Programs that serve underrepresented minority students have long faced many challenges. Court decisions and state referendums have served as barriers to developing effective programs. The political and legal debates over the years about race-based initiatives have created environments that are more critical and circumspect of programs for Black, Indigenous, and/or racialized … [Read more...]
Leveraging New Media as Social Capital for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Officers
Technology has fundamentally changed our lives by bringing us closer together and connecting us in ways that make the world seem smaller. As higher education diversity professionals step into the foray of social marketing and continue to enhance their presence, it becomes even more important that they understand how to leverage important messages of equity, diversity, and … [Read more...]
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Five Ways Leaders Can Work Towards Truth and Reconciliation
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...]
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...]
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...]