DEI Articles

Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) has been observed in May in the United States since 1949.  The purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses as well as sharing strategies for maintaining mental health and wellness.  Additionally, MHAM strives to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health.  The theme for 2022 is “Back to Basics” with the goal of providing foundational knowledge about mental health and what people can do if their mental health is a cause for concern. 

PTC is implementing the Make It OK and Seize the Awkward campaigns during May for both students and staff.  This campaign is focused on reducing the stigma of mental illness.  You will find information about the campaigns posted in common areas on campus.  You are encouraged to learn what to say to someone who is struggling using the table tents and other resources located in the cafeteria, student lounge, and staff lounge.  And you are encouraged to Pledge to Make it OK by signing one of the cards outside of the cafeteria.

Another important note is that PTC is becoming a JED Campus!  The JED Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps schools build comprehensive systems, programs, and policies that support students.  They focus on supporting students in multiple ways, but special effort is made to increase mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts.  We will have JED Campus representatives with us on May 17^th and 18^th to meet with our Task Force who will be involved in creating and implementing a strategic plan to address the mental health needs of our students. 

Finally, the Citrone 33 Foundation will be hosting a breakfast on May 19^th for members of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education at PNC Park.  Our President and CEO, Dr. Harvey-Smith, will be the keynote speaker and will address mental health needs at our local colleges and universities while also kicking off the Pittsburgh Youth Mental Health Coalition which will follow the breakfast. 

Dr. Stephanie Svilar

Dean of Counseling & Student Development

April 6^th kicks off DEI’s cultural competency training, which are as follows:

What’s in a Name?  Understanding and Respecting Preferred Names and Gender Pronouns

Session description:  The session covers best practices for using preferred names and gender pronouns. It will provide information on how faculty can promote inclusivity and belonging in the classroom through recognizing, respecting, and creating a safe space for students to share their preferred names and gender pronouns. In addition, instructors will learn how to encourage and support students when seeking guidance on where to go to update their information.

Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity Training

Session description:  Diversity and cultural sensitivity training aim to encourage people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to engage in meaningful conversations to understand how to interact effectively. We must improve diversity and inclusion and motivate positive attitudes and behaviors. Multicultural, multigenerational interaction is increasing; therefore, improving employee engagement, teamwork, and satisfaction is critical to attracting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce. 

Marsha N. Lindsay

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

We had a wonderful time celebrating Women’s History Month. 

On behalf of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office, and DEI Task Force, we wish to extend a heartfelt appreciate to everyone who attended the Women’s History Month program.

Special Thanks…

Program participants:
Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith
Frank Schurter
Dr. Melissa Wertz
Dr. Stephanie Svilar
Mr. Shane McGarvey
Mr. Lee Cottrell
Mr. Mike Russell

Students:
Nate Turner (greeted guests)
Kat Stagg (designed program)
Chef Flesch, thank you for indulging me by allowing Alex to be the impromptu trivia host. 

Have you ever read about the history of Pittsburgh’s Hill District? It has a phenomenal history. At its height (about 1930s-1960s), it was a thriving, vibrant community that inspired August Wilson’s Fences, and a nationally recognized hub of culture, business, and music for the African American community. The Pittsburgh Courier had a national distribution, and entrepreneurs (especially women) thrived on a national level.

To learn more, click the links below:

Diving Into The Hill District’s Rich History | CBS Pittsburgh

The Crawford Grill | Heinz History Center

Wylie Avenue Days DVD

Lower Hill District Interactive News Article

Inclusive Technical Language | CompTIA

In support of DEI initiatives, IT organizations have recognized that terminology and concepts that had become common industry promoted racial and cultural bias. In response to our current social justice movement, there is a push toward replacing that identify and replace language that does not foster a healthy workplace and foster equity.

As a Technical College, we must promote inclusive language and curate materials from sources committed to creating a collaborative and diverse workforce. Language is an expression of intent; we as educators, who traffic in language as we deliver academic products to our learners, must be aware of industry terminology that is not only biased but lends itself to marginalize specific demographics within our College Community. 

Our language signals our intent, and our choices of words indicate how we think and feel, as well as what we believe. It influences the way we want others to perceive things, which, when those terms are racially biased, signals and supports and accepts systemic racism.

One example of this language, potentially adopted from the western movies of the past that are common in ethical hacking, is Black Hats and White Hats, with Black Hats representing malicious hackers and White Hats representing ethical hackers. Language has been with me all of my career and, on occasion, was used as a slight against me when I began to be involved in Incident Response, Network Defense, and Ethical Hacking. It was a bit of a running joke until I moved on.

“The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy.” (CompTIA) “There’s a big adjustment happening in our industry toward using more inclusive language,” CompTIA Senior Director, Exam Services, Carl Bowman explained. “Large and small vendors alike are reconsidering what terms they use to describe technical functions.”

As we continue to mature our products and develop new curricula and educational strategies, we must consciously identify and remove the barrier of exclusive language in technology and other academic disciplines because it undermines humanity by minimizing the worth and capabilities of individuals from marginalized groups.  

Mike Russell

Faculty – School of Information Systems & Technology, DEI Taskforce Co-Chair

This memorial honors the nearly 100 Tuskegee Airmen from Western Pennsylvania (more than any other region of the United States.). It is the largest memorial of its kind in America. These pioneering African Americans overcame racial prejudice and discrimination along with opposition of the US Army High Command to become an elite corps of pilots and support personnel who helped defeat the Nazis. The Tuskegee Airmen were named after the place where they trained at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. They were the first African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces. The memorial consists of four large monuments with two containing the names of Western Pennsylvania Airmen of the unit. Atop the memorials, the central tower is an aircraft tail sculpted from red granite which is a nod to the unit’s nickname, the “Red Tails”. On February 14, 2016, Tuskegee pilot Mitchell Higgenbotham died and was buried at the memorial.

The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial – Sewickley Cemetery

Tuskegee Airmen Memorial of Greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | The American Legion

I recently participated in a panel hosted by Allvoices and SingleSprout. The topic for the discussion centered around “How to be an authentic employer of choice and ensure people feel valued.” I started thinking about what that means to me and how I can ensure everything I do supports and promotes making every person feel respected and valued. 

I was recently asked, “what does DEIBA mean to you?”  Here is my response: 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Accessibility

Diversity is hiring someone in the underrepresented community how is the best qualified, not because the check the “diversity” box. 

Equity is providing them as they wish to be treated not how you perceive they should be

Inclusion is supporting them as a unique individual with valuable contributions in a space where they can be their “authentic” self. 

Belonging is knowing that were ever you are in your career; you can be in any seat at any table and breath with confidence that you are meant to be there, you are heard, and you are respected.

Accessibility is having everything you need to succeed available to you without obstacles, or hindrances to create barriers for you to fail.

To listen to the panel discussion, click the link:  https://youtu.be/Pz4trO96IOA

As I celebrate my first anniversary at PTC, I hope that my contributions centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion evidence my commitment creating an authentic culture here.  With pandemic life, we are living in unparalleled times, and we must focus efforts on creating an environment in which everyone can thrive.  So, we must continue working together for the community to recognize us as an institution and employer of choice. 

I want to express my appreciation to the students, faculty, and staff that support events hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Student Services. This year, the ODEI and task force will continue making PTC an environment focused on culture, collaboration, communication, and care.

Marsha N. Lindsay

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Tuesday, December 14th Student Services and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion hosted the Jingle & Mingle.  A wonderful time was had by all, and the event could not have happened without the involvement of the following individuals who made up the Jingle & Mingle ensemble: Alex Hazen, Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, Marsha N. Lindsay, Lisa Michaux, Leigh Moss, Frank Schurter, and Crystal Wamalwa.

Special thanks are also extended to Jaclyn Smith, Melissa Gnoth, and Mark Bellemare for setting up the Gallery, Eric Joseph & Multimedia students for AV support, and Ethan Mansberger for photographing the event.

Of course, we appreciate the support of students, staff and faculty who participated in the activities.

We are a small, but mighty institution, leading with our hearts. We strive to create an authentic culture of communication, collaboration, and care. Kindness is demonstrated daily, and we should all be proud to be part of the PTC Magic!

Marsha N. Lindsay

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer