Diversity & Inclusion

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CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS AND OBSERVANCE DAYS

Please see below for a list of upcoming cultural and religious celebrations and observance days.

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SPEAKER/RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Kathleen Nalty Consulting, LLC (https://kathleennaltyconsulting.com/)
2. Equilibria E-Colours Assessments (https://equilibria.com/e-colors)
3. HRx (https://hrx.tech/hrx-training/)
4. Michael Bach (https://www.michaelbach.com/)
5. Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (https://ccdi.ca/)

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

This Black History Month’s theme for 2023 is “Ours to Tell” reminds us that we each have a story that is worthy of being shared, of being heard, and of being honored.

We welcome you to learn about noteworthy figures who have shaped our Canadian history, organizations and educational resources on the history of Black communities in Canada, significant events in black history in Canada and the legacy and impact of organizations led by Black women in Canada to name but a few areas of interest.

Interesting reads on black Canadians that played a significant role in history:

February is Black History Month – Canada.ca

10 Black Canadians Who Played a Big Role in Canadian History

23 historical black Canadians you should know – Interactive – CBC.ca

Statement by the Prime Minister on Black History Month | Prime Minister of Canada (pm.gc.ca)

Canadian Black history museums and educational centres you may want to visit:

1. Amherstburg Freedom Museum, Amherstburg, Ont.
2. Amherstburg Freedom Museum, founded in 1975, is a community-based, non-profit museum that tells the story of African-Canadians’ history and contributions.
3. Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, Cherry Brook, N.S.
4. Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia was established in 1983 to protect, preserve and promote the history and culture of African Nova Scotians. The centre is a museum and cultural gathering place where the history of Canada’s oldest Black communities can be discovered and explored.
5. Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum, Chatham, Ont.
6. Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum highlights excellence achieved by Black community members in various disciplines such as arts, medicine, sports and music. It also shines a light on struggles and successes during the fight for civil rights.
7. John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum, Lakeshore, Ont.
8. John Freeman Walls Historic Site and Underground Railroad Museum showcases artifacts that are reminders of the cruelty of slavery and the creative measures taken to secretly transport and hide people from hunters. The eight-hectare property also has a cemetery and a walkway that recreates the conditions that freedom seekers experienced while fleeing tracker dogs and hunters.
9. Sheffield Park Black History Museum, Clarksburg, Ont.
10. Sheffield Park Black History Museum includes artifacts that reflect pioneer life and times, the social networking of a community and the preservation of past generations.
11. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site, Dresden, Ont.
12. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site recognizes the accomplishments of slavery abolitionist Josiah Henson through interpretive videos, interactive exhibits, artifacts and tours that reflect the Black experience in Canada. The two-hectare site consists of the Josiah Henson Interpretive Centre, with its Underground Railroad Freedom Gallery and North Star Theatre, plus three historical buildings, two cemeteries and a sawmill that have been preserved as a legacy.

Suggested additional interesting reads focused on Black history in the United States:

1. “The Half Has Never Been Told” by Edward E. Baptist takes an in-depth look at slavery’s role in the evolution and modernization of the United States.
2. “Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides,” discusses the many ways that Black people are impacted by structural racism and help not only to understand the impact of racism, but also to practice empathy.
3. “The 1619 Project” is a long-form historical recounting of the role slavery played in the transformation of America. The project references the year 1619, in which the first ship carrying enslaved Africans reached the shores of the colony of Virginia. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and project creator Nikole Hannah Jones hosts a podcast that dissects the link between slavery and American economics, the co-opting of Black musicians’ work, and the obstacles Black people faced with receiving healthcare and land ownership rights.

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INDIGENOUS-RELATED CONTENT

1. Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future.  Summary of the Final Report of the Trust and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
2. Government of Canada Website entitled Delivering on Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.
3. Summary document of the 94 Calls to Action. 
4. A Reconciliation Reading List compiled by the CBC of 15-must-read books. 
5. The Downie-Wenjack Fund website provides access to education on the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.  Included on the website are the recordings of stories provided by Indigenous leaders, residential school survivors, elders, musicians and teachers.  These stories were broadcast on the 2021 DAY TO LISTEN across radio stations in Canada. 
6. The Moss-Bag Project – a local project from Bragg Creek who’s mission is to “create sustainable and reciprocal structures of support, by focusing on the health and education of Indigenous families and children”. 
7. The University of Alberta offers an Indigenous Canada course through their Massive Open Online Course system.  From the website, “Indigenous Canada is for students from faculties outside the Faculty of Native Studies with an interest in acquiring a basic familiarity with Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationships.”
8. A list of Indigenous-made films provided by the National Film-board of Canada.
9. A small set of resources about Indian Residential Schools:
   • Murray Sinclair delivers statement on discovery at Kamloops Residential School.
   • Un-Education Vol1: A Residential School Graphic Novel by Jason Eaglespeaker
   • Native Women’s Association of Canada website
   • Joyce’s Principle, A Brief presented by the Council of the Atikamekw of Manawan to the Governments of Canada and Quebec
   • Indian Residential School Survivors Society  
10. An article titled “Pandemic Spurs Indigenous business women to become doubly creative.” Published in the Globe and Mail – 01-January-2021.
11. Raven Trust – List of Top 10 Indigenous Podcasts

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DISABILITY CONTENT

1. https://www.krooshl.com/m/calgary – Website that provides locations of Accessible Venues in Calgary.  The website will also show venues in Edmonton. 
2. Included By Design – Calgary organization providing accessibility Consulting Services (Sean Crump)
3. Inclusion Through Design: You’re Only Temporarily-Able Bodied – TedxYYC talk by Sean Crump
4. Cerebral Palsy Alberta – Life Without Limits Podcast – “Each episode will feature a topic regarding disability issues, mental health, or how to create a more inclusive world.”
5. Deloitte Whitepaper called – Inclusion Survey: Uncovering Talent
6. UK Guide entitled The Definitive Guide to Disability Inclusion in the Workplace
7. Forbes Article – 8 Disability Podcasts that are Well Worth a Listen
8. A Ted Talk from Stella Young about disability and society’s habit of turning disabled people into “inspiration porn”.

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DIGITAL RESOURCES

1. A video about bias called “The Look”. 
2. A video called “The Quiet Power of Introverts”.
3. A CNN interview with Heather McGhee called “Why racism hurts everyone, regardless of race”.
4. A TEDxYouth talk discussing the importance of studying and learning about other cultures. 
5. A short (5 minute) TEDxYouth talk located here, presented by Kennedy Cook, a teenager. 

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PRINT RESOURCES

1. A Globe & Mail article about change leaders in the legal world, published 04-January-2021. 
2. A Law Times article titled “In 2021, diversity-inclusion strategies must be ‘action-oriented’ and ‘authentic’, published 05-January-2021. 
3. An opinion article titled “Why diversity is important to the legal profession” written by Sacha de Klerk at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada.   
4. An article titled “Coca-Cola general counsel gets tough with law firms that fail to meet diversity goals” published in ABA Journal 28-January-2021
5. An article from the Globe & Mail about emotional exhaustion titled “Working from home is causing breakdowns”, published 22-March-2021.
6. An article from Deloitte called “The diversity and inclusion revolution: Eight powerful truths.”
7. An article from Boston Consulting Group called “Small Actions, Big Impact: How to be an Ally at Work and Why it Matters.”
8. An article by Erin Durant at Durant Barristers titled “How to Better Support a High Performing Workforce and Yourself During the Pandemic”, published 21-February-2021.
9. A list of Anti-Asian discrimination resources from the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. 
10. Book Recommendation: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. 
11. American Sign Language Cheat Sheet.

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