House of US

House of US 🌍 The WE in I ~ for a stronger tomorrow
Cultivating social empathy for the next generation • 501(c)(3)

10/02/2026

Guest Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Jeff Katcherian

We’re excited to feature Dr. Jeff Katcherian, our Director of Programs & Development at House of US, as part of the upcoming Digital Wisdom Workshop.

Jeff is a socio-cultural anthropologist, university instructor, and social entrepreneur with a deep commitment to global education and experiential learning. He holds a Doctorate in Anthropology from UC Irvine and has worked across academic, governmental, and civil society spaces, including contributing to the launch of the EU–US Transatlantic Degree Program in Brussels.

His work has explored global mobile banking, financial inclusion, education, and cross-cultural engagement. He later served as an Instructor of Anthropology at UC Irvine and founded the nonprofit Culture Academy, creating opportunities for students to engage directly with cultures beyond the classroom.

At Digital Wisdom, Jeff brings a people-centered perspective on technology, social empathy, and human connection—helping students think critically about how the digital world shapes the way we understand, relate to, and engage with one another.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 House of US | Irvine, CA

Spots are limited.

10/02/2026

Guest Speaker Spotlight: Michael Janney

We’re excited to welcome Michael Janney to our upcoming Digital Wisdom Workshop.

Michael is an AI Engineer at CrossGen, where he helps people learn how to use AI effectively while also building and testing practical tools for businesses.

His background also includes years of competitive sim racing and driver coaching, both virtually and behind the wheel. Moving between engineering, digital competition, and hands-on instruction has shaped his perspective on how people connect, communicate, and learn through technology.

At Digital Wisdom, Michael will help students explore the relationship between AI, learning, communication, and human experience—and why the human element still matters as technology becomes more integrated into everyday life.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 House of US | Irvine, CA

Spots are limited.

10/01/2026

Guest Speaker Spotlight: Byron Salvatierra

We’re excited to welcome Byron Salvatierra to our upcoming Digital Wisdom Workshop.

Byron is a cybersecurity professional and U.S. Army veteran who brings practical experience in digital security, online risk, and responsible technology use.

At Digital Wisdom, Byron will help students better understand the importance of cybersecurity, digital safety, privacy, and making informed choices online—skills that are increasingly essential in everyday life.

His session will give students a practical look at how to protect themselves in digital spaces while becoming more thoughtful and responsible technology users.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 House of US | Irvine, CA

Spots are limited.

10/01/2026

Guest Speaker Spotlight: Tessa Janney

We’re excited to welcome Tessa Janney to our upcoming Digital Wisdom Workshop.

Tessa works at the intersection of emerging technology and human connection. As a Junior Sales & Marketing AI Engineer at CrossGen, she helps people understand the potential of AI and use it in practical, meaningful ways.

A recent Chapman University graduate in business, Tessa also brings years of experience coaching youth soccer—an experience that shaped her belief in thoughtful education, trust, and helping people navigate change without losing the human element.

At Digital Wisdom, Tessa will help our students explore how we can engage with AI thoughtfully while keeping human connection, judgment, and empathy at the center.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 House of US | Irvine, CA

Spots are limited.

09/23/2026

Research Insight #005 | Belonging Helps Empathy Grow

Empathy does not develop in isolation.

When young people feel valued, accepted, and connected, they have more opportunities to build trust, engage with others, and develop the social and emotional capacities that support empathy.

That matters.

Belonging is more than feeling included. It can help young people learn not only:

“I have a place here,”

but also:

“Other people have a place here too.”

The environments we create matter. Families, schools, peer groups, teams, and communities can all help create the conditions in which empathy, compassion, and meaningful connection can grow.

🎥 Watch today’s Research Insight video.

🔗 Read the complete Research Insight on our website—link in bio.

What helps create a genuine sense of belonging?

—
House of US Institute for Social Empathy

| Belonging Helps Empathy GrowEmpathy does not develop in isolation.When people feel valued, accepted, and connected, ...
09/18/2026

| Belonging Helps Empathy Grow

Empathy does not develop in isolation.

When people feel valued, accepted, and connected, they have more opportunities to build trust, engage with others, and develop the capacities that support empathy.

Belonging can grow through:

• Making people feel seen, heard, and valued.
• Creating space for quieter voices and noticing who may be left out.
• Offering meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute.
• Listening with genuine interest and welcoming different perspectives.
• Helping people recognize that their voices—and the voices of others—matter.

Belonging is more than feeling included.

It can help us learn not only:

“I have a place here,”

but also:

“Other people have a place here too.”

When we create environments where people feel connected and valued, we help make room for empathy, compassion, and social empathy to grow.

💙 Reflection

Think about one group or community you are part of:

What could you do this week to help someone else feel that they belong?

We are proud to announce our first workshop presented through the House of US Digital Wisdom Fellowship: Empathy in the ...
09/16/2026

We are proud to announce our first workshop presented through the House of US Digital Wisdom Fellowship: Empathy in the Digital World.

How can young people use technology wisely while staying connected to the human beings behind the screen?

This interactive pilot workshop goes beyond traditional online safety. Through conversation, hands-on activities, and real-world scenarios, students will explore social media, artificial intelligence, media literacy, digital safety, and empathy in the digital world.

Our goal is to help young people think more critically, understand the human impact of their online choices, and feel better prepared to navigate an increasingly digital world.

Saturday, October 3, 2026
1:00–4:00 PM
House of US, Irvine
For high school students ages 14–18

Participation is limited to 10–15 students, and each student will receive a Certificate of Completion.

Scan the QR code on the flyer, use the link in our bio, or use this link:

https://www.house-of-us.org/join-us-/digital-wisdom-fellowship/

Please share this opportunity with a student, parent, educator, or family who may be interested.

Twenty-five years later, we remember.We remember the lives lost, the families forever changed, the survivors, and those ...
09/11/2026

Twenty-five years later, we remember.

We remember the lives lost, the families forever changed, the survivors, and those who responded with extraordinary courage.

September 11 was a moment of profound collective grief. Yet within that grief, people reached for one another. Strangers offered comfort, communities came together, and our shared humanity became greater than our differences.

May remembrance call us not only to look back, but to carry that spirit of care, connection, and shared responsibility forward.

09/07/2026

This Labor Day, we celebrate the people behind the work.

The people who build, teach, care, create, serve, lead, support, and contribute every day to the communities we share.

Every role carries a human story. And every community becomes stronger when we take the time to recognize the experiences, contributions, and dignity of others.

At House of US, that recognition is at the heart of social empathy.

Wishing everyone a meaningful, restful, and well-deserved Labor Day.

08/29/2026

Research Insight #004 | Perspective-Taking Helps Us Understand Experiences Beyond Our Own

Perspective-taking helps us recognize that our own perspective is not the only way a situation can be experienced.

It asks us to consider what another person may be seeing, thinking, feeling, or experiencing—and what experiences or circumstances may be shaping that perspective.

That matters.

When we make space for perspectives beyond our own, we can strengthen understanding, reflection, and meaningful human connection.

Understanding another perspective does not require agreement. It requires curiosity and the willingness to recognize that there may be more to understand.

🎥 Watch today’s Research Insight video.

🔗 Read the complete Research Insight on our website—link in bio.

When has another person’s perspective changed how you understood a situation?

—
House of US Institute for Social Empathy

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+19494446543

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