CHICAGO – Two speakers from the worlds of politicsand music inspired credit union executives attending CO-OPFinancial Services THINK 2013 conference.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker outlined his career and described hisupbringing as involved and surrounded, from a very early age, in a“conspiracy of love” that involved his parents, their friends andmany others.

This conspiracy of love helped his father go to college eventhough he spent much of his life so poor he was effectivelyhomeless, Booker recounted. It helped him launch his legal andpolitical career with people who did not let the reality they wereliving limit the vision they held in their hearts and minds forwhat could.

“I wanted to be sure to talk to you because I knew you wouldunderstand that,” Booker said. “You understand what it means tomake change every day in small ways, little ways that mount up tobuild something extraordinary.”

Credit unions as part of the conspiracy of love understand thatthey cannot give in to past failures or discouragement, Bookersaid, adding that credit unions can stand with their members andtheir communities by listening to them. Just as Booker getsmessages on Twitter from Newark citizens who spot potholes andother problems, credit unions can listen to their members abouttheir needs and issues.

Booker also acknowledged in the question and answer session thathe will likely run for the U.S. Senate, but he refrained fromformally announcing because, he explained, there is a protocol inNew Jersey that considers it bad form to declare for an office whenan election for another office is currently going on. New Jerseyvotes for governor this year.

Booker also said he and other students tried to start a creditunion while he was in law school but never got it off the groundbefore he had to leave.

The next speaker was singer Daria Musk, who gave the meetingunmistakable proof that social media can become a powerful ally inmaking disruptive change.

Musk, an up and coming singer, owes her career in a large partto Google and social media.

Musk told attendees the story of how she came to beone of the first musicians to use Google’s new Google Plus serviceto reach at first 10 and then hundreds and then thousands andmillions of listeners and eventual fans around the world. It was adream she said she had even before she had a clue that it couldeven be possible.

“For me, the music industry felt like a party that I was notonly not invited to but which was held in fortress with thedrawbridge drawn up and surrounded by man-eating alligators,” shetold the audience. “So I decided I had to crash the party and notonly crash the party but leave the door swinging open behindme.”

Musk proved to be a positive and disruptive influence forGoogle, which found itself moving forward with innovations toaccommodate musicians and others who wanted to present things towide audiences via Google Plus. The Internet giant also rolled outa app that let musicians use higher quality sound on the site.

“I didn’t know I couldn’t do what I did, so I just did it,” Musksaid, adding that credit unions should understand that authenticityis the new currency.

Musk performed three songs for the attendees as well.