Two weekends ago I was in Owen Sound Ontario (yes, in the snowstorm!) attending a workshop called The Mastery of Self Expression. It’s an amazing few days of getting to know ourselves better and challenging ourselves to be more of who we are. One of the things we talked a lot about over the … [Continue reading] What do you think you know?
Starbucks Anti-Bias Training – the tip of the iceberg
In the wake of last week’s events where two Black men were arrested for hanging around a Starbucks while waiting for a friend, Starbucks has announced it will be closing 8,000 stores in the USA to offer anti-bias training. That equals about 175,000 employees. When you do the math, that’s a fairly … [Continue reading] Starbucks Anti-Bias Training – the tip of the iceberg
Perfect is Boring
The cover of my journal says Perfect is Boring. I was at a workshop when I picked it, and the message has spoken to me many times since, in different ways. Today, it struck me as an important point when talking about the work of diversity and inclusion. Sometimes we don't know what to … [Continue reading] Perfect is Boring
The Impact of Discomfort
I happened to be listening to G98 on the radio this weekend, and I caught an interview with Jully Black – the Canadian R&B singer. The topic was the Canada Reads and how it got “heated” between Jully Black and Jeanne Beker in the final episode. They played it on the radio, and I have since … [Continue reading] The Impact of Discomfort
What Improv is Teaching me about Inclusion
Something a little different this week... I’ve been taking an improv class at Bad Dog Theatre company in Toronto. While I signed up for an 8-week course on the art of Improvisation, every week I am also learning a little more about myself, relationships, and emotion. And...inclusion! Warm-up … [Continue reading] What Improv is Teaching me about Inclusion
The Elimination of Racism
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Given what I do, every day is a day to eliminate racism, but I digress. First, I notice that it feels different to say ‘the elimination of racial discrimination’ vs. ‘the elimination of racism’. The latter is more … [Continue reading] The Elimination of Racism
The Oscars and Representation
I didn’t watch the Academy Awards, but I did google the video about representation. If you didn’t see it, you can watch it here. The messages are clear. So I'm going to highlight a few of the many great things that were said, and say a few words about them. Voices being heard... Mira Sorvino … [Continue reading] The Oscars and Representation
What Does Resistance Look Like?
This past week I have been thinking a lot about resistance, and how it manifests itself in both overt and covert ways. Often when we are afraid, we resist. It’s a defence mechanism designed to keep us safe. But the result is that we can miss opportunities for learning, growth and … [Continue reading] What Does Resistance Look Like?
Musings about Black Panther
Of course I saw Black Panther this past week. Here are a few thoughts. I left the cinema feeling proud. Like the melanin in my skin was an opportunity. I wondered why the person who technically saved the world was a white dude. One of the few in the movie. Really?! Wesley Snipes could … [Continue reading] Musings about Black Panther
The Gerber Baby and Inclusion
Ah… the chance to write about something positive! As you may have heard, the 2018 Gerber baby is Lucas Warren. And he has Downs Syndrome. Hooray for broader representation. Hooray for another chance to confront and challenge bias. And hooray for something to celebrate. And take a moment to … [Continue reading] The Gerber Baby and Inclusion