Thank you for your support and engagement with the D&I Digest. This digest is designed to be used as a learning resource throughout the quarter for County employees. At your leisure, please enjoy the content our D&I champions have helped source.

“We don't accomplish anything in this world alone... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads form one to another that creates something. ” - Sandra Day O'Connor

DIGEST CONTENTS:

Stories of US

• TED Ed: The power of encouragement (11:05)
• TED: How to start a movement (2:58)
• PBS Short Film Festival 2021: Ms Diva Trucker (13:11)

Connecting the Dots

Bridging

• Article: Bridging & Belonging
• Video: Bridging: Towards A Society Built on Belonging

Exploration Zone

Podcasts

• StoryCorps: “If you need me to hold your hand, I’m there” (1:51 min)
• Ted Radio Hour: A.J. Jacobs: How Can We Thank Those We Take for Granted? (14 min)

Articles

• Wichita Mom: Practicing the Art of Uplifting & Encouraging Others
• Matt McWilliams: How to Encourage Others and Inspire Your Followers

Webinars/Trainings

• Open Sesame: Microaggressions: Hidden messages and the micro-interventions that disarm them

Schentel Jones is a Higher Education professional and the creator of Highly Happie. Through life-changing experiences, she discovered the unshakeable power of encouragement and was motivated to create Highly Happie because of her deeply rooted passion to uplift and empower others.

As a professional in Higher Education, she empowers those around her to be extraordinary leaders. Her career in Higher Education has allowed her the amazing opportunity to present motivational speeches, host training events and promote the development of college students as they journey down the path of success. It is a pleasure to witness others accomplish incredible goals and she is devoted to encouraging them along the way.

With help from some surprising footage, Derek Sivers explains how movements really get started. (Hint: it takes two.)

A long-haul trucker turns to YouTube to combat loneliness and social isolation. Under the handle “MsDivaTrucker43,” she discovers a supportive community of women who share her struggles of life in the margins. It is difficult for women in an industry that is 96% male to see themselves succeeding. Tamara's words of wisdom and encouragement offer women a model and a path forward.

CONNECTING THE DOTS: BRIDGING

A rising tide of social unrest, buoyed by racial and cultural bias and polarizing political events, has divided communities across the United States, including San Diego. And although much work is being done at the County of San Diego to recognize implicit bias and microaggressions, restore respect and trust and promote equity, this divide makes it difficult to create important community connections.

This quarter, the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Team is highlighting the concept of “bridging” and sharing resources that can help us close the gap and strengthen those connections. Each time we make the choice to interact with someone new, to share ideas, interests or beliefs, we invite in opportunities to create a larger network of diverse perspectives – in essence, we create a bridge that shortens the distance between our differences. Bridging allows us to see the benefits of our diversity and asks us to focus on our shared humanity. When we fully engage with bridging, we transition away from the notion of “them” (othering) and seek out ways to strengthen “us” (belonging and inclusion).

We are demonstrating this right now in how we are implementing the Board’s Framework for the Future that broadly seeks input from our wonderfully diverse community and County team. Focusing on our shared humanity supports a deeper understanding and helps us to respond intentionally, learning and growing as individuals and County professionals. This is encouraging. Working together toward our shared humanity will help us all become better public servants, colleagues and neighbors. To learn more about bridging, please visit the links below.

Definition: Bridging is connecting with someone or a group who's different on some important characteristic to you and the group(s) you belong to.

Bridging is responding to changes as an opportunity. It calls to put aside “us vs. them” narratives to imagine a larger, more inclusive "we." It does not mean abandoning your identity. Bridging is acknowledging our shared humanity, rejecting that there is a "them," and moving towards a future where there is instead a new "us." When bridging occurs, we not only open up to others; we also open up to a change within ourselves. (Adapted from the Othering and Belonging Institute)

- Sarah Aghassi, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer LUEG and D&I Executive Council Member

Definition:

Bridging is connecting with someone or a group who's different on some important characteristic to you and the group(s) you belong to.

Bridging is responding to changes as an opportunity. It calls to put aside “us vs. them” narratives to imagine a larger, more inclusive "we." It does not mean abandoning your identity. Bridging is acknowledging our shared humanity, rejecting that there is a "them," and moving towards a future where there is instead a new "us." When bridging occurs, we not only open up to others; we also open up to a change within ourselves. (Adapted from the Othering and Belonging Institute)

Resources:

Article: Bridging & Belonging

Story Pods

Story Pods is a County podcast of the stories of us. Creating spaces for belonging and connection by highlighting stories around the County.

Episode 1: 3 Generations of Roadcrew (27 min)

In this first episode, Taryell Simmons along with Dr. Keisha Clark reconnect with 3 generations of black road crew supervisors (past and present: elder, Elbert Singleton, Reginald & Les, and current DPW supervisors, Moe & Terrence) who were first introduced to us during the 2020 listening sessions following the murder of George Floyd. Our 3 generations of roadcrew share the journey of their careers with the County of San Diego including the journey of becoming the only black road crew supervisor (then and now) and the gentlemen’s thoughts about what it will take to help advance equity, diversity & inclusion for future generations.

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