Memorial Day and Merivis
Welcome to the first of many Monday morning musings, as my brain processes the events of the past week. Let’s begin with today…
Memorial Day
It’s Memorial Day. A long weekend. The official start to summer. I can now wear white pants (although I don’t own any…). But what is it, really?
Per the History Channel, “Memorial Day is an American holiday honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.” No one in my family died while serving in the U.S. military, but that doesn’t make this day less important for me. I feel the pain of all of the families who’ve lost someone — many years ago or just this past year. I cry every time I see someone in uniform, especially at the airport (are they going to or from home, I wonder…), thinking about their sacrifice and their family. Heck, I’m crying now.
Today, I also learned that “One of the earliest commemorations was organized by recently freed African Americans.”
One example — in a long list of examples — of how schools in the US fail to teach us anything about the ways African Americans have shaped this country: be it Memorial Day’s beginnings, Katherine Johnson taking us to space, or the Tuskegee Airmen serving in the U.S. military.
African Americans have always been part of the military, and the tech industry.
Merivis
Military veterans and spouses who return to civilian life face a double challenge: longstanding structural -isms in the tech industry and a corporate culture that’s new & different. Different rules. Written and unwritten. Different personal networks. Different terminology. But the skills honed in the military —problem-solving, working under pressure, and the value of structure and community — make veterans and their spouses exceptional leaders.
With help from Merivis, these leaders are learning to pivot. Merivis empowers veterans and their spouses taking the initiative to begin and advance their careers in cloud computing. On May 26, 2021, Merivis produced the first annual Merivis Summit, an incredible virtual event that combined celebration, content, and connection.
Celebration
The event kicked off with Kate Perez, Merivis Co-Founder & Executive Director, recognizing the Volunteer, Alumni, and Partner of the Year. The responses from the recipients spoke volumes to the family Merivis has built and the lives they’ve impacted.
Content
The Summit sessions had something for every member of the audience, who were mostly veterans and military spouses in early career transitions to 3–4 years into the Salesforce or tech ecosystem. Sessions about technical skills, job readiness tips, and leadership advice.
I had the honor of moderating a panel of tech leaders who shared their advice about how to use your power for good by Building an Inclusive Culture in Tech (one of my favorite topics!).
I’ve been advocating for inclusion for years, and yet I was scribbling notes the whole time as these gems were dropped in the discussion:
- I before D: Inclusion before Diversity. Do not invite people to join your company if the culture is not welcoming. Focus on your culture first.
- Be willing to listen: Do not invite someone to the table and then dismiss their voice. Invite them and listen to their ideas.
- Make structural changes: Individually, you can shift to be more inclusive, but that won’t create organizational change that benefits everyone. Notice when things aren’t equitable and advocate for structural changes to policies and processes.
- You can lead from any role: You don’t have to be in a management role to be a change maker. Get a small group together, share your experiences, and work together as a team to level each other up.
- Inclusion advocacy *is* leadership: If you volunteer in an Employee Resource Group, you are demonstrating leadership skills. Make that experience part of your leadership story when you are talking to your manager or other executives about your career goals.
- Inclusion is a two-way street: When someone is new to the company, introduce them to your network and share the unwritten rules. When you are new to a company, don’t be afraid to invite someone to coffee to get to know them 1:1.
Connection
Going to (virtual) coffee is my top tip for starting in a new role or a new team. Making 1:1 connections is key to succeeding in tech (and in any industry!).
It’s difficult to make connections virtually at a large event, and I was impressed to see that the Merivis Summit included an opportunity to join randomized 1:1 networking slots to make new connections.
Alas, I was too shy to jump into the 1:1 networking, so I’m curious to know how it went for people who did! If you did, please share below or on Twitter (I’m @rockchick322004).
Thank You
Thanks for sticking around through my musing. I am a non-linear thinker, which I see as a challenge AND a superpower, depending on the task. My whiteboard is my favorite tool and my brain likes to play connect-the-dots. I’ll share these thoughts with you here and would love to hear yours!
