[0:02] [Music] [0:08] [Music] [0:20] Elizabeth [0:22] County, AAPI Month, AsianAmerican [0:26] Pacific Islander Month, [0:32] celebrate ACF and Pacific [0:41] Islander. What does it mean to be a MA [0:44] American man? Um and and what does AAPI [0:47] mean to you? Uh so [0:52] yeah, employee resource groups um called [0:56] Asian Descent Work. [0:57] So Mike about everything, right? So uh [1:02] Mike for uh welcoming thank you so much [1:05] for coming to the show um and for [1:07] spending your time with me today. So [1:11] yeah, thank you. Thank [1:12] you for inviting me to be on this show [1:15] here as well as TV and uh and Mitch for [1:18] hosting this uh session here. So first [1:21] question, what does it mean to be a [1:24] American man? Um I [1:28] think American man um that's always [1:31] changing. Yeah. uh it's changing from [1:34] let's [1:38] say to even right now right [1:44] um it's always [1:49] um so it it's changing here it's also [1:52] being uh you [1:54] know person of m identity um but also [1:58] trying to um m values too Mhm. [2:03] Yeah. [2:07] Youritage for you specifically as [2:11] Mike, right? We're celebrating all [2:15] AAPI. Um, your identity as a male here [2:18] at Ramsey [2:21] County. My identity here at Ramsey [2:25] County is [2:26] um I [2:29] would just be Right. [2:35] Um it especially in the places [2:38] where [2:40] sometimes there's a lot of female. So [2:43] it's also good to actually have to also [2:46] provide that other lens as well too. [2:48] Okay. Can you share more about what that [2:50] looks [2:51] like? So So talk a little bit about [2:56] Ramsey County. I know you wear a couple [2:59] hats. In Ramsey County, Ramsey County, [3:03] the [3:04] government, your roles, responsib [3:24] contract [3:27] question. [3:39] Um so employee resource group Asian [3:43] descent network [3:46] [Music] [3:49] Yeah. Uh, Asian Descent Network. They [3:52] serve all the Asian [3:54] employees. Ramsey [4:00] County, you know, all the [4:03] Asian employees Ramsey County. Yeah. [4:08] Ramsey [4:15] [Music] [4:21] County employees [4:34] um training either with regards [4:37] financial or mental [4:40] health [4:43] workshop. So both professional personal [4:50] Okay. How did it start? So this is still [4:53] kind of a newer uh group right [5:01] after Asian descent [5:13] network [5:15] and there's a lot [5:17] of hate [5:33] a new employee resource [5:36] group [5:39] afterward Asian descent network. [5:45] Okay. So, what are the trainings? What [5:48] are the workshops? Uh what are the [5:50] events? Yeah. So the the training [5:53] workshops let's say the last [5:55] year financial literacy uh workshop. So [6:00] we contract [6:04] trainers financial [6:08] literacy. Um the pri year year [6:14] prior mental health practitioners as [6:17] well [6:19] too mental [6:26] health you [6:35] know so [6:37] um I'm a member too of Asian descent [6:39] network [6:42] um guest [6:46] speakers financial assistance. How do [6:48] you prepare for real? I think it's like [6:50] estate planning. How did you come to [6:53] find guest [6:54] speakers? How do you work together to [6:56] get them? [6:58] Yeah. Okay. [7:04] Yeah. What are their needs? [7:08] Okay. Financial planning. Okay. [7:16] And if they do, then we can go ahead and [7:18] reach out. [7:22] Okay. Okay. [7:28] As Asian uh descent folks, right, [7:31] members. Um [7:37] Okay, we want to learn about this or we [7:38] want to have um even a gathering in the [7:42] community about, you know, whatever the [7:44] issues are. [7:47] Um that works in Ry County. How do we [7:50] get involved? Um how do we help with [7:52] that? Yeah, I think [8:03] inbox [8:05] network get involved with [8:09] employees promotion or also community [8:12] engagement [8:13] events I think past couple [8:17] years at the state fair. Oh wow. Okay. [8:19] Okay. Uh the bay partner [8:26] county. So [8:36] Okay. So I see. So it's more than just [8:38] Ramsey [8:40] County at Ramsey County government. [8:43] We're in the community engaging with the [8:45] community at different events too. Okay. [8:47] Great. Um, so if we're talking about um, [8:52] uh, like the broader community, so since [8:54] we're on that topic, hi. Um, you know, [8:56] we can have opportunities to table or to [8:59] partner with other folks in the [9:00] community. Um, what does that look like [9:02] for, you know, our group this year even? [9:09] Uh, most likely, you know, we're going [9:11] to probably do a lot of the same things [9:13] here. You know, one probably a boomer [9:15] July 4th as well, too. [9:21] request, [9:25] right? So, we're always listening to [9:27] what the needs are. Okay. [9:30] Gotcha. Message according to that. Okay. [9:34] Yeah. Um I know I just want to touch on [9:36] this a little bit. Asian descent work [9:40] groups, but we have other employee [9:42] resource groups. I think it's good to [9:44] talk about those. Um, so PIMO uh, black [9:47] excellence, pride, veterans, um, we also [9:50] have folks uh, that are in a group for, [9:53] uh, different abilities and then for [9:55] folks who are Spanish speaking, uh, do [9:56] you, Mike, or other, uh, members with [9:59] Asian descent, do we work with them in [10:01] any way? Do we build together in any [10:03] way? [10:04] Yeah. [10:09] Okay. I [10:19] think I'll give you an example. I think [10:22] probably about two years [10:34] ago supported [10:36] employees allies. [10:43] [Music] [10:46] So for [10:51] example, okay, so it's a really it's a [10:54] really nice community here. Uh they [10:57] support each other and and support on [10:58] the same mission. Yeah. I think um one [11:00] of the things that's really important to [11:02] think about [11:03] is it's all tied together, right? So [11:06] employee resource, you know, there's a [11:08] couple of different um safe spaces that [11:10] we can go to different members at uh [11:12] Ramsey County that we can connect with [11:14] and learn from. So thank you um so much [11:16] for sharing [11:19] um Asian [11:21] descent priorities focus [11:30] I think it's more like how [11:33] to descent uh goes back to either [11:37] support either mental health or whether [11:39] it's promotion or the training uh [11:42] professional uh development or personal [11:44] development [11:48] velment support um [11:51] but sometimes you have to create space [11:55] uh to to provide it for that because [12:08] sometimes they provide all the Asian [12:11] Asian descent employees uh to support. [12:15] So let's say for example [12:19] question this may not [12:22] be HR or maybe union um so we can [12:26] actually help guide and direct you. [12:28] Okay. Yeah. No, that's really good to [12:30] know. And I think Asian descent uh [12:33] network [12:35] members, right? So, it's like you feel [12:37] more seen and heard when you can go and [12:39] then strategically plan. How do I um [12:41] either tackle something I'm experiencing [12:43] or um how do I get the professional [12:46] development that I'm looking for? So, [12:49] professional [12:51] development just a couple examples of [12:53] what that looks [12:55] like. Professional examples like is it [12:57] training the um Ramsey County so we can [13:00] you know look at a different position [13:02] like what what does that kind of look [13:03] like for you? Yeah. So training and [13:05] development it's more like just you know [13:07] networking connecting with each other. [13:08] So we've been with very successful [13:11] directors that came on there as [13:14] sponsors. So they sponsor [13:19] behind mission uh we've actually had [13:22] some people that [13:23] uh inside group taking up roles for [13:27] regards to being public relations or [13:29] communications and [13:33] then supervisors and managerial position [13:36] as well too. So um this is actually [13:38] really good you know good exposure. [13:45] Yeah and other departments too right and [13:48] you have other um access and [13:49] opportunities to do other things. Okay [13:51] that's really great. Yeah. Um so as Mike [13:56] uh you know who started ADN right with [13:58] other folks um what have you learned [14:01] like what have been some of the impacts [14:02] that you've had since you've been a [14:04] member of ADN? So [14:08] like you know you're looking at um ADN [14:11] for ADN across the board for Ramsey [14:13] County. So what has what has been the [14:16] impact? I think [14:18] impact on me like you know it's like it [14:26] um it's [14:28] helped grow as an individual right as a [14:31] not just my my person but also in my [14:33] role um serving in Ramsey County as well [14:35] too um it actually helps you get into [14:39] let's say certain communities or uh [14:41] committees um where there's leadership [14:43] where you can u provide feedback or [14:45] input beyond. So let's say for example [14:48] um was actually part of a uh recent [14:50] committee here uh that we was actually [14:53] looking to redesign um uh intake [14:56] processing to you know the service [14:58] center right so being a part of this ad [15:03] ADN exposes you to um the committees and [15:06] um additional leadership opportunities [15:09] uh for you to get into and um you know [15:12] create a a space where you can real [15:14] change real change here. Yeah. Not just [15:17] allow people to create that change, but [15:18] to [15:19] also and create that um voice. Yeah. And [15:24] really uh it sounds like you're [15:25] developing a lot of leadership skills [15:27] too and a lot of other kind of [15:28] collaboration skills along the way. [15:30] Okay. And [15:33] then groups at Ramsey County. How has it [15:36] helped foster um inclusive uh values [15:40] diversity at Ramsey County? [15:45] Yeah, it it goes right back to Becca [15:48] mission and vision, right? To to support [15:51] uh residents of Ramsey County, but also [15:53] being inclusive and equitable. [15:57] Um a perfect example would be just you [16:04] [Music] [16:05] know sometimes [16:12] um and actually being engaged in the [16:14] community and also letting our community [16:21] know. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Thank you for [16:24] that. [16:26] um uh you know your hopes, right? Uh [16:29] your your hopes and kind of just what [16:30] you're um wanting to see more at Ramsey [16:34] County, right? [16:39] Um like how can we evolve? How can we [16:41] grow? Um what does that look like as we [16:44] continue to to uh work together at ADN? [16:47] Yeah, absolutely. [16:50] um you know in addition to you but the [16:53] people on the camera [16:57] [Music] [17:02] here find a little bit more information [17:04] about ADN and how we can support each [17:06] other [17:13] or apply or apply to come work with us [17:15] at Ramsey County y'all. Um we always [17:17] need more leaders, different people [17:19] because you know we all have different [17:21] lived experiences and and perspectives, [17:23] right? So yeah, come apply and work at [17:24] Ramsey County with myself and Mike, [17:26] right? Yeah, absolutely. Um and then if [17:28] we're thinking about like uh you know [17:31] other [17:33] takeaways, our home community who's [17:35] watching, anyone who's uh you know, [17:38] friends and colleagues watching at [17:39] Ramsey County, um what else would you [17:42] like to say to them? [17:44] Yeah, I I think um Chilua is AAPI month. [17:48] Uh we're going to have a our a [17:49] proclamation over at the Ramsey County [17:52] Courthouse. I think that's [17:58] actually I think it's the board [18:01] meeting week on Tuesdays. Yeah. [18:08] Yeah. And as we [18:13] celebrate Okay. Yeah. [18:19] API, what does it mean to be a Mong [18:21] American male um at Ramsey County? [18:25] Um yeah, thank you so much [18:40] [Music]