Emily Sills
Username
Emily Sills
Proposer First Name
Emily
Proposer Email
emily@byggmeister.com
Proposer Last Name
Sills
Proposer Company/Organization
Byggmeister Design Build, also ARAG

Boston 2022 Areas of Focus

Proposer Job Title
Carpenter
Proposer Additional Info
I am relatively new to the field: I have been with Byggmeister for three years and in the trades for four, but have enthusiastically attended BE Boston and participated in other community events, including Building Science for Carpenters and the Antiracist Action Group. Within Byggmeister I am on our Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion committee, and have been involved in policy-writing for our recent transition to being a worker-owned coop.
Proposed Session Description
What practical steps are we taking within our own businesses towards anti-racism? What strategies has your company tried? How did it go? What next steps are you considering? What resources have been most useful to you? This is an information-swapping session for individuals and companies who have begun taking concrete steps towards pushing back against structural and interpersonal racism, as well as those who are interested in what that might look like. This will be a facilitated, interactive discussion: bring your practical ideas, frustrating roadblocks, and links to your favorite resources. Members of the NESEA Anti Racist Action Group will also share a bit about what has helped us move forward.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
This session topic directly addresses racial justice.
Learning Objectives
Describe examples of strategies used by other NESEA companies to push back against structural and interpersonal racism.
Summarize some common challenges and roadblocks that get in the way of antiracism our industry.
List antiracist resources and organizations that other NESEA companies have found helpful.
Connect with other NESEA companies and individuals who are working towards being antiracist for ongoing mutual support and encouragement.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Session Format
Collaborative problem-solving session
Other (please describe below)
Session Format Details
Facilitated informal information swap and group discussion among all attendees. I will facilitate, possibly with one co-facilitator. After a brief introduction and setting ground rules, attendees will take turns responding to prompts and asking each other questions. I am planning to have a few planted volunteers who have agreed ahead of time to share. I'm imagining that this won't be a giant session, and we'll be able to have a single group discussion. However, if I have a co-facilitator and many people attend, we could break into two.
Recommended Length
60-minute session
90-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2022

Comments about your speaker roster
I am actively in the process of talking with various other NESEA members (in ARAG and otherwise) who might be willing to either co-facilitate and/or be planted volunteers who are willing to share. I don't want to put specific names down until I have more solid confirmation, but there is definitely interest. I have facilitated informal group discussions about racism and white supremacy within Byggmeister, as well as during the AORTA training last year, and have participated in various antiracism trainings. I am not a professional facilitator by any means, but I feel capable of handling this level of discussion and prompting, especially with the support of ARAG in the planning stages. I am also planning to spend some time discussing, in particular, strategies for encouraging participation with other members of ARAG and NESEA who I've seen do it well.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
Developed with the help and support of the rest of the Antiracist Action Group. I am open to ideas about alternate or non-standard formats or timing for this session (lunch discussion? off-hours networking event?), if you think there is a different set-up that would work equally well or better.
Reviewer 1
Stuart, Stephen
Reviewer 2
Stuart, Stephen
Proposal #
143
Committee Decision
Being Considered

Presenters

Full Description
Many NESEA members are actively wrestling with how to approach equity and inclusion in general, and anti-racism in particular. Turning thoughts and discussions into concrete actions is a common sticking point, and it helps a lot to see what others are up to. This will build momentum in NESEA companies towards anti-racism, and make connections among the companies and individuals who are working towards that goal.