Zoë François bakes at Madison College

Clarion Staff Report

Madison College hosted expert baker and best-selling author Zoë François on April 6 for its second Chef Series event of the semester.

The event featured a demonstration, an interview and question and answer session with François, followed by a book giveaway.

François is the author of “Zoë Bakes Cakes,” which is the 2022 International Association of Culinary Professionals Best Baking Cookbook. She is the co-author of the best-selling, “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” series with Jeff Hertzberg. She is now working on her 10th cookbook, “Zoë Bakes Cookies,” harkening back to her days of making gourmet cookies in her apartment and selling them from a food cart.

The host of “Zoë Bakes” on the Magnolia Network,” François was formally trained as a pastry chef at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She has worked as the executive

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In addition, François has more than 20 years of experience teaching baking and pastry arts nationally. Much of her teaching is done online through BluePrint.com and her own Instagram

Rounding out the panel was Jasmia Hamilton, the Program Manager of the Well Black Woman® Institute and Founder of Innovative DEI, a diversity, equity and inclusion-focused organizational development consulting firm.

The panel discussed Latina and Black women’s unique pay, equity and fair career advancement challenges.

All three offered a different perspective on Latina and Black women’s biggest workplace barriers to success.

For Balderrama-Trudell, the biggest challenge is mentoring or the need for mentoring.

She said we must teach women how to advocate for themselves with companies offering employee resource groups. She said employees should not have to pay for mentoring resources.

“It should be something that should be policy within companies to provide formal mentoring or coaching for people as they’re started to advance in their careers,” Balderrama-Trudell said.

Hamilton said that our imagination was the most significant barrier. She said that when we think of advancement, we often think of a man and typically, a white man.

She said we must recalibrate our workplace and affirm that Latina and Black women are leaders.

“We need to interrupt our default and our collective imagination of who can be a successful leader,” Hamilton said.

Before she was an executive, Mannigel was a single parent looking for affordable child care, which she still believes is a huge barrier.

The second barrier is self-doubt. “Self-doubt comes from inside because we don’t take the time to care for ourselves.” and YouTube videos.

One form of workplace self-care is to offer more benefits from human resources, saying those benefits must be inclusive enough to all.

The Madison College Chef Series was coordinated by the college’s Entrepreneurship Center, whose mission is to strengthen communities through education, innovation and collaboration.

The panel discussed how they could encourage companies to adopt a more equitable hiring practice and create more inclusive work environments for underrepresented populations.

Balderrama-Trudell said to tap into your employees who know where to find employees of color. “(Companies) have to have a clear plan. You can’t hope people will find your company.”

Transparency is key. DEI benefits and job descriptions, along with pay, should be listed.

“DEI efforts should be clear so somebody comes into that process has information,” BalderramaTrudell said.

For Hamilton, it’s about retention; and while companies can hire young, racially diverse employees, how do they retain them? Building capacity and resilience is crucial.

“We are complex human beings with some defaults,” Hamilton said.

What strategies can promote diversity, equity and inclusion in your workplace and industry?

Mannigel said to take research and put it into action.

Beginning with a clear career pathway is very critical. Having training and developing options, which returns to the need for health benefits.

“Being part of an employee DEI that helps promote women’s leadership with a clear career pathway is critical,” Mannigel said.

For Hamilton, it’s all about the mindset.

She said she was a young single parent with a fair share of challenges.

As she approaches 30, she now has three advanced degrees. She said companies must look at the future potential and what a company culture can be.

“What happens if we embrace the possibility that our workplaces can be just? Everyone can experience belonging, and folks can be productive and have opportunities for rest, engagement or things that bring them joy?”

During the initiation ceremony into the Delta Alpha Pi international honor society (DAPi), students commit to a powerful pledge. They vow to uphold their pursuit of academic excellence, show leadership in advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities, serve as positive role models for students with disabilities, advocate for themselves and others with disabilities and actively participate in educational events through their involvement in Delta Alpha Pi honor society. This pledge reflects the dedication and commitment of DAPi members to promoting inclusivity, advocacy and excellence within the disability community and beyond.

"It's truly inspiring to witness the diligent efforts of students as they strive to accomplish their goals. It brings immense satisfaction to see them preparing themselves for the next chapter in their lives," Nickolai said.

The primary mission of DAPi is to celebrate and provide support for these exceptional students as they strive for excellence in their educational pursuits.

EDITOR:

MARY SEGALL CLARIONOPINION@ MADISONCOLLEGE.EDU

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