Non-Native English Speakers Support Association, (NESSA)
Wednesday, Dec. 13 | 3:00 p.m.
If you would like to attend a NESSA (Non-Native English Speakers Support Association) meeting please reach out to me or Padma Vemula and we will happily add you to the invite list.
Our first 30-minute drop-in session will start! These will continue on the third Tuesday of each month. This will be a quick crash course on topics relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, or justice in the workplace. (If you have a topic you'd like to see me cover, slack me, email me, or slide a note under my office door!)
Thursday, Nov. 9 | 3:00 p.m.
Join the Safe Space Sub-committee (a part of the Action Team) contact me for more information.
This month we are discussing the many changes to hit bIT in the past year and how it has impacted our community. From folx, leaving, retiring, or transferring we recognize change, although a constant, can be difficult.
Non-Native English Speakers Support Association, (NESSA)
Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 3:00 p.m.
Please contact me or Padma Vemula (pvemula@berkeley.edu) if you would like to join our meeting.
Thursday, Sept. 28 | 3:00 pm | Watch Video
Neurodiversity is often misunderstood, poorly defined, or even ignored in the workplace. The umbrella term represents the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population. This panel will share their personal experiences about navigating neurodiversity in the workplace. We will engage in an open discussion about the definition of neurodiversity, the benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace, and the accommodations employers can provide to neurodivergent employees. We welcome questions from the audience and look forward to our conversations. Moderator: Alyssa Kavner (she/they), Vice President of Clinical Training at Easter Seals Panel Members: Ellen McNicoll (she/her), Stephanie Sinn (she/her), Nicole Meyer (she/her).
Non-Native English Speakers Support Association, (NESSA)
Wednesday, Sept. 27 | 3:00 p.m.
Please contact me or Padma Vemula (pvemula@berkeley.edu) if you would like to join our meeting.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 4:00 p.m.
This session will focus on the current events that have been impacting our communities recently.
Safe Space: A Monthly Drop-in Session to Acknowledge, Process, Humanize, & Restore
Monday, Aug. 31 | 4:00 p.m.
We are more than just "our work" here at bIT. When there is tragedy in our communities we are deeply impacted. When others suffer, the collective human body is set back from our progress forward. We need to normalize making space for our staff to be human.
Join us for our monthly drop-in session to discuss or just listen about matters that are impacting our world.
Each drop-in session will have a specific topic and be loosely planned for the purpose of;
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Allowing you to know if a topic will be too provoking or anxiety inducing for you to discuss in a group
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To keep drop-in sessions somewhat structured since we only have 45 minutes
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To help keep it a psychologically safe space
This session will focus on Zoom and hybrid work culture.
(*This is not a therapy session. This is a space where we can engage in discussion and acknowledge some of the difficulties happening in our society.)
Non-Native English Speakers Support Association, (NESSA)
Tuesday, Aug. 15 | 2:00 p.m.
This was the first meeting but it's not too late to join. If you are interested, reach out to Britt McClintock or Padma Vemula and we would be thrilled to add you to the next invite!
Safe Space: A Monthly Drop-in Session to Acknowledge, Process, Humanize, & Restore
Monday, July, 24 | 3 - 4:00 p.m.
We are more than just "our work" here at bIT. When there is tragedy in our communities we are deeply impacted. When others suffer, the collective human body is set back from our progress forward. We need to normalize making space for our staff to be human.
Join us for our monthly drop-in session to discuss or just listen about matters that are impacting our world.
Each drop-in session will have a specific topic and be loosely planned for the purpose of;
-
Allowing you to know if a topic will be too provoking or anxiety inducing for you to discuss in a group
-
To keep drop-in sessions somewhat structured since we only have 45 minutes
-
To help keep it a psychologically safe space
This session will focus on the most recent Supreme Court decision around Affirmative Action.
(*This is not a therapy session. This is a space where we can engage in discussion and acknowledge some of the difficulties happening in our society.)
Thursday, June, 15 | 3:00 p.m. | Website: hey-wes.com | Instagram: @hey_wes_ | Watch Video
Safe Space: A Monthly Drop-in Session to Acknowledge, Process, Humanize, & Restore
Thursday, May, 25 | 4 - 5:00 p.m.
We are more than just "our work" here at bIT. When there is tragedy in our communities we are deeply impacted. When others suffer, the collective human body is set back from our progress forward. We need to normalize making space for our staff to be human.
Join us for our monthly drop-in session to discuss or just listen about matters that are impacting our world.
Each drop-in session will have a specific topic and be loosely planned for the purpose of;
-
Allowing you to know if a topic will be too provoking or anxiety inducing for you to discuss in a group
-
To keep drop-in sessions somewhat structured since we only have 45 minutes
-
To help keep it a psychologically safe space
The May 25 session will be around the topic of the recent mass shootings.
(*This is not a therapy session. This is a space where we can engage in discussion and acknowledge some of the difficulties happening in our society.)
The Non-Native Speakers Paradox: Speak English, Can with Padma Vemula
Tuesday, May, 2 | 3:30 p.m. | watch the video
In this conversation, Padma Vemula shares her lived experiences and thoughts on creating an inclusive workplace for Non-Native English speakers as they often face linguistic and cultural barriers that can hinder their ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with colleagues. By promoting inclusivity and diversity, as a higher education institution we can not only enhance the overall work environment but can also leverage the unique perspectives and talents of all employees.
Berkeley IT Women’s Panel
March 16, 2023 |1-2 p.m. | watch the video
Join us for this panel discussion where we will highlight, appreciate, and hear about the experiences of women from our IT community. Panelists include Colette Jackson, Adrianne Mann, and Jenn Stringer, moderated by Jeané Blunt.
Insights to Belonging: A Conversation with Pilar McQuirter
Feb. 28, 2023 | 3 - 4:30 p.m. | watch Pilar McQuirter's talk
Cultural Strategy Director, Pilar McQuirter (she/her), shared her observations planning creative experiences for world-renowned brands and marketing agencies. She unpacked the challenges of creating successful work in these environments and how belonging can be the key to creating great work together. In the end, we learned from her approach for connecting with diverse audiences so that we can unlock more connection and belonging in your world.
Culture & Technology Related to Afrofuturism with Nyame Brown.
Feb. 21, 2023 |12:05 - 12:55 p.m. | watch Nyame Brown's talk
Brown, a local to the Bay Area is an Afrofuturist installation artist working in the media of painting, drawing, cut paper, blackboards, augmented reality, gaming, and fashion. His work addresses the Black imagination as a space for new ways to perceive the Diaspora as trans-Atlantic, psychic, and imagined—not just through unity and similarity, but by looking at the dynamics of difference.
From a Hispanic Serving Institution to a Latinx- thriving University: What are the Implications for IT?
Dec. 7, 2022 |10 - 11:30 a.m. | view/print poster | watch Dr. Figueroa's talk