About a year ago I moved from the United States to Canada and became an expatriate (expat for short). When growing up in the United States, I primarily lived in the Midwest – Illinois, Michigan and Nebraska; with short stents in New Jersey, New York, and Mississippi, but I never imagined living in another country until a few years ago. Before 9/11, my family took … [Read more...]
Cultural Diversity Is Good for Business – Continuing the Conversation (Part II): Strategies for Success
Within the larger national context, diversity is said to be important and very few people dare to socially state their displeasure with the term and what it means. Let’s agree in our politically correct world that diversity is appreciated and that there is value ascribed. But what would this mean for organizations of learning, working, teaching and/or monetary exchange? Whether … [Read more...]
Spiritual Practices and Trauma Recovery: The Role Diversity Can Play in Healing
Many individuals will experience and live through a traumatic event. Trauma is defined as experiencing or witnessing an event that is life-threatening, dangerous, or threatening to the physical integrity of the person; traumatic events evoke feelings of fear, horror and/or helplessness. Common examples include natural disasters, war, criminal attack, severe … [Read more...]
What Is a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO)?
In 2012, I was named the inaugural Assistant Vice President/Vice Provost of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) for Ryerson University, which is located in Toronto, Ontario. As such, my mandate is to provide leadership, advocacy, and coordination for the institution such that all members of our Ryerson community have the opportunity to learn, work, and live in an … [Read more...]
Why Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Matter!
On January 20, 2013, the day before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Observance in the United States, the dream will be realized again. President Barack Hussein Obama will be sworn in for a second term. He accomplished this feat by recognizing a new principle in American life: equity, diversity, and inclusion matter! For some time now, demographic … [Read more...]