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In this month's issue:

Critical Accessibility Theory: Harnessing Strengths as
Women of Color in Engineering

It was an honor to observe Disability Pride Month with Crystal Preston-Watson. July’s webinar, Critical Accessibility Theory, was a captivating forum for our guests to learn about the best ways for women of color engineers to harness their unique strengths in the workplace. In addition to practical advice on how to vet a workplace’s environment to ensure that it is supportive, Crystal also spoke to the significance of Disability Pride and centering the voices of those with disabilities.


See the replay here.



About Crystal Preston-Watson:


Crystal Preston-Watson is the Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst at Salesforce. Her extensive experience in front-end and quality engineering has been channeled towards making digital platforms and products accessible for disabled users. Crystal's collaborations with numerous organizations have been instrumental in integrating accessibility best practices and advocating for accessibility standards and legislation. Her contributions to the tech community include speaking engagements, workshops, and advocacy for improved representation and inclusivity within the industry.


See more of Crystal’s work on YouTube or read her articles on Accessibility Savvy.

September Webinar



In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re thrilled to collaborate with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) for a webinar designed to empower women of color in engineering. Led by the esteemed Maryanne Piña, CEO of Career Management Partners and Founder of the Latino Career Assessment, this session will focus on strategies for navigating gender and cultural norms, building resilience, establishing trust, and enhancing communication skills. You’ll gain practical tools to break down workplace barriers, confidently express your ideas, and leverage your unique strengths. With an asset-based approach, this webinar offers actionable insights to help you thrive in your career, plus an action plan to guide your path to success.


About Maryanne Piña


Maryanne Piña is the CEO of Career Management Partners (CMP), a leading national talent solutions firm specializing in executive search, leadership development, and career transition services. Under her leadership, CMP, headquartered in Dallas, TX, has expanded globally, becoming the only minority and woman-owned business with a national presence supporting the entire talent lifecycle. Maryanne is also the founder of the Latino Career Assessment™ (LCA), a pioneering tool for Latino professionals' development. Recognized as one of America's most influential Latinas by Latino Leaders magazine, she actively engages in global diversity initiatives, holding leadership roles in several prominent organizations. A respected thought leader and speaker, Maryanne’s work continues to uplift underrepresented communities.


Connect with Maryanne here.


Webinar Information:


Date: September 20, 2024

Time: 2PM ET

Zoom link for registration: http://bit.ly/WCECEmpoweringProfessionalGrowth


Media Spotlight

Black Women in Tech: Dr. K Renee Horton breaks barriers in space

Black Woman in Space: Dr. K Renee Horton

from Women Techmakers


“Because I want this world to be different, I’ve got to help others get to their place, too.”


Dr. K Renee Horton, a Space Launch System and Quality Engineer at NASA. Dr. Horton’s journey to engineering began after becoming the mother of three children and living with a hearing disability.  The 8-minute video takes viewers through her experience of the world and her work, understanding all the facets of her identity that contribute to her fullest self.


See the full video here.

Member Events Icon

Upcoming WCEC Member Events


The WCEC shares numerous professional activities offered by our member organizations. Member organizations are committed to creating a supportive, encouraging, and inclusive environment for WOC in engineering. Find out more about their events and register to attend!

CAMX: The Composite and Advanced Material Expo

San Diego, CA, September 9 - 12, 2024

CAMX brings all aspects of the world’s composites and advanced materials communities together for one all-encompassing event. CAMX is where the industry meets to do business and discover the latest in products, solutions, and advanced industry technology.


Register


International Materials, Applications, and Technologies Conference (IMAT-24)

Cleveland, OH, September 30 - October 3, 2024

The upcoming International MAterials APplication & Technologies Conference and Exposition is  collocated with the Heat Treating Society’s IFHTSE World Congress & ASM Annual Meeting. This unparalleled gathering will serve as a pivotal platform, uniting the expertise of ASM, its affiliate communities, and industry partners to delve into a myriad of emerging technologies across critical growth markets.


Register 

AISES National Conference

San Antonio, Texas, October 3 - 5, 2024

The Annual AISES National Conference is a unique, three-day event focusing on educational, professional, and workforce development for Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers. 


**The WCEC will be presenting at AISES! We look forward to connecting with you.


Register

ASCE 2024 Convention

Tampa, FL, October 6 - 9, 2024

The ASCE Convention is the American Society for Civil ENgineer’s flagship membership event. It is the single annual opportunity that the entire Society is represented together and reflects the diversity of civil engineering that ASCE encompasses. THe program for the Convention will be of an integrated, cross-cultural, technical, and educational nature.


Register

SASE 2024 National Convention

Boston, MA, October 9 - 12

Designed to unlock the leadership potential of Asian Professionals via sessions focused on cultural agility and skill development, the SASE Pro Conference includes unique networking opportunities, interactive workshops with nationally recognized trainers, and panel discussions with content area experts from companies across the country. The Collegiate Conference will include workshops, panels, and networking events that are all designed specifically for the Collegiate attendee. Opportunities are available to connect with other attendees and top employers. 


Register

SWE Conference

Chicago, IL, October 24-26, 2024


WE24 is poised to be the premier global conference for women in the fields of engineering and technology. It aims to unite a wide array of female engineers, those aspiring to join the field, and supporters from around the world. The conference will feature sessions designed to inspire, showcase technological innovations, and provide valuable networking opportunities. Attendees can also expect insightful panel discussions led by leading experts, focusing on the latest trends and effective practices in the industry. 


**The WCEC will be presenting at WE24! We look forward to connecting with you.


Register 

SHPE National Convention

Anaheim, CA, October 30-November 3, 2024

Held annually in a different city, the convention brings together over 9,000 of the best and brightest Hispanic scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to celebrate our Familia through our STAR Awards, compete for top prize money showcasing their skills, and enhance skills and networking through our many workshop sessions and engagement events. For corporate sponsors, it is a beacon of top STEM talent. For SHPE members, it is a life-changing opportunity to build a dream career. 


**The WCEC will be present at SHPE! We look forward to connecting with you.


Register

SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference

Phoenix, AZ, October 31 - November 2

The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity conference in the country, SACNAS' premier conference is a gathering which serves to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM. Over the course of the event, college-level through professional attendees are immersed in cutting-edge STEM research, professional development sessions, motivational keynote speakers, and the Graduate School & Career Expo Hall, as well as multicultural celebrations and traditions, and an inclusive and welcoming community of peers, mentors, and role models. Simply put, the NDiSTEM Conference is a broadly inclusive space where you are encouraged and empowered to bring your whole self to STEM.


Register

CoNECD

San Antonio, TX, February 9 - 11, 2025

The only conference dedicated to all the diverse groups that comprise our engineering and computing workforce. The vision of the CoNECD (pronounced, “connected”) Conference is to provide a forum for exploring current research and practices to enhance diversity and inclusion of all underrepresented populations in the engineering and computing professions including gender identity and expression, race and ethnicity, disability, veterans, LGBTQ+, 1st generation and socio-economic status.


Registration opens September 1, 2024.


Learn more

ADVANCE Equity in STEM Community Convening

San Juan, PR, June 1 - 4, 2025

Since 2019, the NSF-funded ADVANCE Equity in STEM Community Convening, hosted by WEPAN, has served as the convening for NSF ADVANCE grantees in a format that facilitates engagement with change agents within and beyond the NSF ADVANCE community. The ADVANCE EiSCC brings together a variety of change makers from higher education, professional societies, industry, government, and non-profits in an engaged exchange of knowledge, resources, and support to drive systemic change in STEM.

Attendees have an opportunity to share new research findings and exchange resources; brainstorm strategies; collaborate in novel ways; learn about avenues for funding; and demonstrate effective programs and interventions for greater collective impact.


Registration opens September 1, 2024.


Learn more

What is the Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative?

The Women of Color in Engineering Collaborative (WCEC) was created in 2021 as a partnership network of professional engineering societies and STEM-based companies. The WCEC is working to address systemic barriers that prohibit equitable work environments for women engineers of color.


Since its inception, the WCEC has grown to 29 organizations, created a shared vision and mission, and developed a strategic plan that will guide our efforts over the next few years. Thank you for your interest and support of our work. We hope that you will engage with the WCEC as we begin implementing the strategies aimed at tackling the major challenges facing women of color (WOC) in the engineering workplace. 


Want to Get Involved?

Are you interested in having your organization become a member of the WCEC? Read our membership guidelines and fill out an application. Learn more.


While we don’t offer membership to individuals, we do want to grow the WCEC community! Soon we will begin collecting profiles of amazing WOC engineers for our Inspiring Leaders database. We are also collecting resources from our member organizations to place in our online Resource Center. We will be using this newsletter to get the word out as these activities get underway. Please share the WCEC with your network and invite others to sign up for our newsletter through the Contact Us form on the WCEC website.

Connect with the WCEC!

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