The theme for our June 26 meeting was Summer Surprise.

The Word of the Day was manliness: /noun/: the traditional male quality of being brave and strong. Example: “My wife has never complained about my manliness.”

Pooja shared the Leadership Profile of Allie K. Miller.

Allie is an AI innovator and leader in tech, recognized for groundbreaking work and commitment to diversity. She has delivered over 200 talks on AI globally, including prestigious institutions like the European Commission and major tech companies. She has been recognized as the 2019 AI Innovator of the Year and also been voted as a LinkedIn top voice for technology for five consecutive years. Beyond her professional achievements, Allie is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in tech.

Jagan led a Panel Discussion on Redefining Masculinity (Pathway Project: Engaging Humor Level 5)

The panel featured 3 speakers. 

1. Shoba is a TEDx speaker, a distinguished Toastmaster, a director in the tech industry and a published author. She is also a cancer survivor.
2. Nish is a senior director at Intel. He has worked in four different countries and has a very good understanding of subtle biases that we all carry with us. And most impressive of all, in the Toastmaster world, he has reached district level in all categories, and has won quite a few of them.
3. Sarah is a millennial Chinese American, a Bay Area native, a licensed chiropractor, acupuncturist, and a feminist trying to keep up with the fourth wave of feminism. She also has a major in rhetoric from UC Berkeley, don’t be fooled by her appearance. Martial Arts is one of her hobbies.

Panelists discussed the evolution of masculinity and its complexities in today’s society. Speakers emphasized the need to redefine masculinity, shift from toxic to healthy and collaborative behaviors, and recognize the distinction between gender expression and identity. They also discussed the relevance of chivalry in modern society, with some sharing personal experiences and perspectives on the issue. Overall, the conversation highlighted the need for men to redefine their concept of masculinity and embrace empathy, listening, and collaboration.

Some key points:

• One male panelist reflected on his own tendency to solve problems rather than vent and recognized the importance of listening and empathy. Another (female) panelist suggested that women can help men redefine and adapt to changing concepts of masculinity by being good listeners and empathizers.
• Men’s definition of manliness is often questioned, while women’s is policed. Men and women are told to “man up” or “be a lady,” but these phrases are problematic and reinforce harmful gender roles.
• One panelist shared a personal experience where they held an elevator door for a group of air hostesses, but no one thanked them. The group discussed the importance of being polite and chivalrous, but also recognizing when someone is taking advantage of your kindness.

Table Topics Master Monica led us in Presentation Karaoke!

Monica had the super fun idea of having participants present on a slide they’ve never seen before! The slides included a ‘Summer Man’ slide (think pictures of shirtless men) as well as a contrasting slide with pictures of winter and snow. Sarah and Ramona were our victims but did pretty well considering the circumstances, talking about things from camping trips to going to Lake Tahoe.

— Notes by Audrey