May 2024 Issue
A monthly forum to share diversity, equity, and inclusion resources.
Welcome to the next installment of Read.Watch.Listen. This month, we are highlighting Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrated annually in the month of May. If you were previously unaware of this celebration, the following two links provide background and why it is important to be aware of some of the issues that Jewish people may face.
We hope that our resources will illustrate the biases, stereotypes, and discrimination that the Jewish community experiences in the workplace and beyond. The contributions made by this community affect our everyday lives whether you are aware of them or not. Recent years have seen a surge in the amount of violence and hate directed towards the Jewish community and we hope this issue will showcase ways to support our Jewish colleagues and provide suggestions for how to reduce bias in the workplace and in STEM education.
We’re also celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May. Check out our previous post here to find ways to support our AAPI colleagues.
SE3 wants to acknowledge that the topics of Arab American Heritage Month (April) and Jewish American Heritage Month (May) carry additional significance due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, there has been a significant increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the United States. We hope these Read.Watch.Listen issues provide resources that can help individuals support their Arab American and Jewish American friends and colleagues who are dealing with this increase in prejudice. In addition to the three traditional resources, check out this Forbes article What Your Jewish And Palestinian Friends And Co-Workers Want You To Know. As noted in the article, “while each had a different perspective, the desire for empathy was universal.”
Read.Watch.Listen is a monthly forum hosted by the NCSEA SE3 Committee to share and promote conversations on diversity, equity and inclusion within the structural engineering profession. Each month, we will curate a series of articles, audio-visual and digital media to facilitate self-education in matters that affect our professional practice as structural engineers. Whether you choose to read, watch, or listen (or all three!), we hope you will join us in this important conversation. Missed the previous issue? Check out the NCSEA SE3 Committee News and Publication page.
Share your thoughts and/or recommended resources for the next issue at ncsea@ncsea.com.
Overview of an organization that support Jewish students in STEM - Hillel International
Hillel International is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, and they provide community and resources for Jewish students at over 850 colleges and universities worldwide. This article details ways that these campus organizations are providing spaces and opportunities for Jewish students in STEM fields. The examples discussed in the article highlight the impact that community and a sense of belonging have on individual success.
Originally published Apr 23, 2021; Estimated Read Time - 8 min
White House Jewish American Heritage Month Celebration - The White House
The White House celebrates the heritage of Jewish Americans in the United States with words from President Joe Biden. He highlights the importance of remembering the Jewish American experience, and how this vital history must not be erased. The President calls politicians and citizens alike to not forget what the Jewish community has endured, and to continue to fight against antisemitism in America.
Originally aired May 16, 2023; 00:37:28
Voices on Antisemitism: Elie Wiesel - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace prize recipient and Holocaust survivor, recounts his experience of being assaulted by a Holocaust denier. Although he was not physically harmed, the psychological toll of that experience left a scar on him. He describes how his cries for help fell on deaf ears even though he shouted in hotel hallway without a single door opening to see what was going on. Elie urges us to do better, to care more about the well-being of others than of ourselves.
Originally posted May 24, 2007; 00:06:52
This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue of NCSEA's Structural Connection newsletter. For more information, check out NCSEA's DEI Resources.
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