About a week ago I read part of an article in the newspaper (which I can no longer find, sadly) about a restaurant owner who had made the decision to serve Halal meat in his establishment. He is not Muslim. But there are members of the Islamic community who live in the area of his restaurant, and …
inclusion
The Similarities and Differences of Diversity
Last week I did a D&I workshop for TAVA (Toronto Association for Volunteer Administrators). The focus was on managing a diverse group of volunteers with an eye to inclusion. It was a great group. One of the participants brought up a point that I hear often - that she focuses on the similarities …
[Continue reading] The Similarities and Differences of Diversity
A Black History Month Insight
Ah Black History Month.... I have just returned from a vacation in Barbados with my family. There is an election going on and one of the newspaper articles while we were there was about why there were no White people running this time. In contrast, on our first day back I was listening to G98 on …
Halloween – Through a Diversity Lens
It's been a long time since I handed out Halloween candy, and even longer since I went out trick or treating. But my re-entry into the sugary costumed world last night has me thinking. Of the many children who showed up at the door, I would say only about 50% were costumed. I remember teenagers …
Ramadan Begins this Week
The holy month of Ramadan starts at the end of this week. Depending on where you are in the world (because the start date depends on the sighting of the moon) the first day could be on the 20th or the 21st (North America). But observance begins the night before at sunset. Ramadan is a month of …
Black History Month Rant
Ugh. Black History Month. For the next 22 days, venues across the city will pack as many Black, Black-focused, Black-directed events as they can on stages, and behind podiums and microphones. For this month I can easily jam my social calendar with plays, movies, interviews, readings, musicians, …
The Power of One Word
Language is an important part of creating and sustaining safe and inclusive space. It’s also relatively easy to change, so can start to make a difference quickly (unlike some changes that require policies, or that can get stuck in organizational red tape). Checking your language requires awareness …