#Financial Inclusivity

[techminsolutions]

Empowering Micro Enterprises: MSME Minister Launches Rs 20 Lakh Scheme for GST-Exempted Units Under CGTMSE

Transformative Initiative for Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) In a groundbreaking move, MSME Minister Narayan Rane has introduced a revolutionary scheme specifically designed for Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs), with the aim of bolstering their access to credit facilities and alleviating financial constraints. Launched under the esteemed Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small…

[li-ionfish]

It would mean a lot to me if y’all could take and share this survey for my research project!

I found out over 80% of women wear the wrong bra size and it made me so mad I decided to do a whole research project about it, in a few months I’ll have a zine made on the subject!

I’m interested especially in any feedback from trans folks, and especially trans women who wear bras. Most of the research on bras focuses specifically on cisgender women and I want to make sure this survey is inclusive towards anyone with breasts and anyone who wears bras other than cisgender women, who are already well accounted for in the field- trans women, trans men, non-binary folks, people with gynecomastia, etc. If you’re trans and you have any suggestions for inclusivity please let me know in the survey or in the replies here!

People who are eligible:

- literally anyone 18 or older who owns and wears a bra

Share with your friends, family, partners, social media, etc anyone!

Thanks so much y’all!!!

[femmefatalevibe]

Hey, I've recently discovered a Youtube channel, The Financial Diet, and they have some really good material. I've mostly been listening to the stuff about how domestic chores aren't evenly distributed in marriage. Whether a woman chooses to be a career woman or a housewife, she's still getting the short end of the stick and will usually bare the majority of the weight for the household. I'd recommend this video in particular, Solving The Problem Of The Adult Toddler Husband. They bring up some really good points that have sat with me since I first watched it. For example, a group of very accomplished women left the house for 2 hours and WWIII broke out at home because their husbands couldn't manage. All the women had to abandon their plans and go tend to the house. Hearing stuff like this gives me pause. I'd really like to get married and be a mother, but it just seems like a bad business move, no matter the type of man a woman marries. I'm not the sacrificial type--I want to be a mother and a wife and still maintain my own identity. Just thought I'd share this here because I live in a region where I'm not allowed to bring up these issues lest I sound like a, feminist (*gasp*).

Hi love! Yes, I think The Financial Diet channel is great. Chelsea has some great, easy-to-understand tips regarding personal finance/money management, and I love her guest contributors/podcast guest episodes. Oh, this notion highlighted in this episode is SO true IRL. A 2008 study found that husbands add 7 hours of housework a week to their wives' plates, while wives decreased a husband's household chores by 1 hour per week.

Check out Melanie Hamlett on TikTok if you want to dive further into this topic. She labels the man in this dynamic under the patriarchy as "King Baby," and it gets me every time!

The Commercialization Of Intimate Life by Arlie Russell Hochschild is a wonderful read on this topic (and the most intersectional text I've found on the subject).

Glad to share more on this topic in the future if there's interest xx

[coochiequeens]

Denmark - where the museums are progressive enough to erase woman from their names but the royal couple know who can be exploited for a baby.

A statue of a naked, bearded man attempting to breastfeed an infant is drawing disapproval on social media for what some critics are calling female erasure. The nude figure, constructed in 2021 as a self-portrait by Aske Kreilgaard, is depicted with exposed male genitals and breasts to which he is holding a feeding baby.

Despite having been created to commemorate International Men’s Day, the statue has now been placed outside of The Gender Museum (KØN) in Aarhus, Denmark, which was previously known as the Women’s Museum (Kvindemuseet). 

The facility was originally founded in 1982 to educate the public about women’s history, but in 2021 was renamed to reflect a shift in focus towards topics of gender and sexuality.

The Gender Museum justified the decision to change its name by claiming that gender roles had “changed significantly,” and that the emphasis of the museum would be focused to shift towards “freer expression” of all genders.

“A lot has happened in the relationship between the sexes since the Women’s Museum Association saw the light of day. Men’s gender roles and function in society have also changed significantly,” the museum’s website stated.

“The cultural heritage rests in places on old divisions between genders and roles, while the present expects freer expression of all genders. Just as women’s research at universities today is called gender research, the museum has followed the same development in its ongoing depiction and documentation of cultural history.”

The former Women’s Museum first began to incorporate elements of gender ideology into their education programs in 2016 and currently offers sex education for children in primary school “through a culture-historical and norm-critical view of sexuality and gender.”

“The societal norms that [children] experience on their own bodies are set against cultural history through objects from the history of sexual culture. In this way, we show the students that sex, gender roles and understandings of sexuality are rooted in our cultural history, and that ideas about gender, sexuality and sexual practices have changed over time,” reads the description of the course on the museum’s website.

The sculpture’s creator, Kreilgaard, has said in an interview with Fine Spinde that he titled the work Agape, a Greek word meaning “love.”

Just after the statue was erected, sculptor, photographer and writer Suste Bonnén sharply condemned the museum’s decision to commission and feature the piece in an article published by Kristeligt Dagblad titled, “Statue of breastfeeding man is a pedophile’s dream.”

“Isn’t Agape a pedophile’s dream? A grown naked man who enjoys putting a small child up to his nipple for him to suck is to me the epitome of what pedophiles dream of,” Bonnén writes. She further elaborates on how the area is an erogenous zone for both women and men, but highlights that whereas “the mother satisfies the child’s needs,” a man, being incapable of nursing, “only satisfies his own.”

Bonnén went on to describe the statue as flouting exploitation.

“I don’t see that the gender roles are being played with, as many others do. I see an exploitation of the little child, and a man playing with his own gratification. That is why I find it disturbing that both genders and audiences today welcome the message: The grown man can do whatever he wants with a small child, as long as we call it Agape.”

While the statue was erected outside of the museum in November of 2021, photos of it just began circulating in social media this week and prompting backlash. On Facebook, some Danish feminists noted that they had attempted to protest the name change of the museum in 2021, but found their concerns being ignored as museum officials reportedly felt shifting away from “women” and towards “gender inclusivity” was a better financial decision.

The photo of the statue that first prompted discussion on Twitter was posted by Michelle Uriarau of Mana Wāhine Kōrero, a Māori women’s group. Uriarau also referenced the name change at the museum, calling it “the erasure of women.”

Over one thousand people replied to Uriarau’s post, some of whom were expressing disbelief that the statue was even real. Many Twitter users were outraged at the symbolism, and the fact the statue was now housed outside of a former museum dedicated to women.

“The parading and exhibiting of the male sexual fetishist. Only women give birth and only women breastfeed NOT men,” user Elise Willows wrote beneath the photo.

“A nursing baby as the ultimate fetish accessory. Disgusting,” another tweeted.

Others in the replies referenced recent attempts to “neutralize” the language around motherhood and breastfeeding, something that has been shown to have a negative impact on maternal health outcomes. Some also referenced incidents involving trans-identified males attempting to breastfeed babies.

Last year, Reduxx reported on a Reddit post featuring photos of a trans-identified male user breastfeeding his wife’s newborn baby.

The post, titled “Oh my God I’m breastfeeding my daughter,” detailed how the user worked with a lactation consultant and his gender physician for several months prior to his female partner giving birth. Immediately following the baby’s birth, the user said he had begun breastfeeding the child to supplement formula feedings. The user also included a link to a photo gallery showing snapshots of himself “breastfeeding” the baby.

In 2018, an endocrinologist from Boston Medical Center claimed that breast feeding was an important method of validating a trans-identified male’s gender identity.  

In an interview with The New Scientist, Dr. Joshua Safer said: “Many transgender women are looking to have as many of the experiences of non-transgender women as they can, so I can see this will be extremely popular.”

Reports of trans-identified males seeking support from lactation consultants have increased. On social media, many new and breastfeeding mothers have also stated they’ve noticed an increase in men attending breastfeeding groups.

According to the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces, of about 2,500 monuments nationwide, only 28 commemorate women. The nation’s lack of female-focused memorials was the subject of a 2022 sculpture project that highlighted the lack of visibility of women in public art.

Reduxx contacted the Gender Museum for comment, but did not received a response at the time of publication.

By Genevieve Gluck

Genevieve is the Co-Founder of Reduxx, and the outlet's Chief Investigative Journalist with a focused interest in pornography, sexual predators, and fetish subcultures. She is the creator of the podcast Women's Voices, which features news commentary and interviews regarding women's rights.

Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and his wife, Princess Carina, are expecting a baby. However, the princess lacks the usual baby bump. Instead, another woman is carrying her child.

Both the prince, who is a nephew of the Danish queen Margarethe and his wife are 54 years old. They had to wait almost 20 years before they could get married due to an inheritance rule from Gustav's grandfather Prince Gustav Albrecht, who was a Nazi, Daily Mail writes. Now, they are becoming parents in their fifties with the help of a surrogate mother.

Royal fans have already claimed that the baby is a boy and is due to be born in May. Official sources have not confirmed the announcement yet. According to a press release from Berleburg Castle, the residence of the royal couple in Germany, the baby is due in the summer. The prince and princess state their thanks in the same press release "to everyone who has helped to find a legal path to follow."

According to Kristeligt Dagblad, the baby will be the first royal child born via surrogacy. It is unknown whether the couple has paid the surrogate mother for her service (commercial surrogacy) or whether they found someone who offered to carry the baby altruistically, the Danish newspaper reports.

Debate

The royal surrogacy baby may renew the discussion about surrogacy in Denmark. Currently, it is legal to have a child via a surrogate mother, but there are quite a few requirements that have to be fulfilled. It is, for example, illegal to get help with insemination, and third parties may not communicate with the surrogate mother.

Leif Vestergaard Pedersen, chairman of the Danish Ethics Council, finds the rules too restrictive. Last January, the council proposed to make surrogacy a standard fertility treatment, Kristeligt Dagblad reports. At the same time, Vestergaard Pedersen warns against commercial surrogacy "because it can in many ways be equated with trade in children."

Age limit

Another concern about the royal baby is the age of its parents. Being 54 years old is a relatively high age for first-time parents, Kristeligt Dagblad states. However, Vestergaard Pedersen thinks this is not something the Ethical Council is concerned with. "There is an age limit in fertility treatment, probably primarily for the sake of the woman giving birth. Regarding more general considerations, parents' age is a consideration. Still, it is not something we have discussed or have immediate plans for", he says.

Fertility doctor Malene Tanderup Sørensen points out that there is no biological age barrier regarding surrogate parenthood. "However, the fact that they are older is one of the things that can help put the debate on surrogacy at the forefront."

Happiness

In any case, the royal family welcomes the baby with happiness. Lene Balleby, a spokesperson for the family, says that the royals "are very happy on behalf of the couple."

Historian and royal house commentator Lars Hovbakke Sørensenpoints out that the royal house is usually more conservative than the general population. However, he thinks the difficulties the royal couple overcame to get married "can help to create more understanding around their decision about surrogate motherhood."

They could have gotten married earlier but he would have lost his inheritance due to the will his Nazi grandfather left.

[bomnun]

KINO 1st EP [If this is love, I want a refund] album details

Pre-order [If this is love, I want a refund]

✔ Preorder start : 2024.04.15. (MON) ~

Expectation ver. preorder

Reality ver. preorder

[unpluggedfinancial]

Why the World Needs Bitcoin Now More Than Ever

The world today is at a crossroads. Economic instability, unchecked inflation, and global tensions are driving the world toward a crisis that few are prepared for. In the midst of this uncertainty, Bitcoin offers a beacon of hope—a solution that can transform not only our financial systems but also the way we live, work, and interact with one another. As centralized powers continue to manipulate money and control the narrative, Bitcoin stands as a decentralized, transparent, and sound form of money that offers the world a better future.

Let’s explore why the world needs Bitcoin now more than ever.

Bitcoin Stops the War Machine

For far too long, governments have had the power to finance wars through unchecked money printing. With the ability to create endless amounts of fiat currency, they can fund conflicts without the consent of the people or the backing of sound economics. This endless money printing devalues currencies, inflates national debts, and empowers the war machine.

Bitcoin fundamentally changes this dynamic. Its decentralized and finite nature makes it impossible for any government or organization to print more money at will. In a world where Bitcoin is the standard, governments would be forced to operate with financial transparency, and the ability to fund endless wars would be severely curtailed. The incentives for war would shift, as nations would have to make more responsible financial decisions.

In short, Bitcoin promotes peace by holding those in power accountable for their financial actions, removing their ability to inflate away debt or fund unnecessary wars.

Incentivizing Good Over Evil

Fiat currency systems often breed corruption. When money can be manipulated and printed at will, those in power are incentivized to use their positions for personal gain, leading to unethical behavior, bribery, and exploitation. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is built on transparency and immutability, meaning that it cannot be tampered with by any single entity. This changes the game entirely.

Bitcoin promotes honest behavior and long-term thinking. With sound money, individuals and businesses are incentivized to create value through ethical practices. There’s no more cutting corners to make quick profits, no more gaming the system to get ahead. Bitcoin rewards those who align their incentives with the betterment of society, encouraging savings, innovation, and productivity rather than exploitation.

The end result? A more moral and equitable society where people do good not just because they want to, but because the system rewards ethical behavior over greed.

Banking the Unbanked

Around the world, over a billion people remain unbanked. These individuals are shut out of the traditional financial system due to geographic, economic, or political barriers. Without access to banking, they are left vulnerable, unable to save, invest, or even participate in the global economy.

Bitcoin solves this problem by offering a decentralized financial system that anyone with a phone and an internet connection can access. Whether you're in a remote village or a bustling city, Bitcoin gives everyone the opportunity to participate in the economy, bypassing the need for traditional banks or intermediaries.

For the unbanked, Bitcoin represents financial freedom, a way to save, transact, and secure their wealth without relying on institutions that often exploit them. This is a game-changer, offering billions of people a way to escape poverty and build a better future.

Leveling the Playing Field

The current financial system is rigged in favor of the wealthy and well-connected. From government bailouts to insider deals, those at the top benefit disproportionately, while the rest are left to deal with inflation, rising living costs, and a shrinking middle class. This inequality is baked into the very fabric of fiat money, which allows those in power to manipulate the system for their benefit.

Bitcoin, by contrast, offers a universal playing field. It doesn’t care who you are, where you’re from, or how much money you already have. It’s a leveler—an asset that anyone can accumulate based on merit and effort. There’s no special treatment, no backdoor deals. Bitcoin’s rules are the same for everyone, ensuring that value creation and hard work are rewarded fairly.

As Bitcoin adoption grows, the balance of power will shift. The wealthy will no longer be able to manipulate the system, and success will be based on merit rather than connections. This is the promise of Bitcoin: a fairer, more just economy for all.

The Importance of Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) into Bitcoin

In a volatile market, many are hesitant to invest, fearing they might buy at the peak and suffer losses. Bitcoin, known for its price swings, can seem intimidating. But there is a strategy that mitigates this risk—Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA).

DCA is the practice of consistently investing a fixed amount of money into Bitcoin over time, regardless of the price. This approach helps smooth out the volatility by spreading purchases across both market highs and lows. It takes the guesswork out of timing the market and allows individuals to build a position in Bitcoin steadily.

Why is DCA so important? Because Bitcoin is a long-term game. Those who have benefited the most from Bitcoin’s growth are not the ones trying to time the market but those who have consistently accumulated it over time. DCA ensures that you are always accumulating Bitcoin, taking advantage of its long-term appreciation without worrying about short-term price movements.

In a world that desperately needs financial security, DCA into Bitcoin provides a steady path toward financial freedom. It’s accessible to anyone, regardless of wealth, reinforcing the idea that Bitcoin is for everyone.

Conclusion

The world is in desperate need of change. As economic instability, inflation, and conflict continue to rise, Bitcoin offers a way forward. It stops the war machine, incentivizes ethical behavior, and provides financial freedom to the unbanked. It levels the playing field, creating a system where success is based on merit and value creation rather than exploitation.

But most importantly, Bitcoin gives each individual the opportunity to take control of their own financial future. Whether through DCA or simply learning more about the technology, now is the time to get involved.

The world needs Bitcoin, and it needs it now more than ever.

Take Action Towards Financial Independence

If this article has sparked your interest in the transformative potential of Bitcoin, there's so much more to explore! Dive deeper into the world of financial independence and revolutionize your understanding of money by following my blog and subscribing to my YouTube channel.

🌐 Blog: Unplugged Financial Blog Stay updated with insightful articles, detailed analyses, and practical advice on navigating the evolving financial landscape. Learn about the history of money, the flaws in our current financial systems, and how Bitcoin can offer a path to a more secure and independent financial future.

📺 YouTube Channel: Unplugged Financial Subscribe to our YouTube channel for engaging video content that breaks down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand segments. From in-depth discussions on monetary policies to the latest trends in cryptocurrency, our videos will equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed financial decisions.

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a curious newcomer, or someone concerned about the future of your financial health, our community is here to support you on your journey to financial independence.

Support the Cause

If you enjoyed what you read and believe in the mission of spreading awareness about Bitcoin, I would greatly appreciate your support. Every little bit helps keep the content going and allows me to continue educating others about the future of finance.

Donate Bitcoin: bc1qpn98s4gtlvy686jne0sr8ccvfaxz646kk2tl8lu38zz4dvyyvflqgddylk

[neomoonapp]

Las mejores alternativas de tarjetas de crédito en dólares para Latinoamérica en 2023

Latinoamérica está experimentando una revolución financiera digital. Aunque apenas el 49.1% de la población mexicana tiene acceso a servicios bancarios, los métodos de pago digitales y soluciones innovadoras están llenando ese vacío, ofreciendo alternativas financieras frescas a la población. En este artículo, exploraremos las opciones disponibles para los latinoamericanos que desean solicitar tarjetas de crédito en dólares y cómo Neomoon se alza como líder en este espacio.

Alternativas disponibles

Neobancos: Bancos puramente digitales como Nubank que ofrecen soluciones primordialmente a través de aplicaciones móviles.

Startups de Tarjetas: Compañías como Stori, Rappi Pay, y Fondeadora proponen tarjetas gestionadas en su mayoría a través de aplicaciones.

Otras tarjetas populares para viajar: Opciones como Revolut, N26 y Wise, que presentan soluciones sin comisiones para viajeros.

Neomoon: Una innovadora propuesta que va más allá de ser simplemente una tarjeta, integrando el mundo de las criptomonedas con el financiero convencional.

Neomoon: Más que una tarjeta

Neomoon es una combinación de múltiples soluciones financieras: es tarjeta, es neobanco, es billetera digital, y es mucho más.

Diversidad de opciones: Proporciona tanto una tarjeta de crédito virtual Mastercard Gold como una física Platinum Mastercard, ambas en dólares estadounidenses.

Versatilidad Financiera: No se limita a ser solo una tarjeta. Funciona también como un neobanco y una billetera digital, ofreciendo cuentas en dólares tanto a usuarios como a comercios.

Portal P2P Propio: Neomoon brinda su propio espacio de intercambio peer-to-peer, permitiendo el intercambio de distintos medios de pago y facilitando las transacciones dentro y fuera de su ecosistema.

Soluciones Tecnológicas para Comercios: Desde POS ilimitados hasta herramientas que impulsan ventas, Neomoon se posiciona como un aliado indispensable para los negocios.

Tecnología Inclusiva: Ya sea que tengas el smartphone más avanzado del mercado o ni siquiera cuentes con uno, Neomoon tiene soluciones adaptadas a cada usuario.

Comunidad en Crecimiento: Con más de 200 mil usuarios, su expansión ha sido en gran parte orgánica, impulsada por recomendaciones boca a boca. Es muy probable que conozcas a alguien que ya esté aprovechando los beneficios de Neomoon.

Adicionalmente, te invitamos a seguir la cuenta oficial de Neomoon en Instagram, donde encontrarás valioso contenido sobre educación financiera y las últimas actualizaciones de la plataforma.

Conclusión

En medio de una gama amplia y variada de tarjetas para viajar sin comisiones en 2023, Neomoon se destaca no solo por sus ventajas en términos de tarjeta de crédito, sino por ser una solución financiera integral. Con una propuesta que integra el mundo financiero tradicional y digital, y adaptada a las diversas necesidades del mercado latinoamericano, Neomoon se presenta como la opción de futuro para aquellos que buscan innovar en sus finanzas personales y comerciales.

[ivygorgon]

An open letter to the U.S. Senate

Improve disabled American's financial stability with S.4102 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act

In the words of David Goldfarb on behalf of the Arc of the United States, "…we enthusiastically endorse S. 4102, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, which would raise the amount of savings a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient can keep for the first time in over thirty years. The mission of the Arc is to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

"SSI provides an extremely modest cash benefit, a maximum of $841 a month in 2022, for certain individuals with disabilities and older adults. In March 2022, nearly 7.6 million people: 4.3 million working-age individuals with disabilities; 1 million children with disabilities; and 2.3 million older adults relied on the program.

"Many individuals with IDD rely on the SSI program. In 2017, SSA estimated that approximately 19% of working-age SSI recipients possessed an intellectual disability. For many people with IDD, SSI is their only source of income without which they could become institutionalized or homeless.

"Unfortunately, the benefit’s low, outdated resource limit of $2,000 for individuals/$3,000 for couples does not allow people to save for emergencies, such as a leaky roof, car repair, or other unexpected expense. To make matters worse, the $2,000 limit does not adjust for inflation every year, and it has remained the same since 1989.

"The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would significantly improve the lives of SSI recipients, including people with IDD, by raising the asset limit to $10,000 per individual/$20,000 per couple. The legislation also adjusts that number for inflation every year, a critical element in 2 today’s inflationary environment. This will allow SSI beneficiaries to use their own savings to address needed emergencies when they arise.

"Thank you again for this critical legislation."

Truly his letter is phenomenal and applicable to many American citizens. I hope you too appreciate his mastery of diction, his compassion for his fellow American, and the truth in his words.

📱 Text SIGN PYLYME to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW IVYPETITIONS to 50409

[atozofsoftwareengineering]

The Revolution of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Hey friends! 🌐 Check out this eye-opening blog on the game-changing #DeFi revolution, featuring current benefits and exciting future directions. Explore #financialinclusion, #privacy, #governance, and more in the future of finance! 🚀

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the financial world, a disruptive force has emerged, challenging traditional banking systems and revolutionizing how we handle money. Decentralized Finance, commonly known as DeFi, is an innovative concept built on blockchain technology that empowers individuals with greater financial autonomy, transparency, and inclusivity. In this blog, we will explore the…

[biglisbonnews]

Wall Street Journal ponders: did diversity cause the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank? In a Wall Street Journal op-ed titled "Who Killed Silicon Valley Bank?" Andy Kessler writes: Was there regulatory failure? Perhaps. SVB was regulated like a bank but looked more like a money-market fund. Then there's this: In its proxy statement, SVB notes that besides 91% of their board being independent and 45% women, they also have "1 Black," "1 LGBTQ+" and "2 Veterans." — Read the rest https://boingboing.net/2023/03/14/wall-street-journal-ponders-did-diversity-cause-the-collapse-of-silicon-valley-bank.html

[loisroo]

i don’t teach kids to be or think like me, i challenge kids to think and be like themselves.

[sophsweet]

Starting new journey to live music promotion funding

Recently, I got approached by a company called UK Startup. We set a date for a call-back in 2 weeks time after they chased me by email then phone over the summer. I get wary when the other contents of my life are disregarded by any new interloper. Following our call, Sophie Blair sent me an email outlining the process. Essentially, they attribute support, provide a platform to build a business…

[marklyndersay]

Why cash is king in Trinidad and Tobago

Above: Illustration by digiart/DepositPhotos.com BitDepth#1475 for September 09, 2024 Last month, the TT International Finance Centre (TTIFC) issued a summary of the results of its survey of financial inclusion in this country. The Digitalisation of Payments and Inclusion Survey (DPI), which the TTIFC will use to design its National Financial Inclusion Strategy found, to nobody’s surprise,…

[jcmarchi]

Faces of MIT: Jessica Tam

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/faces-of-mit-jessica-tam/

Faces of MIT: Jessica Tam

The MIT Office of the Vice President for Finance (VPF) determines the best ways to allocate funds for the goods, resources, and services that support the research, education, and important work performed by students, staff, and faculty at MIT. The attention to detail and organization of VPF’s staff members help community members understand and use Institute financial resources. One of the 170 staff members in VPF who works hard behind the scenes to make life at MIT more effective is Jessica Tam, senior strategic sourcing analyst, travel and hospitality.

Tam has been in the travel and hospitality industry for over 20 years. She worked for hotels for 15 years before arriving at MIT, leaving one side of hospitality for the other. Tam is well-versed in forming and maintaining relationships with vendors, including travel companies and caterers. Those invaluable skills allowed her to comfortably pivot from what she refers to as “being a supplier” to “being a buyer.”

A member of the strategic sourcing and contracts team, Tam is responsible for everything related to travel and hospitality (catering, dining, tents, and events) that involves purchasing. Knowing how to connect with people is a significant part of her job, as she oversees reaching out to suppliers, both potential and preferred, managing requests for proposals (RPFs), negotiating contracts, securing concessions, and ensuring the best value for MIT travelers and event planners. When assisting with travel accommodations, she troubleshoots issues that a traveler may run into. Tam also answers vendor questions and works very closely with Institute Events.

Even though she is constantly meeting and speaking with new people, Tam notes that the hospitality industry is small. When she came to MIT there was a lot to learn, but knowing the major players in the industry helped her to acclimate quickly into the role. With her expertise, Tam was immediately able to help streamline the hotel side of travel. With her knowledge of the industry, she was able to rebalance MIT’s negotiated rates so that they were competitive and in line with what she believed MIT should be paying.

A significant part of Tam’s job is vetting vendors to be included on the list of MIT preferred businesses. For example, when a staff member asks for VPF’s list of preferred hotels, it comes with expected price points for each that have already been negotiated by Tam, eliminating the need for that staff member to carry out a selection of source — finding two or three other competitive quotes. Terms and conditions have also already been put in place so that after selecting one of the preferred hotels, it is simple to gain approval in the buy-to-pay process. 

In May 2024, Tam received an Excellence Award for Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for a project she began in March 2020 that was put on hold due to the pandemic. The initiative’s purpose was to bring diverse catering options for events taking place at MIT. The preferred catering services list in place when Tam started her job was mostly known, big-box caterers. When she resumed work on the project, Tam issued RPFs to small, local, Black- and minority-owned catering businesses. At the project’s conclusion, Tam had almost doubled the number of preferred caterers available to the community. In her award nomination, colleagues noted that Tam’s work “fosters inclusivity, contributes to the growth and success of our local economy, and brings new, diverse culinary options to our very global community.” 

Soundbytes

Q: What do you like the most about your job?

Tam: I enjoy introducing people to resources at MIT that they did not know existed. Sometimes there is a travel hiccup for a faculty member, and I get them on the next flight. If a catering order does not show up for an event, I check which preferred vendor has availability to come up with bagged lunches on a tight deadline. I’m here to answer questions that make my colleagues’ travel and events as seamless as possible. I want the community to know that I am here to be a resource. It’s a little-known fact that the VPF website is a great tool available to the community that has every possible piece of information not just for travel planning and hospitality, but for expense reports, budget planning, and more. 

Q: What do you like the most about the people at MIT?

Tam: I am a member of the strategic sourcing and contracts team, and everyone is so friendly. When we come together on in-office days it feels like a family. Our Vice President of Finance Katie Hammer is approachable and will ask, “How was your weekend? How are your kids?” I can walk to her office and ask a question, which is nice and probably different from other universities where you might hear about your VP but you could never ask them a question directly or say hello.

I also love that at MIT you might not initially know the accomplishments of the person you are working with. I have been talking to Professor Tod Machover, who is a composer, and it turns out that the popular video games “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” grew out of Machover’s group at the Media Lab — something that never came up in our work conversations. My first year at MIT I had to reach out to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who is the inventor of the World Wide Web. You never know who you’re going to meet or talk to.

Q: What advice would you give to a new staff member at MIT?

Tam: Try and meet the people you will work with in person, even if your job is hybrid. This is my first job in higher education, and I had heard that working at a university can feel like you work in a silo. In hospitality I learned that a five- or 10-minute conversation goes a long way, even if it is just to say, “I’m Jessica, I’m in this role, and I look forward to working with you.” When I first started, I found a list of departments and people that I knew I would be working with and visited their offices to introduce myself and have a brief conversation. Meeting in person gives you a good understanding of how people communicate.

[townpostin]

Karim City College Hosts RBI-Backed Financial Literacy Program

Students gain vital financial knowledge in collaborative event with RBI Ranchi In a joint effort to boost financial awareness, Karim City College and RBI Ranchi organized a comprehensive Financial Literacy Program for students. JAMSHEDPUR – In order to improve the financial literacy of students, the Faculty of Commerce at Karim City College collaborated with RBI Ranchi to implement a Financial…