An Award & A Reflection

When I saw this tweet, I was both happy and deeply saddened.

Congratulations to the 2022 CUE Award Winners! CUE will be celebrating them at #SpringCUE next month in Palm Springs during Thursday’s General Session.

Congratulations! See you in Palm Springs!

Take a look at the winners — https://t.co/Pww8NUfCtj #WeAreCUE #CUEAffiliates pic.twitter.com/FBM0K8V0aT

— CUE (@cueinc) February 23, 2022

I was excited to finally share with my PLN that I am receiving a CUE Gold Disk this year, but I was frustrated to see the lack of people of color also being honored.

Looking at the slate of past CUE keynotes, speakers, and award winners, the lack of diversity is something I've been addressing in whatever capacity I can, whether it be as a committee member, collaborating with fellow CUE members, or speaking directly to the Board and CUE leadership.

Dismantling old systems, perceptions, and practices isn't easy, and the results are often incremental and unseen when advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The challenges continue to be at the forefront, in this case, the makeup of the 2022 CUE award winners.

This is not to disparage the other winners. As a member of the awards committee, (I abstained from Gold Disk scoring, as I was an applicant this year.) I can say that all the winners are deserving. However, this doesn't mean we can't continue to review our processes as a committee to ensure CUE is not perpetuating systems that do not benefit all members.

In my time as a CUE member, I've seen positive change. It may not always occur as fast as we want, but it is happening. I genuinely believe that now more than ever, the CUE community is in a place where we can make lasting change.

I look forward to CUE 2022 to reconnect with my PLN, and I hope to see you there. Also, if you have ideas about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the CUE awards process, please pull me aside in the hallway or reach out. This will take collaboration to ensure we're building something that can continue to grow and change with CUE membership.

When I lost a scholarship in college, one of the things the college made me do was go to an on-campus therapist. I thought it was stupid and a waste of time, but I knew I was wrong within one visit. I continued to go to weekly sessions for the rest of the year. Since then, I've gone to therapy on and off at various times in my life. Whether it was learning how to work through racism in the workplace or addressing ways to live with an ADA diagnosis, therapy has helped me live a better life.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, but mental health matters every day. 

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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 press 1

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

One year later

Never forget all those who have lost their lives to police brutality. Carry their memories forward as we continue to fight for a better tomorrow. Police accountability is not the enemy. If accountability was so problematic, then why is it something we hope to instill in students?

I hope our county's Senators can work across the aisle and move legislation forward.

All lives do not matter until #BlackLivesMatter.

The Hat Trick

Hat tricks are great. At sporting events, they usually come with a unique animation and song to hype up the crowd and keep the momentum going.

But today, I'm excited to announce I have not achieved a hat trick.

EdTech Magazine included me on their EdTech's 30 Must-Follow K–12 Education IT Influencers list for 2019. (Click this text to read my thoughts on that recognition.) Then in 2020, I was included on the Influencer list for a second time. On May 10th, 2021, EdTech Magazine released the 2021 list, and I was not on it. 

I'll admit it, it would have been cool to be on the list three years in a row. However, I'm glad I'm not. 

There is a perception that if you aren't repeatedly recognized for your work, you'll become irrelevant, or people will devalue your contributions to the field. While some may hold this belief, I think it's an unfortunate result of the competitive nature of consulting and the number of fads we've seen a phase in and out of education.

Practically we know quality work doesn't stop when the next list of influencers is posted, but seeing someone fall off a list may still breed negative conations in the back of our minds. 

So, why am I glad I'm not on the list despite knowing how it might affect others? It goes back to an idea often referenced in training or strategy sessions "the smartest person in the room, is the room." The more voices that are elevated and shared, the better for everyone in the community. 

These lists have repeatedly promoted the same people for far too long, making it harder for new perspectives to be shared. This behavior makes it even more difficult for people of different races, classes, genders, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities to amplify their voice. Repeating some elements of your top # list isn't a bad thing, but as with all things in life, balance is vital. I hope moving forward, those creating lists like this, whether they are individuals, brands, or publications, keep this in mind. 

Again, I'm glad I'm not on the list this year. I appreciated being featured in the past, and I'm always grateful when my work is honored and acknowledged. However, not being on the list this year makes room for a least one new person, and I'd rather have more than an animation and a song. 

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Congratulations to those on the 2021 list. I'm excited to network with new individuals and am proud of the members of my PLN featured on the list. If you haven't read the list yet, I encourage you to read it and follow the featured individuals. 

A year and a week later.

 

Since March 13th, 2020 time seems like an illusion. Everything just blends together as we all try to stay safe and stay sane during this crazy time. But as of today, I've been with CDWG for a year and a week.

I started with CDWG on February 24th, 2020 and 19 days later the U.S. shut down. My husband and I are in a privileged situation, we own a home and have been able to consistently work from home. However, the first year and a week as an Education Strategist hasn't been what I thought it would be.

As cliche as it sounds, it's been better. It hasn't all been roses, I can't even count all the late nights anymore. However, at the end of the day, I'm truly happy I took the leap and accepted this position. Over the past year, I've learned so much about education funding and policy, I've gotten to advocate at levels I never would have imagined, and I'm met so many amazing educators and administrators that are truly inspiring. I feel incredibly privileged when I get to collaborate with school staff because, again with the cliches, despite regional and population differences there is a lot to learn from each other and I'm happy to be a conduit for sharing.

Another reason this role is better than I thought is how much I've grown over the past year. Yes, the knowledge, experience, and expertise are great but I've been empowered to grow as an advocate for digital equity, diversity, and inclusion. While I will always have room to grow, I don't feel like an imposter. I feel confident in myself and the messages I want to share. After a particularly detailed email or a complicated call, I find myself being thankful. I know February 23rd, 2020 Ari would have taken on the situation differently. I can think of times when I reacted too quickly or gave up my power.

I find it crazy what a difference a year and a week makes. I didn't think changing jobs would make such a personal difference. I thought it would be a new challenge, a new way to grow as an educational technology professional. That's happened of course, and again there are days when I collapse into a chair mentally and physically drained, so no rose-colored glasses here. 

I'm thankful I've found a role where I can grow and positively affect things that matter to me. I know many in education technology aren't as lucky so I have to acknowledge this privilege. Despite the winding road it took to get to March 3rd, 2021 it's the road I needed even though I couldn't see past the next turn.

So what's up next moving towards year two and two weeks later? My focus right now, both for myself and those I serve, is not going back to school but moving forward towards what many of us have envisioned education could be for a long time. I'm excited to be a part of that work, and even more so I'm excited to help others along the way. 

What are snow days really for?

 

As a SoCal gal, I've never experienced a snow day. Heck, I've only seen snow fall from the sky once in my life and I was in London when it happened.

With inclement weather hitting many cities across the US I'm noticing a lot of debate about snow days versus remote learning days.

Many are saying snow days are a right of passage versus the idea that now that we know we can do remote learning days, why wouldn't we capitalize on the technology?

Now, number one, if a snow day is called due to danger incited by weather, don't do remote learning. Folx need to focus on safety in those instances and doing your assignments shouldn't add to the stress of unsafe conditions.

But the reason I wanted to jump on the blog today was the idea that snow days are a welcome respite from zoom fatigue. One person I spoke with shared that even before the pandemic, snow days were important for the mental health of students, families, and school staff and because of that should be preserved now and moving forward.

If random acts of weather provide a much needed mental health break, why haven't schools build this into their calendars? If these breaks are so important then why aren't students, families, and school staff across the US able to have a snow day?

The pandemic has exposed a number of issues in K12 education and mental health is a huge part of what's happening now and should be greatly considered moving forward.

Students in SoCal may never experience a true snow day, but I hope conversations like this help us think about the mental health of students, families, and school staff in new ways. As we move beyond the pandemic and return to campus there is a lot to unpack here and I hope it results in positive change. 

CDW-G Presents CITE's Women in Technology Executive Q&A Panel

I am so lucky to be moderating this panel with CITE. As a woman in educational technology sometimes I feel like an imposter in informational technology environments. So to be able to learn from these women is so valuable. 

Every time I feel that twinge of doubt I'm reminded about my success in my introduction to computer science class in college. It makes me wonder what could have been if I had more exposure and support to the world of technology beyond coding my MySpace. Those feelings led me to collaborate with Girls Who Code and the Picademy program to help inspire educators to inspire young women. 

I'm so happy to be able to continue that work and expand it with the support of organizations like CITE and CDW-G.