In the United States, October 10 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. As an educational leader, I learned about the American Indian Boarding Schools (pdf) and their impact; the Journey to Forgiveness and Healing Moment, and the Ziibiwing Center, where I learned even more about the past and current truths about boarding schools. When I moved to Canada and took on several leadership … [Read more...] about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Five Ways Leaders Can Work Towards Truth and Reconciliation
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Presidents, CEOs and Executives: Avoid the Performative Trap and Be Truly Inclusive Leaders
Six years ago (March 22, 2016), I did a post titled “A Chief Diversity Officer’s (CDO’s) Message to University and College Presidents”. At that time, I was the inaugural Assistant Vice President/Vice Provost of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at my university. After being in the role for a few years, I decided to share a message to postsecondary executives about EDI and … [Read more...] about Presidents, CEOs and Executives: Avoid the Performative Trap and Be Truly Inclusive Leaders
Ditching “Diversity”: Why It’s Time to Replace Diversity with Belonging in Equity and Inclusion Work
In 2020, ‘EDI’ work grew exponentially in response to what appeared to be a global reckoning on anti-Black racism. This included conducting surveys, holding training sessions, and creating new EDI positions that prior to the murder of George Floyd did not exist. Equity is defined as redistributing benefits and removing burdens so that all individuals and groups have access to … [Read more...] about Ditching “Diversity”: Why It’s Time to Replace Diversity with Belonging in Equity and Inclusion Work
5 Tips for the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) During Challenging Times
Four years ago (January 5, 2016) I did a post titled: “5 Tips for Inaugural Chief Diversity Officers (CDO) in Universities”. I was half way through my fourth year at Ryerson University as the inaugural, Assistant Vice President/Vice Provost of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). As such, my mandate was to provide leadership, advocacy, and coordination for the institution … [Read more...] about 5 Tips for the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) During Challenging Times
My Becoming Experience
In this video blog series, I review Michelle Obama’s book Becoming. This review is different from others in that I share some of my personal connections and similarities to Michelle Obama because we both grew up on the South Side of Chicago at the same time. I’ve also made an interesting discovery that I will share. In essence, I’m sharing my Becoming experience. I hope you … [Read more...] about My Becoming Experience