Coffee Talk # 8 – Rest & Invest

This Month’s Topic: Rest & Invest – Learning to say no, avoid burnout, and invest in your wellbeing.

• RSVP so we know you’re coming!
• Free event but please consider purchasing something from the café to support local minority owned business

Inspired by NOMA National’s Immediate Past President, Jason Pugh, and his Quarterly President’s Challenge to support the EMPOWER pillar of the NOMA Presidential Platform, we wanted to pause and take the time to address the idea that tirelessly championing for JEDI initiatives across the building and design industry is both physically and mentally taxing, especially when its hard to see true measurable progress along the way. DEI fatigue is real for both the limited few minorities across the industry and our white colleagues, partners, and supporters who all champion for our cause. It is critically important we all take time in our busy professional lives to find a healthy work/life balance, and also invest in both our physical and mental health in order to ensure we’re all able to continue fighting the good fight.

The challenge is to take time to create a healthy mindset and invest in your overall well-being. Let’s not only be mindful of our own mental health and daily stress points, but also of other NOMA members, leaders, and DEI champions as well, and step in aggressively with encouragement and support when we see others in need.

The intention is to not only expand the reach, awareness, and impact of minority architects, but also equip them with the mental and physical tools to counteract the inevitable mental and physical fatigue that comes with tirelessly fighting for change in the building and design industry.

“Small individual lifts can have a large collective impact.” ~ Jason Pugh

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Every other month join us for Coffee Talks – order a warm/iced beverage of your choice from rotating café locations around the valley, get comfortable, and bring your open mind to this productive discussion where NOMAarizona facilitators will ask the group questions and hold space to share, listen, and learn from each other in a casual setting.

This is intended to be a forum for discussion of ideas and for learning about differing viewpoints. In discussions around diversity and equity it is important to understand that everyone sees and experiences the world differently – what seems “right” in your experience may not be so in someone else’s. Everyone is asked to consider different perspectives, for the purpose of sensitivity, learning, and growth. Members of NOMAarizona will typically be the facilitators for our discussions. We are not experts. We are simply here to help facilitate the process. We are here, like everyone else, to learn.

If you have a topic you’d like to chat about or a location to suggest – please submit to Jena Esquivel