ISSUE #1 - Feb 6, 2019

Hello!

Welcome to the first issue of Amplify! Thanks for signing up!

I’m dedicated to bringing you career and leadership resources and advice each week that can help you reach your professional goals. Let’s get connected, inspired and informed!

I know what it’s like to try and build a career as an underrepresented professional, how frustrating, tiring, stressful it can be to jump over the hurdles and break through the barriers. I also know what it’s like to feel proud, accomplished, confident, invincible because despite the best attempts to stop me, I persevered and continue to do so.

As women of color, let’s amplify our impact, our abilities and our voices so we all persevere.

I’m keeping the newsletter to 3 quick and easy-to-read sections: Resources, Perspective (written by me) and Inspiration.

Happy reading!

Audrey Galo
Creator & Writer of Amplify
Founder of AG Voiced

Resources

[Skills] Women’s Lightning Talks - TH, Feb 7, 6:00 PM, SF, Free
Get a chance to practice a 5 min talk (your choice of topic) in front of a small crowd. A supportive audience guaranteed!

[Networking] Speed Mentoring for People of Color - TH, Feb 7, 5:00 PM, Redwood City, $15
Breakout groups will spend 15-20 min with each mentor in a Q&A format. Mentors from companies like Dropbox, Oracle, Broadly, PayPal.

[Discussion] Barriers to Education: Does Harassment Make a Difference? - SUN, Feb 10, 2:00 PM, San Jose, Free
Maha Ibrahim of Equal Rights Advocates talks about how harassment can get girls off track during middle school, high school, college and into the workplace. Legal protections and local actions will be covered too.

[Discussion] Black Excellence in Career and Professional Development - MON, Feb 11, 5:00 PM, SF, Free
Panel of black professionals discussing how they navigate corporate spaces; recruiting booth for Gap Inc (event host); live band and snacks.

[Virtual Course] Storytelling for Change, TUE, Feb 19, Free
8-week hands-on course where you will develop your own personal story, integrate it into a larger presentation, and record it for feedback from your classmates.

[Book] Brave Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code
From publisher’s website: “In Brave, Not Perfect, Reshma shares powerful insights and practices to help us override our perfect girl training and make bravery a lifelong habit. By being brave, not perfect, we can all become the authors of our biggest, boldest, and most joyful life.”

Perspective

In my first year of undergrad, I was told that I should have a mentor. And as an ambitious, first generation, Latinx student determined to work her way to success, I quickly sought out my first mentor. I couldn’t waste any time! I sent several overly formal emails to anyone with an impressive job title who was within reach of my non-existent network. I got a few responses (yay!) but one person, Lisa, stood out to me, I knew I needed to talk to her because of her kind words in her response email. And I’m grateful I followed through in asking her to meet with me because she influenced every mentor I’ve had since.

My mentorship experience with Lisa taught me that I shouldn’t only consider mentors who appeared to be the future version of myself. My mentors should be diverse in background, perspectives and abilities. Lisa wasn’t an architect, what I was studying in school; she spent her career within university recruitment, diversity and community development. Funny enough areas that influence my work to this day. Lisa wasn’t Latinx, she was African-American. She was business and relationship focused and I was design and science focused. One clear similarity was our love of gathering over a meal, our chicken and waffles lunch was one of my favorites.

Lisa’s mentorship was essential because she provided me with a broader perspective beyond the world of architecture that I was experiencing everyday in classes and internships. I wouldn’t realize it until much later but Lisa was a shining example of a career built for serving her community and helping underrepresented youth/business owners/etc build their foundation of success. Throughout each of my career transitions, I continue to look for and engage mentors like Lisa; mentors who can offer a fresh perspective to my work and passion, who stretched the limits of my imagination for what my career could become.

Have questions about finding or engaging mentors? Email me and I’m happy to help.

Inspiration

POCIT.
I love reading POCIT’s interviews with people of color in tech. People who are making a splash in their industry, companies, communities. Stories from writers, investors, engineers, product managers in tech. Want to write for POCIT or be interviewed by them? Learn more.