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Courtesy of: blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
Community Spotlight: Solidarity Space
We recently had the opportunity to talk with Sule Anibaba and Kate Mellon-Anibaba, the creators of Solidarity Space in Central Park, Davis. Sule and Kate are amazing activists and are raising two young boys of their own as long-time residents of Davis.
It was truly illuminating to converse with Kate and Sule to learn more about their tireless efforts and experiences in fighting against racial injustice and the advice they have for those joining the fight. Read more below to learn about the great anti-racist work happening in Davis and how you can help in the Black Lives Matter movement.
How did you get started in the black lives matter movement?
Kate: Just a little back story, because we did not just pop into the Black Lives Matter movement because of George Floyd.
Racial injustice affects our family with two black sons and I’m trying to be a supportive partner to my husband who is in a predominately white space in Davis. He’s been profiled and he’s been harassed by police. He’s had experiences where I, as a white partner, can’t really understand. Since we’ve had our kids, about 6 years ago, I’ve been trying to do better and unlearn my privileges. It’s opening up my eyes, but learning that has been a journey and I’m still working on it. It was really important for me to understand the fact that I gave birth to my kids, and while they are half-black and half-white, they are still viewed by society as a threat as they enter public spaces.
While we were not necessarily a huge part of it in the beginning, we’ve been involved in the Black Lives Matter movement from the inception.
What inspired you to start Solidarity Space?
Kate: So I’m usually the one that is usually more emotional and spitfire. My husband, Sule, is trained in therapy. He always has his emotions in check, he’s really good at helping people process and is a really great listener. That being said, when George Floyd was murdered, I saw my husband emotionally react, but I didn’t think I was the right support system for him. He kept saying that he felt so isolated because of COVID-19 and that there wasn’t anything he could really do for his mental health. We had our kids to raise to begin with, and he was just so withdrawn and upset. And it’s traumatic for him. The scab forms after every one of these murders for black folks happens, and it keeps happening and this wound just reopens. This time, something just erupted in him and I kept hearing, “I need a space”. I talked to him about setting up a memorial that was visible, and he liked the idea and so we just kind of ran with it.
How did you develop Solidarity Space?
Kate: I’m an artivist. I did the Statement of Love that’s over on the Odd Fellows Hall with a group of artists. For Solidarity Space, I made these portraits and set up a Facebook event that said that it was a space for the community, to mourn, to process, to have those tough conversations. If you’re white folks, it’s to talk about racism and what you can do to make a commitment. For the black folks in our community: this is your space to find community, to process, and to grieve. And while I can’t tell you that it’s what you need right now, I hope that at least it’s there for you.
Solidarity Space is such a collaborative effort. They’re so many people that have so many amazing ideas and prolific things to say. I couldn’t do it without them, and I’m literally just using my privilege to hold that space so that folks can do what they do.
How has the davis community responded to solidarity space so far?
Kate: So far, the community response has been huge. I had a few portraits and a few candles, and people came out in droves to bring signs, art, and candles. We lined a huge extension cord and use power from the Jewish fraternity that supports us. The first night we did it, a good 200 people came out. We had a group that wanted to do a candlelight vigil and we had an amazing die-in that was really impactful. A few community members and my husband actually spoke as well. We really just wanted to make a space that was authentic that was made for the people by the people. It’s been a huge collaborative, public process that has just grown from there, and it kind of evolves. We’ve had a person that was upset by this space and ripped it down, but we all just put it back up and made new art and signs. The space has been there since the end of May, so it’s been a long time, but we’ve had great support in trying to make it permanent.
Why did you choose to have solidarity space at central park?
Kate: I placed the space very purposefully. Central Park is a place where people are usually affluent, can spend money, and can hang out there with their families. And it has been a point of contention within the community where the Davis Farmers Market just doesn’t feel like its for everybody (people of color, unhoused folks, food insecure students— essentially people that don’t fit the rich family that goes to the Farmers Market). I grew up in that rich, white family, so my experience with the Farmers Market has been wonderful. However, after talking to people of color in the community, I’ve learned how they feel watched or even ignored there. I really wanted to be intentional in choosing the space. That’s why I didn’t ask for permission, and just took over.
Also lot of the public art in Davis is white centered and literal. You can only have so many bikes, frogs, and tomatoes. Ultimately, we’re trying to speak out and not have a filter in calling out our community for engaging in racist behavior and microaggressions. I’ve seen some people care more about their pets than they care about black people in the community, despite how liberal Davis claims to be. It’s all great to talk about supporting diversity, but when it really comes down to it, we have to have those sticky, hard, and sometimes triggering conversations. However, it should be noted that the arts and cultural department is doing a better job now of including projects from people of color or messages that talk about the spaces we are occupying right now.
What do you think needs to be done particularly in Davis as individuals to fight against racial injustice?
Sule: It’s more awareness and more education. And it sounds very basic, but we’re lacking that. I went to school here in the early 2000s, and there was a huge lack of diversity here in our school systems. I also spoke to a high school student who is an immigrant from a South African country, and he’s complaining that the lack of diversity is still prevalent. So I think we need to shake things up a bit in diversity within schools. I think the school system has a long way to go as far as educating and being uncomfortable with the truth.
Be uncomfortable with the truth. People are used to doing what it takes to stay comfortable. So until we can shake things up and make things uncomfortable, we will not progress. For me, it was very powerful to have people come out after the George Floyd killing because I have never seen that amount of support. It was great to not only get that support, but have people be mindful and active in wanting to change our system for the better permanently. We don’t have anything in the system that’s meant to last very long, we just have this occasional event that makes them look good.
How has the city council been responding to the Solidarity Space?
Kate: Honestly, they have been fantastic. I took over the space without asking for their permission, and a lot of the city council members have been going out to support the space. The Phoenix Coalition headed by our new mayor, Gloria Partida, has been super supportive. We also organized an event for pride in the space. Davis Phoenix Coalition and Bike Party Davis decided to do an event in solidarity with black lives for pride. Mak did an amazing speech in which they talked about the intersectionalities of anti-police, how pride started with a riot and how the folks in the LGTBQIA+ community who started these changes were black. It was really cool to see all the different kinds of support and solidarity with the different groups in this town within the space. We also have a summer camp, and it’s called Sol Summer Camp. It explores what defunding the police looks like, what abolition looks like, and teaching the children the truth in our history while also incorporating fun activities such as chalking and learning how to strike. It’s focus is on how to keep our kids engaged in these conversations and inspire them to be better than our generation.
How can we make sure that this movement isn’t just a trend?
Kate: I can only speak from my perspective as white woman, and I think as a white person, it’s our job to be in our own spaces and create change. We need to understand that the movement will be by black people for black people. We, as the white people, have created racism, and if we want change, it starts with educating ourselves. We have google and all these social media platforms where you can follow black people speaking out. It’s important to take this information, go back to your circles, and educate others. We should also talk about the microaggressions and really calling out the folks that we love in a way to expose them to how it’s not okay anymore. It’s also about donating and make lasting donations if you have the means.
Don’t let it just be a square on Instagram. Critically think about what you can do in your circles that is anti-racist learning and teaching. Be about it, and don’t think of it as a fad. Black liberation is not a fad. Don’t let it be something that’s going away, even if it does feel like its going away. Find your lane and find something you can actively change especially in your own community for black folks and do it. There’s got to be a commitment to changing up that white supremacist routine that we do. There’s always intersections and always ways to support the movement for freedom.
What can we do to help the fatigue for those that are super active in the movement to allow them to take that break?
Kate: If you see something that you think you have skills to support— if you are a graphic designer, have a huge social media following, money, or make succulent arrangements, use these skills. You don’t have to be an organizer, but you can find the skills that you have, the status that you may have, and contribute to a movement in that way. Figure out ways to support, but don’t be too reliant on people of color to educate you. Educate yourself and be ready to navigate and change if someone from that community calls you out on it.
DO you have Any advice for those starting their own organizations in the community?
Kate: It’s scary and may be something that you’re not completely comfortable with. Educate yourself and critically think before you jump into things. The best you can do is just try. And when I say try, I mean if you make a mistake and if something happens, brush yourself off and say that this is part of the journey. Surround yourself with people that have the knowledge. Have a vision, have a goal, and have something you can contribute to their lives if you’re gonna bring those folks in.
What are your future plans for Solidarity Space?
Kate: We’re figuring out the funding and permanence of the space. A lot of this is online, and we’re working to engage the community in supporting black artists and thinkers. Solidarity Space has turned into more than just a place to go. With COVID-19, we use our Facebook page and Instagram to share anti-racist information. We have amazing people that are sharing content online that you don’t usually see. Our curators are people of color, which is important to keep those messages authentic.
We’re also hoping International House will be a fiscal sponsor to support the work were doing now. And it’s for creating art that will be representative of Solidarity Space and fund the moving parts and content online for future events and Facebook, Instagram, social media for the folks that can’t physically get out to the space. It’s in the works, but we’re trying to make it a permanent art installation. Something that is not just signs and portraits on wood, because those are not permanent. We need to think outside the box. Right now, we have an interest to do a mosaic on that bottom part that includes a lot of the signs, messaging that has been documented from the space, portraits, as well as have some historical black excellence involved. It’s for black lives, and that’s been a big thing that I think the city is finally ready for.
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Community Spotlight: Dzokerayi Mu
Dzokerayi Mu is a local Davis resident who wears a multitude of hats in our community. In conjunction with raising three beautiful kids, she has run a nonprofit organization called Tese Foundation for the last 7 years. Dzokerayi is also a part of Yolo Committee for Diverse and Inclusive Elections. Just recently, she has created a group called WiLD Events that supports women in leadership positions.She and her husband are food entrepreneurs as well and started Zim Cuisine to showcase Zimbabwean culture and cuisine in our town. Zim Cuisine does catering, food pop-ups, and has recently started at the Davis Farmers’ Market. Catch them at the farmers’ market and try a taste of Zimbabwe every second Wednesday of the month! (Next events will be August 12th and August 26th)
****** For the Davis Farmers Market event on August 12th, Zim Cuisine is donating 100% of the profits raised from the event to rebuilding the home of one of Tese Foundation’s students and her grandmother who lost their home due to heavy rains and have been homeless since February. They are $5000 away to reaching the goal of rebuilding their home. ******
We recently shared a truly eye-opening conversation in which we discussed the intersections between food, diversity, culture, racial justice, and entrepreneurship.
Read more below to see Dzokerayi’s illuminating insights and get a taste of the passion she has for creating and sharing delicious food!
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC BEEN AFFECTING ZIM CUISINE’S OPERATIONS?
If we’re gonna be specific in Davis, a lot of the food businesses in Davis have been suffering before the pandemic. Rents downtown are high, and there’s just not a lot of diverse food there. Recently the city of Davis had the initiative to bail out downtown businesses, but you had to be registered as a downtown business. While that helped many businesses, it didn’t include us. We were not able to get any of the benefits because we’re a micro-business and we didn’t get the PPP loan either. We’ve struggled with trying to set up, getting out there, and getting ready for the farmers’ market. We need a ton of equipment and so it has been a challenge. And even now when we’re in the farmers market, we are relying on our followers to come out and buy our food. The truth of the matter is that the farmers market is very slow right now. So basically the only way that we can survive and continue to do this is if people support Zim Cuisine with our GoFundMe so that we can subsidize our costs with all the donations people are giving us.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING THEIR OWN FOOD BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION?
My advice is to just go for it, whatever season of life you may be in. For us, we are branching out during the most risky time in history. Sometimes it’s kind of overwhelming to think if it’s going to be okay, but if you don’t take any risks, you would never know. So it’s better to try and fail than to never try at all. If you have an idea and look for a mentor or support group, just go for it, start small and increase it as you go.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART IN STARTING ZIM CUISINE?
My favorite part is the kids. A lot of families have very picky kids and consistently, our biggest fan base is the young kids that their parents swore don’t eat curry, spices, beans, or mushrooms. And we make them believers! We have quite a following with the young kids, and that is just a testimony to how wholesome our food is. Slow-cooked foods are the best kinds of food, and it’s the food that you prepare yourself with fresh vegetables and is cooked in a loving environment. So for me, the most rewarding part is just really seeing the children enjoy our food.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WORKING IN DAVIS?
We have been really well-supported in Davis since we’ve started, and we’ve seen that people want us to be here and are creating space for us and opportunities for us. It’s really humbling because the first day we were at Davis Farmers Market, we were overwhelmed with business and that is a good problem to have. We just really want that to be consistent and to continue to be overwhelmed with business so that we can stay open. We’ve been in Davis for 11 years now, and we’ve definitely seen Davis become a little more diverse. We still do have issues with diversity since it’s getting harder to live here as systemic oppression financially and economically causes people not to be able to live here. It was really difficult being the only black family we could see for miles while taking a walk and doing everyday things. Over the years I did see the number of those increase, but more so now than ever, we see somewhat of a slight decrease because families of color cannot afford to live here.
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE DAVIS COMMUNITY STAND IN SOLIDARITY FOR BLM?
The Davis community has been overwhelming in terms of supporting. In fact, I’ve lived in Missouri, Portland, Washington, and even in New York; and in all these cities that I’ve lived I have not met as many allies as I have in Davis. There’s definitely people that understand when I say ‘white privilege’ and aren’t super mad, in fact they use it themselves. This is the place to start a revolution and make a change for good. We had a march and protest that I planned a couple months ago, called “For our Fathers, For our Brothers, For our Sons”, and we saw almost a 1,000 people show up in our small town. We definitely see white allies have more of a role than ever before and in Davis, they’re really activating it and playing a role.
WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN DAVIS RIGHT NOW TO HELP WITH BLM?
This is not the time to be silent. You can’t just say, "I’m not racist”, you have to hate racism. What needs to be done in Davis is that white parents need to have that talk with their kids. I have three kids, all different ages and all different personalities, and they have all experienced racism in their classrooms. Parents need to have the talk with their kids about race from ages 3, and every couple of months reminding their kids about skin color, about what white privilege is, what we can do in this situation, and engaging their kids. If we’re going to change things, more conversations have to happen in the home.I also think more than ever, people need to be in community with those that don’t look like them. In our city, we see people of different colors and races, but we don’t see much interaction. You need to normalize people by having relationships. As long as someone has never had me inside their home, it’s easy for them to separate issues of me or my children. So now, more than ever, invite families of color to your birthday, to barbecue, to go on vacation. Many times we have seen things on the outside, been friendly enough that we say hi and chat, but not enough to have deeper relationships that make us accountable to each other. And I would say the same for many races. If you look at your friend groups, look at how many people of different races you interact with and actively pursue relationships with the many different races. It’s not enough to have a token black friend, you have to have multiple black friends to understand the struggle. We as a society need to integrate socially and then have those conversations with our kids.
WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR ZIM CUISINE?
Our inspiration is African food. I was born in Zimbabwe and I’ve been in the US all of my adult life. And I’ve noticed that when people think of African food, they think of Ethiopian. There’s a lot of Ethiopian immigrants in the US, and so the only food, if you ever were exposed to African food, would be Ethiopian. I have tried to explain to everyone in my life that Africa is not a country, it is a continent with different countries, different cultures, and different foods. I just wanted to bring that into the mix and have people taste a different region of African food.
WHAT ARE THE DISHES YOU CREATE FOR ZIM CUISINE?
We have a lot of things and we can’t serve them all on one day, so our goal at the farmers market is just to introduce people to our food and rotate it weekly. It will also help people come back, so if they know that the next time we have a different dish they might be inspired to try it and come back. We always serve our meats with vegetables and starch. For vegetarians, we serve it as vegetables and a starch.
So generally, African food has something to do with braai. Braai is barbecue, but when someone says that, they’re usually thinking about hot dogs and burgers. With African braai, they’re basically putting a whole cow on the grill, steaks, pork chops, and Boerewors (traditional African sausage). While it’s heavy barbecue, it’s also heavy vegetables.
At Zim Cuisine, almost every vegetable dish of ours is vegan and gluten-free. We have coconut green beans, which is sauteed green beans with black pepper and fresh coconut shavings. Then we also have sauteed veggies, which is sauteed kale and cabbage. It’s very simple but it’s always a crowd favorite. I have always thought of it as a simple base of our meal but I’ve had an international chef tell me that it’s their favorite dish. People look at peanut butter here and see it as a dessert, but it’s a savory dish for us and we put mustard greens in our peanut butter sauce and we simmer it for hours.
As for starches, we have jasmine rice and sadza. Jasmine rice is pretty fluffy and yummy on its own. Sadza is simple and made of just two ingredients: water and cornmeal, but the way you cook it is very hard. In our African traditional culture, when somebody is about to get married, they test them with a big pot and ask them how well they can make their sadza as a rite of passage. It’s gluten-free and almost bland on its own, but you use it to dip into all these foods that we make.
We do appetizers as well! We have sausage rolls, beef and veggie samosas, and meat and vegetarian pies. Zimbabwe was a British colony, so we have a lot of British food crossover. Our sausage rolls are basically ground sausage, spices, and stuffed pastry-- you can’t go wrong with that. Our samosas are different from Indian samosas as the pastry and flavors are a bit different. Our pies are similar to pot pies but more dense and handheld that you can grab and eat on the go.
WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR ZIM CUISINE IN THE FUTURE?
Our goal is not to be in the farmers’ market for the long term. Our goal is to have a restaurant where we can interact with our customers and have a cultural experience. We can only do that if people want us here and raise their concerns to say how do we make this happen, how do we bring this business in, and how do we help them survive. I encourage people to eat in Davis, and while a lot of us try to go to Sacramento to eat diverse foods, the more people mention the need for diverse food in Davis, the more opportunities that businesses like ours have for spaces.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP ZIM CUISINE?
If people can constantly come out and support us and make Zim Cuisine a part of their dinner plans every other week and commit to buying a plate from us, that would really help us survive. We also would really appreciate help with our GoFundMe. Our initial funds were all just spent on equipment and we didn’t even get all the equipment we needed. We need to subsidize the costs of just being able to offer our food at the farmers’ market. In the future, we’re looking for a space to grow as well as looking for investors who believe in what we’re doing to help us open a business in Davis. Some things people can do is just share about our food and our calendar, follow and like our Facebook and Instagram. We also have a website where you can look at options into catering for small gatherings and parties.
HOW IS IT JUGGLING ALL THESE PROJECTS AND RAISING 3 KIDS OF YOUR OWN AS WELL?
Very busy, but they help in every which way they can. The eldest one has more of a responsibility. If you come up to the farmer’s market you can see him taking orders and really participating and helping with bookkeeping. We don’t think there’s really an age to start learning about bookkeeping. Since we’re first generation business owners, we were never really taught these things at a young age. But at 11, if he already knows how to keep his books, you can imagine how much better of a bookkeeper and business owner he would be. Those are the skills we’re trying to impart on our kids, whichever fields they choose to be, but we think experience is experience and there’s never too much experience in life.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAMS IN DAVIS THAT DZOKERAYI ADVOCATES FOR:
Tese Foundation is a non-profit organization that Dzokerayi founded. Tese sponsors children, mostly girls, in Zimbabwe to go to school and help with education packages. At the moment, they are trying to rebuild one of the girl’s home because they had their home washed away in February rains. Their whole family has been homeless throughout COVID-19, so it is urgent to help rebuild their home. If anybody is interested, please follow the Tese Foundation page!
Just recently Dzokerayi is part of creating a support group called WiLD Events in Davis. As they realized that there is not an institution to support women in our community that would involve anything in leadership. This is a support base for anyone that identifies as female and is needing support in any area. They planned the march, “For our Fathers, For our Brothers, For our Sons” in June. On August 9th, they will be having a march, “For our Mothers, For our Sisters, For our Daughters”. Visit their Facebook page for further information!
She is also a part of the Yolo Committee for Diverse and Inclusive Elections. Recently, the school board made a decision that they felt was made without really listening to the public or taking in consideration our experience. So this committee is in conjunction with WiLD to make sure that people that are elected into power are concerned about issues of diversity and inclusion. They want to support any candidate that represents and has a track record of caring for minorities in any issues of inclusion and diversity. Visit their Facebook page if you are interested in learning more!
Contact info for zim cuisine
Community Spotlight: International House
For our first community spotlight, we had the pleasure of talking to Shelly Gilbride from International House here in Davis. Shelly is the Executive Director of I-House and started her position there last year. She has been a local Davis resident for the past 16 years where she has been active in the celebration of cultural diversity as Programs Officer of the California Arts Council.
We had a great talk about the efforts in continuing this cultural exchange in light of COVID-19, the fight for racial justice, and what I-House is doing to best support our community in these times. Read more below to learn about International House and their great work in tackling these issues!
What is International House Davis?
We are a Davis community non-profit organization dedicated to cross-cultural exchange and exploring the global issues at the time. I-House is a social gathering space that strives to make sure all people feel a sense of belonging and welcoming in our community. At the moment, we are providing virtual gathering opportunities due to COVID-19.
What kind of events does I-House develop or partake in?
We do tons of events throughout the year. Our program includes an international parent community that meets every Friday and discusses issues of parenting. It’s really a networking group to support parents within our community. We also have a community gathering of people on Wednesday mornings called Connections to allow local and international people to meet one another, share, and be in a community with another. We also have language and conversation classes, and you can practice around 11 different languages here. However, our biggest event of the year is the International Festival, which usually takes place in October at Central Park in Davis. It’s a festival of all the cultures that contribute to our community. We have dance, music, and food from all over the world to really highlight and uplift communities, especially marginalized communities that aren’t at the forefront.
How has I-House been doing?
COVID-19 and moments of racial injustice are challenging for everyone. With COVID-19, I-House has been closed for the public since March, and we were looking to open on August 1st. However, that’s not likely right now due to the increase of COVID-19 cases and we do not have revenue. I don’t know how any non-profit or for-profit organization is going to survive without more support from our government and our community. We’ve done some online lectures, talks, and programming but a majority of our events are closed and we’re really preparing for what it means to open again.
In terms of the fight for racial justice, I-House has always been a place that celebrates diversity. Our mission and vision are to make sure all of the contributions of the cultural groups in our community are recognized and appreciated. In light of the occurrences in the last couple of months, this has only further revealed how much further we have to go.
What is I-Fest going to look like this year?
We are thinking of how to utilize International Festival to its fullest potential. The focus is to make the contributions of our cultural communities in the Davis region central and visible, and celebrate those communities. While we have always celebrated unity and diversity, we’re going to be a little more intentional with highlighting the contributions of BIPOC communities. Accompanied with that, we are in the really interesting and challenging struggle of how to do that during COVID-19.
I-Fest is going to be on the first Sunday of October (October 4, 2020). It’s most likely going to a much smaller event in the park that will have physically distanced audience, but it will be online as well. We’re currently working out what that looks like, but most likely we’re going to have an online directory of cultural groups. All the cultural groups in the region will have an online profile on the I-Fest website that will give a little profile, showcase videos and photos, and will be filtered with whether they are music, dance, storytelling, historical, oral tradition and language groups. We’re also working out how to do the live stream broadcast for I-Fest. It’s a much more extensive event to do online and we’re trying to figure out what that means for us because this is the event that actually supports all of our programs throughout the year.
How is I-House addressing the fight against racial injustice?
I recognize that I am also a white leader of a non-profit and understand that white women have particularly found places of leadership in the non-profit world. As accomplices, allies, and abolitionists, we need to do better at recognizing that we have often reached places leadership and have been complicit. In terms of the fight against racial injustice, I feel a responsibility personally to internally investigate I-House’s ways of working and externally make sure that our programming is uplifting the contributions of BIPOC communities. We’re doing internal work to make sure that our processes in they way that we hire and program are really exploring the ways that we are part of the nonprofit industrial complex, and how we can push against that to make sure that our internal workings are fighting against white supremacy. And then externally, in our public spacing work, making sure that we support BIPOC communities and publicly promote anti-racism.
What do you think we can do as individuals and allies to stand in support with the fight against racial injustice?
Number 1, I think as individuals we can educate ourselves. I’ve heard of a lot of reading groups and book clubs in Davis for White Fragility and How to be Antiracist. There’s also a lot of resources out there on the internet as well. Number 2, it’s making sure that the education is facilitated and not done in a vacuum of white-ness. Davis has a predominately white demographic, so it’s easy to be insular.
This is also coming as my perspective as a white woman, but we have to not be afraid take the criticism and learn to be better. And that comes through making sure that we are communicating with the people of color in our lives. So that’s part of he reason why I-House is working with April Jean from Impact Foundry to do the really hard internal work to analyze our own complicity in the system and then to really be accomplices in the work and call it out when we see it.
As a town in Davis, I think there’s some great work being done by some of our city council members. Will Arnold, in particular, is working on how to reframe and reposition the police department. Solidarity Space is doing great work to continue to make BLM visible in our community. We did an anti-racism panel that got a lot of attendance. And that was showcasing just a few antiracism leaders in Davis and in Sacramento. Davis is interconnected in our region and there’s great work being done in Sacramento with their Decolonization Project and Black and White Shut it Down. There’s really great work and it’s just uplifting and supporting that work that is really important.
How can we make sure that the activism we do is not just a performance? How do you make sure this movement isn’t just a trend?
I think that the performance does serve a purpose in that it is a public demonstration of your values and I believe that we still need that. But that’s just the first step, and the next steps are what are the actions, internally and externally, that we are going to take to change the system with our processes and policies. For I-House, we must make sure to recognize this is in an international context. For us, it’s not just anti-racism work in the United States, we also serve the international community. We are thinking of anti-oppression work in global communities, because many of our members are not from here and may only be here for a short period of time.
We also need to look at the fatigue that is among the people that have been organizing the marches. We need to give them the space to rejuvenate and keep up the fight because it’s exhausting for the people that have been organizing marches and have been on top of it. I’m sure it’s exhausting to be in the constant educating mode, especially in our town where we have been looking to our communities of color to help guide us.
How do you think the events are going to change as restrictions are slowly getting lifted?
I definitely think events are going to be smaller. We are also getting assessed right now to increase our technology to do more of hybrid programming, where some people may be in the space, but some people may be participating online and virtually from their homes. We don’t currently have a definitive answer as to what that will look like, but we do know that the values that are driving us have never been more important. Uplifting communities and making sure that all communities feel safe and welcome here in Davis and the Yolo county hasn’t changed. We’re trying to figure out how we can uplift those communities as we deal with COVID-19 and the events of racist texts and incidents of police brutality.
How have you been able to connect with your members amidst this and how have volunteers been able to help local members of the community feel safe?
Most connections have been online. We have an online newsletter that goes out every week. . We’re connecting to people through Zoom, our newsletter, and through some online programming. We have a virtual exhibit of a local artist work called Communidad by Stephanie Thayer. While in quarantine, she has done a series of portraits of local community leaders and cultural leaders. We are showing them online and hoping to have an in-person showing of that in September.
What are you most looking forward to once our shelter-in-place order is lifted?
I am looking forward to social connection. I miss being able to connect with people in real-time and real place. That being said, we’re working on the ways to do that safely, and thinking about the protocols that need to be taken in order to do that safely. I’m definitely looking forward to when we have a vaccine and when we can fully be in public space again and not have to worry about physical distancing. I also really miss music and dance. We work with Mamadou Traore, who is a local African drummer. While he has transitioned to doing drumming circles online, there is still something lost when you don’t feel the rhythm of the drum in person. A lot of the things we do at I-House is for the celebration of music and dance, so I really hope we get to a place where we’re really enjoying the arts together again.
What do you like the most about working in the Davis community and what has been your favorite part about developing I-House here?
I’ve been living in Davis for about 13 years, but I’ve only been at I-House for less than a year. We’re in a leadership transition at I-House and really thinking about what I-House is going to be in the future. We are especially looking at how we’re going to stand in solidarity in the fight against oppression and racism. I think that I-House is the place to explore the global issues of our time. When I started at I-House almost a year ago, I did an informal community survey about what are the biggest global issues that we should be exploring. The things that kept coming back were climate change and racism. Though I’ve always felt a sense of urgency to address these issues, now more than ever, I think we’re trying to figure out and approach that with a sense of community and solidarity.
Is there anything the local community can do to help with International House?
We’re always looking for volunteers, particularly for the International Festival coming up in the fall. We need a lot of volunteers for that event, and it’s such an awesome event. If people have translation skills, we would love help with that. We are also always looking for people interested in potentially doing programs.
What are some tips you have for those starting work in non-profit organizations?
I think in terms of working in non-profit, the wonderful thing is that non-profits rely on people learning as they go and people doing tons of different jobs. You could be working on a grant one day, planning an event one day, fixing a door the next, or answering phones. You do everything, and there’s a breakdown of the traditional hierarchy where people can be given leadership positions. With working for a nonprofit, you’re working for something that you really believe in. You also get such a wide range of experience because you could be doing social media, marketing, development, fundraising, and programming; you could do it all. So you’re kind of getting a bit of everything in non-profit. Similar to entrepreneurship, if there’s something you want to do, you just go out and do it.
Contact info
If you have any questions about I-House for Shelly, you can contact her at shelly@ihousedavis.org!
Davis Coworking Newsletter on Sustainability
Member Spotlight: Deema Tamimi
Member Spotlight: Deema Tamimi
Deema Tamimi is the founder of the local nonprofit organization called Land & Ladle and a local resident here in Davis. She has worked in product management and marketing within the tech industry, and with these experiences and her passion for food sustainability, Deema has developed a multitude of wonderful projects in the Yolo and Sacramento community. From Giving Garden, Davis Eats, Caneberry, Land & Ladle, and more, Deema has created so many great programs that help our local food and agricultural systems.
We had a wonderful conversation about food sustainability, agricultural technological innovations, as well as an optimistic perspective on how COVID-19 is changing the world as we know it.
Deema’s strong passion for promoting food sustainability, reducing food waste, combating food insecurity, and bringing the community together was highlighted throughout our conversation, and it’s truly a delight to share her story with you all!
What is Land & Ladle?
Land & Ladle is a non-profit organization based in the Yolo and Sacramento area. We aim to bring people together to discuss sustainability in food systems through educational programs, community events, and developments, as well as through technological innovations, marketing, and storytelling. We focus on the communal, sustainable, equitable, and functional aspects of food to push for greater innovations to better our local food system.
What kind of events does Land & Ladle work on?
Land & Ladle helps with local food events that focus on bringing the community together. We also try to do fun things associated with communal food events where we gather people to eat food together. The last food gathering we had was a BBQ, and some of the proceeds from the event went to the Yolo Food Bank. We’ve also organized lightning talks and panels for experts to have discussions about the innovations in agricultural and food occurring in the Yolo and Sacramento counties. Land & Ladle’s blog is also where we try to highlight leaders in the Sacramento and Yolo region working on sustainable food or equitable food system work. Ultimately, we’re trying to highlight that there is really great work happening in sustainable and equitable food right here.
How has melding your experience in technology and passion for food helped in your development in Land & Ladle and your projects?
When I first started working in food, I came at it from a very tech-y angle. With Giving Garden, I wanted it to be an app where people could connect and share food and ideas about gardening and healthy cooking. We ended up realizing that trying to build a social an app with so much happening on Facebook and Nextdoor didn’t make sense, and I also discovered that a lot of the stuff that I was excited to work on was actually not tech-related. It was getting people together to talk about food waste and issues, and a lot of it was more grassroots organizing and education. You didn’t need to build an app for it; you just needed to get the right people in the room, having the right conversations. The only sort of technology needed was a website and social media. I think some of the hardest and most meaningful work is about bringing people together, helping people to see things in a new way, and trying to make the world better in the food system through grassroots efforts.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
I think for me it’s when people come together around a shared vision and work so well together that they can deliver something real, that changes their community. Even if they don’t reach their end goal, they still deliver something that they can feel really proud of. The part that’s most exciting to me is the teamwork. I had to learn when I moved into community work that it’s actually quite a lot harder than in my tech career work because you have a lot more people to think about with a lot of different opinions and perspectives. You have to respect that and make sure that their voices are heard while still making steps toward a deliverable whether that’s a recommendation, plan or a report. People working well together, that’s the part I enjoy the most.
Do you have any business tips for those just getting started in your line of work?
My biggest advice for someone getting started is to focus and set boundaries.
It is really easy to be pulled in multiple directions. I recommend it to everyone who’s starting a company: be very focused, set boundaries on time because people will always come up to you with things they think are a great idea, and you’ll love those ideas and you’ll want to help, but if you do that, you’re taking time away from your own business. I personally have been really bad about this and need to take my own advice.
How has COVID-19 affected Land & Ladle’s operations?
Events are definitely something that we have to re-think if we’re participating in them or if we’re partnering with people. So there will definitely be a different way of approaching these events just because the world has changed and we can no longer pack people in a room.
I do think that, in terms of COVID-19 and local food systems, that this has exposed the fact that our food system, the supply chain, and accessibility to food are really quite fragile. This pandemic has allowed a spotlight to be put on food system and food equity. There have been some amazing and creative efforts to try to make sure that we’re getting food to those that need it. I’m hoping a lot more is going to be done to strengthen local food systems and also to figure out ways for restaurants and chefs to survive in this changing world.
How do you think COVID-19 is going to affect sustainability within the food industry?
I think packaging may be increasing [from increased use of plastic from takeout]. We did a bit of ordering in, here and there, to support local restaurants, but I felt a bit conflicted about all the packaging and its impact on the environment. I hope it will inspire innovative work around packaging further and that we will invest in research and companies trying to make better packaging.
There’s a company that does mycelium or fungi based packaging called Ecovative and they have a model where people can start these mycelium packaging factories in their own communities. I hope more locally based solutions like this take off because we need them. Even though my full-time work right now is in tech, a lot of my passion-project time is focused on resilient and communal food innovations that allow for a more sustainable food system.
How has working from home been during COVID-19? Have you learned anything during this process that you would like to share?
One of the most interesting changes I have noticed, is that it’s made everyone much more human in the workplace. Prior to all this, especially in the corporate world, there was always this feeling that you couldn’t show your real life. You had to be very guarded and professional. We’re having to deal with the fact that a child might jump on our call and say something funny or see people’s bedrooms or their roommates in the background during a meeting. So I think that this has made people be more human and embrace their colleagues as full people with lives and families outside of work. I find it refreshing.
Do you have any tips for those that might struggle to remain productive at home?
Take a break from the screen when you can. I go out on my deck and just sit there every once in a while just to get away from my computer. Even if you just schedule 15 minutes to sit out, it’s super important. I just sit, soak up the sun, and let my brain have a break. I’ve had some days where I haven’t done that and the constant Zoom-ing and screen time feels like mental overload.
What do you enjoy most about Davis Coworking?
For me, I love the feel of Davis Coworking from multiple perspectives. I like the way that it just feels bright and open. Stylistically, it’s not too stark, and it has a nice, warm feel, which goes really well with the other reason I like it: it’s very community-focused. Do did a really good job from the beginning to ensure that people saw it as a way to meet people and for people to potentially network and learn from one another, especially for freelancers.
When I started working at Davis Coworking, even though I wasn’t working with the people around me, it just felt good to be around people. We were all together trying to make it work in this new digital nomad world. Anytime she had gatherings, I met someone interesting and we had a really good conversation, even though a lot of those people weren’t working on anything that was the same line as my work. It’s a great community.
Contact Information
If you are interested in Deema’s work or in Land & Ladle information can be found at landandladle.com or find Deema on Linkedin (linkedin.com/in/deematamimi)!
Member Spotlight: Lyle Phipps
Member Spotlight: Lyle Phipps, CPA of Prepared Accounting PC
Lyle Phipps is a CPA (licensed in both California and Massachusetts) who recently joined us in Davis with his partner Grace (an associate professor at UC Davis). He founded Prepared Accounting in 2013 to provide tax and bookkeeping services to small businesses and startups.
Prepared Accounting employs 4 people and currently works with a combination of for-profit and non-profit organizations (domestic and international) to establish or restructure their accounting and tax systems. Lyle’s previous employment with KPMG (Federal Tax and Executive Services) gave him a head start in learning how to help businesses and owners manage taxation and outsource their accounting function.
We recently shared a great conversation about how COVID-19 has been affecting operations, and experiences in the accounting industry as well as the challenge that his clients have experienced during the recent pandemic.
Read below to learn more about Lyle through our Q&A with him!
How has developing Prepared Accounting been for you?
It’s been great! It’s been slow growth but the growth that we’ve got has mostly been from referrals so at least we did not spend a ton on Marketing. Also, it has been important for us to choose who we work with. ,We’re in a good position and we like the size we’re at, however, we also want to help as many people as we can.
What sets Prepared Accounting apart from other firms?
I think one of the things that sets us apart is that we’re pushing bookkeeping and tax planning together. Normally, you’ll get bookkeeping services from a bookkeeper, and then tax service preparation from a tax preparer, and then tax planning service from somewhere else. And then you’ll end up hiring a CFO or fractional CFO at some point. We are a one stop shop from books to tax.
What business tips do you have for those just getting started?
Hmmm, remember that your most valuable asset is time--in both startups and life. When you are an entrepreneur, your wheelhouse has to be getting the right person in the right chair. Sure, you could learn to drive Quickbooks and do the bookkeeping, but that doesn't mean it is the best use of your time or that you should do your own entity formation. Tinkering with technology has brought me quite a bit of short-term joy but it has also kept me from focusing on sales growth for my business. Time is money. Oh yeah, and tax is money too.
What do you love most about your job? What do you find most rewarding?
I get excited when I help small-business owners save for retirement. It feels purposeful and emotionally rewarding to be a part of those good decisions. There are a lot of tax advantages in that playbook, and people get pretty happy once they learn the game.
And I think that, as for a purposeful or meaningful business, what I’m finding now is that I am finding purpose because I’m helping other people find their purpose as well. So by helping other businesses get started and thrive, and I’m actually helping someone actualize into a lifestyle that they want: that might be that they love to travel, that they want to run their business on the cloud, and that need some accounting help in the meantime.
What’s one thing - either industry-related or not - you learned after COVID-19 hit the US?
I was deeply impressed by how flexible and creative business owners became to protect their employees. We saw tough Main Street sole proprietors and partnerships go sleepless while figuring out ways to pivot the business model within COVID market conditions to keep their people employed. We happen to work in college towns where the word “corporation” has a lot of negative connotations; the reality is that we are all working hard and together to keep this sweet life going.
How has Prepared Accounting been dealing with the pandemic? Would you like to share any struggles or positive stories that have occurred amidst all this?
Thanks for asking. Our employees have always been able to work remotely, so that platform was already there when we closed our Massachusetts office. We were in the middle of a tax season race when the shelter-in-place orders hit, and we needed all the time we could get to be available to help people apply for Payroll Protection loans and Economic Assistance Disaster loans. We are doing a marathon now with the extended filing deadlines and new tax-law changes that were embedded in the CARES Act.
If you have been working at home, how has that process been for you? Do you have any recommendations and tips for those struggling to remain productive at home?
Setting priorities and sticking to our systems became especially important when my routine was broken. I try to be disciplined about this, but all too often I find myself eating work dessert before my vegetables. That is why I love coming to work at Davis Coworking, I get reminded of what people look like when they are focused and working up to speed.
What are you most looking forward to once our shelter-in-place order is lifted?
Too many things, really. Playing ultimate Frisbee and meeting new people in Davis to climb and surf with. It is exciting to meet people on a new coast and hard to do so when meetups are on pause.
What did you enjoy most about working at Davis Coworking?
Do Tromp has a way with plants and people and design and technology and they really all come together at Davis Coworking. Being in the environment and community that she has created is a joyful quality of life for me.
What has been your favorite part of working in Davis so far?
I really like the way Davis has developed its infrastructure. I enjoy the focus on bicycles as transportation and enjoy not having to get into a car to go to work. I can use the car in the driveway if I want to, but not having to get into it just feels like the right way to live. The weather has also always been pretty good. The ability to live locally, the ability to have produced, all these farm stands locally and still have businesses still doing things locally. So still have the ability to make money and invest, but also be able to buy locally and grow locally. There’s just so much sun, and water, and rich soil here. Right now, the going is really good here and I hope it continues.
Have you encountered any struggles with Prepared Accounting that you would like to share? Is there anything Davis Coworking or the Davis community can do to help?
Wow, thanks for that helpful question. We are looking for introductions to business owners who are wearing too many hats. Also, we would love to meet the best and the brightest accounting and bookkeeping and tax professionals you know who would value a flexible work environment. We especially love MBA Moms who want to keep their skills sharp.
Are there any issues that you would like to draw attention to? This is a very general question, but would be a wonderful outlet to garner support for a possible interest of yours.
We are highly aware that Information Security and Privacy are major concerns of our clients and we know it is important to go the extra mile here. We consult with IT professionals, enforce multi-factor / 2-Step authentication and have verified database encryption for all of our business applications and hard drive encryption on all of our laptops. We have written policy, annual employee training, and when working in a coworking space we employ privacy screens and even our own network devices for this reason. We know it is a small community here in Davis, and are very careful to respect privacy at all times.
Contact information
If you would like to contact Lyle about his work in tax services and bookkeeping, check out Prepared Accounting’s website at preparedaccounting.com
Or email him at: info@preparedaccounting.com
Member Spotlight: Luke Ensberg
While we cannot work together at the time being due to COVID-19, we would still love for you to get to know some of our members at Davis Coworking. We hope that this member spotlight will introduce you to some of our amazing coworkers and local businesses here in Davis, as well as stimulate coworking interaction as best as we can.
For our first spotlight, it was an absolute pleasure to talk with our resident structural engineer, Luke Ensberg, about his company Ensberg Engineering. Read more below to learn about Ensberg Engineering and some great tips and tricks Luke has for those working at home!
Member Spotlight: Luke Ensberg
Luke Ensberg is a licensed structural engineer and Davis resident. He started Ensberg Engineering in September 2017 to provide structural engineering services to homeowners and business owners in California. He has 9 years of experience designing wood-framed housing, high-end custom homes, and multifamily residential over concrete podium. He has also designed steel museum and mall buildings, tenant improvements, and a masonry auditorium.
He has been told by architects, contractors, and homeowners that he is personable, helpful, and easy to work with.
What do structural engineers do?
First, you have to understand that architects decide how a building will look. Engineers figure out how to make the building stand. We determine how large to make the beams, columns, and foundations.
What do you love most about your job? What do you find most rewarding?
Buildings are puzzles with pieces that have to fit together and be able to transfer force from one part of the structure to another. It is sometimes difficult to figure out how to fit these pieces together in a way that is architecturally satisfying, but that's the job. I love the challenge of solving this puzzle.
What inspires you most?
The society has entrusted me with professional licensure, and this inspires me to insist on excellence in my work product and in the product of consultants I work with. There have been plenty of times when my project budget ran out, and I just kept plowing ahead to finalize the work because it's not finished until it's right.
What’s one thing - either industry-related or not - you learned after COVID-19 hit the US?
Any long term solutions to the pandemic will have to be consistent with the fiercely individualistic American character. This attitude ties in with entrepreneurialism because people prefer to take personal responsibility for their lives and decide the amount of risk they will undertake. With the pandemic, as in business, outcomes will be affected by the back and forth push between this individualistic spirit and government regulation.
How has Ensberg Engineering been dealing with the pandemic? Would you like to share any struggles or positive stories that have occurred amidst all this?
I have responded to the pandemic by working from home, which has been a major blow because I love working at Davis Coworking. I miss the friendly folks there. I wear a respirator mask when I visit job sites. On struggles, we may be at the front end of a massive economic drop-off. My work is part of the construction industry, so the drop-off will hurt my workload on one hand, but the perennial demand for California housing means I will probably always be able to find work, even if the projects are small ones. Some people will always have money and want to build in a recession because construction labor costs drop.
What are you most looking forward to once our shelter-in-place order is lifted?
I can't wait to walk into a grocery store without a Darth Vader-like respirator mask on. I feel like such a weirdo, but whatever. I am an introvert, so don't worry about me being stuck inside. I am looking forward to my 7-year-old son getting to rough house with his friends.
What do you enjoy about working at Davis Coworking?
First, everyone there is nice. Second, when I am at work at Davis Coworking, I can focus on my work. When I go home, my mind is free to be with my family because I got so much done at the "co-work" as I call it.
Have you encountered any struggles with your business that you would like to share? Is there anything Davis Coworking or the Davis community can do to help?
My struggle is finding people to hire with incredibly high standards who don't already have full-time jobs at big engineering companies. I never realized what competition there is for talented labor. Davis Coworking could identify a liaison in the UC Davis career center.
If you have been working at home, how has that process been for you? Do you have any recommendations and tips for those struggling to remain productive at home?
Because my work is done on a computer, I have been able to work at home. The difficulty is that, with a 1-year-old and a 7-year-old, my family wants my attention. It is hard for them to see that I am home but not to be able to interact with me. This is why I like working at Davis Coworking: when I am at work at the coworking space my mind can be in my work, and when I am at home, I can mentally be with my family. My recommendation: if you are a professional working from home, hire a nanny. If you can buy help, buy help. Otherwise, you will struggle to do well with your work and your parenting. Also, have the grownups in your house take turns taking care of the kids. One parent plays defense while the other parent works, and then flip roles. If it is your turn to work, and your kids ask you for something, refer them to the "on duty" parent, and do not stop your work. If it is your turn to be "on duty" don't let the kids ask the working parent for anything.
Are there any issues that you would like to draw attention to? This is a very general question but it would be a wonderful outlet to garner support for a possible interest of yours.
Two issues come to mind: First, climate change is a disaster rolling slowly toward us. I am afraid for my kids' future. I encourage folks to vote for a candidate who takes climate change seriously and will cause America to rejoin the world's effort to combat climate change. Second, I think political division is plaguing this country. I know that Davis is solidly liberal, but I encourage my fellow Davis dwellers to consider the potential validity of conservative positions and see people at the other end of the spectrum as fellow countrymen. I hope that the country will not let the fringes from both sides control the political conversation. We have more in common than not in common.
Contact Information
If you would like to contact Luke about his structural engineering practice, further information can be found on his website www.ensbergengineering.com
8 Tips to Boost your Productivity
As we transition to remote working and learning, it can be difficult to remain productive and on task with all the distractions at home.
Oftentimes, it may also feel like a race against the clock to complete everything on that to-do list. While we cannot alter these situations, we can make the best of it by working to boost our productivity.
In order to help alleviate that slumping feeling, here are 8 top productivity tips to help maximize your efficiency and time management to ensure that all your tasks get completed for the day:
Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique states that work times should be separated by short breaks and completed in intervals. The method says that after working for 25 minutes, you should take a 5-minute break. After 4 sets of 25 minutes, you should take a longer 15-20 minute break.
The spacing of work and break time helps improve mental agility and allows your brain to focus in short, timed intervals. It is said to minimize distractions, allows consistent efficiency, and helps improve your concentration and attention span.
GTD Method (Getting Things Done Method)
The GTD Method emphasizes the importance of the order in which your tasks are completed. First, write down all the tasks you need to complete. Then, break them down into smaller, actionable items. Finish the smaller tasks first, and then divide the bigger tasks into smaller ones to start completing.
By writing down all your tasks first, this allows you to detract the time it takes to recall each task, and it allows you to organize tasks into groupings. Essentially, GTD helps with time management and the completion of tasks.
Batch Process
For this method, instead of interrupting your other tasks to complete each of these items one-by-one, group similar tasks to complete at certain times during the day. For example, if you need to answer emails or return phone calls, batch these items. Set aside a few times a day to check and respond to your email. If you need to call others or return phone calls, set call times to a specific time during the day, such as 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Batching similar items allows you to save time and streamlines your momentum!
2-Minute Rule
This is a two-part method that states:
If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now.
For example, simple tasks such as sending an email, responding to a call, or decluttering your workspace can take just 2 minutes to complete.
When you start a new habit, it should take less than 2 minutes to do so.
Just starting a goal can take just 2 minutes or less, it’s just a matter of pushing yourself to start. Once you start something, it’s easier to continue doing it.
This rule focuses on taking action and allowing it to flow on from there. The most important part is simply starting, and the idea that doing so only takes 2 minutes is less daunting. Once you start, it gets easier and easier to continue.
5. Pareto Analysis
This method is also called the 80-20 rule and states that 80% of the tasks can be completed in 20% of the time, while the remaining 20% of tasks will take up 80% of the time. Essentially, 20% of your work will constitute 80% of your achievements. Tasks that fall into the former category should be given a higher priority and doing so will help to increase productivity.
This technique helps to analyze where your time is currently spent, and subsequently determine where it could better be directed to ensure time is spent wisely. The analysis also encourages users to search for simpler and easier methods that are less time consuming to complete each task.
6. Caffeine Nap
After drinking a cup of coffee, close your eyes and relax, but limit your nap to only 15 minutes. Since caffeine takes about 20-30 minutes to take effect on your body, it’s effect will take effect when you awaken. Sleep enhances the effects of coffee by increasing the availability of receptors for caffeine in your brain. Caffeine naps are said to increase alertness and leave nappers feeling refreshed.
7. Do Not Disturb
Turn off distractions by pressing that Do Not Disturb button option on your phone. This prevents notifications from lighting up your screen and detracting your attention away from work. Depending on your phone and settings, your Do Not Disturb feature can mute phone calls, emails, text messages until you turn your screen on or turn off the feature.
8. Declutter and Organize
Clutter in your workspace can lead to disorganization and stress within your mind. It is distracting, makes it difficult to relax, and may create feelings of guilt that detract your focus from work. By decluttering and organizing your desk, it can allow you to focus more clearly on important tasks instead of the mess on your desk.
First, make sure you prioritize what you actually need and don’t need to successfully perform your job. Once you set this down, store the items you don’t need or simply throw them away. The items that you may need the most should go in the closest drawer and areas most frequented, while everything else should be put away in further drawers.
It is also important to declutter your computer! It’s easy to forget the random files never to see the light of day again, but getting rid of this digital clutter is critical to productivity.
First, delete old files or remove them onto an external storage system.
Then, create a labeling system and organize files into well-defined folders.
It is also super helpful to declutter your email. Regularly checking and actively deleting unnecessary emails helps minimize digital clutter. You can also set-up auto archive on your email so you spend less time clearing your inbox.
About the author:
An Do is a marketing and outreach intern for Davis Coworking. She currently studies Sociology and Managerial Economics at UC Davis.
Resources:
https://www.brightpod.com/boost/10-popular-time-management-techniques
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/top-10-tips-for-productivity.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-nap
https://lifehacker.com/productivity-101-a-primer-to-the-pomodoro-technique-1598992730
https://www.hubgets.com/blog/why-decluttering-makes-productive-atwork-howto/
7 Easy Zoom Tips and Tricks
1. Automatically Schedule Recurring Meeting
In order to automatically schedule recurring meetings:
Open your Zoom client and sign into Zoom.
Click the Schedule icon.
3. Select your meeting settings.
4. Check the Recurring meeting option.
5. Select which calendar you would like to link your meeting schedule to.
6. Zoom offers to link your recurring meetings to Outlook, Google Calendar, or if you choose “Other Calendars”, it will allow you to copy and paste the scheduled meeting information such as date, time, and meeting URL.
7. Click Schedule at the bottom right corner. This will also open your selected calendar service and add the meetings to your calendar.
2. Zoom Security Password
In order to have attendees require a passcode to enter a meeting:
Open your Zoom client and sign into Zoom.
In the top right corner, click on Settings.
3. Click on the General tab. On the bottom, click on the link to “View More Settings”.
4. A window will pop up onto your browser with additional zoom settings.
5. Navigate to the Meeting tab and verify that the password settings that you would like to use for your meetings are enabled.
6. If the setting is disabled, click the Status toggle to enable it.
3. Gallery View
In order to enable gallery view to view all attendees at once:
During your meeting, click the tab that says "Gallery view" in the top right corner.
2. If the meeting has less than 50 participants, all of their screens will be displayed on one page. If there are more, you'll have the option to move between multiple pages.
3. Change it back by clicking "Speaker view" in that same top right corner.
Gallery View
4. Record Meetings to Store onto your Computer
In order to record your meeting onto your computer to view later:
Open your Zoom client and sign into Zoom.
In the top right corner, click on Settings.
3. Click on the Recording tab.
4. Update Location of where you would like the recording to be saved.
5. Checkmark option to “Record video during screen sharing”.
6. During your next meeting, click on Record at the bottom of the screen when you would like to begin the recording.
7. Click Stop recording when you would like to stop recording. Your file will be converted and saved in your prior updated location.
5. Share Screen
In order to display what is on your screen to meeting attendees:
During your next meeting, click on the share screen option at the bottom of the screen.
2. A window will pop up with options to share a specific window of your choosing, all windows, a whiteboard, or even your iPhone/iPad screen.
3. On the bottom left of the window, you can also choose to share your computer sound with attendees.
4. Click share on the bottom right corner of the window and your screen will now be displayed to attendees.
6. Annotate Shared Screen
In order to draw on your own shared screen and share it live with participants:
After you share your screen, click on “Annotate” on the pop out that appears when you place your mouse at the top of the screen.
In order to give another participant access to control the annotation:
Once there is at least one attendee in your meeting room, click on “Remote Control” on the pop out that appears when you place your mouse at the top of the screen.
This allows your chosen attendee to have the cursor control to annotate what is on the shared screen at the moment.
However, only the host can actually move what is displayed on the shared screen underneath the annotations and be able to end the shared screen session.
7. Change your Background
In order to choose a virtual background:
At the bottom of the screen, click on the arrow at the right of the start/stop video icon.
2. Click on the option to choose a virtual background.
3. If you would like to upload your own photo or video to use as your background, on the same Virtual Background Page, click the + icon next to where it says Choose Virtual Background.
4. A box will pop up allowing you to upload a photo or video from your computer. Click on the one you want, and it will appear alongside the other pictures/videos as an option for you to choose from. An excellent collection of zoom background images can be found here: link.
5. To get rid of any photos you upload, tap the x in their top right corner.
Sources:
support.zoom.us
www.cnet.com/how-to/13-zoom-video-chat-tips-tricks-and-hidden-features/
www.zapier.com/blog/zoom-tips/
Created by our new outreach intern An Do for the Davis Coworking community.