Fostering a diverse workplace at Galvanize includes celebrating and commemorating our differences, sharing ideas and stories, and learning from each other’s experiences and perspectives. Throughout the year, we do our best to honor the many walks of life represented across our team.
This past summer, we hosted a number of events to do just that, thanks to the planning and effort from our People Team, led by Ashley Bussell, our Staff and Instructional Staff Support Manager. These events were a success across the board, in large part due to the many members of the Galvanize team who attended with open minds.
Our goal at Galvanize is to make tech education accessible for all and we know that we need to start in our own house, creating a work environment that’s accessible, welcoming, and a place where employees can learn and grow. We’ll continue events like these throughout the year and wanted to share our great summer of programming.
June
Internal event: Virtual Juneteenth Picnic
Ashley Bussell and our Sr. Manager of Military Programming Lawren Bradberry hosted a virtual Juneteenth picnic, inviting members of Lawren’s family, who are also Juneteenth’s founding family. They shared how they successfully led the charge to ensure Juneteenth’s national recognition. This was a social hour with a sprinkle of education about Black culture, cuisine, and the Juneteenth celebration.
Internal Event: Virtual Pride Picnic
Ashley Bussell hosted a virtual Pride picnic to discuss the significance of LGBTQIA+ contributions in both the Galvanize and tech communities. This social hour included conversations around LGBTQIA+ empowerment, as well as time to share stories and experiences that promoted understanding and acceptance.
External Event: Virtual Pride Panel
Our Telegraph Track team hosted a live online Pride in Tech panel, which was open to Galvanize staff, students, and alumni. The discussion featured four Hack Reactor Coding Bootcamp graduates discussing the intersection of their tech careers and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Internal Event: Pronouns and Why
Ashley Bussell hosted an educational event to explore the importance of honoring our coworkers’ pronouns. It was centered around learning how to self-correct if you make a mistake and how to expand your knowledge around the importance of identity.
Internal event: PTSD Awareness
Our Military Employee Resource Group invited guest speaker Meyli Chapin, author of Terrorist Attack Girl, to discuss her experience navigating PTSD after a terrorist attack. She also talked about her current work as CEO of Brace. Her company operates an app she created called Trauma Brace, a support program for those who suffer with PTSD across the globe.
August
Internal event with Stride: Crucial Conversations
Our parent company Stride, Inc. hosted a session for all employees featuring speaker Evelyn Parker, Stride’s Head of Diversity and Inclusion + HR Director. She covered how to navigate difficult and critical conversations, helping the group reflect on communicating effectively, especially in situations that might feel awkward, uncomfortable, or stressful.
Galvanize’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts extend to our students, as well. We help learners who are members of underrepresented populations make an impact in tech through full-tuition scholarships, our Telegraph Track student support program, our work with the formerly incarcerated, and more.
