optiMize, U-M's Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship unit within LSA, specializing in positive impact entrepreneurship, is hiring an Instructional Aid for ALA 258: Cultivating Culturally Sustainable Entrepreneurship. This course is for scholars who want to do more than just innovate—they want to center cultural wealth within community. They will explore how to become responsible stewards, exemplifying how sociocultural influences and sociotechnical systems can merge to serve minoritized communities more equitably. Instead of designing for users who are being used, they will prioritize designing within the community, understanding that we share a profound responsibility to uplift each other. By embracing a simple but powerful mantra, "pause, reflect, protect," they will begin to slow down, assess risk, and respect both people and the planet before we act. Upholding values of connection, embracement, and collaboration pushes beyond the crude mechanism of capitalism to consider whole ecosystems, non-human life, and the reciprocal relationships that create a healthy world to lead transformative change.

The role of the Instructional Aid will be to attend each class, support with attendance and grading, and co-ideate on developing the curriculum.

The course is on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 11:30am - 1:00pm. It is held in room G040 Tisch Hall. Applicants must be available to attend the course weekly. 

A student who is interested in tech justice and how it applies to social innovation will be a great candidate for this position! All majors are encouraged to consider this opportunity.