Talk

Haile Canton

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Haile Canton is a “newbie” to the tech industry, finding her way in through Customer Operations - she currently works as a Senior Customer Engagement Representative at SurveyMonkey. She loves helping people, giving back, and making people laugh. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Business from the University of Puget Sound, where she was active in social justice groups on campus, going on to write her thesis on the impacts of microaggressions on mental health in Black/African American individuals. When she’s not working (that rarely happens!), she can be found watching tv and knitting at home, or catching up on the latest pop culture happenings (most likely). Haile Canton, Mother of Thou Shalt Not Come For Me, Queen of the Side Eye to the East, Queen of the Deadpan, Shirley Temple Connoisseur. Walking Pop Culture Encylopedia.
Portland, OR November 4, 2017
When to Stop Teaching Others and Start Caring for Ourselves
exclusion, racism, sexism, depression, anxiety, mental health

Being an individual from a marginalized background means that you're going to have to explain something to someone at some point, but where do you draw the line of educating to help others gain understanding and allowing yourself to step back and put the onus on the other person? It's hard to go through your day to day life feeling like you have to repeat yourself over and over again, or to not be able to talk to someone because you fear that they'll react poorly and just won’t understand. This burden of educating others on diversity and inclusion falls heaviest on those with a direct connection to it, and in the tech world, there is an expectation that you will teach those around you. This talk will discuss self-care techniques and tips for navigating the process of educating your colleagues and peers, while protecting your own wellbeing. This talk will also touch upon ways that you can help mitigate the burden of education for others in situations where you feel empowered to.

The drive behind this talk is my own identities and is inspired by and for persons from marginalized groups around race, ethnicity, and gender, although it is applicable to other marginalized groups. Every individual should feel invited and welcome to attend this talk.