LinkedIn Local PDX strives to help forge communities, by including local leaders and diverse viewpoints. We stumble, fall, get up and are inspired by amazing presenters and contributors.
LinkedIn Local started in 2017 in Australia as a way to connect people, in person, for real conversations and collaborations! Anna McAfee is inspiring as a founder* In January 2019, Michael Chen MIM (PSU alumni different years) attended the event with Alice Tang presenting, Michael said he came because he saw someone who looks like him. We realized LinkedIn Local PDX could do more than be welcoming to diversity, we could be more inclusive by having the by majority presenters be the leaders of local marginalized communities! There is wisdom in stories coming from a variety of circumstance that widens our viewpoints and appreciations for what everyone can contribute!
Topics from 2019 focused on interactive and engaging presentations about community, business, personal and professional growth. The wonderful presenters are from communities of color, LGBTQ, refugees including a survivor of genocide. With every presentation, my touchstone is guide post from Stephen Green – to be in a diverse conversation that isn’t focused on diversity. We can all learn so much from a vast array of thought and experience. Through 2019 we stumbled, we learned, and I for one am honored to have been in the room with some amazing presenters and people from all around the metro area. Yet there is much work to do. Mixed rooms cause some people discomfort. My goal is to be an advocate and supporter, to help provide a platform for people to share, to speak. If there is discomfort find out why and help make a space for comfortable sharing or hold a mirror to the privileged. The topics are for everyone, the presenters through a year are profoundly supportive of doing well and good in communities. Inspiring presenters and 2019 topics included:
Our amazingly giving presenters include: Dr. Carol Parker Walsh so energetic and engaging (read her blog on Navigating Cultural Wealth in the footnotes), Hussein Al-Baiaty of The Printory and RefuTEES, Michael Jonas of Rational Unicorn – Benefit Corporation for Good , Della Rae of OWHN and Womxn’s March Organizer Court Morse a force for good from Standing Rock to Prosper Portland and more, Ozzie Gonzales architect, candidate for mayor, ecologist, Kilong Ung survivor, thriver, company founder, non-profit founder, author of Golden Leaf, Rosarian, Rotarian, in the film Risking Light, Juan Barraza entrepreneur, mastermind of InventOR, #pitchlatino award winner from Elevating Impact Summit and TAO (and more), Derek Pangalinan Workplace Culture Consultant, President of Beaverton Downtown Association Board, Yasmin Nguyen Travelling Joy Ambassador, Marli Williams Chief Inspiration Officer, emcee founder of Camp Yes, Cole Reed co founder of opehHAUS co-working, greenHAUS Boutique, Artist, inspiration for ameriKKKan Story, art at the Newmark, community builder.
Emotional Intelligence for Entrepreneurs, From the Pacific Islands to the Pacific NW
Power Relationships
Resilience of Communities of Color
How to Build Powerful & Meaningful Relationships That Last
Leadership Essentials
A Purposeful Life Of The Golden Leaf – What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
3 Essentials to Crafting a Compelling Professional Profile
How Are You Marketing Yourself?
Level Up to Follow Up
Leveraging LinkedIn Locally
Diversity for Best Work Place Productivity
From Tents to Tees – a story from a refugee camp to Oregon, building a business and giving back
Social Listening
Conflict Resolution
The Challenge and Promise of Modern Cities
Stay tuned for 2020! Venues rotate around Portland metro and give visibility to our wonderful co-working and incubator spaces. It’s a start, yet there is much to be done. We stumbled on occasion and will again, the intention is to recognize all of the wisdom and contributions or our communities. To give voice, land acknowledgement, listening and a forum. And yet there is still work to do, as not all are comfortable and not all feel welcome and included. We have no laurels to rest on as a team. The presenters are amazing. This is a journey to be better moving forward. LInkedIn Local has spread to over 600 international cities. Portland began the volunteer run chapter in 2018 with Bill Cohen MIM and Kim Allchurch Flick MIM. 2019 Michael joined the leadership team. Entering 2020 the leadership team is two women and two men representing 3 primary languages, 4 nations (China, Colombia, Great Britain, US) and three have the same Masters of International Management MIM from different years at PSU. Linked inclusive community to community is the goal. We have blind spots and try to continue to learn and strive to improve.
Learn more on facebook @linkedinlocalpdx and the LinkedIn group: LI Local PDX
Worth reading!
Navigating Cultural Wealth in Your Career – Dr. Carol Parker Walsh “… six types of cultural wealth–Aspirational, Familial, Linguistic, Navigational, Resistant and Social–are interconnected, working together to strengthen an individual’s ability to function powerfully and effectively in multiple spaces. “
Kilong Ung. Risking Light June 2 in Portland
Kim is founder of Mighty Epiphyte Consulting elevating social impact companies. We can’t call ourselves social impact without allowing all communities to rise, to be champions for the briliance of the marginalized. @mightyepiphyte #mightyadvocate mightyepiphyte@gmail.com
Thank you. Kim #mightyadvocate
Thanks for sharing this post, especially, the suggested reading.