Haitian Heritage Month Reflection
In recognition of May’s designation as Haitian Heritage Month, Rice University President Dr. Reginald DesRoches reflects on how his Haitian heritage impacts his professional and life journey.
“When I was just one-year old, my mother, a nurse, moved alone from Haiti to the U.S. to take a job at a hospital in Queens, NY. My dad, my siblings and I soon followed. By working double shifts and on weekends, my parents were able to send us to Catholic school and outstanding colleges, which, for me, was on the other side of the country at the University of California, Berkeley.
“At Berkley, I studied engineering and earned a doctorate in structural engineering. My studies and research in the design of resilient infrastructure systems brought me back to Haiti in 2010. While there, I served as the key technical leader in the U.S. response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
The trip was extremely meaningful and helped me better appreciate the many sacrifices that my parents made to provide us with the opportunity to get an education in America.
“This month, I will be thinking about my experience in 2010 and about how my Haitian heritage compels me to commit to being excellent in everything I do and to lead with honestly and integrity.”
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
Houston Methodist’s Asian Heritage employee resource group (ERG) continues its series of events this month open to participants systemwide in recognition of May’s designation as Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) with the following events:
May 25: Dance of Asian America. (In-person and livestream). The event honors and recognizes Asian heritage through music, displays and activities.
May 30: Demographics of the Asian Community in Greater Houston. (Virtual). Paul Gor, senior director of Community Development at the Asian Chamber of Commerce, Houston, discusses the changing demographics within Houston’s Asian community. For more information on the full schedule of AAPI Heritage Month events, email AsianHeritage@houstonmethodist.org.
Request For DEI Group Learning Sessions
Click the link in the LMS that’s intended to make it easier to request DEI group learning sessions. The current learning sessions offered by the Office of DEI—Together We Grow, Managing Unconscious Bias, Navigating Multigenerational Teams and Recognizing the Impact of Microaggressions—offer AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ and ethics credit per attended sessions. Register for in-person or virtual learnings by visiting the LMS and searching “DEI.”
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