What Does Equity Mean In Practice In Canadian Workplaces?
99% of people who are “anti-DEI” have no idea how DEI actually works in Canada.
In this interview on Global News Morning, I explain one of the most misunderstood aspects of DEI work, which is equity in hiring.
DEI Helps Everyone. Yes, Even Straight, White Men.
I still remember this white male CEO from Newfoundland who shared with me that because of his “Newfie” accent he is treated like “the dumbest guy” at the table when he meets his peers in Toronto.
And he feels he has had to work twice as hard to prove that he is as competent as someone from Ontario.
We talked about how accent bias contributes to unfair hiring practices and lack of inclusion in the workplace and how we could use bias training for recruiters and HR managers as one tool to address this.
It is just another example of how DEI is conflated with “unfair advantages” for Black people (and others) but in reality there are MANY benefits for EVERYONE.
I fear people will only understand this point once it is too late, and all of the equity that workplaces have fought for has been clawed back.
DEI is the reason new moms can have access to a lactation room instead of pumping milk in a dusty storage closet.
DEI is the reason people of all faiths can step away from their desk and have a space to pray.
DEI is the reason every corporate event must have vegan, kosher and halal options.
DEI is the reason that neurodivergence in the workplace is being accommodated.
DEI is the reason you can sue an employer if they refuse to reasonably accommodate your disability.
DEI is the reason you can still advocate to work from home even though the pandemic is over.
Thank you to the entire crew at CTV Your Morning for hosting me.
META is the latest to dump its DEI programs. Why I’m not in the least bit surprised.
A good and wise friend reminded me that it’s important to keep speaking up because the DEI movement is a small part of the wider accountability movement.
It’s part of the reason our culture evolved to a point where it became safe for someone like Cassie to come out publicly against someone as powerful as Diddy.
My core frustration with this current DEI backlash is the people who are loudest are the people who don’t even have a concept of a clue of what DEI is about. DEI does not advocate for people to be hired BECAUSE they are racialized, or queer or disabled. It advocates for people NOT to be excluded from a candidate pool BECAUSE they are racialized, queer or disabled among other things.
So DEI hiring IS actually about merit based hiring. Because there are LOTS of people who are OVERQUALIFIED for jobs and not getting them BECAUSE of their race, gender or ability etc …
If we actually had merit based hiring we would never need DEI. But we don’t have merit based hiring. So here we are.
On The Path With Cheryl Nembhard Podcast Interview
So excited for you to hear this conversation with Speaker, Advocate & Racial Equity Consultant Camille Dundas as we continue to celebrate Women's Month and the game changers who are shaping this country!
ByBlacks.com is a premiere online magazine! In this episode, Camille speaks about the buried history of racism in Canada and the role that Media plays in upholding systemic bias in this nation.
She also shares vulnerably about her personal story as a Journalist in Canada.
This was hands down one of my favourite conversations this year and an incredible episode for those on a journey of learning and change!
"Our perception of ourselves as Canadians didn’t come out of nowhere. It is a carefully crafted narrative that we must be willing to interrogate. If we are unwilling to look at the historical truths of how we got here - to a society with workplaces built to privilege some and oppress others - we will be stuck in the same cycle of empty EDI rhetoric followed by toothless policy changes.
Stop - before you make another step in your EDI journey, stop and educate yourself and your team on why this is even necessary. You’d be surprised at how many people simply do not know." - Camille Dundas
It Was My Honour To Give The Keynote Address To Online Certificate Students At Dalhousie University
Close to 200 people attended as I spoke about the importance of lifelong learning, pushing outside of comfort zones, and investing in our own well-being.
Here’s an excerpt from my speech:
"When I was growing up I'd always hear people say.. you only get one chance! But I don't believe that. Every single day that you're alive.. you get a chance. A chance to be great, a chance to be kind, a chance to shift your reality, a chance to impact the future. Am I always this optimistic? No. I'm not. To be honest, the last few years have been really hard, on all of us. Most days, I'm not great… but I am grateful. Because I'm living. I'm living in the world, and someone, somewhere has been impacted because of my choice to live. My choice is to live boldly, and fiercely dismantle barriers, starting with the ones I’ve been taught to impose on myself."
A First Of Its Kind MicroLearning Course For Diversity, Equity And Inclusion In The Workplace
So proud to share that I’ve partnered with Dalhousie University to offer its first online micro-credential course in Inclusive Communications!
Why? Because the most common question I get is, ‘what do I say when… or how do I respond to… this offensive comment at work?’ As an educator in the DEI space, I’ve realized that having the language to either shut down a harmful conversation or ignite a much-needed one, is critical to a sense of inclusion and belonging in the workplace.
What do Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Beyonce and BFUTR have in common?
NBA stars are coming to Toronto this week to meet tech companies at the Athlete Tech Summit during the Toronto Caribana Festival and Drake’s OVO Fest. In a recent Toronto Star article, the effect of Ontario’s growing tech sector is drawing attention from sports athletes, wanting to invest in our local start-ups.