Jess Pettitt
Jess Pettitt Speaker Biography
Jessica Pettitt is a diversity speaker with “SheBango!” What’s Shebango, you ask? It’s means Jessica delivers with a bang and laugh! With a background in standup comedy, coupled with a new perspective that inspires change, her presentations keep audiences tuned in, entertained, and applying real learning. When it comes to social justice issues, Jessica works with organizations using humor, history, and self reflection to add a sense of “SheBango” and joy to their relationships.
Specifically designed events, whether it be a Social Justice/Diversity Competency Workshop, or a program that includes LGBT Advocacy, Ally Development and/or Transgender Inclusion, Jessica knows how to bring the “elephant in the room” to the forefront with ease and humor. People relax, discovering they needn’t ignore or fear addressing the issues. Stereotypes, labels and assumptions are explored and reframed. More harmony and cooperation between people is the result.
Jessica Pettitt is the “diversity educator” your family warned you about. She is easy to work with, accessible, and brings VERY simple concepts that are really hard to incorporate into our lives.
Nominated for two years by Campus Activities Magazine for Best Diversity Artist, Jessica’s programs are direct, customized, and highly interactive. Her workshops, seminars, and keynotes take participants on a journey weaving together politics, theory, current events, and story telling with large doses of humor reminiscent of Bob Newhart, George Carlin, and Paula Poundstone. This is by no means your average diversity program! Though participants will be laughing, she promises no drum circles, guilty tears, or finger pointing. This will be a HIGHLY interactive program that will leave participants with actual action steps to make REAL change in their lives.
Jessica takes 10+ years in Student Affairs, 5+ years of national consulting work, and 2+ years of stand up comedy stage to stage as part of her mission to inspire change, dismantle oppression, and recognize our privilege. Through teaching, writing, and facilitating tough conversations, Jessica has figured out how to BE the change she wants to BE. Now it is your turn!
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Speech Topics
Communication
If you can’t connect with your co-workers or customers successfully, nothing else matters.
Facing Trans: Inclusion, Advocacy and Empowerment
Half or Full Day Program
As we become comfortable with the Lesbian and Gay plight on our college campuses and in the workplace, we continue to overlook Bisexuals and silence Transgender populations. Trans folks are courageously coming forward and identifying as such more and more often. This day-long training is designed to help college human resource administrators strategically plan to provide a safe and supportive climate for all and to prepare participants to become better advocates for the trans community. Be a leader by identifying the needs, (including invisible populations), advocating effectively for trans people, and empowering all community members to take action.
Currently fewer than 100 colleges and universities , and even fewer Fortune 500 companies, protect transgender employees, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors in their non-discrimination policies, yet more and more people are coming forward with trans or gender variant identities that directly challenge existing policies, procedures, and services.
This in-depth interactive training aims to:
Increase awareness of the existence of the trans/gender variant populations
Transfer this knowledge to proactively identify campus actions steps
Create more higher education administrator advocates for trans needs
Elevate home campus as a leader in serving trans populations
Sticks and Stones: LBGT 101
Interactive Workshop
What better way to learn about sexual identities than to list out social norms, stereotypes, media images, rumors, jokes, and slang! This is a safe space for any and all kinds of interactive discussions regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Heterosexual identities. By then comparing themes of these messages learned for these different groups, we can then have a much deeper conversation about class, race, educational access, citizenship, ability assumptions, etc. By understanding our language we can hold ourselves accountable to building an inclusive environment for all (regardless of sexual identity).
Learning Outcomes:
To articulate their own stereotypes, derogatory terms, and other assumptions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and heterosexual people
To identify others’ stereotypes, derogatory terms, and other assumptions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and heterosexual people
To recognize the U.S. cultural need for binaries when examining sexual identities and gender identities
Gender This!
Interactive Workshop
his workshop is a very basic workshop introducing the concept of gender as a social construct and how gender expression changes through class, culture, and time. This workshop is very interactive and provides a safe place for all sorts of questions regarding identity, language, sex, sexuality, and gender perception.
Learning Outcomes:
To recognize three of their own stereotypes/assumptions about gender
To understand and evaluate three stereotypes about gender that are supported by US culture
To reorganize traditional gender perceptions based on the realities of judgments and assumptions
Gender This!
Interactive Workshop
his workshop is a very basic workshop introducing the concept of gender as a social construct and how gender expression changes through class, culture, and time. This workshop is very interactive and provides a safe place for all sorts of questions regarding identity, language, sex, sexuality, and gender perception.
Learning Outcomes:
To recognize three of their own stereotypes/assumptions about gender
To understand and evaluate three stereotypes about gender that are supported by US culture
To reorganize traditional gender perceptions based on the realities of judgments and assumptions
Listening Skills
Move past active listening and into a deeper understanding of your listening habits.
Inclusive Marketing
Outreach efforts often miss the target and are free and simple to address with a clear vision of the communities you need to thrive.
Corporate Social Responsibility
As an organization, there are free and simple steps that can be taken that allow for growth and acclaim while also being a good community stakeholder.
Intentional Recruitment & Retention
Who are you looking for and keeping is just as important of the question as who are you getting and stuck with or losing.
Diversity and Social Justice
More than just a mandate, building inclusive mission and values of your organization allow for your full workforce and talent to show up and increase innovation, creativity, and success.
Non-discrimination Policies, Procedures, and Protocols
Where you spend your money is only one part of business – how you do business showcases your organization’s values. If these are aligned you will be more successful and can profit for the resources and tools you already have.
Group Dynamics
Nothing matters if elephants are trampling around on your staff dynamics. Name and tame any outstanding issues so you and your team and move forward together.
