Leah Esguerra is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the nation’s first full-time library social worker. Leah started providing social services in a library setting at San Francisco Public Library in 2009. Since then, Leah’s social service team at SFPL has received national and international attention in the library community and has become a model on which other libraries have created their own programs. Prior to working at SFPL, Leah worked as a social work supervisor providing Intensive Case Management services for people with chronic experience of homelessness, severe mental illness, and substance abuse.

Ida Abolins is a Health and Safety Associate at the San Francisco Public Library since 2018.  As part of her outreach to library patron experiencing homelessness, Ida provides information and referrals about social service resources.

Cary Latham worked as a Health and Safety Associate at the San Francisco Public Library from 2016-2019.  He identifies as a consumer of mental health and wellness services for nearly two decades. Cary is trained and certified as a Community Mental Health Worker (CMH) through the City College of San Francisco and is a registered biodynamic craniosacral therapist (rBCST).

“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”
― Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana

Is there a job you have always wanted but never knew how to achieve?
Have you considered all your skills and how to put them to the best use?
Do you have a professional weakness you want to change?

Consider Career Vision Theory. Participants will have the opportunity to deeply consider their passions and their “professional allergies.” By knowing your strengths, you can start to develop a path towards your dream job. Learn your skill gaps and find ways to bridge them to reach your future aspirations. Learn how to advocate for your own professional and educational growth. Supervisors will have the opportunity to rethink their teams, see ways to support and develop employees and create environments that lead to stronger work ethics and employee satisfaction.

During this first block participants will mentally map how they got to where they are professionally, evaluate their connotation of work, understand their weekly work time in conjunction to their total weekly time allotment, and redefine the purpose of work in their lives using Career Vision Theory.

During this segment, staff will learn to identify their passions and work allergies in preparation for the next segment. While some of the interests and work allergies may not seem relevant to their current job or career, the next segment will show them how to integrate their passions into their current or future positions.

The concept of brain sorting will be introduced as a way to combine interests and passions with current and future work and the results from the previous session will now be integrated into a brain sort chart. Participants will work with colleagues who share interests to do brain sorting. A plethora of examples will be provided relevant to staff at all levels of library service and
administration. Gaps in skills to reach future aspirations will be identified and resources to bridge those gaps will be provided.

During this segment, participants will learn to redefine “leadership” through a fun and interactive analogy with Hershey Candy Bars. They will develop strategies to grow and implement new ideas and knowledge within their current structure immediately and in the future by determining their leadership style. Administrators will better understand how to foster leadership among staff in their areas of interest and passion to create a cohesive work environment.

Staff will be guided in developing a professional development plan that is meant to be living and breathing once they get back to their work settings and will be given tools to present their plans to their supervisors. Plans may include modifications to current duties, future programming ideas, ways to partner with community organizations, personal educational growth, soft skill development, and much more. Detailed examples will be provided for participants to model off of. Supervisors in attendance will have a chance to rethink their team, find ways to support growth and development amongst staff, and revamp what is within their control to increase employee work satisfaction, comradery, and work ethic.

The morning will conclude with practical next steps for implementing big ideas and a reminder of Career Vision Theory to refocus all new ideas that were generated. Time will be left for questions and comments to benefit the group.

Jamie Beck, M.S., is a former CSU Career Counselor and has a Master’s Degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Social Systems and a concentration in Family and Work. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Children and Family and a minor in Criminology.

Career Vision has been reshaping the way people of all ages fundamentally conceptualize, prepare, search, apply and “do” work throughout California for the past 8 years at high schools, colleges, universities, community-based organizations, county offices, workforce development programs, government agencies, tribal programs, and in public libraries.

Her work has be funded by the United States Institute of Museums and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian and provided over 50 employment bootcamps at public libraries in three Southern California Counties training job seekers and professionals who work with them in the Career Vision Model. Most recently, North Net Library Consortium was just awarded the same LSTA grant in the amount of $110,000 to offer up to 30 workshops to their California rural libraries in 2018-2019. Some other notable contracts include work with San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Foster and Homeless Youth Department, Path of Life Ministries Employment Pipeline for the Homeless in Riverside County, La Sierra University 4U Program, How to Be a Girl Foundation, Housing Authority of San Bernardino County, ATAP, The Board Room in San Diego, Boys Republic, Bishop Paiute Tribe, Owens Valley Career Development Center, Morongo Tribal TANF, Kern Valley Workforce Development Program, and the Independent Living Program (ILP) through San Bernardino County Probation. Additional Clients and testimonials can be found at www.careervisionbyjamie.com.

An interactive and engaging session covering various topics related to queer identity including the impacts of the gender binary, current language, and best practices. Attendees will understand the spectrum of gender and sexuality, key terminology, and inclusive language; will have an increase awareness of specific issues, myths, and barriers for LGBTQ+ people in your community and workplace; and learn tips on embracing and celebrating diversity.

Presented by Jamie Joy of the Diversity Center Santa Cruz County, Board Secretary for Monarch Services (sexual/domestic violence agency), state-certified HIV Test Counselor, Adjunct Health Trainer for CA Dept. of Public Health, and performance artist.Presented by Jamie Joy of the Diversity Center Santa Cruz County, Board Secretary for Monarch Services (sexual/domestic violence agency), state-certified HIV Test Counselor, Adjunct Health Trainer for CA Dept. of Public Health, and performance artist.

Leonie Sherman will cover harassment prevention, resiliency, and mindfulness in this interactive workshop! Leonie has reached over 12,000 students in the past 15 years, as young as 5 and as old as 96, from Southeast Asia to Southeast Alaska, with simple tools that empower and increase confidence. As a self-defense, yoga, and resiliency instructor, Leonie aims to provide a fun, compassionate and safe space for people to face fears and move through them.

Presented by Jamie Joy 
Slides: PLP Training
LGBTQ+ Booklist:​  LGBTQ+ BOOKLIST.

Spanish Resources:
Website and video on terms
Safe Space Signs
Gender vs Sexuality Handout

English Resources:
Website and video on terms
Safe Space Signs
All Inclusive Signs

Through a combination of filmed interviews and small discussion groups, participants will gain a practical framework for understanding and deconstructing systemic racial inequities, for creating positive dialogue, and for building skills that allow us to continue the discussion. Stories from dozens of women and men of all races describe and analyze inequity from individual and collective perspectives as well as through the lens of external relationships.  Tammy Johnson, from World Trust, will facilitate discussion of the stories.  Participants will learn to build more equitable relationships, communities, and institutions.

Tammy Johnson’s experience directing electoral and issue campaigns gives her insight into what makes people tick. She is a writer, dancer and racial equity consultant.  As an equity trainer with Race Forward, she assisted countless groups in developing initiatives, dismantling structures, and empowering communities. Bringing her creative self into each workshop and presentation, she encourages out-of-the-box thinking. She turns divisiveness on its ear and gives everyone an opportunity to be present, leaving participants with questions and the passion to seek answers outside of the room. Tammy’s knowledge is deep and her experience unique.

CrackingtheCodesConversationGuide

About the Film