Nina Venegas
December 8, 2023.
THREE WORDS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN THINKING OF BELONGING:
Community, Family, Purpose
MY NAME IS INTERESTING BECAUSE:
My name is Christina, however, friends and family call me Nina. I come from a Hispanic family and I was the first granddaughter in my family, so Niña also means little girl. It always stuck as I was a rare find in my family of boys.
TELL US ABOUT A TIME YOU FELT A SENSE OF BELONGING IN OUR DEPARTMENT:
I started with the Division of Oncology in late Sept 2022. In one of our daily huddles before Thanksgiving, we spoke about things we were thankful for. I lost my mother in June 2022 and I spoke of being grateful for the memories I had, which made me emotional. The sense of love and embrace that I felt from the team-just consoling, many knowing exactly how I felt--made me feel so protected and cared for. I had only been with the team a short time but their openness in accepting me made me feel like I had been there for years.
WHY DO YOU THINK BELONGING IS IMPORTANT?
Belonging gives a sense of comfort and community and when those two things cross paths, it allows for better communication and collaboration.
WHAT INCLUSION-BASED THEME WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE DEPARTMENT EMBRACE IN 2024? WHY?
Community would be a good theme as it is able to expand and show how much Stanford impacts beyond employment and schooling.