On Monday I was a tourist in my own city (Toronto), and I stumbled across the South Liberty Trail. There was a sign detailing the history of the area, starting in the 1880s. Although it was interesting, it made me wonder about what came before the industry. Signs like this - while interesting …
Toronto
Emancipation Month
If you live in Toronto, did you know that August is Emancipation Month? And that August 1 is Emancipation Day? I didn’t. You can read about it here. So what? Acknowledgment is very important. So, Emancipation Day/Month is a good idea. But we have to know about it, and do something with it, in …
Black History Month – stories of resilience
Next month is Black History Month (BHM) here in North America. I have a love/hate relationship with BHM, that you can read about in past blogs. Today, however, I want to focus on a BHM event that you can participate in, and what I’ve learned already just by hearing about it. BHM is a month …
[Continue reading] Black History Month – stories of resilience
Racism in a Menu?
A Toronto restaurant has been called out by the media for calling their non-spicy food option “White” on their menu. Reality Check Firstly, I have to point out that in a world where Black men are routinely targeted by police – in some cases fatally – and there are many many examples of …
Rethinking the Toronto Air Show
If you live in Toronto or the GTA, and were home this past weekend, you likely noticed the Air Show. Or maybe your city has an Air Show as well? Read on. Photograph:JasonGillman The Air Show is an end-of-summer CNE-closing tradition in Toronto. Does anyone know why? I don’t, and I’ve lived in …
Black Lives Matter = Opportunity for Growth
Black Lives Matter Toronto halted to Pride Parade on Sunday to make some demands of Pride Toronto. It’s not the first and won’t be the last of their bold activism. And, as Naila Keleta-Mae writes in her Globe and Mail article, the point is that they make people uncomfortable. Here’s my perspective …
[Continue reading] Black Lives Matter = Opportunity for Growth
How we (still) use race to identify people…
I’ve been thinking a lot about the two recent shootings in Toronto and the role of race in how media gets reported. Turns out I’m not the only one – earlier this week the morning DJs (Mark and Jem) on G 98.7FM brought it up and a few people called in. True, the Eaton Centre shooting affected more …
[Continue reading] How we (still) use race to identify people…
MBA Diversity
I have spent the past 4 days with hundreds of Schulich MBA students. A colleague of mine was running the team building program for them, and I was in charge of the diversity session. It was a great experience, and I couldn't help but notice the diversity (or in some cases, lack thereof) within the …
Diversity & Inclusion à la Jack Layton
On Saturday afternoon I joined what seemed like thousands of people outside Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto for Jack Layton's funeral. It was so good to be there, surrounded by an energy of hope and togetherness. This feeling, I thought, is what inclusion is all about: working together, sharing, moving …
G20 Afterthoughts
Last week, a colleague of mine said that she felt like she was in a third world or paramilitary country when she visited the skydome. Those may not have been her exact words, but that is the gist of it. In preparation for the G20 here in Toronto, her baseball experience was marred by the presence of …