The Workplace Inclusion and Belonging unit at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has launched a monthly series to highlight the organization’s Principles of Community. Each month, the initiative will focus on one principle, offering practical suggestions for integrating these values into daily work and sharing stories of colleagues who are making an impact.
This month’s spotlight is on the principle “You Are Important.” The organization emphasizes that every individual at UC ANR plays a key role in its mission to serve communities across California. A quote from Sherri Mitchell Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset, a Native American attorney and activist, was shared: “Mother Earth is our first teacher. She has informed us that oneness does not equal sameness. She shows us this through the harmonious balance that is held in the rich biodiversity that exists within our world. To achieve oneness, we must transcend our differences and embrace the integration of every individual aspect of humanity into the whole, knowing that all healthy systems are comprised of complexity and an abundance of diversity.”
The campaign encourages employees to acknowledge each other’s contributions through gestures such as thank-you notes or celebrating personal milestones. Suggestions also include making inclusive invitations for social activities like coffee breaks or walks.
As part of this month’s feature, Matteo M. Garbelotto-Benzon, PhD, was recognized for his upcoming participation as an Olympic Torch Bearer in Canazei, Fassa Valley, Italy. He will be accompanied by his service dog Saba, who will become the first service dog assisting a self-functional person with a mobility disability to carry the Olympic Torch. Garbelotto credits his selection partly to his work as a forestry specialist with UC ANR. He is known for collaborating with David Rizzo about 25 years ago to identify the pathogen responsible for sudden oak death and continues efforts to educate communities about protecting oak trees.