Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work
As I have grown in my career in training and development, I found that I was most passionate about engaging with people in accessible, inclusive, and mindful ways. I also have been keen on starting and continuing conversations that address and investigate people’s experiences with whiteness, and what kind of power/privilege that gives us to support and uplift and partner with Communities of Color.
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At 82i, I have been enthusiastically involved in driving DEI initiatives and fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity.
To enrich our company culture, I've overseen a series of initiatives like the introduction of "Founder Fridays," an interactive series where we invite successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences, challenges, and insights. Our first session with Valentina Milanova, the founder of Daye, was met with great enthusiasm, and we are thrilled to continue learning from diverse leaders in the future.
I've also been heavily involved in creating unique and meaningful DEI posts for specific celebrations like Juneteenth, Pride Month, Filipino Independence Day, and the Fourth of July. These posts aim to foster an environment of understanding, acceptance, and celebration of diversity, honoring the varied backgrounds and experiences of our team members. These posts have not only been a medium of awareness but also an invitation for open discussions and sharing of experiences.
Moving forward, I plan to extend our DEI efforts by initiating programs that encourage ongoing learning and understanding. Inspired by my previous experience, I aim to start a DEI Committee and ERGs at 82i, as well as an "82i Learn" series where we explore various topics related to DEI, wellness, and more. I also aim to provide office hours for the team to provide a safe and open space for our team to express their feelings, discuss concerns, and ask questions related to the happenings in the world and their impact. I am committed to creating a culture that is not only diverse and inclusive but also fosters continuous learning, growth, and support for every member of our 82i team.
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While at BenchPrep, I was a founding member of our company’s DEI committee.
During the pandemic, I hosted office hours during the George Floyd protests to allow for folks to discuss their feelings, their worries, and their questions in a safe and open space. In these meetings, I often provided folks with resources on donations, allyships, and calls to action in the local Chicago area.
I also co-started and frequently authored a monthly newsletter series that featured various disenfranchised groups across the United States, such as AAPI Americans, Black Americans, Jewish Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, and more. Throughout each month, I engaged our company in discussions of different media sources on Slack and hosted movie and discussion sessions.
Most recently at BenchPrep, I started off our “Learn Something” series, where I led a presentation on Mindfulness and DEI in the Workplace, following my 200-hour yoga teaching certification; after this session, I hosted a monthly meditation session for the company.
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Outside of my career in training and development, I am an avid theatremaker and creative.
For Alliance for Jewish Theatre, an organization on which I currently serve on the Executive Board and as Board Secretary, I started our social media hashtag #TikkunOlamInTheatre, where I would find and share content and conversations for the Jewish theatre community on resources for Jews of Color, as well as Jewish BiPOC, women, and queer folks. I also sit DEI Committee under our Board, to ensure the practices of AJT are inclusive, fair, and representative of the breadth of Jewish theatremakers.
For my theatre company in Chicago, the Conspirators, I led the charge and planned our company’s first ever Anti-Racism Training Session, where I researched various organizations providing this training for arts organizations, met with and analyzed the merits of each organization, and eventually coordinated our two sessions with the company. Following the session, I designed and hosted an informal discussion session on racism. The trainings and discussion were well attended and have since informed the casting, audition, and inter-company practices of my theater company.
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Outline for Anti-Racism Discussion
I put together an outline that theatre companies could utilize as they plan out anti-racism discussions with their community, company, and collaborators. This outline can also be adapted for most organizations and groups.
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Monthly DEI Newsletters
On a monthly basis, I worked with the DEI Committee to write and distribute an e-newsletter for BenchPrep to celebrate and honor disenfranchised groups in the US each month. You’ll find examples from Women’s History Month, Autism Acceptance Month & Celebrate Diversity Month, and Jewish American Heritage Month.
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Mindfulness in the Workplace Presentation
After completing my Yoga Teacher Training from The Lab Yoga, I realized that the tools of yoga and mindfulness could lead to a sense of elevated community, improve focus and concentration, strengthen soft skills and communication, and foster positive environments— all wonderful qualities to have in a workplace environment. I gave a company-wide presentation that dived into what kinds of lessons and science my team could pull from mindfulness to make us better employees, managers, and human beings overall.
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Access & Usability Presentation
In my Access and Usability presentation for my Digital Humanities program, I explored and created resources on disability and accessibility studies for designers.
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Social Justice Learning Opportunities Reference Document
I created a document of free and paid resources for social justice learning opportunities during the pandemic to be utilized by folks working in arts and nonprofit organizations.
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Ethics and Representation Response
During my Digital Humanities studies at Loyola, I wrote about how UX design adversely affects Black folks, LGBTQ+, and women, and how designers can be more conscious of including often excluded perspectives.
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Tikkun Olam In Theatre Social Media Series
I started Alliance for Jewish Theatre’s recurring social media series, #TikkunOlamInTheatre, in which I shared content and conversations around resources for Jews of Color, BiPOC, women, and queer folks in the Jewish theatre community.