Abstract
What is "My Story"? The "My Story: HITS DEI Staff Interview Series" is an initiative, organized and supported by the HITS DEI Committee, that provides an opportunity to learn more about our respective HITS colleagues, their professional and personal lives and to provide an inside lens to the challenges, obstacles, and triumphs that they have experienced, from a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) perspective.
The purpose of the poster is to share the details of the "My Story: HITS DEI Staff Interview Series" and its impact. "My Story" is a DEI initiative started by the HITS DEI Committee in December 2020, when the workforce remained primarily remote due to the pandemic, as a way for HITS colleagues to connect and learn about each other. Since it has been kicked-off, HITS has performed and recorded 14 interviews; which typically yield approximately 15-40 attendees (live).
Although there is a level of vulnerability that comes from participating in an interview, this experience is intended to be a safe space where staff can speak freely about the person they know most: themself. With the facilitation of an interviewer, the interviewee shares their personal story, background and passions, which typically surfaces one or many DEI themes.
The logistics of "My Story": The interviews are generally 30-45 mins, with a question and answer period following the interview. The total time is 60 mins. The interviews are performed on Zoom; they are live and also recorded (if permitted) to share back with the HITS staff on our internal YouTube channel, internal website and internal newsletter. The interviewer and interviewee typically meet for at least one hour prior to the interview to prepare.