Last week I had the opportunity to facilitate a conversation that reminded me (again) of the importance of sharing, creating spaces for sharing to occur, and the beauty that can happen when we make the time to connect. Often, when something impacts us, at work or elsewhere (a comment, an …
assumptions
New, Not New
For many of us, the past 6 weeks in quarantine/lock down have been… interesting. Some things have changed, some things maybe not so much. For example: Because I work from home (unless I’m training), being home is not a big difference. Spending all day with my 7 year old and homeschooling is. …
Changing Behaviour
As you may recall (if you read last week’s blogpost) I changed the password on my cellphone two weeks ago. I’m reporting back on my progress, and I’m happy to report that it’s been a couple of days that I’m finally getting it. Link to D&I What does this have to do with D&I you may …
COVID-19, physical distancing & assumptions
Last week I wrote about social vs physical distancing. This week I’m asking you to think about the ways assumptions and pre-judgment are sneaking into your actions and feelings during this pandemic. When we are stressed, or afraid, we tend to default to what we know. The impact of fear I’ve …
[Continue reading] COVID-19, physical distancing & assumptions
A World without Assumptions and Fear…
I had a powerful conversation yesterday with a colleague – Heather Hansen O’Neill. She was asking me about my thoughts regarding bias, assumptions, fear and how they get in the way. During that conversation she asked me a question that I had to think about. Not because I didn’t have an answer. …
What’s in an Accent?
Yesterday I watched Trevor Noah’s Afraid of the Dark (available on Netflix - here's a clip). It was amazing from start to finish. What I love about Trevor Noah is that while he is making us laugh, he is educating us as well. Afraid of the Dark is no exception. He covered colonization, being Black in …
Parapan Am Games – inclusion?
The Parapan Am Games started this past weekend in Toronto. And I find myself wondering, again, why the "para" games are separated and later than the "non para" games. The Pan Am Games came and went in Toronto amid much fanfare. Traffic was bad, but we heard about the medal count daily and there was …
What Difference Can a Black Police Chief make in Toronto?
So we have a Black Police Chief in Toronto. I want to cheer. But my inner voice is saying "not so fast...". Here's why: Let's consider the assumptions I am (and many people likely are likely) making based on skin colour and the expectations that these create. We might assume that since Mark …
[Continue reading] What Difference Can a Black Police Chief make in Toronto?
What gets us into trouble…
On the weekend I was reminded of a great quote by Mark Twain: "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Although I would argue that what we don't know can get us into trouble, the second half is particularly insightful when talking …
A Few Lessons about Racism from 2014
Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island, New York: - As long as the unconscious bias is that Black males are a threat, police officers (and others) will keep feeling that they have to use extreme force to protect themselves – even in situations where it seems clear that there is no threat. - Case in …