JourneysSEPTEMBER 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PMB Administrative Services AVSO CADR IBC OFAS OHA

Our Vision: To Deliver Outstanding Products and Customer Service

While Actively Creating and Sustaining a Respectful Focus Message from the Deputy Assistant Secretary

September 2020 Dear Administrative Services Team, I had the honor last month of delivering the keynote address at a ceremony in front of the Main Interior Building to commemorate the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The 19th Amendment guarantees American women the right to vote. Achieving this milestone required a lengthy and difficult struggle; victory took decades of agitation. Beginning in the mid- 19th century, woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered radical change. While preparing my remarks, I had a moment to reflect on the achievement of these women and men who understood that the road to change is frequently arduous, yet they persevered. I suppose this is true of I hope you will join me in honoring all those who any great effort to shift the world in ways great and peacefully advocate for equal opportunity for all. small. We can take heart - and retain hope - in knowing that the journey is as critically important as the As always, stay safe and be well. result, and that whatever obstacles we face in that journey will one day be part of the story we tell to future - Jacqueline M. Jones generations about the price we paid for their freedom.

The struggle for the vote did not end with the southern states from voting, regardless of sex. ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in Women like Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, 1920, which expanded voting rights and Diane Nash continued the fight for voting substantially, but did not address the racial rights for all, culminating in the passage of obstacles that prevented African-Americans in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 2 2 Calendar

SEPTEMBER National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15—October 15, 2020 Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day, or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period. Read more here Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic-American woman in space. Learn more here OCTOBER National Disability Employment Awareness Month National Disability Employment Awareness Month was declared in 1988 by the United States Congress for the month of October to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. The month is an extension of "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week" originally observed during the first week of October beginning in 1945. Read more here NOVEMBER Veterans Day (Federal Holiday) Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Fighting during World War I ceased when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Although the war wouldn’t official end until the following year, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn Read about internationally celebrated pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and disability rights activist Judith Heumann here with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" Read more here Native American Heritage Month On August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The bill read in part that “the President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.” This was a landmark bill honoring America's tribal people. Read more here

Native American Heritage Month 3 DOI In the News

Main Interior Proudly Commemorates the Centennial of Suffrage

By Jim Fay, Chief, Facilities Management Division, Office of Facilities and Administrative Services

On August 26, 2020 the Main Interior Building joined numerous other federal buildings and more than 50 sites across the country in the Forward Into Light Campaign to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote. Purple and gold illuminations were installed to mirror the colors adopted by the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage formed by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. The event is named in honor of the historic suffrage slogan, “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light.”

Deputy Assistant Secretary - Administrative Services Jacqueline M. Jones delivered the keynote address at a ceremony attended that afternoon by the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget Scott Cameron, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Katie Mills and former Assistant Secretary Susan Combs, who serves as the Chair of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission.

Many thanks to everyone at OFAS for bringing this project to life!

In April 2017, Congress passed sponsored by Senator Tammy legislation to create the Baldwin of Wisconsin, Women’s Suffrage Centennial garnered bi-partisan support, Commission (S.847) “to with each female member of ensure a suitable observance the U.S. Senate acting as a co- of the centennial of the sponsor. The legislation passage and ratification of the details that the Commission 19th Amendment to the will meet at least once every Constitution of the United six months until it terminates States providing for women’s on April 15, 2021. suffrage.” The original bill, 4

5 DOI In the News

Secretary Bernhardt Signs Order Creating the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt signed Secretary’s Order 3384 (Order) on September 1, 2020, establishing the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA). The BTFA will report to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney and assume responsibility for financial operations functions currently performed by the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) effective October 1, 2020. The law that created OST, the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, envisioned that OST would Currently, OST receipts account for the disbursement of more be terminated after trust reforms had been completed. As the than $1 billion annually of Trust monies and have more than Indian trust management system was gradually reformed, $5 billion under active day-to-day management and however, it became apparent to Interior that going back to the investment on behalf of Tribes and individuals. old way of doing business was unacceptable. Issuance of this “The Trump Administration honors and respects our trust Order is a critical step that will institutionalize and make responsibility to Tribes and American Indians,” said Secretary permanent OST’s best practices, improve communication and Bernhardt. coordination and enhance Interior’s ability to deliver services to Indian Country. The Order is consistent with the Department’s FY 2021 Budget proposal to ensure a smooth transition of important Trust The mission of the Bureau of Trust Funds Management is to financial operations and other functions which have accrued to manage the financial assets of trust beneficiaries. This effort is OST over time, along with related functions performed by the integrally related to Interior’s goal of meeting its Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations and the Office of responsibilities to American Indians. Historical Trust Accounting, to the BTFA. No additional changes The BTFA carries out its mission in pursuit of the following are proposed, and no employee relocations or loss in positions vision: We Excel, Native America Prospers. would occur with this realignment.

This large Akimel O’odham has a flat base and flared, slightly rounded walls. It is coiled, with a cattail bundle foundation and a knotted start. The stitches are in willow (tan) and devil’s claw (black) to create a fine example of a four-petal “squash blossom” design motif. From the Department of the Interior collection. 5 5

5

The Department’s Trust Principles

It is the policy of the Department of the Interior to and distribute income due or held on behalf of beneficial discharge, without limitation, the Secretary's Indian trust owners; responsibility with a high degree of skill, care, and Maintain a verifiable system of records that is capable, at loyalty. The proper discharge of the Secretary's trust a minimum, of identifying: (1) the location, the beneficial responsibilities requires that persons who manage Indian owners, any legal encumbrances (i.e., leases, permits, trust assets: etc.), the user of the resource, the rents and monies paid, Protect and preserve Indian trust assets from loss, if any, and the value of trust or restricted lands and damage, unlawful alienation, waste, and depletion; resources; (2) dates of collections, deposits, transfers, Assure that any management of Indian trust assets that disbursements, third party obligations (i.e., court ordered the Secretary has an obligation to undertake promotes child support, judgments, etc.), amount of earnings, the interest of the beneficial owner and supports, to the investment instruments and closing of all trust fund extent it is consistent with the Secretary's trust accounts; (3) documents pertaining to actions taken to responsibility, the beneficial owner's intended use of the prevent or compensate for any diminishment of the assets; Indian trust assets; and (4) documents that evidence the Department's actions regarding the management and Enforce the terms of all leases or other agreements that disposition of Indian trust assets; provide for the use of trust assets, and take appropriate steps to remedy trespass on trust or restricted lands; Establish and maintain a system of records that permits beneficial owners to obtain information regarding their Promote tribal control and self-determination over tribal Indian trust assets in a timely manner and protect the trust lands and resources; privacy of such information in accordance with applicable Select and oversee persons who manage Indian trust statutes; assets; Invest tribal and individual Indian trust funds to make the Confirm that tribes that manage Indian trust assets trust account reasonably productive for the beneficial pursuant to contracts and compacts authorized by the owner consistent with market conditions existing at the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, time the investment is made; 25 U.S.C. 450, et seq., protect and prudently manage Communicate with beneficial owners regarding the Indian trust assets; management and administration of Indian trust assets; Provide oversight and review of the performance of the and Secretary's trust responsibility, including Indian trust Protect treaty-based fishing, hunting, gathering, and asset and investment management programs, similar rights of access and resource use on traditional operational systems, and information systems; tribal lands. Account for and timely identify, collect, deposit, invest,

Did you know that everyone in the Department of the Interior, not just those that work specifically for Indian Affairs, must at all times uphold our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and People? 6 6 Understanding DOI’s Trust Responsibilities

Reservation Mathematics: Navigating Love in Native America

By Tailyr Irvine, Photojournalist Through National Museum of the American Indian intimate stories, Irvine

shows how In the following photo essay, photojournalist Tailyr Irvine blood quantum [pictured, right] explores the issues that blood quantum requirements requirements for tribal enrollment pose for Native Americans. are increasingly The concept of using so-called “blood quantum”—or amount putting pressures on Native Americans’ lives. of tribal affiliation in a person’s ancestry—to determine tribal enrollment eligibility has no basis in Native American What is Blood Quantum? traditions. In the early 1900s, the U.S. government began The notion of “blood quantum” sprang from U.S. colonial and imposing this system on tribes as a means of defining and racial biases. Non-Native people devised this way to define limiting citizenship. While a number of tribes still use this Native American identity by degree of affiliation to a tribe in method for determining eligibility for tribal enrollment, other their family ancestry. For example, if a person has ancestors Native nations use documentation of a person’s descent from who all descended from one American Indian tribe and has a an enrollee on a designated tribal roll or census records. child with someone who is not a member of that tribe, their For “Reservation Mathematics: Navigating Love in Native child would have a blood quantum of ½. If this child grows up America,” Irvine interviewed Indigenous residents in Missoula and becomes a parent with someone who is not a citizen of his and on her Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. or her tribe, their offspring would have a blood quantum of ¼. They share their deep personal, social and political concerns For those tribes that use blood quantum as a criterion for about the blood quantum system, which can impact Native tribal enrollment, the minimum blood quantum requirements Americans’ most personal decisions—including with whom vary and have ranged from ½ to ¹⁄16. they have children.

Michael Irvine and Leah Nelson

When this image was captured in November 2019, Michael Irvine, 22, and his partner, Leah Nelson, 21, were awaiting the birth of their first child, a daughter. They chose to raise their family on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana, home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, where Michael grew up and where they both currently reside.

Irvine, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, has a blood quantum of 7⁄16. Nelson, a member of the Nation, has a blood quantum of ¾. Because Irvine’s tribes require ¼ Salish and Kootenai blood for enrollment, their child will not qualify to be a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and will be enrolled in the Navajo Nation.

All photos by Tailyr Irvine 7 Blood Quantum and the Dilemma of Tribal Membership

Michael, Leah and Nizhóní’s Story (Continued)

LEFT: On December 9, 2019, Michael Irvine and Leah Nelson look at their daughter Nizhóní Irvine’s paternal family tree, printed at the Salish and Kootenai Tribal Enrollment Office. The document shows the blood quantum of each of Michael Irvine’s Salish and Kootenai family members from the 1800s to the present—and that Nizhóní is just 3⁄128ths short of being able to be enrolled in Michael’s tribe. A memorandum states Nizhóní is designated a first-generation descendant—but not a member—of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. This classification will limit her participation in the tribes’ services, such as financial aid for college and tribal employment opportunities.

“It sucks that I’m 1/16ths short of having Nizhóní enrolled here,” says Michael Irvine. “She’s Native, Salish and Kootenai, and living on our reservation. Eventually she’s going to ask why she’s not a member when her cousins and family are.”

Nizhóní Ajéí Irvine Wrapped in Her Salish Bag

ABOVE: Nizhóní Ajéí Irvine was born in November 2019. Her first and middle names are the Navajo words for “beautiful” and “my heart,” respectively. As is her mother, Nizhóní Leah and Nizhóní Visit the Woods will be enrolled in the Navajo Tribe, whose ABOVE: As a young descendant of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai reservation is located in the Southwest, more Tribes, Nizhóní Irvine is allowed in the tribes’ woods without a permit. than 1,000 miles from the Flathead Indian However, as she is not enrolled in the tribe, after she turns 18 years old Reservation where the family lives. Here, she Nizhóní will need a permit each time she wishes to access the same outdoor will grow up and learn Salish culture and recreational spaces without her father. traditions from her father. Nizhóní’s mother, Leah Nelson, describes the relationship between Native See the entire photo essay here: culture and access to tribal land: “I didn’t get to experience my culture https://americanindian.si.edu/ because I did not live on my Navajo reservation. There are ceremonies I can’t developingstories/irvine.html learn because I wasn’t raised there.” She says she wants her daughter to have that connection. “We live here, and it’s important to me that she participates Tailyr Irvine is a Salish and Kootenai in the culture here so she knows where she comes from and who she is. independent photojournalist from the Everything we do is outside because I want to show her our home.” Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. 8 Constancy, Focus on Health Cooperation, and Wellness Determination

Memories of 9/11: the Pentagon

By Margaret Miller, Policy Analyst, IBC

On September 11, 2001, Margaret “Peggy” Miller was a research analyst working on a study for the Undersecretary of the Army on the Army’s Transformation efforts. Peggy graciously agreed to share her thoughts about being at the Pentagon on that tragic day.

It was a beautiful crisp clear sunny September day, so full of promise. I had a 10:00 AM meeting at the Pentagon. My office was in a building on Seminary Road where we had been glued to the television since just before 9:00, when every news station was covering the 8:46 crash of Flight 11 into the north face of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. Newscasters were still calling it an accident when we watched Flight 175 crash deliberately into the south face of the South Tower just before 9:03.

We called our POCs in the Pentagon, debating whether to leave for meetings. I went with a group of co-workers, arriving in the parking area about 9:30. We weren’t far from the van when Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon and started a raging fire.

I will tell you that when I close my eyes, what I see are the faces.

After the train wreck sounds, and smoke and overwhelming smells - there were people everywhere; firefighters, police officers, weary men and women, military, bureaucrats, civil servants going into the fray.

Even after security authorities ordered complete evacuation of the Pentagon (after another plane was reported heading in) people went in again and again to help however they could. In the midst of overwhelming chaos, there was constancy, cooperation, determination.

That’s what I’ll always remember - the faces of tireless effort, courage, and emotional strength. In the aftermath of destruction, the positive culture of shared hardship was inspiring, and the care people invested that day was… intimate.

Frederick Douglass said, “In order to have union…there must be unity of idea and sentiment in all essential interests. Find a man's treasure, and you have found his heart.” On that day ‘the treasure’ was the multi- faceted identities together with the same simple purpose - compassion.

[The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial pictured, bottom right, is a national memorial dedicated to the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001. All 184 lives lost in the attack on the Pentagon are represented by “Memorial Unit” benches. Surrounding the benches are 85 Crape Myrtles (trees that will grow up to 30 feet tall) and the Age Wall, which grows one inch in height per year relative to the ages of the victims.]

9 CADR: Focus on Soft Skills

Elements of an Effective Apology

From the Office of Collaborative Action/Dispute before speaking.” Resolution (adapted from Columbia University) “I hope we can have a relationship An apology is a powerful means of reconciliation and restoring of mutual trust. However, sometimes even well-intentioned apologies respect.”) can exacerbate a conflict. It may be helpful to consider what elements to include in a statement of apology to make it most Sometimes it is helpful to include an explanation of why the effective and constructive. Not all elements apply to all perceived offender acted in this way, but it’s important not to situations. Some of the most common considerations include reiterate the offense or to give a flippant excuse or defensive the following: justification. (Example: “What I did was a poor attempt at humor.” But not, “When I’m mad, I can say anything but I 1. A common understanding of the exact substance and don’t really mean it.”) nature of the offense, or perceived offense. (Example: “Yesterday on the telephone, I said….”) The circumstances of the apology are also important, and should be carefully planned. Many people appreciate a written 2. Recognition of responsibility or accountability on the apology, because it implies time and effort put into this step part of the one who offended. (Example: “I could have toward reconciliation. chosen other words.” “I spoke without thinking.”) • Some people who have been offended want an 3. Acknowledgement of the pain or embarrassment that opportunity to state the intensity of their pain or the offended party experienced. (Example: “It’s embarrassment directly to the offender. understandable that was upsetting to you.” “If someone had said that to me, I would not have liked it, either.” But • Some people would appreciate a face-to-face apology, not, “I’m sorry you’re so easily hurt.”) and a chance to shake hands or otherwise take the next step toward improved future relations. 4. A judgment about the offense. (Example: “I was insensitive.” “What I did was wrong.”) • Some people who apologize want an acknowledgement that the apology has been received, or that the offender is 5. A statement of regret. (Example: “I’m sorry I used those forgiven. words.”) We hope you will give these suggestions a try the next time 6. An indication of future intentions. (Example: “In the you need to apologize. future, I will try to think about the impact of my words

“I’m Sorry” vs. “I Apologize” “I apologize” is a way to formally admit that At first glance, you may think there is little you did something wrong, whether you feel Did difference in meaning between these two sorry about it or not. So while you might phrases: “I am sorry” vs. “I apologize.” formally admit that what you did was wrong, However, which one you choose may you might not actually feel remorse for your you depend on how heartfelt your remorse is. actions. “I am sorry” is a phrase that is used to These phrases do mean very similar things, express regret or remorse for actions. I am and they are often used interchangeably. sorry is also used when you wish to express Yet, there is a different connotation to the sympathy for someone who has experienced phrases: “I am sorry” connotes a feeling of know? a loss or hardship. remorse, while “I apologize” may not. 10 10 Emotional Intelligence and Wellness

Working Effectively In Remote Teams

By Tonianne Baca-Green, J.D.

Last week, Zoom experienced major national outages, Day, the 1993 movie dropping millions of attendees during the remote work day. It where Bill Murray re- also seems that every Microsoft Teams meeting I have lives the same day attended recently has had at least several technical difficulties over and over. and dropped calls. The last Teams call I attended, no one used Everything is their video in an attempt to avoid this! It makes one want to happening in the either laugh or cry - or just ask “what next?” Every remote same room: the worker is sharing a similar emotional state, and we have to use Zoom room. We all emotional intelligence to work with this ‘remote teams’ need to have some challenge. Unfortunately, the emotional challenges are not emotional intelligence around the way that time has been bent remote in the least. They are painfully present! and spaces have been reshaped. What happens if you shorten your online meeting format to 15 minutes? Your emotional Author Bruce Feiler calls this a “life-quake.” That’s from his intelligence would point towards the need for brevity, clarity new book: Life Is In the Transitions: Mastering Change At Any and more focused communication. Will that work? Consider Age. “A life-quake is a massive life change that’s kind of higher the alternative: what happens when the expectation is for the on the Richter scale of consequences and has aftershocks for team to sit on Zoom for two or three hours? Not a lot of years,” says Feiler. According to Feiler, the key to surviving a brevity or clarity there usually. Top leaders are encouraging life-quake is inside a four-word story: “You are not alone.” meetings outside of video calls to break out of the time hole. Powerful words for our times, yes, and also slightly annoying, Every leader knows shorter is better, even if it means more at least to my mind. Argh!!! micro-meetings to get the job done. It is annoying because it is a paradox. It certainly feels like we Go Beyond Empathy to Encouragement of Action: are alone, working remotely. We are all also longing for Empathy is vital, and we all want to be seen and heard connection, but how can we create connection in the middle 3 AND it is also true that we can’t all be therapists or of a “quake”? Well, first by naming it and then by accessing a wave a magic wand to stop a hurricane. It is stormy out there. deeper understanding of the three areas where everyone is The good news is that Bruce Feiler is right. You are not alone. impacted by the pandemic. Those three areas are grief, How can you point people towards their own resources and “Groundhog Day,” and going beyond empathy to action. resourcefulness? We all carry within us a competent, wise, We Are All Going Through the Grieving Process: what observant self. It helps to be reminded of this and to center is it that you have lost, or that you are missing, right into this steady experienced self, instead of the frightened 1 now? If you have lost someone, you know the child self (which is also part of us, of course). We remind immediate, sharp sense of grief in a personal way. The ourselves that if we source our actions from this wise self, and pandemic has taken something from all of us. We all share put our arms around the frightened self, we’ve got this. Tap disappointment in some way around this blasted new normal. into the powerful resources you already have within yourself. If we can use this personal knowledge of loss to direct us to Empathy without action is empty. Empathy, when it is at its the three most important words in a mindful conversation: “I best, leads to agreement and collaboration. Sometimes, the hear you”. Those three words can build a bridge that can help best place to start is within yourself and the several different us overcome. They lead to a message of recognition that says, selves contained within you. In your next mindful conver- “I see you. I see what you are going through.” sation, or in journaling for yourself, see if you can share these We can extend this observation because we also want to be two sentences, “I hear you” and “You are not alone.” Connect seen and heard. How do we lead with empathy and provide for around caring - it’s not just a soft skill, it’s a leadership others what we want for ourselves by turning acknowledge- requirement in the days ahead. Turn up your Emotional ment into a powerful tool? The opposite of awareness and Intelligence to bring awareness and effective emotional acknowledgment is denial. Creating trust starts with management to yourself and others. acknowledgment. Recognition. Honesty. Sometimes giving We really are all in this together and we’ve got this, together. your team members an opportunity to get real is the most powerful thing you can do. Tonianne Baca-Green, J.D., is a Mindfulness and Compassionate Leadership trainer and attorney within ‘Groundhog Day’; Climb Out of the Time Hole: Have OHA. She is also a mediator and a coach. Tonianne you noticed how strangely time appears to be acting welcomes your questions and comments. She may be 2 lately? To many remote workers it feels like Groundhog reached at [email protected]. 11 Focus on IT Modernization The GIST*

*Government Information, Security and Technology By Justin Wade, IBC

Hello All!

Welcome to The GIST, a new addition to the Journeys newsletter. My name is Justin Wade. I wear many hats within the Department of the Interior, so I have a few titles. I’m the Senior Enterprise IT Architect, as well as the Office of the Secretary Cloud POC, a member of the Departmental Offices IMT Leadership, the IBC Modernization Steering Committee, DOI’s Cloud Strategy Team, and the DOI Technical Review Board among other committees.

Through this monthly article I’ll be providing discussions, information, and general conversation around technology and today in a respectful manner, and are open to hearing out new security topics relevant to the offices within Administrative ways of doing things and exploring new technologies. Services. I’m excited to get started, and will be reaching out to the agencies within AS, as well as drawing from my own As there always has been and will be, there is a lot of change experiences in IBC for this. If anyone has any ideas or interests going on right now with the way that IT is delivered throughout in certain topics or events, please always feel free to reach out. the world. I’d like to examine these topics with you as a community, point out the gaps in either functionality or One of my main goals for this is to help develop a security, but also embrace all that is available to us today. community around IT and security. I envision a workplace culture where it’s encouraged to reach out to others when you Looking forward to continuing the conversation. Until next have questions, as well as to share expertise when you have month… found a tech solution. I envision a culture of continual learning Justin welcomes your comments and questions. Please where we challenge the way that we are conducting business reach out to him at [email protected]. Thanks!

Did you know?

The on-board flight computer on the Apollo space missions in the 1960s had 64 kilobytes of memory. Today’s iPhones have 4 million times more memory!

1212 Focus on Innovation at IBC

Conducting Effective Virtual Events

By Rebecca Fields, Human Capital Analyst, IBC

Editor’s note: Among her many other roles and responsibilities, Rebecca takes the lead in developing and implementing IBC’s New Employee Orientation Program (NEOP). The in-person, two-day sessions are held four times each year, twice in Herndon, VA, and twice in Denver, CO, and are delivered to groups of up to 40 new employees at a time. Because of COVID-19, IBC conducted their most recent NEOP as a virtual Zoom meeting over the course of three days. The session received raves from both the new employees attending and the members of IBC’s leadership who served as instructors/ presenters. Since virtual meetings are new to many of us, we asked Rebecca to share some of the lessons learned and best practices she and her team discovered while developing and implementing this outstanding event.

Congratulations and thank you, Rebecca, for your innovation and leadership!

Think about how to engage the participants

It’s important to engage attendees for an in-person training. It’s that much more important to do so for a virtual In our post-session survey, we received really positive training. We asked all our presenters to integrate engagement feedback from the attendees about the different engagement into their presentations. Examples include: tools utilized during the presentations. It was really exciting to • Polls hear from our attendees that they enjoyed the engagement • Videos and that they chose to include that feedback unsolicited. • Whiteboard Check out the following to make the most out of engagement • Breakout rooms tools: • Annotation Zoom resources and video tutorials • Chat • “Raise hand” Microsoft Teams resources and video tutorials • “Thumbs up/thumbs down” [continued next page]

13 Art by Pam Mauk; reprinted with permission. www.pammauk.com 13 Effective Virtual Events (continued)

Figure out what roles you need Information/Document sharing

We determined there were three we needed: Create a SharePoint or Teams folder for the attendees to access all information related to the training, e.g., links to each Presenter- their focus is solely on presenting and advancing presentation, links to videos, handouts, agenda and class the slides. roster. This will be invaluable both during the session and Monitor- oversees and provides assistance with the Chat and afterward as reference material. Participant window, and keeps track of time. This is a critically important role and requires the most technical expertise. Technical Issues/Distractions

Producer– works with the presenter to transfer access/control Even with all the preparation, there are bound to be technical of presentation, manages polls, videos, breakout rooms, etc. issues. Try to anticipate what may happen and develop solutions ahead of time: Practice, practice, practice • Send presentations to attendees prior to the meeting (Just like how you get to and have them download Carnegie Hall. Sorry, them onto the desktop in I couldn't help myself case there is a connectivity with that one!) or bandwidth issue during Set up a practice session the session. with the attendees and • Have people turn off go through the various the VPN. features. Make it fun. • Use a hard-wire Set up individual practice connection (not Wi-Fi). sessions with each presenter so they can • Ask presenters to print walk through their a copy of their slide deck presentation. This will ahead of time. help them feel • Ask attendees to place comfortable and their cell phone in another confident when they go room to minimize the live. temptation to reply to texts, The producer and social media, emails, etc. monitor will likely spend • Remind attendees they a significant amount of are in training and "give time learning their roles them permission" to shut and testing the various features. down their work email. This will allow them to really focus Schedule breaks on the training. • Let attendees know you understand many people are Try to give a break every 90 minutes. It's hard for the audience working at home with multiple other people working to stare at a screen for too long so be sure to give breaks so nearby or attending virtual school, and that there may be they can get up, stretch, grab a cup of coffee, etc. When they instances where something is happening in the house they come back they'll be refreshed and ready to learn again. need to take care of. Let them know to click the clock icon We broke up the training over the course of three days: Day 1- which lets the Zoom producer and presenter know they've morning session; Day 2- morning and afternoon session with stepped away momentarily. large break in between; Day 3- morning session. • Finally, observe virtual meeting etiquette!

14 Focus Focus onon ParentingHealth and Wellness

Returning to School

By Abigail T. True, Writer/Editor, AVSO

On Friday, August 21st my 8-year-old son, Milo, went to third grade orientation at his school at the end of our street. He was there from 9:00– 3:30, just as he will be when the school year starts. We live in Commerce City, Colorado, and our district gave parents the option to complete the upcoming school year virtually or in-person. We chose the latter.

(In our district, students and their teachers will be confined to small groups, or cohorts, with minimal ability to interact with other cohorts, an approach intended to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 and thereby reduce the number of students and staff requiring quarantine should an infection occur.)

I feel comfortable with this plan.

I walked Milo to school, his backpack heavy with supplies. As we approached the campus, Milo was lagging behind. “Come on,” I coaxed, “You don’t want to be late!” “My legs feel like there are rocks in them,” he said through his mask. I took pause at that, since he’s often more aloof, not betraying his feelings readily, especially Milo Lane and his sister Nani get when he’s nervous. My protective instincts ready for the first day back to piqued, I worried—was I not paying close school—September 2020 enough attention to my children’s concerns, their fears through these uncertain times? Were their dad and I eyes, a favorite among students. “Are you ready for a great rushing a return to normalcy for them…or for us, for our own day?” Mr. Dinkel asked jovially as he scanned Milo’s forehead. convenience, so we could work easier from home? What if we Milo, comforted by the familiar face (albeit masked), hadn’t had the option to send them back to school, what if brightened. Things were weird, but okay, Milo’s eyes seemed school was cancelled altogether, how much did it matter as to communicate. long as they were safer, if everyone were safer? As he entered the building, his skinny, little body beneath his Narrowly avoiding a headlong tumble down a mental rabbit heavy pack, his freckled face masked, I told him I’d see him that hole, I focused on being upbeat. “I see kids!” I exclaimed. Kids afternoon and turned to leave. I had a lump in my throat. By were lining up on spaces marked with tape on the sidewalk as third grade, it wasn’t so much the realization of how grown up they waited to get their temperature taken and be admitted my boy was or any of the usual suspects when it comes to tears into the school. Normally, parents won’t be allowed to at the send-off—this time it was a combination of other things. approach the building, but on this day, I was able to walk with My heart was at once sad, lamenting the changes and the Milo to the . losses we’d all endured the last several months, but also brimming with love. As we got to the front of line, Milo saw the person who’d take his temperature—the gym teacher, Mr. Dinkel, with kind blue [continued next page] 15 Focus Focus onon ParentingHealth and Wellness

[continued from previous page] others left.” “They’re probably doing virtual learning,” I told him. I explained why some families chose to go that route, but Love for my son and how proud I was of him for being brave that we’d felt safe sending him and Nani back and refocused on and navigating gracefully this new normal, but also and no less how his day had been. powerful, a desire to champion the teachers, the staff, the district who poured so much of their time and energy, their “What were your rose and your thorn?” I asked. “I didn’t have hearts into making this work, into keeping our kids educated any thorns,” he started, “And my rose was the whole day.” and staying optimistic in the face of fear and the unknown. I Even though a lot of things were going to be different— privately resolved to be as supportive as possible, follow every confinement to cohorts, wearing masks all day, mandatory instruction to the letter. We’d be a part of the solution to all handwashing, designated zones at recess, physical distancing, this, however that looked. nightly cleanings of the entire school, new building ventilation When I walked to meet Milo that afternoon, he was chipper. procedures, temperature checks and certifications of health He’d liked his teacher. “There’re no more clip charts!” he every morning, art and music offered only online—we would announced. (Students used to have to “clip down” to various make the best of it. We’re only just beginning this experiment, colors for misbehaving.) I asked him if he had any of his former and we’ll face challenges as they come. In our district, if a classmates in his class. “Only one,” he said, “Maybe all the student or staff member becomes ill, that cohort will quarantine until it’s deemed safe to return (up to 14 days), and during that interlude members of that cohort shift to virtual learning. It seems almost inevitable that someone will test positive or develop symptoms in the course of the school year, so we’ll have to be ready. All students will be given and taught to use Chromebooks loaded with the applications they’ll need for reading, literacy, math, and other subjects. They’re learning autonomy, so that if they do need to switch to virtual learning, they’re better prepared.

I find myself thinking back to when I was in elementary school. Had I been through anything that compared? Not really. I remember the drills we had for threats like tornadoes and fires, and then as I got older, for active shooters. During the Cold War, students across the United States practiced “duck-and-cover” drills simulating how to behave in the event of an atomic attack. We prepare to face the threats that confront us.

Right now, we’re facing a pandemic, and for a lot of parents, we’re torn about what the right course of action is—to send our kids back to school or not, and we choose in good faith the best course for our families. We are all in this together, and though our paths don’t all look the same, the love is there, the hope, the courage. Whatever challenges await us this year, it’s okay—we’ll weather them as best we can. We’re remarkably adaptable and perhaps Abby and Milo more resilient than we realize.

16 SeasonsFocus on of Health Change and Wellness

Autumn Adventures

By Abigail T. True, Writer/Editor, AVSO

Running along the South Platte River Trail near my home over the long weekend, I noticed something to make me smile—the quiet creeping in of autumn. Despite the heat of the day, the subtle bursts of yellow and orange in the trees hinted at the coming change, and to me there’s something very comforting about the fall. I love its personality. Maybe because it reminds me of my home in Wisconsin and the beautiful, brisk autumns we have on Lake Winnebago. Maybe it’s the reprieve from summer’s heat, the howling wind, the colors turned up to “How beautiful the leaves grow old. eleven. Maybe it’s the feeling of witnessing the grand finale, the bow before we turn the page on another How full of light and color are their last days.” year. It’s different things for different people, but I think one thing is for - John Burroughs certain—autumn is for romantics.

Do you remember when you were in elementary school learning about the Rocky Mountain #National Park in #Colorado is a truly wonderful changing seasons? Why is it that green place to enjoy the changing seasons. Photo @RockyNPS from last leaves fade and warmer tones take fall courtesy of Ben Strauss @benstraussphotography their place?

Leaves are green in the spring and summer months because they’re making lots of the pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps plants make energy from only turn one color (Colorado is famous for the brilliant golden sunlight, a process called photosynthesis. As summer turns to leaves of its many aspen trees), and other trees, like the sugar fall, the days get shorter and colder as sunlight diminishes, maple, dogwood, or sassafras can turn many colors. signaling to the leaves that winter is coming and chlorophyll Weather can affect the intensity and duration of a leaf’s color production can cease. As chlorophyll breaks down, the and also helps determine which colors are produced: dominant green color of the leaves fades away revealing other temperature, sunlight, and the amount of rainfall are all pigments that were always present in the leaves but were contributing factors. For example, freezing conditions destroy masked by the dominant green, such as xanthophylls (yellows) a leaf’s ability to produce red and purple pigments. For the and carotenoids (oranges). most vibrant fall foliage, a summer with ample rain followed In some leaves, additional chemical changes can occur which by a dry, sunny autumn with warm days and cool, frostless reveal more colors, such as red and purplish tones from the nights is just the ticket. pigment anthocyanin. The color a tree’s leaves turn depends The window for ideal leaf-watching is short, so be sure to on the mixture of pigments within them. Some tree’s leaves enjoy the colors while they’re here—and they’re on their way! 17 Shimmering Gold

The brilliant show of quaking gold overtakes Autumn landscapes throughout Colorado when the aspen leaves lose their chlorophyll. The largest and oldest known aspen clone is the "Pando" clone on the Fishlake National Forest in southern Utah. Also known as the “Trembling Giant,” it is a clonal colony of an individual male quaking aspen determined to be a single living organism by identical genetic markers and believed to have one massive underground root system. It is over 100 acres in size Journeysand weighs more than 14 million pounds. That is more than 40 times the weight of the largest animal, a blue whale. It has been aged at 80,000 years, although 5-10,000 year-old clones are more common. Read about aspens on the U.S. Forest Service site here.

Above: aspens in Marble, Colorado, by Mike Perkins, AVSO Geologist (retired). Right: USGS map of aspen habitat in North America. 18 AutumnFocus on Activities Health and for Wellness Kids

Autumn Leaf Suncatchers

Remember when you were a kid and would iron leaves between pieces of wax paper to make colorful suncatchers? Mom loved the mess they made on her iron, melted wax everywhere.

Today it’s a lot easier: just use transparent contact paper! Helpful hint: allow enough space between the leaves so that the contact paper can connect from one side to the other. Optional: outline the leaves on one side of the suncatcher using glitter glue in colors to match the leaves. Autumn Leaf Mason Jar Candle Holder

A clean Mason jar, leaves that aren’t too brittle, a can of Mod Podge and a sponge brush are all you need to make these beautiful candle holders. Be sure to saturate the leaves in the Mod Podge and adhere the leaves to the outside of the jar. Add optional raffia or other ribbons and gift tags for more decorative, personalized looks.

Note: Mod Podge isn’t flammable, but you’ll want to use it on the outside of the jar to prevent melting. Better yet, use LED votives or tea lights to practice open flame safety. Leaf Critters

With a little paint and a lot of imagination, you can turn any leaf into a critter! If you prefer a blank canvas, spray the leaves first with a light color, then add patterns to represent fur, feathers and scales. Of course what really sells them as critters are the eyes, which can be painted on or just use stick-on googlies.

19 Coffee Break

The best thing about a Coronavirus piñata is when you beat it to smithereens! Thanks, Cathy! Do you have a funny picture to share? Please send it here!

ON THE COVER: Journeys SEPTEMBER 2020 The Department of the Interior illuminated the façade of the Main Interior Building in DC in Journeys is a monthly publication of the observance of National Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Women’s Equality Day in Administrative Services. Your input is August. essential to making this a valuable resource for all employees. Please feel free to share your ideas, suggestions and articles/ pictures with editor Steve Carlisle by emailing [email protected] or calling (505) 267-5024. Thank you! 20