To pursue his PhD, Water Resource Engineer Ayman Alafifi came to the United States over eight years ago from the Gaza Strip, Palestine. In Gaza, Ayman lived under military occupation and experienced, first-hand, injustice, and discrimination that limited his school options and career choices. Upon hearing about BC’s Community of Color Employee Network Group (ENG), Ayman immediately volunteered as a co-leader to engage in productive discussions, learn from others, and help provide a safe space to address issues of racial inequality in his profession.
“It hits home because I can draw parallels to my own life experience, and I can relate very well to the struggles of oppressed and disadvantaged groups in our community. The challenges I faced growing up in Palestine, and the challenges my family and I experience here in U.S. because of our religion, language, and country of origin are real. However, I believe that challenges call for action”. “The Community of Color ENG allows us to address these challenges together and enact change.”
By connecting with others and working toward positive change, Ayman hopes to remove the barriers that limit opportunities for all individuals to grow professionally. To spark that change, the Community of Color ENG prioritized creating an environment of no judgement and no fear with the understanding that everyone is in a continual growth journey and that there is no “getting it right”. “I thought getting people to participate and speak up around these issues would be hard, but there is a level of trust in BC’s culture that’s allowed members to open up right away.” Ayman said.
“There’s been documented research that show teams with more diverse team members deliver higher quality work,” Ayman explains.
“Diversity is not only important for the wellbeing of employees, it is a competitive advantage that creates innovative teams that deliver quality products.”
As an engineer who works closely and collaboratively with clients, Ayman helps cities and public utilities identify vulnerabilities in their systems and be proactive in their decisions to prevent disruptions before they happen and become more resilient. He is excited to see BC’s commitment to diversity unfold further as the Community of Color group continues to grow, and more balance and belonging initiatives advance.
Outside of work, Ayman has three daughters, 4-year-old twins and a 6-year-old, that keep him quite busy, but entertained. He enjoys practicing and teaching them about their cultural values and heritage so they can carry it forward as they get older. When Ayman finds the time, he enjoys solving puzzles, hiking new trails, and being a self-proclaimed professional ping pong player.
