The Fabric of our Society

October 2021

IESNYC Sense of Community

Melissa L. Goren
MGE
IESNYC Board Member

I have been  a manager on the IESNYC Board since 2019 and have been a member of the Programs Committee a year or so before that.  Now I serve as the Board Liaison to the Committee and continue to be an active member of the programs team. I miss those pre-pandemic days, learned a lot of new skills during the time we were apart,  and look forward to what’s ahead now that we are entering “new normal” times.

Back in February 2020, we held a wonderful in-person program on a hot topic – Virtual Reality. All in attendance had a great time learning about the products from the manufacturers and the designers who use them. Who would have thought that just a few weeks later, all in-person gatherings would have to come to a stop, and we all had to work remotely and communicate via Teams, Skype, Zoom, and other services.  From the start, I felt so isolated from my friends, family, coworkers, the Board, and the Committee.  The entire lighting community seemed so far away, and I missed seeing everyone’s expressions, and experiencing the comradery one feels during in-person meetings. 

The Programs Committee knew we had to continue to engage with our members and the New York City lighting community and so we began having virtual programming – a format we were all very new at. One of the first virtual programs we held was an IESNYC anniversary celebration and trivia contest. It was a fun event, but best of all, we were all able to connect with people that months before I  took for granted that I would see at a lighting show or the Lumen Gala.  

Since each member of the Programs Committee has something they are passionate about, they are giving the opportunity to explore the subject and then take the lead on producing the program and we all them help to create great virtual events such “Wellness Lighting Calculations,” “3D Printing,” “PoE,” and tours given by the lighting designers at MoMA, Center for Health and Wellbeing, and the Royal Caribbean Terminal at PortMiami. Going virtual has allowed us to reach outside of our own community and collaborate and connect with places, speakers, and viewers from all over the world. Becoming involved with the production of these events has allowed me to keep up with so many people that I don’t typically talk to day-to-day for work.

Being on the Board, the Programs Committee—and I’m also a member of the Sponsorship Committee—has given me the opportunity to collaborate with so many people in the industry.  I like how this gives me the ability to meet so many people who I would never communicate with for work reasons.   It allows me to learn more about the community.  I come back from meetings and events with feedback with suggestions I can present to the Board.   

The IESNYC has given me a feeling of community that I was missing before I became involved. You can attend our programs, volunteer for events, or join a committee. I look forward to hearing your ideas for future programs, but better yet, join our Programs Committee and take an active part of what we do.