Celebrating Black Excellence

Black History Month is a very significant time for my generation and for me personally. It is
important to highlight and truly recognize Black excellence.
Often when people bring up Black History, they only relate it back to slavery or a few
outstanding Black American figures in history. But as a Canadian Black female of Jamaican,
Trinidadian and Saint Lucian heritage, I know that Black history is so much more.

Truth and Reconciliation

Truth and Reconciliation

As an adult educator and someone who works within the intercultural development and IDEA spaces, I am constantly thinking about Truth and Reconciliation.  In this piece, I share my journey over the course of my life with how I came to know the truth, and how I responded to that truth. My journey will be relatable for some, but I also recognize that for many people, the truth was only revealed in recent years when the remains of 215 children were found in Kamloops at a former residential school. While the last several years have been about actionable ways to accelerate truth and reconciliation within post secondary education, the truth about Indigenous history has been on my mind since my youth.

7 Resilience Strategies for DEI Professionals

7 Resilience Strategies

Working as a new short-term staff in a team of about five people, after being employed to relieve a member of the team who had been given a three-month compassionate leave, I knew first-hand what it meant to be discriminated against, when you are the only black person of colour in a team.

Reading for Reconciliation: Indigenous Reading List

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As the Month of June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, it is a great time to explore the world of Indigenous literature. Reading books written by Indigenous authors serves as a gateway to understanding Indigenous culture and history. By exploring Indigenous literature, we can learn about the diverse experiences of individuals who have endured historical marginalization, and whose narratives are frequently excluded from mainstream discourse. In addition, we are amplifying indigenous voices and perspectives. Honouring Indigenous literature is crucial to decolonization and reconciliation efforts.

Indigenous peoples no longer invisible

Maurice-Switzer-KAS

Most Canadians are not aware that the overwhelming majority of people who identify as Indigenous in this country are more than likely their neighbours.

The most recent census figures revealed that over one million of the 1.8 million people in Canada who identify as First Nations, Inuit, and Metis are now living in urban centres. Only about one third of registered Indians still live on the reserve lands of 634 First Nations.

Once out of sight and out of mind, the result of assimilationist government policies for most of Canada’s first century, Indigenous peoples are becoming much more visible.

Pursuing DEI Despite the Pushbacks

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In recent times, there has been notable pushback against Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEIJ) initiatives, with some people and groups expressing strong opposition to these efforts.  

Five Good Ideas

We are in an era of tremendous change, where everything is being disrupted: governments, institutions, personal lives and the workplace. Innovation expert John Seely Brown calls it the Cambrian Moment. Things are thrown up but they eventually settle down. It is during that time of settling when small moves -- smartly and intentionally made -- can make a big difference. Hamlin Grange believes this is the Cambrian Moment of diversity and inclusion. We need to rethink our positions and attitudes about old concepts and approaches to create more inclusive workplaces, livable and workable cities and productive and relevant institutions. It's a time when we need to stop asking old questions to new audiences. Leaders must be more inclusive, individuals must get out of their comfort zones, and we all must become more interculturally competent. Five Good Ideas 1. Take an integrated approach to diversity and inclusion 2. Become more interculturally competent 3. Culture trumps strategy 4. Nurture Tempered Radicals 5. Lean into your discomforts

We are in an era of tremendous change, where everything is being disrupted: governments, institutions, personal lives and the workplace. Innovation expert John Seely Brown calls it the Cambrian Moment.

Our Story is one

Iren-Kolterman

Happy to be thriving in Canada’s culture committed to advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism, Iren Kolterman invites us all on a journey of empathy. Reflect, remember and learn from the story of Ten Women of Shiraz who wanted nothing more in life than to practice freely their Bahá’í faith….

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