Rewind: Fireside Chat on Cultural and Career Identities

Watch the Rewind video here.

Did you miss the Employee Resource Group Council’s “Fireside Chat” on cultural and career identities? You can now watch the virtual session on InSite.

The ERG Council’s Fireside Chats are quarterly sessions with County leadership on the secrets to their career success. This quarter, the Pacific Islander Society of County Employees (PISCE) employee resource group hosted a lively discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Financial Division Manager Loreta Ah-You-Fiame and Child and Family Well-Being Program Coordinator Liki Porotesano.

Resources from this session include:

Your View: Agua Caliente County Park

Agua Caliente County Park

Agua Caliente County Park gets hot! These photos were submitted by Karina Miranda from Health and Human Services while camping with her family. The park is nestled in the huge, Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

The park is best known for its rugged desert hiking. Hikers will enjoy miles of trails that meander through the park's canyons and over its hillsides. 

Agua Caliente County Park

For those wanting to visit, you will need to wait a little while to enjoy the park’s beautiful trails because it will be closed Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend.

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it.

Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. Images may be posted to InSite and shared on social media. 

See more of Your View photos. 

Meditation and Walk with APACE

Join the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE) and Park Ranger Alejandro Santos for a serene meditation and walk at San Dieguito County Park on Sunday, June 9.

San Dieguito County Park address: 1628 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Del Mar, CA 92014.

The event will start at 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Learn more about APACE, visit the employee resource group on InSite.

To RSVP, email APACE@sdcounty.ca.gov.

See the flyer below.

Moving More for Our Mental Health

A message from the Trauma-Informed Systems Integration Team:

Mental Health Awareness Month is during the month of May.  It is a time to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, as well as highlighting the ways mental illness can affect all of us.

This year’s theme is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health.” Being active is important for our mental health. Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and a negative mood by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.

Articles:

Better Health Channel: Exercise and Mental Health

Mayo Clinic: Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms

Mental Health Foundation: Physical Activity and Mental Health

PerkSpot: Save on Staycation Adventures

Get discounts on admissions to some of San Diego County’s most popular attractions this summer. PerkSpot is offering County employees up to 30% off at SeaWorld San Diego, up to 20% off at Sesame Place San Diego, 15% off at the San Diego Zoo and up to $10 off at the San Diego Safari Park and Legoland California. 

Plus, find discounted tickets to the USS Midway Museum and Padres games at Petco Park. 

PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register. 

A Message from the Interim Chief Administrative Officer and the Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council: Hate Has No Place Here

Our County team members are diverse – each of you bring your background, culture, lived experience and authentic self to work every day as we collectively strive to fulfill the County’s vision of a just, sustainable and resilient future for all. But we recognize we are also living in complex times – and that the frequency of divisive issues impacting our communities, the nation and the world can weigh heavily on us.

Here at the County, please find comfort in knowing that hate has no place here. It’s a sentiment that is often shared but is always worth reemphasizing. It is the County’s commitment to you.

We stand committed to this promise and act on it by creating safe spaces for exchanging ideas and experiences through a lens of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

What does that look like? One way we act on this promise is through virtual listening sessions and fireside chats covering a wide variety of timely and meaningful topics. These events bring together team members from different roles, departments and backgrounds to engage in thoughtful conversations and share perspectives. The next event is a virtual fireside chat May 31 at noon focused on cultural and career identities. It is hosted by the Employee Resource Group Council.

The Diversity and Inclusion Executive Council also coordinates with Employee Resource Groups to organize healing circles, an opportunity for participants to work together to explore ways to relieve suffering and deepen the capacity to heal.

Visit the County’s employee website for information about all these opportunities and more.

If you have yet to participate in any of these events, we encourage you to do so, but we recognize that with diversity comes a wide variety of ways our team members display and practice belonging in the workplace.  

Through each of our actions, we are all reminded daily that hate has no place here. We thank you for supporting the County’s values and for serving as an example for our community.

Sarah Aghassi, Interim Chief Administrative Officer

D&I Executive Council:
Smitha Arons
, Senior Deputy County Counsel
Natalia Bravo, Chief of Staff
Susan Brazeau, Director, Human Resources
Dahvia Lynch, Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Land Use & Environment Group
Nadia Moshirian Binderup, Special Assistant, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, Sheriff’s Department
Andrew Potter, Clerk of the Board, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
Andrew Strong, Director, Office of Equity and Racial Justice
Michael Vu, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer

Skate to Donate

CECO logo

Let the good times roll for a good cause! The County Employees’ Charitable Organization (CECO) is hosting a roller-skating fundraiser on June 25. A portion of ticket sales will benefit CECO.

The roller skating social will be held at Ringer’s Roller Rink from 5 to 8 p.m. Ringer’s Roller Rink is located at 6060 Federal Blvd., San Diego, CA 92114.

In addition to skating in an outdoor rink, there will be a live DJ spinning jams from back in the day through today.

Roll over to the event page to purchase tickets. This all-ages skate session will be open to employees, family and friends. Tickets are $18 per skater and include admission and skate rental. It is $5 extra to rent protective gear including helmet and pads.

This is a fundraiser, so invite your wheely good friends! Earlier this year, CECO was able to distribute grants to 74 County employees who were impacted by the January storms. Additionally, CECO awarded $101,507 in grants to 58 local nonprofit programs in April. Your generosity and participation make a difference.

CECO has been the charitable arm of the County of San Diego since 1956. The organization strives to lend a hand to the community by way of grants to local nonprofit programs and assistance to employees and retirees in need. One hundred percent of donations made to CECO are distributed back to the community.

See the flyer below.

event flyer

An Important Reminder About Workplace Safety

The Commons at the County Operations Center

Team members at the County Operations Center may have seen police activity on campus today. While law enforcement determined there was no security issue, the situation is a reminder about the importance of reporting suspicious activity.  

The safety of our employees and the public we serve is our priority. If you see something that doesn’t seem right – appears suspicious or out of place – report it. Some examples include: 

  • Security gaps that make worksites vulnerable, like a door propped open or non-employees in a facility during non-business hours 

  • Suspicious activity, like an unattended backpack or package 

  • Employees or people who don't belong in secure areas and/or aren't wearing identification badges 

Today an employee at the County Operations Center notified authorities of a person and car that appeared out of place and possibly of concern. Thankfully, the situation was resolved quickly and there was no safety issue identified, but County employees took the appropriate steps.  

Please take the time to learn about and remind your team of the workplace safety information provided on the County’s employee workplace security site. This site includes resources, video and training opportunities. Safety is a shared responsibility, and if you see something, say something.

Your View: Rancho Guajome Adobe

Rancho Guajome Adobe

These photos were submitted by the Human Resources Department. The Guajome Ranch House is an authentic 1850s adobe hacienda. The adobe is surrounded by wetland open space that is home to a variety of wildlife. 

The 112-acre park offers hiking, biking, horseback riding and more. The gardens, green lawn spaces and day-use picnic tables provide a peaceful area to picnic.

Looking for a memorable location? The gardens and grounds can be reserved for weddings, receptions and social events.

Share your photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it.

Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. Images may be posted to InSite and shared on social media. 

See more of Your View photos.