Empowering Neurodiversity Through Impactful Storytelling

Culture First's Celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month by Culture Amp

The purpose of this event was to raise awareness about the experiences of individuals with disabilities in the workplace and provide practical tools for creating inclusive, accessible environments. By addressing these key challenges, the aim is to empower attendees to build a more supportive workplace culture and contribute to creating a better world of work for everyone. To make the event as accessible as possible for attendees, organizers, and panelists, we provided visual descriptions of physical appearances and slide graphics to assist those with low vision. For those with speech disfluencies, we utilized the chat feature to express their thoughts. This event was hosted by The Culture First Global Chapter on Thursday, October 17th by Jessie Jacob, Senior Community Manager at Culture Amp.  Speakers Included: Emily Goodson, Consultant with Culture Smart, Ryan Wilks, Manager, Employee Social Media & Activations at United Airlines, Dennis Tran, Social Impact Storyteller, DEIA Speaker, and Consultant, and Ola Ojewumi, Founder and Director at Project ASCEND

 To join the community, check out chapters.culturefirst.com.

Reshaping Perspectives and Narratives around Mental Health, Disability, and Neurodivergence within the AANHPI Community

UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice invite you to join us on for a discussion called “Reshaping Perspectives and Narratives around mental health, disability, and neurodivergence within the AANHPI Community.” The talk will feature Vietnamese queer, autistic storyteller and speaker, Dennis Tran.

This event was planned by a diverse group of UCSF staff who organized in response to the ongoing racial injustices. The goal of the UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice monthly speaker series is to promote critical thinking and action around intersectional structures of power, privilege, and racial oppression in clinical care, education, and beyond. We will continue to highlight the efforts of community antiracism activists.

AANHPI Autism Self Advocacy Panel

Join us for an empowering online panel featuring autistic Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) self-advocates as they share their inspiring journeys and self-advocacy experiences. Discover how these incredible individuals have navigated the intersections of their cultural heritage and autism, and how they use their voices to drive change and foster understanding. This conversation offers an intimate glimpse into their challenges, triumphs, and the strength of their resilience. Whether you are part of the AANHPI community or simply passionate about advocacy and inclusion, this is a must-attend event that promises to educate, inspire, and unite us all. Featuring Dennis Tran, Celina Tupou-Fulivai, Ben VanHook, and Hari Srinivasan. Moderated by Jenny Mai Phan and Kim Chua

Neurodivergent Career Skills Workshop

Built for the neurodivergent community and open to all, attendees will gain very valuable knowledge on developing career skills. Program will go over interviewing skills, career assessment, resources for job search, and alternative careers to explore. Hosted by LAPL featuring Dennis Tran and Kim Chua of AMBIV Collective

2023 In the Limelight Competition Video Submission -Dennis T.

We are putting professionals and students with disabilities "In the Limelight" Whether it’s as a student, intern, mid-level manager, or high-level executive, individuals with disabilities bring a unique perspective and diverse talents to the world, universities, and the workplace every day. To showcase this, we invited students and professionals across the U.S. and Canada to step "In the Limelight" and share their stories of living and achieving as a person with a disability. 

Interview with Ava X Rigelhaupt - How to Dance in Ohio

In honor of the release of How to Dance in Ohio, Dennis Tran, Director of Partnerships of Asians American with Disabilities Initiative (AADI) interviewed Ava X. Rigelhaupt, Autistic Creative Consultant of How to Dance in Ohio Musical and the importance of disabled media representations.

AAPI x ADHD in the Workplace Panel

Panelists from Shimmer, Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative, Firstly and RespectAbility will be discussing “Navigating the Workspace as an AAPI with ADHD”. Christal Wang, Dennis Tran, Kevin Hu, and Vanni Le will be talking about common challenges/stigma, seeking accommodations, and tried and tested strategies to help AAPIs with ADHD thrive in the workplace. We'll also leave time to get your burning questions answered!

Navigating Mental Health Challenges in the Asian American Community

Get excited... The AsiaUnited & HeapAble ERGs are joining forces to present a special keynote !In honor of this month’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage and Mental Health Awareness Month, we are inviting guest speaker, Dennis Tran (He/Him), Director of Partnerships with the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative (AADI). As an advocate for mental health and DEI, Dennis will share his personal story of navigating the intergenerational traumas surrounding mental health awareness in the AAPI community. Dennis Tran identifies as a partially blind and autistic-ADHD Vietnamese American from Los Angeles, CA. He is passionate about storytelling and leveraging emerging new media, communication, technology, and innovation for social change. As a strong advocate for DEIA and the intersectionality within the AAPI Community, he aspires to build networks and opportunities to uplift fellow AAPI organizations and youth.

The Neurodiversity Conversations

In this episode of Farsight Chats, hosted by Farah Bala, an enriching discussion unfolds around neurodiversity in the workplace, featuring insights from Jennifer Sarrett, Marcia Brissett-Bailey, Sam Crane, and Dennis Tran. This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for those looking to understand and support neurodiversity within their organizations, challenging established norms and advocating for systematic, inclusive change.

Key points covered include:

• Definition of Neurodiversity: The diversity in how human brains function, contrasting neurotypical people who fall within societal norms. The term, coined by Judy Singer, has expanded to include conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, autism, PTSD, and more.

• Stigma and Challenges: Neurodivergent people often face misunderstandings and biases, leading to stigmatization in workplaces and schools. Guests share personal experiences of exclusion and systemic barriers.

• Workplace Inclusion: The conversation covers strategies for making workplaces more inclusive, like providing reasonable accommodations (flexible schedules, assistive technology) and creating environments where employees feel safe disclosing their needs.

• Intersectionality: The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding how race, gender, and disability intersect, with discussions on how certain groups face compounded barriers due to these overlapping identities.

• Call for Change: There’s a focus on changing workplace culture by investing in diversity, promoting long-term strategies, and ensuring diverse leadership to create inclusive policies.

APA Heritage and Mental Health: Conversation on Autism and ADHD

 As part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, join Los Angeles Public Library @lapubliclibrary, The Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative @aadinitiative, and RespectAbility @respecttheability for a candid discussion about the lived autistic, ADHD, and Asian American experience and how they affect mental health. Featuring Dennis Tran, Maddy Ullman, and Vanni Le.

Beyond The Numbers: Talking To Your Loved Ones About Mental Health - Live Webinar Hosted by Mental Health America

 Featuring speakers: Israa Nasir, Dennis Tran, and Dior Vargas, for a panel-style webinar about ways that BIPOC folks can navigate conversations with their loved ones about mental health. Hosted by Mental Health America.

Asking for help and talking to your loved ones about your mental health is important, but it can be difficult to know how to start or facilitate these conversations. This panel-style webinar will discuss how Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) individuals can navigate conversations with their loved ones about their mental health given the stigma, cultural factors, shame, language barriers, or personal beliefs that they may encounter. In recognition of BIPOC Mental Health Month, join Mental Health America and guests for this free, 60- minute webinar where we will:

• Provide insight and skills on how to approach conversations about mental health in an open, honest, and shameless way.

• Learn from the lived experiences and expertise of others on how they navigate difficult or new conversations with loved ones.

• Discuss how we can best support someone who is living with a mental health condition.

• Explore how to use culture not as a barrier, but to our advantage when talking about and healing our mental health.