EDI Digest: Embracing Independence

The latest EDI Digest is out! This interactive newsletter with a focus on empowerment and independence has curated videos, podcasts, and articles that will help educate, build connections and spark inclusive conversations. It is designed to be used as a learning resource throughout the quarter for County employees. 

Check out the Connecting the Dots section featuring our new Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and D&I Executive Council Member Dahvia Lynch. 

Explore it now (open in Edge).  

Rewind: Showcasing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Departments shared diversity and inclusion best practices at an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Showcase on Wednesday. Watch the recording to learn about the many creative, innovative and educational examples of fostering diversity and inclusion. 

Presentations were made by D&I champions from:

• Clerk of the Board of Supervisors

• HHSA IT Services

• Probation

• Public Works

Additional micro-learnings on department D&I efforts were briefly shared by Agriculture, Weights and Measures; Child and Family Well-Being; Planning & Development Services; Self-Sufficiency Services; Sheriff; and Strategy and Innovation.

 Watch it now.

Celebrating Pride: A New Milestone on Our Journey of Diversity and Inclusion

A message from the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council:

As we celebrate Pride this month, it's an ideal time for the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council to share the County team’s progress towards inclusivity and belonging. Our organization is dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Our latest milestone is the rollout of the Gender Identity feature in PeopleSoft, enhancing our mission to create an inclusive workplace.

This feature allows employees to update their gender identity using PeopleSoft Self-Service. It promotes a universally designed workplace, which creates environments that respect diversity and promote the inclusion of all people.

Check out the available video guide. For further assistance, contact your Departmental Human Resources Officer.

This new feature reaffirms our commitment to belonging and marks another significant milestone on this journey together as a County team.

The creation of a Pronouns Policy in April 2021 in collaboration with the LGBTQ & Allies Employee Resource Group marked a pivotal step, acknowledging the importance of pronouns in affirming someone's gender identity.

A collaboration by the Health and Human Services Agency and the Office of Equity and Racial Justice aimed to deepen our grasp of gender identity and pronouns. These resources help ensure a workplace for transgender and nonbinary individuals experience safety and affirmation. 

The knowledge and understanding deepened through events like the Inclusive Language and Communications Townhall, inviting County team members to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Earlier this year, the County Technology Office coordinated with the Human Resources Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team and the LGBTQ&A Employee Resource Group to introduce the ability to display pronouns in Microsoft Teams. It is another significant move towards inclusive communication.

Remember, at the County of San Diego, “You Belong Here!” And, we will continue to collaborate as a County team to create and celebrate a workplace where everyone is seen, respected, and celebrated for who they are. 

Happy Pride! 

Sincerely, 

D&I Executive Council: 
Smitha Arons, Senior Deputy County Counsel 
Natalia Bravo, Chief of Staff, Chief Administrative Office 
Susan Brazeau, Director, Department of Human Resources 
Dahvia Lynch, Director, Planning & Development Services 
Nadia Moshirian-Binderup, Special Assistant, Sheriff’s Department 
Andrew Potter, Clerk of the Board 
Andrew Strong, Director, Office of Equity and Racial Justice 
Michael Vu, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer 

EDI Digest Is Out!

The latest D&I Digest is out with a new name! Now called the EDI Digest, the interactive newsletter has the same great curated articles, videos, podcasts and webinars that will help educate, build connections and spark inclusive conversations.   

Check out the Connecting the Dots section featuring Senior Deputy County Counsel and D&I Executive Council Member Smitha R. Arons. 

Explore it now.  

Rewind: Fireside Chat on Cultural and Career Identities

Watch the Rewind video here.

Did you miss the Employee Resource Group Council’s “Fireside Chat” on cultural and career identities? You can now watch the virtual session on InSite.

The ERG Council’s Fireside Chats are quarterly sessions with County leadership on the secrets to their career success. This quarter, the Pacific Islander Society of County Employees (PISCE) employee resource group hosted a lively discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Financial Division Manager Loreta Ah-You-Fiame and Child and Family Well-Being Program Coordinator Liki Porotesano.

Resources from this session include:

• Post event survey

• Pacific Islander Society of County Employees

• All-ERG membership form

Othering & Belonging Conference Lessons

A message from the Office of Equity and Racial Justice:

In April, staff from three County departments attended the Othering & Belonging Conference in Oakland, California.

When the Office of Equity and Racial Justice was founded, the County partnered with the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley (OBI) to build the office’s foundation.

Fostering belonging, “the feeling of safety in being one’s authentic self,” is central to the County’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.

Presentations and panel discussions covered topics such as disability justice, public infrastructure, and food access. These sessions encouraged conversations about the practical application of belonging in various global contexts.

Mica Miragliotta was one of the OERJ staff who attended. They were impressed by the broad diversity of viewpoints and experience highlighted and how the event was integrated with the Oakland community.

Different from many traditional conferences, creative offerings such as dance, spoken word, and collaborative projects from local artists were integrated throughout the agenda.

According to Bethany Facendini, of the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice, these cultural experiences, “allowed me to open my heart and mind to perspectives that I had not previously considered.”

She noted that the conference provided concrete examples and inspiration for how to shift narratives, practices, and relationships towards belonging. This emphasis on connection versus othering is integral to the County’s focus on community engagement.

From the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Division at the Department of Human Resources, Holly Norton expressed that one message that resonated with her the most was from john a. powell (who spells his name lowercase).

He stated that many times our belonging is dependent on the othering of others. What we are moving towards is a belonging that is no longer dependent on anyone’s othering but where we all can belong. “That is a future I want to be part of and a future I think we are called to be part of as public servants,” Norton shared. 

You can access recordings of selected performances, panels, and presentations on the OBI Conference website. OBI also offers free online classes for those who want to learn more about belonging at OBI University.

The Importance of Our Neurodivergent Excellence Efforts

A message from the D&I Executive Council:

Every day, the County works to open doors to people who are neurodivergent. As we close Autism Acceptance Month, we want to share some of the facts about the County’s Neurodivergent Excellence Initiative.

The Neurodivergent Excellence Initiative was established by a Board of Supervisors directive. Launched February 2023, this ongoing effort seeks to increase the County’s outreach to and recruitment of neurodivergent individuals through a more inclusive recruitment process and equitable work environment. It is an enterprise-wide efforts where every department is challenged to expand opportunities for people with neurodivergence based on their unique operations and services..

Neurodivergence is a part of the human experience. Being aware of and acknowledging the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals and their families can help us be better colleagues, civil servants and community members.

Of all the neurodivergent conditions, people with autism experience the highest rates of unemployment and under-employment.

Autism is a neurodivergent condition characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior (Neurodivergent Excellence Terminology).

For example, some Autistic people may not have difficulties with communicating, but the way they process sensory information may be different and affect how they interact with others and the world around them (for more information, check out Sensory Differences).

Autism can also have cognitive advantages including superior creativity, focus, and memory with strong propensities towards honesty and dedication. The wide range of behaviors, challenges and strengths is why autism can be described as a “spectrum” because it shows up in lots of different ways for different people.

A couple of things to remember are:

1. If you’ve met one Autistic person, you’ve met one Autistic person. Each person’s experience is different.

2. Expanding your knowledge and embracing opportunities to decrease bias help increase spaces where all of us can thrive.

With every person’s experience being unique, there is no better way to learn about the variety of lived experiences for those on the spectrum than through their personal stories. A handful of those stories are below.

• Brian’s Story: Neurodivergent Excellence

• Lucy’s Story: World Autism Acceptance Week

• Stephen’s Story: Autism Acceptance Week - Real Life Options

• How to Make the Workplace More Accessible for Neurodiverse and Autistic People

• Different Listeners Listen Differently: Crossing the Neuro-cultural Divide

Dive deeper with this quarter’s EDI Digest on Neuro-inclusion. And stay tuned for next steps in our journey to expand neurodivergent inclusion. An update on our progress will be released in June.

Help us shape future opportunities with the Neurodivergent Excellence Initiative. Fill out the Participation Interest Form.

D&I Digest: Neuro-Inclusion

The latest D&I Digest is out! This interactive newsletter with a focus on neuro-inclusion has curated videos, webinars and articles that will help educate, build connections and spark inclusive conversations.

Check out the Connecting the Dots section featuring Chief of Staff Natalia Bravo and resources including terminology and program profiles.

The D&I Digest is designed to be used as a learning resource throughout the quarter for County employees.

Get Involved: Are you interested in participating in further opportunities on the topic of neurodiversity? Click here to give your input on the types of resources/events you'd like to see.

Explore the D&I Digest now.

MEERG Fireside Chat: Holding Space During Times of Conflict

Join the next Employee Resource Group Fireside Chat on Thursday, April 4 from noon to 1 p.m. This is the ninth ERG Fireside Chat in the quarterly panelist series between County leaders and our County community.

The Middle Eastern Employee Resource Group invites you into the conversation focused on holding space during times of conflict.

Come to the conversation and…

• Learn effective management strategies that help others feel seen, heard and acknowledged.

• Hear about influential moments of conflict in the panelists’ lives and how their mentors held space for them. And hear how those lessons are now reflected in their leadership/mentoring.

• Discover the impact of empathetic leadership.

• Gain take aways on how all of us can hold space for each other no matter our titles.

Register: Registration Link

Join: MS TEAMS LINK
or 619-343-2539
741 083 266#

DCAO Ebony Shelton Shares Her Career Journey

Get to know Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer Ebony Shelton.

Shelton joined the County in 1997 and has many positions in her career journey.  In this 9-minute video, she shared her perspective on public service, obstacles as an Afro-Latino woman, her commitment to creating an environment of belonging, understanding and checking our implicit biases, and her devotion to family.

This video was first shared with Health and Human Services Agency staff during a recent all-staff meeting. Watch it now.