Open Mainframe Project

Diversity You Cannot See: A Special Event on Neurodiversity in the Mainframe Workplace
2022-07-27 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Did you know today an estimated 40% of people deal with autistic, attention deficit, anxiety, and/or dyslexic disorders? Combined, these mental differences account for the bulk of what sociologists refer to as “neurodiversity,” or natural variations in everyone’s brain, particularly those who have outlying characteristics, such as autism.

Join us on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 9 am PT/ 12 pm ET for a special web event hosted by 30-year veteran Cynthia Coupé. Cynthia will share her experience as a neurodiversity expert and mother of an autistic daughter, as well as industry insights and perspectives from three other neurodivergent proponents: one working professional in the tech industry, a grad student “on the spectrum,” and one neurodiversity staffing executive. A Q&A “town hall” session will follow at the same time on July 28. Replays will be available after each live event. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Yk-pogSRQSu17WJUZ1Khyg.
Together, they’ll discuss how neurotypical people can better interact with this intelligent and unique population, where communication breakdowns usually happen, and what the future holds for this often misunderstood but increasingly important talent pool. They’ll also explore how societal awareness, appreciation, and participation with neurodivergent people can have a big impact on the way we work, learn, and commune with one another.
“Neurodiversity is the new normal,” Coupé says. “Even though it’s less stigmatized today, many people still don’t know how to navigate it, even though we all interact with it regularly (whether we realize it or not). To build safe spaces where everyone can grow, collaborate, and work in the way that plays to our strengths, this panel will lead the discussion on how we can better understand ourselves and each other.”
About the moderator: Cynthia Coupé is a self-diagnosed neurodivergent and Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with over 30 years working in the field of neurodiversity. She is a TEDx speaker and the co-founder and CEO of Outreach Advocacy Resources and Services (OARS), Inc., a company dedicated to transforming the lives of neurodivergent clients by using their inherent strengths to better society. With her diverse background of serving individuals in the clinical, hospital, home, and school settings (including her own autistic and ADHD daughter), Cynthia has developed a unique perspective and aspires to be a lasting ambassador for this vulnerable but brilliant demographic.
About Making Our Strong Community Stronger: Making our Strong Community Stronger is the first-ever initiative on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the mainframe industry. Sponsored by BMC, Broadcom Mainframe Software, IBM, Open Mainframe Project, Rocket Software, TechChannel, and VirtualZ Computing.
