Florida PBS, said the show came to the station's attention in a routine way — but that the content was anything but routine. ''The Voice Inside' was submitted to South Florida PBS through our submissions process. At first, we were mostly intrigued by the concept: a dramatic series about young people dealing with being on the autism spectrum — performed, written and produced by, among others, people on the autism spectrum,' she said. 'As we found out more about the series and saw actual episodes, we were very impressed by the compelling nature of the programs and the quality of the production,' Azcuy said. 'We heard it won top awards at film festivals and thought it would be an excellent fit for the South Florida PBS audience.' With the productions, talent that can often be overlooked can find a way into the spotlight. 'It's important that we're here in South Florida as we feel that there's so much potential for the entertainment industry here,' Sims said. 'Our goal is to get to the point where we have the funding to be able to create these professional and competitive jobs that can change people's lives, whether they have a disability or not.' If you go to ATP Music concert Upcoming events for the Autism Theater Project include a new music program, 'ATP Music'. On July 18, in collaboration with the South Beach Jazz Festival, 'ATP Music' will host a full-length concert as a part of the summer series, 'ATP Voices.' When: 7:30 p.m. July 18Where: Euclid Oval, 660 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139Cost: Free If you can't see the form below, click here to fill it out.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ABM Stock Surges 7%: Transformation, Strategic Moves Drive Gains
ABM ABM climbed 7% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 6% rally. This performance is partly due to a disciplined transformation strategy that's reshaped the company from the inside out. In 2015, ABM launched its bold transformation blueprint — dubbed the 2020 Vision — with a clear mission: to drive long-term, profitable growth through a streamlined, industry-focused operating model. The company centralized functions, built out sales infrastructure and standardized service delivery across high-demand verticals, including janitorial, engineering, HVAC, energy, and mission-critical services, becoming a more agile operator. In 2021, it launched ELEVATE, a next-gen strategic plan focused on digitization, data, and workforce development. The impact is stronger client traction and operational scalability. ABM Industries Incorporated price | ABM Industries Incorporated Quote ABM's 2024 acquisition of Quality Uptime marked a significant shift in the rapidly growing data center space. As AI demand spikes, so does the need for reliable, mission-critical infrastructure. Quality Uptime brings with it capabilities in electrical testing, UPS and breaker maintenance, and power distribution, critical systems for AI-driven facilities. This move elevates ABM to a full-suite provider for data centers, unlocking high-margin growth potential in one of the fastest-expanding segments of the tech industry. ABM is not just growing, it's rewarding. In fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024, the company distributed dividends of $51.9 million, $57.5 million, and $56.5 million, respectively. Additionally, it returned $97.5 million, $138.1 million, and $56.1 million through share repurchases in fiscal 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. These actions reflect ABM's dedication to enhancing shareholder value and its confidence in the business's long-term potential. With a current ratio of 1.52 versus the industry average of 1.31, ABM maintains a solid financial footing. Its strong liquidity ensures operational agility and reinforces investor confidence, especially in volatile market conditions. ABM has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. Some other top-ranked stocks from the broader Zacks Business Services sector are Marqeta MQ and SPX Technologies SPXC, carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Marqeta has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 28%. MQ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24.4% on average. SPX Technologies has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 18%. SPXC delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.3% on average. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) : Free Stock Analysis Report SPX Technologies, Inc. (SPXC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marqeta, Inc. (MQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
2 Disney Imagineers dreamed of retiring in Thailand. Their journey didn't go quite as planned.
Eleven years ago, Jameel Haiat and Hilcia Peña set a goal of quitting their jobs and living life on their own terms. The couple even picked a date to make it real and gave the name a plan: "2020 Vision." Haiat, a production designer, was born and raised in Los Angeles. His partner, Peña, is an architect who grew up in California. In 2014, the couple was based abroad in Shanghai, where they both worked for Walt Disney Imagineering. "We were always trying to figure out how we could leave this corporate world and be more creative," Peña, now 39, told Business Insider. It was during their years in China that the idea of retiring abroad first took root. "We had the opportunity to travel all over Southeast Asia, and Thailand we loved because it had good infrastructure, good healthcare, and was really affordable," Peña said. "We could see how our money could go a lot further." They decided 2020 Vision would go into effect on February 20, 2020. "We said that on that day, no matter where we are in the world, whatever we're doing, we're going to send an email out that says, 'We're sorry for your loss.' And then we quit," Haiat, now 59, told BI. Moving abroad By the time their February 2020 deadline rolled around, they were both based back in the US. But 2020 Vision didn't go quite as planned. "We never sent the emails because everything came to fruition as we had hoped," Haiat said. Peña was offered a new opportunity with Disney — this time in Hong Kong. The opportunity to relocate to Hong Kong felt like a step toward their goal of retiring abroad. It helped that the company was paying for their move, so she accepted the job. Haiat, who was laid off when his project wrapped, joined as a trailing spouse. In 2023, after Peña wrapped up her final project, the couple moved from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai, about 450 miles north of Bangkok. The boutique hotel chapter In recent years, Chiang Mai has become a popular destination for expats, like Haiat and Peña, who are looking to relocate. Data from the Bureau of Registration Administration of Thailand indicates that there were 163,036 foreigners living in Chiang Mai province in 2024, up from 131,761 in 2017. Several expats in Chiang Mai previously told BI that they were drawn to the area's safety, lower cost of living, and laid-back lifestyle. For the couple, life in northern Thailand afforded them the freedom to indulge in their creative passions — reading, writing poetry, and making art. It also opened up an unexpected opportunity to pursue a second career during retirement as hoteliers. "One day on Facebook, I saw this hotel. I was like, 'Oh wow. Let's just go look at it.' Because, architecturally, it looked really pretty," Haiat said. The hotel, owned by a Thai-Dutch couple, featured a main building and five stand-alone villas surrounded by lush rice fields. They had no intention of taking over the property until they were on the drive back home. "We started saying, 'Wow, what if?' And that was it. We got sucked into the world of it, and then we committed," Haiat said. The couple decided to lease the hotel with the option to buy it. The monthly rent was 110,000 Thai baht. The property needed a lot of work. By tapping into their backgrounds in design and architecture, they transformed the hotel. The couple moved onto the property, into a three-bedroom apartment in the main building. But eight months after the hotel started operating, the couple decided to close it down. The week they decided to commit to leasing the hotel, Haiat found out he had throat cancer. Despite the diagnosis, they decided to go ahead with the hotel project. "We didn't know what would happen, so we stuck with it," Haiat said. However, caring for their guests turned into a round-the-clock affair, keeping him from focusing on his recovery. "We finally determined that it was just too hard on my body and I'm never going to really recover until we just kind of stop doing this," Haiat said. Haiat is in remission, but he still experiences side effects from radiation therapy, including the daily challenge of getting nutrition through a gastric tube. "This will most likely be for life," he said. Low cost of living, great healthcare The couple broke their lease with the hotel owners late last year. They closed the hotel on the last day of December. Now, they're back to their creative pursuits and designing their own house. Once that's ready, the couple plans to move out of the hotel. The lower cost of living in Chiang Mai has been a great relief, the couple says. Every month, they spend 7,500 Thai baht on medical insurance, 3,000 Thai baht on gas, and about 29,000 Thai baht on food — including special formula Haiat needs for his feeding tube. They also say they're grateful for Chiang Mai's healthcare system. "I never felt more comfortable and more welcomed by the nurses, the staff, the doctors. Everybody speaks basic English. And if we ask questions, they explain," Haiat said. There's a dedicated counter to guide foreign patients through the medical system, helping with processes like insurance approval, Peña said. "That would never happen in the US," Haiat said. "They see you as a dollar symbol. Here, people see you as a patient." 'Every day is our Saturday' Despite all of the challenges they've experienced, the couple says their life in Chiang Mai is going "in the direction" they dreamed of years ago. "I think it's turned out better than we expected, even with the cancer," Haiat said. "I'm going to be 60, and I've never been more creative in my entire life than I have been in this last year." Now, they're no longer bogged down by the mundanities of corporate life. "At work, you think about, 'What do I have to do tomorrow for work? Who do I have to call? What do I have to email? What's my schedule? What's my deadline?'" Haiat said. "Here, we don't have that. We wake up every day, and we don't even know what day it is. We say every day is our Saturday." The slower pace of life has also been good for her mental health, Peña said. She no longer gets Sunday blues. "Now I sleep, and the birds wake me up. I don't even have an alarm," she added. Despite ongoing health challenges, Haiat feels like they are in the right place. "It still is the best we've ever lived our lives. Despite the fact that I have the gastric tube and all these, I still wouldn't exchange any of this to be anywhere else except where we are right now, living the life we do," he said.
