EDI Week 2023

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Week 2023

February 6 to February 10, 2023

Monday


FEBRUARY 6

Not just allyship, but ACTION: Insights on how to implement the changes needed to address EDI

Keynote speaker - Dr. Wanda Costen, Dean, Smith School of Business, Queen's University

Presented by The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Dr. Wanda Costen will share with the University of Calgary community her insights on what solidarity means across equity-deserving groups. Dr. Costen’s extensive experience as an educator, researcher, and leader across various sectors, from the postsecondary to the private and public sectors, and active engagement with the community will be invaluable in learning about change through a collaborative spirit. In her talk, she will highlight how to be leaders in bringing change through EDI and anti-racist lenses and build solidarity across the various issues for social change. 

The talk will allow us to reflect and think through intersectional perspectives about how to take action toward equity, diversity and inclusion and be good allies and supporters. Through narratives and stories, Dr. Costen will give us ways of thinking through courage, safe spaces, solidarity in action, and anti-racism and EDI work on campus and beyond. To build on the conversations that have been occurring on campus on how to lead and support initiatives and calls for change to make the campus more diverse, inclusive and equitable, Dr. Costen will offer suggestions and ideas to advance change for everyone in their different roles and responsibilities towards EDI and anti-racism.   

Monday, February 6, 2023 | 12 to 1.30 p.m. (MT)

Dr. Wanda Costen, Dean, Smith School of Business, Queen's University

Dr. Wanda Costen, Dean of Smith School of Business, joined the Queen’s University community in July 2021. Dr. Costen is known for being a champion of inclusiveness in business, and her collaborative approach to leadership brings a unique combination of experience in academic leadership, research and teaching, as well as senior management roles in the private and public sector.

Dr. Costen engages and collaborates with community and business leaders, and university faculty, staff, students, and alumni as part of her ongoing commitment to ensuring Smith School of Business research and teaching prepares its graduates to meet society’s changing expectations of business.

Dr. Costen earned a Ph.D. in sociology at Washington State University, an EMBA from Pepperdine University, and Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, and has undertaken research in areas such as managing diversity, racial and gender inequality in organizations, women and leadership, and strategic human resources. Dr. Costen’s passionate belief that businesses can drive positive social impact has made her a catalyst for partnerships between academia, business and public organizations on diversity initiatives and training programs throughout her career.

Dr. Costen is on the boards of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation, as well as the Business Schools Association of Canada (BSAC).


EDIA 101: Bathroom Panic!

Presented by the Haskyane School of Business

Join us for our first-ever EDIA 101 Series discussion on why we have gender-neutral washrooms at UCalgary.  We will learn about the history, myths and misconceptions surrounding gender-neutral washrooms and engage in meaningful discussion about our experiences in Mathison Hall.  This event will be facilitated by Dr. Rebecca Sullivan, PhD.

Monday, February 6, 2023 | 2 to 3 p.m. (MT)
Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue, 3rd floor Mathison Hall, UCalgary main campus

Dr. Rebecca Sullivan, PhD

Dr. Rebecca Sullivan, PhD has over three decades of experience in gender and sexual rights activism and scholarship. She has provided expert consultation on a wide range of EDI issues in the workplace. She is the author/editor of eight books and currently holds a SSHRC Insight Grant studying feminist media arts activism in Canada.


Food Security: It means different things to different people

Presented by the Schulich School of Engineering

The session will focus on the multi-faceted nature of food security. It will talk about different ways food security may manifest itself, inclusive ways to address food security, and ways to support the UCalgary Campus Community experiencing food security issues. 

Monday, February 6. 2023 | 2 - 3 p.m. (MT)
 

Ganiyat Sadiq

Ganiyat is an advocate passionate about eliminating systemic barriers marginalized communities face. These interests are reflective of the @IAmXMovement, a social community founded by Ganiyat that seeks to raise awareness of the injustices faced by Black, Indigenous and Racialized individuals, as well as provide a safe space to share their experiences. She also co-founded and serves as the Co-Executive Officer of the Black Inclusion Association. This novel non-profit aims to achieve equity and social justice for Black Albertans. She currently serves as one of the Campus Food Bank Coordinators at the University of Calgary. Ganiyat is completing a BA in Honours Political Science and a BA in International Relations with an Embedded Certificate in Pluralism and Global Citizenship.

Thomas Tri (He/Him)

Thomas Tri (He/Him) is passionate about issues affecting immigrants and refugees. He serves as the Head of Operations at Equalearn Foundation, a youth-led non-profit providing free tutoring services to underprivileged and immigrant families. He serves as one of the Campus Food Bank Coordinators at the University of Calgary. He sits on the Student Union’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Taskforce aiming to achieve food security on campus. He is currently in his third year at the University of Calgary studying social work with double minors in global development studies and gender and sexuality studies and an embedded certificate in global citizenship and pluralism.


The role of intercultural competence in cross-cultural supervisor/supervisee relationships

Presented by the Schulich School of Engineering

Intercultural competence has become increasingly important in higher education institutions that emphasize internationalization. Promoting intercultural competence can improve graduate supervisors’ and supervisees’ working relationships, which can contribute to their well-being. This workshop aims to provide graduate students and supervisors with tools to effectively communicate and manage potential conflicts in the supervisor/supervisee relationship. 

 Expected outcomes: 

  • Gain knowledge of the theoretical background of intercultural competence 
  • Learn to apply theory to practice in cross-cultural supervisee/supervisor relationships. 
  • Develop strategies to interact effectively with one another in cross-cultural supervisor/supervisee relationships. 
  • Learn about different communication styles. 
  • Learn about the importance of self-identity and examining one’s assumptions and biases. 
  • Develop strategies to effectively handle conflicts in cross-cultural supervisee/supervisor relationships. 

Monday, February 6, 2023 | 4 - 5.30 p.m. (MT)
Room ENG 401

Dr. Erica Amery

Dr. Erica Amery holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on how intercultural competencies are developed with students, faculty and staff in post-secondary contexts and managers, instructors and refugees and immigrants in community-based language programs. She is also the CEO of Intercultural Collaborations Inc., in which she offers diversity workshops to post-secondary students, faculty and administrators, non-profit organizations, and industry members. She has developed and facilitated workshops on various topics in Canada and South Africa including The Role of Intercultural Competence in Graduation Supervision, Intercultural Communication, Cultural and Gender Diversity and Unconscious Bias. She has travelled to over 45 different countries and worked and lived in 5 of them. She continues to apply what she learned in her travels, work and education in her life and with her workshop participants. 

Tuesday


FEBRUARY 7

Applying an Equity Lens in Decision-Making

Presented by the Office of Research Services and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Facilitators: MsJaya Dixit – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor, Office of Research Services and Dr. William Yimbo – Senior Advisor, EDI Literacy, Education, and Training, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Applying equity lenses in decision-making processes is critical to the institutional commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion. Applying an equity lens is crucial to the excellence of process and outcome in all peer review and adjudication contexts. In this workshop, we introduce an equity lens as an essential concept for strengthening individual and committee-based practices of review and decision-making. This interactive workshop will discuss the biases and systemic barriers faced by equity-deserving groups and introduce and explore the application of an equity lens in the context of candidate or application review and adjudication. In this session, participants will identify examples of current practice and explore how to apply an equity lens in their work. Participants will also examine ways to interrupt barriers to equitable practice in their roles.  
 

Institutional leaders with responsibilities in adjudication and decision-making implications for equity and inclusion will find this workshop valuable for integrating EDI into their work. This will also be of interest to participants in several review and adjudication contexts, including but not limited to: recruitment and hiring, scholarships and awards, research proposals and platforms review, etc.

All are welcome! 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 9 - 11 a.m. (MT)
virtual

Jaya Dixit – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor, Office of Research Services

Jaya Dixit (she/her) is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor in the Office of Research Services. Her everyday professional practice draws on lived experiences as a racialized woman of South Asian heritage, a background in Sociology and Political Science, and a deep understanding of diverse student experiences in the research ecosystem. She advises researchers and teams in the design of effective, full-spectrum EDI action plans for tri-council funding proposals and works on a cross-unit team that supports the genuine, robust implementation of our institutional Canada Research Chairs EDI Action Plan. Jaya is also co-chair of the UCalgary Dimensions’ Racialized and Visible Minority Persons Equitable Pathways Working Group, and a member of the Intersectionality and Language of EDI Working Groups.

Dr. William Yimbo, Senior Advisor, EDI Literacy, Education, and Training, OEDI

William Yimbo is a Senior Advisor, EDI Literacy, Education, and Training in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He holds a BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, a graduate diploma in International Relations from the Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands, an MA in Public Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Minnesota, USA.

As a Senior Advisor, Dr. Yimbo develops and delivers equity, diversity, and inclusion workshops to staff, faculty, and students across the university. He previously worked as a diversity advisor in immigration and settlement services. In this role, he delivered diversity education and advocated for equity and inclusivity in government services for Canada’s newcomer communities.

Dr. Yimbo has an extensive career background and experience in public and foreign policy administration in Kenya, Africa.


Solidarity through an Intersectional Lens: Equity in Action 

Keynote panel - Dr. Kim Clark, Dr. Aruna Srivastava and Dr. Sonia Aujla-Bhullar 

Presented by The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The three panellists will be presenting their understanding of solidarity in action and how to think through intersectional lenses towards action and allyship, and how to take concrete steps and measures toward change (Equity in action). Dr. Clark, Assistant Dean in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization in the Faculty of Social Science at Western University, will share the recent research she has led with the students on accessibility and experiences with barriers on campus and what solutions are necessary to think about. These great ways of thinking about accessibility on campus are essential to creating an inclusive, accessible and welcoming campus for students. Dr. Srivastava, Associate Dean of Arts in Pluralism and Inclusion, will be discussing their extensive research over the years and contributions on campus in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and ways of thinking collaboratively and through solidarity across the various equity-deserving groups based on lessons learned over the years of work on campus. Dr. Aujla-Bhullar will discuss solidarity and what it means in her work through an intersectional lens, highlighting working with the community and within the UCalgary community to advance EDI initiatives. She is an active community member as a board member of the World Sikh Organization (WSO) and Co-Chair of the City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Action Committee (ARAC). 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. (MT)

Dr. Clark, Assistant Dean in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization in the Faculty of Social Science at Western University

Kim Clark is a Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Dean (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization) in the Faculty of Social Science at Western University. She has previously served as a department chair, a graduate program director, and president of the faculty union UWOFA.

 Dr. Aruna Srivastava

Identifying as a mixed-race South Asian immigrant/settler in Grand River, Haudenosaunee/Anishinaabe and Musqueam territories over the years, Aruna Srivastava has been living on Treaty 7 lands since the early 90s, when she came to teach in University of Calgary’s Department of English: there, she taught the first Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminism courses in the Faculty of Arts, later focussing on the politics and understanding of reconciliation post-TRC. She has taught in the International Indigenous Studies Program, serving for a few years as the Program Co-ordinator. She has engaged in non-profit social justice community work in Vancouver and Calgary, as well as in post-secondary institutions in Alberta, BC, and Ontario, focussing on anti-racism, EDIA, disability, decolonization and organizational change, as well as on pedagogy and curriculum. Most recently, she has focussed on intersectionality in the context of disability, accessibility, aging/ageism in academia, and how concepts of solidarity and alliance have functioned before and during COVID. In the last five years, she has done EDI advisory work for the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and most recently as the Faculty of Arts Associate Dean of Pluralism and Inclusion.

Dr. Sonia Aujla-Bhullar

Dr. Sonia Aujla-Bhullar is a Canadian woman, scholar, researcher, and educator residing in Calgary, Alberta. She holds a BA in International Development Studies, a Master’s in Educational Contexts and a PhD in Curriculum and Learning. As a public school teacher and published author, Dr. Aujla-Bhullar has studied and researched the unique aspects and challenges of inclusion and diversity within Canada through an understanding of post-colonial and critical race theory in education. Her past and present work focus on anti-racism as an institutional practice and applications of diversity, inclusion, and equity between schools and racialized communities. As an advocate within community spaces, she is a board member of the World Sikh Organization (WSO) and Co-chair of the City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Action Committee (ARAC). Her passion and commitment to inclusion and anti-racism are rooted in the desire to enhance our means to realizing a truly equitable society that benefits future generations, including her own 3 young children.


Women of Iran: Leaders of the Human Rights Revolution and Heroes of the Year 2022

Presented by Schulich School of Engineering

In a land far, far away, a feminist revolution has started. A movement led by women which declared in essence in three words: “Woman, Life, Freedom.” A slogan that tells us that a free life does not exist while women are oppressed. Join us for a talk on how the women of Iran and the heroes of 2022 are helping grow a moment for their human rights and taking action to dismantle the systems of oppression that have tried to dominate their lives. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 2 - 3 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Dr. Laleh Behjat

Dr. Laleh Behjat is a professor at the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada and the NSERC Prairie Chair for Women in Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on developing mathematical techniques and software tools for automating the design of digital integrated circuits and education on developing to teach innovation and creativity in post-secondary education. She is an advocate for underrepresented groups in science and engineering and works on removing systemic barriers that exist in their advancement.


When assessment practices create inequities: Biases embedded in exam and test designs

Presented by Student Accessibility Services and the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

Assessments are a critical component of the student’s learning experience but are rarely looked at through the lens of EDI. Detailed research indicates test formats and restrictions impact marginalized and underrepresented student groups resulting in lower academic performance (Tai et al., 2022). 

In this workshop, participants will be challenged to: consider the ability biases associated with exam and test designs, discover how exam designs may negatively impact students based on gender, race, country of origin, mental health, or disability, and identify UDL-inspired exam practices as alternative assessment practices. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 2.30 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. (MT)
Virtual

Brenda McDermott, Manager - Accessible Testing, Student and Enrolment Services

Manager - Accessible Testing, Student and Enrolment Services

Lorelei Anselmo, MEd. - LID Specialist Blended/Online Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, TI Learning Technology and Design Team

Lorelei is an instructional designer with over a decade of teaching and designing courses in higher education. In her role, Lorelei specializes in innovative course design and the intentional use of learning technologies to support instructors and faculty to enhance the student learning experience across multiple modalities and learning platforms. She collaborates with faculty and campus units to develop pedagogical and evidence-based teaching and learning resources. Her work includes designing workshops for the campus community, engaging in consultations with faculty and staff, and developing material on topics of interest related to teaching and learning. In addition to course design, her areas of interest include academic integrity, blended and online learning, communities of practice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, large enrolment courses, and universal learning design. 

Wednesday


FEBRUARY 8

#Experience Autism

Presented by Haskayne School of Business

This interactive conversation is designed for post-secondary educators interested in supporting positive interactions with people on the autism spectrum. Our discussions are co-facilitated by autistic self-advocates and focus on six key principles for building meaningful connections with the autistic and neurodiverse communities.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 | 9 - 10.30 a.m. (MT)
Mathison Hall 212, UCalgary main campus

Mike Barrett is a Registered Psychologist and works as a Transition Specialists with the Ability Hub

Michael Barrett is a Registered Psychologist and a Doctoral candidate in Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. Mike has more than 20 years of experience in the field of adolescent and adult mental health, and has been a member of the Sinneave organization since 2012. Mike brings extensive knowledge in mental health, stress, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, self-confidence, and transition planning to his role working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. He enjoys working to teach social, relationship, and life skills to support clients in becoming more independent, self-sufficient, gainfully employed and physically active.

Ryan Elkanah

Ryan Elkanah is a lifelong learner and an autistic self-advocate. He’s someone who’s eager to have dialogue and seeks to change the culture. Ryan has spent a decade working with street entrenched youth and sees himself to be an advocate of the misunderstood, alienated, and forsaken of the world.

The EDI Awards recognize outstanding achievement in practice, events, applied research, policy, programs, or other activities that foster equitable, sustainable and measurable change, especially for those who traditionally have been under-represented (women, visible/racialized minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2S+) on campus. The Awards recognize ongoing work or an outstanding accomplishment at a point in time.     

Dr. Ed McCauley, PhD, President and Vice-Chancellor, will announce the award recipients during the awards ceremony. The ceremony will be hosted by Dr. Malinda Smith, PhD, Vice-Provost (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and Associate Vice-President Research (EDI).  A blessing will be from Elder Colleen Sitting Eagle. 

Dr. Ed McCauley, President and Vice-Chancellor

President and Vice-Chancellor

On November 8, 2018, Dr. Edward McCauley was announced by Board Chair Jill Wyatt as the ninth president and vice-chancellor of the University of Calgary. Ed McCauley has deep roots on the University of Calgary campus that stretch back over 30 years - as a professor, researcher and vice-president (research).

Dr. McCauley began his UCalgary career as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in 1985, before moving on in 2009 to serve as director of the prestigious National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2011, he returned to the University of Calgary to take on the expanded role of vice-president (research) during a time of rapid growth on campus.

Dr. Malinda Smith, Vice Provost and Associate Vice President Research (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and professor of political science

Vice Provost and Associate Vice President Research (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and professor of political science.

Dr. Smith holds a PhD in political science from the University of Alberta, an MA, Master of Development Administration, and a BA magna cum laude in political science and criminal justice, from Western Michigan University. She is a co-author of The Equity Myth: Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities (2017), co-editor of the forthcoming book, Nuances of Blackness in the Canadian Academy (UofT Press, 2022), editor of three books on Africa, including Securing Africa: Post-9/11 Discourses on Terrorism (2010),  as well as co-editor of Critical Concepts: An Introduction to Politics, 6/E under revision with OUP (2022); and States of Race: Critical Race Feminism for the 21st Century (2010).

Dr. Smith serves on several national bodies, including SSHRC Council and Executive, and Statistics Canada’s Immigration and Ethnocultural Committee.

Dr. Smith is a 2018 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellow and the recipient of  numerous awards and fellowships, including Compelling Calgarians (2021), the Susan S. Northcutt Award from the International Studies Association (2020), 100 Accomplished Black Women Honouree (2020), the Rosalind Smith Professional Award (2020), the ISA-Canada Distinguished Scholar Award (2018-19), the HSBC Community Contributor of the Year Award (2016); and the Equity Award from the Canadian Association of University Teachers (2015)

Elder Colleen Sitting Eagle

Oki nistowaok Sipiyanatohkomia”ki.

Elder Colleen Sitting Eagle is the Siksika Language Instructor at Siksika Outreach School located in Siksika Nation since 2009. 

Previously, Colleen worked as a researcher with Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. She has worked with Siksika culture and heritage since 1992. Colleen learned her Siksika history from her late parents and the honour of working with knowledgeable elders. 

She was one of the first groups from Siksika to be integrated to start her schooling in Strathmore, AB. She previously attended and continues to take courses from the University of Calgary. She is the proud mother of three children and eight grandchildren.


Building Capacity: Truth & Reconciliation

Presented by Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre

The Building Capacity: Truth & Reconciliation Presentation is a 100-slide ppt developed for the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre and intends to address and replace Indigenous racism, prejudice and misinformation by providing difficult “Truths” and accurate historical insight into Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples.  Based on the Medicine Wheel Teachings, this information is viewed through the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s “94 Calls to Action".

Participants will become familiar with Indigenous learnings, the sharing of history and a timeline review of legislation which will take a hard look at the ongoing effects of colonialism and capitalism in shaping Canada.  We will examine today's issues and challenges, disparities and injustices, healings and successes.  This presentation focuses on our responsibilities as Canadians sharing Turtle Island. We are encouraged to shape our future with compassion and optimism, to empower ourselves 'in a good way' and commit to Reconcili’ACTION’ – for all our relations. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 | 1 - 3 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Cheryle Chagnon Greyeyes (ACLRC)

Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes is a proud Nehiyaw Esquao (Cree Woman), a member of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, Treaty Six, and Métis.  Her ceremonially gifted Cree name translates to “Healing Woman Who Walks Far”, and she has resided in Calgary, Treaty 7, Alberta, since 1993.  Cheryle has been an Indigenous activist within Calgary and area for the past two decades, speaking, marching, singing and drumming for women, MMIWG2S/Sisters in Spirit/Justice for Jackie Crazybull, Indigenous Justice, championing the environment and equality, and speaking up for those who cannot. Recognized as a Traditional Knowledge Keeper, Cree Elder and Pipe Carrier, Cheryle provides service sharing Indigenous protocol, Territorial Acknowledgements, Medicine Wheel Teachings, Indigenous cultural teachings and stories, prayers and ceremony (upon request).  She is a member of the Storytellers of Canada and Storytelling Alberta as an Indigenous storyteller and performer. 


Education of Girls in the Scriptures

Presented by the Faith and Spirituality Centre

Education of Girls in the Scriptures will follow the scriptural reasoning approach to interfaith dialogue. Each faith community represented will pick a short passage from their scripture about educating girls. Each passage is read out loud and given a bit of context. Then participants will get the chance to reflect on the passage, ask any questions, bring up things that struck them, and discuss the passage as much as they are comfortable with.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023 | 3 - 4 p.m. (MT)
In-person/Hybrid
MSC 487, UCalgary main campus

 

 

Education of Girls in the Scriptures

Thursday


FEBRUARY 9

Developing an EDI Statement for Academic Portfolios

Presented by the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

A diversity statement communicates an educator or researcher’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and how they would translate these values into their practice within a post-secondary context. This statement also includes your understanding of systemic inequities and challenges equity-deserving groups face based on race, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and (dis)abilities. In addition to highlighting your skills and experiences in this area, the purpose of a diversity statement is to express your commitment and ability to contribute to an institution or department’s vision and efforts toward attaining equity, diversity, and inclusion. Through this statement, you outline your understanding of the challenges faced by underrepresented groups in post-secondary contexts and how you aim to contest those challenges through equitable and inclusive practices.

Through this interactive session, participants will:

  • Reflect on their beliefs and values related to EDI
  • Identify strategies of how they have applied EDI in their teaching and pedagogical practice, ways to assess its impact, and their aspirations for the future
  • Develop a preliminary draft of their EDI statement

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 10 - 11.15 a.m. (MT)
virtual

Dr. Fouzia Usman, Educational Development Consultant (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) Academic & Research Team

Fouzia has spent the last 10 years immersed in EDI within an educational context as a researcher, educator and consultant.  Her educational development experience spans across the K-12 and postsecondary context. Identifying as an "Anti-Oppression" educator herself, Fouzia has taught several courses in the Werklund School of Education focusing on topics such as diversity for learning and learning theories. Fouzia’s doctoral research focused on inclusion within Dubai’s educational system, whereby she provided guidance to reshape administrators’ and policymakers’ perceptions of inclusion practices for students with specific learning needs. She brings important international experience to the TI, working for the Higher Education Department for the Government of Dubai, supporting large-scale projects related to student engagement and satisfaction, and quality-assurance processes across Dubai’s entire postsecondary sector.

As an educational development consultant, Fouzia works to advance equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives across the university’s teaching and learning communities. She works with individuals and groups on incorporating EDI values and principles, including anti-racism practices, in postsecondary teaching and learning contexts. She also provides support as an academic staff member by facilitating programs related to the Taylor Institute’s Certificates in University Teaching and Learning. Fouzia is one of the primary contacts for inquiries related to EDI in teaching and learning, and is excited to collaborate with members of the campus community to take this work forward.

Fouzia has an interest in promoting anti-oppression pedagogical practices at the postsecondary level and her research interests include decentering Whiteness in curriculum, anti-oppression pedagogy, equity and inclusivity in teaching and learning, and intercultural competency among faculty members.

Within the community, Fouzia currently serves as a member on the Calgary Police Services Anti-Racism Action committee. She also serves on the Anti-Racism Strategy Working Group for the City of Calgary. 


Lessons from the Ground: Equity in Action within a Faculty Community

Presented by the Faculty of Nursing

In this panel presentation and discussion, panellists will discuss their shared work from within the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, advancing work in equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA).

Although EDIA work began in 2014, the Faculty of Nursing EDIA advisory group came together and formalized it in 2021, recognizing the strengths of working collaboratively within a faculty setting. The group comprises staff, undergraduate and graduate nursing students, and faculty community members with a shared vision for an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible work and learning environment. To ensure representation, the group is also intentionally diverse across many socially defined characteristics, including age, gender, ethnicity, abilities, and others.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. (MT)

Faculty of Nursing students
Esther Udeh: Esther (she/her) is a 4th year undergraduate nursing student and is the Chair of the Nursing Inclusivity Committee (NIC).

Esther (she/her) is a 4th-year undergraduate nursing student and Chair of the Nursing Inclusivity Committee (NIC). As part of the Undergraduate Nursing Society, NIC is a group of nursing students open to everyone, including allies, male allies identifying as male, BIPOC, and/or LGBTQIA2S+. Established in 2021, the NIC creates a sense of community by encouraging participation from students across all years of the nursing program who will unite to promote positive, inclusive change.

Randip Dhaliwal: Randip (she/her) is a PhD nursing student and is the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Nursing Graduate Students Association (NGSA).

Randip (she/her) is a PhD nursing student and is the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Nursing Graduate Students Association (NGSA). The NGSA is NGSA) is a student-led volunteer association which aims to connect and empower graduate nursing students through services, leadership, and professional development. As Director for EDI, Randip provides leadership in advancing EDI work in responsive and meaningful ways with graduate nursing students and the broader Faculty of Nursing community.

Heather Bensler (she/her) is Assistant Dean Academic Partnerships for the Faculty of Nursing

Heather Bensler (she/her) is Assistant Dean Academic Partnerships for the Faculty of Nursing. In this role, she is responsible for the ongoing development, sustainment, and extension of collaborative partnerships with rural and Indigenous academic partners in the profession of undergraduate nursing education programs. Jennifer Jackson (she/her) is an assistant professor and has clinical experience in nephrology, intensive care, education, and management. She earned a PhD at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, at King’s College London, supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her research interest is supporting nurses and improving health systems, currently focusing on community-based addiction and harm reduction services. Social vulnerability and nursing work are her areas of expertise.

Kara Sealock (she/her) is a tenured, associate professor who joined the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary in 2010 and recently completed her EdD in 2019 with a focus in adult education

Kara Sealock (she/her) is a tenured, associate professor who joined the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary in 2010 and recently completed her EdD in 2019 with a focus in adult education. She has extensive experience teaching students from years 1 to 4 in both clinical and theory. Her research interests are adult learning with specific attention to cognitive levels of learning in clinical and theoretical environments, student success on NCLEX-RN and faculty development, relational inquiry, and empathy.

Jennifer Jackson (she/her) is an assistant professor and has clinical experience in nephrology, intensive care, education, and management

Jennifer Jackson (she/her) is an assistant professor and has clinical experience in nephrology, intensive care, education, and management. She earned a PhD at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, at King’s College London, supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her research interest is supporting nurses and improving health systems, currently focusing on community-based addiction and harm reduction services. Social vulnerability and nursing work are her areas of expertise.

Dr. Añiela dela Cruz (she/her) is an associate professor and holds PhD in Nursing and an MSc in Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta).

Añiela dela Cruz (she/her) is an associate professor and holds PhD in Nursing and an MSc in Health Promotion Studies (University of Alberta). In her 25-year professional career, she has served diverse communities and people in urgent care, cardiac care, harm reduction, HIV, newcomer health, Indigenous Peoples’ health, population and public health, health policy, and health and program evaluation research. She provides leadership in equity, diversity and inclusion at the faculty and teaches undergraduate nursing and graduate nursing programs. She is an active member of the community and currently chairs the NewHITES Canada Research Team (Newcomer, HIV, Immigration, Treatment Engagement and Stigma in Canada), co-chairs the Canadian HIV/AIDS Black, African, and Caribbean Network (CHABAC), and volunteers with the Philippine Canadian Nurses Association (PCNA) to examine equitable registration processes for internationally educated nurses in Canada.

Dr. Sandra Davidson (she/her) is Dean in the Faculty of Nursing and Deputy Provost at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Sandra Davidson (she/her) is Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Deputy Provost at the University of Calgary. Over her 28-year career in nursing and healthcare, she has served in a wide range of academic and practice environments that span private, for-profit; public, not-for-profit; and both large and small public universities. She is well known in each position she has been for her entrepreneurial thought and creative innovation. She is co-editor/author of the award-winning book “Leadership for Evidence-based Innovation in Nursing and Health Professions” now in its second edition published by Jones & Bartlett Learning. Her research focuses on health systems transformation, living well with chronic disease and aging. She is a fellow in both the Canadian and American Academies of Nursing. Davidson obtained her PhD in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University in 2011. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing at the same institution in 2001 and her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Lethbridge in 1996.


21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act

Have you ever wondered what exactly the Indian Act is and how it governs Indigenous-Settler relations? 

By understanding the Indian Act and its cruel legacy, author and leading cultural sensitivity trainer Bob Joseph says we can move further toward reconciliation.

Workshop led by Gerald Ratt - Specialist, Indigenous Initiatives (Indigenous Engagement) and Carla Bertsch - Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Support and Response Coordinator

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (MT)
MacKimmie Tower 735, UCalgary main campus

21 things you may not have known about the Indian Act

Acknowledge the lived experiences of students: EDI insights from student advising community

Presented by Student Accessibility Services

As a key front-line staff, student advisors across campus work with various students, listening and responding to their lived experiences. As part of their professional practice, advisors help students navigate UCalgary systems, spaces, and processes – while acknowledging the increased challenges faced by Equity Deserving students. Learning outcomes for this session include;

  • Learn tips for authentically listening to others.
  • Reflect on the intersectionality of lived experience across the student population.
  • Challenge the complexity of the support seeking at UCalgary.
  • Understand the value of a no-wrong-door approach to student support.

Panellists for the Acknowledge students' lived experiences: EDI insights from student advising community.

  • Basma Akhter, Enrolment Services Advisor, Enrolment Services
  • Destiny Dedemus, Academic Development Specialist, Schulich School of Engineering
  • Deirdre Mooney, Academic Advisor, Exploratory Students, Student Success Centre
  • Marisa Norona, Graduate Academic and International Advisor, Faculty of Graduate Studies

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 12 - 1.30 p.m. (MT)
Virtual

Manager - Accessible Testing, Student and Enrolment Services

Manager - Accessible Testing, Student and Enrolment Services

Senior Specialist, Academic Advising, Student and Enrollment Services, University of Calgary

Senior Specialist - Academic Advising, Student and Enrolment Services


Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA): A Journey of Black Resistance

Presented by the Faculty of Nursing

The CBNA took a call to action required to take a stand for the unheard voices of Black Nurses in Canada. Historically Black nurses have been discriminated against, devalued, passed over, not given credit for their contributions to nursing history, and underrepresented at leadership tables. With a feeling that the unique needs of Black nurses were not being met in July 2020, the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA) aligned with five nursing leaders to begin the process of organizing Black Nurses across Canada. The first national organization for Black Nurses in Canada, the CBNA, was born from the overwhelming and long-standing need for the voices of Black nurses to be heard. In this session, the speakers will discuss their journey of establishing the CBNA, their successes and challenges, and their vision of working towards equity in health care.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 12 - 1 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Ava Onwudegwu

Ava Onwudegwu grew up on the beautiful Island of Jamaica before migrating to Canada at 18. Ava is currently the Patient Care Manager for the Critical Care Unit at Lakeridge Health (Ajax, ON). She has also held various positions at Unity Health Toronto, from staff nurse on the Resource Team and in the intensive care Unit (ICU), as well as eCare Support, Professional Practice Leader for Nursing Practice and Education, Manager of Nursing Practice and Education, Clinical Educator – Nursing and Assistant Patient Care Manager. She also had the opportunity to work in academia as a Clinical Instructor and Clinical Advisor. Ava is currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto. In all her leadership experiences, Ava experienced that she was always the only Black person on the team; she didn’t see Black representation or mentors. As the Academic Coordinator at CBNA, Ava is motivated by the desire to empower and build another generation of leaders who will forge the way for generations to come. She is passionate about seeing Black nurses and Black nursing students reach their highest potential. Black nurses must all leave a legacy!  Ava also gives back to communities on a larger scale, doing humanitarian work in Israel, the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and other areas within Canada.

Ovie Onagbeboma

Ovie Onagbeboma is nationally recognized as a nurse and business leader. She is pursuing her master’s in business administration, is Lean Six belt certified and is a clinical nurse manager. Ovie is a sought-after consultant to many national organizations. She is an advisor to the Canadian Nursing Association and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing and is a stakeholder with Canadian Health Workforce Network. A transformative leader who identified a serious problem in healthcare and acted quickly to form a national organization and initiative to address this problem. She recognized that existing nursing associations work primarily to advance the collective interests of the nursing profession as a whole – an important mission. They do not, however, effectively help individual nurses maximize their personal and career potential – and none of the legacy nursing associations fully understand or adequately meet the unique needs of Canada’s Black Nurses. So, she conceived an organization that would fulfill those unmet needs – the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA). Under Ovie’s leadership and in a short period of time, CBNA has become a phenomenal national organization that is life-changing for many Black Nurses. Already, the CBNA has grown to include students and practicing members in multiple provinces as CBNA chapters across the country and has become the most influential voice for Black Nurses across the nation. Ovie sees the future of nursing through an African proverb Ubuntu and embodies the understanding that “I am because we are” as a motivation to strive for a society where all can grow and flourish. Ovie has broken the glass ceiling to inspire the next generation.


Information Session for CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity and Independence Early Career Transition Award

Presented by Research Services (Postdoctoral Office), The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Cumming School of Medicine

 

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) recently announced the launch of the Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence ("REDI") Early Career Transition Award. This new funding opportunity is available to postdoctoral researchers, clinicians, and research associates who, for the inaugural 2023 competition, identify either racialized women (including trans and non-binary women and cisgender women) and/or Black people. For more information on the CIHR Research Excellent, Diversity, and Independence Early Career Transition Award and expression of interest for the award (due February 6, 2023). 

Learn more >>>

Research Services (Postdoctoral Office), The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Cumming School of Medicine are partnering to offer an information session that will provide an overview of the REDI opportunity, including the context for this offering, the importance of safe and appropriate mentoring for early career researchers who identify as Black and/or as racialized women, the two-phase program structure, advice on crucial application components and requirements, an overview of support and review services available to applicants, the submission process and timeline, as well as answers to common questions.

Presenters

  • Caitlin Janzen, Postdoctoral Program Specialist, Office of Research Services, University of Calgary 
  • Dr. Sevan Beukian, Director, EDIA, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Calgary 
  • Dr. Jennifer Adams, Academic Director, EDI in Research and Black Futures Strategy, Office of Equity Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Professor, Tier II Canada Research Chair, Department of Chemistry and Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary 
  • Dr. Rachael Edino, Postdoctoral Associate Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary
  • Ms. Jenna SlobozianCert RA, Manager, Grant Development, Office of Associate Dean Research, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary 

Guests

  • Dr. Deborah Khursigara, Lead, REDI, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Ms. Helina Tadesse, Program Delivery Lead, REDI, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Ms. Yalina Molina Blandon, Program Delivery Advisor, REDI, The Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Please join us for a comprehensive look at this exciting new program from CIHR and to learn more about how UCalgary can support you in applying for similar and related upcoming opportunities from the Tri-Agency and other funders. 

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 12 - 1 p.m. (MT)
virtual


The Big Sex Talk | The Meaning of Q

Presented by Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Support and Response Office; Women’s Resource Centre

Ever wondered about asexuality, nonmonogamy, or the meaning of the word ‘queer’? Join the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Support and Response Office and the Women’s Resource Centre for a viewing and discussion series of The Big Sex Talk, a six-part docuseries from CBC about all things sexuality, gender, and relationships!

This week’s episode is "The Meaning of Q." Queer is often used these days, but not everyone knows what it is. This episode unpacks what being queer truly means and how ‘Q’ fits into the ever-growing acronym that is LGBTQIP2SAA+.  This event is free and open to all.

This event is a part of Ask First 2: Challenging Attitudes & Beliefs, a sexual violence prevention project funded by SU Quality Money.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 12.30 - 2 p.m. (MT)
Women's Resource Centre (MSC 482)

SHEDOESTHECITY

SHEDOESTHECITY


Indigenous 101: The Stories We Are Told

Presented by the Office of Research Services

In support of UCalgary EDI Week, join Keeta Gladue, Indigenous UCalgary scholar and researcher, for Indigenous 101: The Stories We Are Told. This session is for UCalgary community members to contextualize and re-examine the stories we have heard about Indigenous Peoples in Canada.  Where do the stories we believe about Indigenous Peoples come from, and what impact do these stories have on the way we see the world around us?

If you have ever wanted to learn more about Indigenous history, the relationships between Indigenous and Canadian peoples, more about the land we live on or considerations when working with Indigenous peoples on campus, this presentation is for you!

What do you really know about Indigenous Peoples? Would you like to know more? Join us for Indigenous 101: The Stories We Are Told.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 1 - 3 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Keeta Gladue ᑫᐁᑕ Glᐊduᐁ Cree & Métis (she/her) M.S.W., R.S.W., B.S.W., Ethics and Process Specialist: Indigenous Research Support Team Research Services Office, University of Calgary

Keeta Gladue is currently serving as the Ethics and Process Specialist for the University of Calgary’s Research Services Office as a part of the Indigenous Research Support Team. Cree and Métis, Keeta is a registered social worker with degrees in multiple disciplines and experience working in rural Indigenous communities and urban city centres. In her current role, she supports Indigenous research, diversity, equity, and inclusion through intercultural relationship-building and anti-racism work. Keeta is also an Indigenous social work researcher focused on Indigenous academic integrity, Indigenous holistic mental health and well-being, and the decolonization and Indigenization of post-secondary institutions. A recent TEDx speaker, Keeta is committed to supporting intercultural engagement and understanding. Keeta seeks to spark change and inspire momentum toward equity through curiosity and context.


Equitable and Inclusive Hiring

Presented by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Human Resources  

The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Human Resources are partnering to deliver a workshop on Equitable and Inclusive Hiring. This workshop is an opportunity for hiring managers for non-academic staff specifically and anyone interested in learning more about equitable and inclusive hiring practices. This 90-minute session will provide participants with some foundational ideas about what it means when we talk about equity and inclusion in hiring processes for staff at the University and learn how to incorporate them into the existing practices and processes. This interactive workshop will challenge and engage participants in thinking critically about barriers to equitable and inclusive hiring while examining and applying hiring managers' role in creating an inclusive environment.  

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 2 - 3.30 p.m. (MT)
Virtual

Dr. Sevan Beukian

Dr. Sevan Beukian joined the University of Calgary after serving as the Senior Executive Advisor on Anti-Racism and Intersectionality at the City of Edmonton, where she focused on implementing the Anti-Racism Strategy. She has also worked in provincial and municipal governments to incorporate GBA+, anti-racism and intersectionality into policies, programmes, and systems change.

Her experience has spanned over a decade in teaching, research, and public policy across government, university, non-profit and community-based work. Her approach combines (non-western) intersectional feminism, queer theory, anti-racism, trauma-informed approach, and anti-oppressive framework with a strong commitment to reconciliation and decolonization. 

Dr. Beukian holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Alberta and a Master of Arts in Political Studies from the American University of Beirut. Her current research focuses on how trauma and memory shape national identity discourses. It examines the impact of intergenerational traumatic memories (of genocide) and post-war experiences on national identity constructions, focusing on the Canadian and Armenian contexts. Dr. Beukian's publications have appeared in Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, Armenian Review, Routledge, Demeter Press, and Palgrave Macmillan, among others. 

Dr. William Yimbo

William Yimbo is a Senior Advisor, EDI Literacy, Education, and Training in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He holds a BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, a graduate diploma in International Relations from the Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands, an MA in Public Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Minnesota, USA.

As a Senior Advisor, Dr. Yimbo develops and delivers equity, diversity, and inclusion workshops to staff, faculty, and students across the university. He previously worked as a diversity advisor in immigration and settlement services. In this role, he delivered diversity education and advocated for equity and inclusivity in government services for Canada’s newcomer communities.

Dr. Yimbo has an extensive career background and experience in public and foreign policy administration in Kenya, Africa.

Heather Burns

Senior Consultant - Leadership, Organizational Design and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - University of Calgary


Black in Business Mixer

Presented by Haskayne School of Business and co-sponsored by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

 

Calling all Black students, staff & faculty!

You are invited to our Black in Business Mixer- an event intended to build community and share experiences! There will be food, networking & fun!  After the mixer, you’re invited to stay and help us kick off Haskayne’s new “Token’s Lecture Series,” where we flip the script of tokenism on its head and discuss how the things that “other” us shape and develop our identity as BOLD leaders.

This event is open to all interested in adding to the conversation and supporting EDIA initiatives.

 

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. (MT)
Suncor Terrace, Mathison Hall, UCalgary Main Campus

Space is limited, so please register early to ensure your spot.

black students UCalgary 2022

EDIA by Design - 2022 Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility

Presented by The School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape

The School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape’s EDIA by Design showcases 2022 Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility engagement/s from course content, workshops, outreach events and student research. 

From Transitional Housing for Young Adults, Cultural Outreach and Neurodiversity to Fort Mckay First Nation, Detroit, and Calgary, EDIA directs engagement for and by design through different themes and locations.

Some of the works featured in this showcase are Transformative Racial& Spatial Justice: Celebrating Black People’s Knowledges & Contributions (Summer Youth Leadership Program) and Seeing in Color: A framework to Address Anti-Black Racism in Housing & Homelessness (PhD) in recognition of February, Black History Month.

The exhibit is from Monday, February 6 to Friday, March 3, 2023

Open House - Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 5 - 7.30 p.m. (MT)
SAPL Stantec Gallery, main campus

Image by Bushra Hashim

Image by Bushra Hashim


Tokens Lecture Series

Presented by Haskayne School of Business

Join local philanthropist/ entrepreneur Mary Tidlund and the University of Calgary Chancellor Jon Cornish, in an intimate discussion to kick off Haskayne's new "Tokens Lecture Series."  This series will flip the idea of tokenism on its head and investigate how the things that "other" us develop us into great leaders.

An ASL interpreter will be providing translation for this event.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 5.30 to 6.30 p.m. (MT)
Event Centre, 3rd floor Mathison Hall, UCalgary Main Campus

Mary Tidlund

Mary Tidlund is an experienced Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist with extensive international experience. She was the co-founder and CEO of Williston Wildcatters Oil Corporation, a public oil and gas exploration and service company that pioneered horizontal drilling. In 1998, Mary transitioned from the energy industry to philanthropy and founded and led The Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation, a global not-for-profit that from 1998-2018, delivered 90 separate programs in 29 countries focusing on empowering women and children to make lasting changes to health and education, and the alleviation of poverty. Her philanthropic experience has given her the opportunity to develop a strong global understanding of innovative, relationship-based strategic conscious leadership on a global level. Mary has a demonstrated ability to motivate, inspire and foster cohesive direction to a diverse set of teams, stakeholders, and international community partners. She is a past Director with Women Moving Millions, Tostan International and is currently a trustee and board members of the NYC-based Grace Institute Foundation, Dallas, Texas-based public corporations Valhi Inc. and CompX International Inc. and the Alberta based  Strategic Advisory Board of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health.  In addition to her current board governance work, Mary is the author of the recently published Memoirs of a Wildcat: Unadoptable, Unstoppable, Unconditional Love and is an inspiring public speaker. Mary is an avid skier, hiker, tennis player, traveler, reader, pilot and lives in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Jon Cornish

Community leader and Canadian Football Hall of Famer Jon Cornish was elected the 15th chancellor of the University of Calgary, effective July 1, 2022.

Cornish is most known for his legendary nine years as a member of the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League where he was selected as the top Canadian player for three years consecutively, Most Outstanding Player in 2013, and led his team to two Grey Cup championships. In recognition of his Kansas University football career, where he still holds numerous records, the Jon Cornish Trophy is awarded annually to the best Canadian NCAA Football player.

During and after this unmatched Canadian Football Hall of Fame career, where he was only the second football player to win the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete, Cornish spent the last nine years in various wealth management roles, working as a consultant and was a part of a top-ranked private investment counsel wealth team. He is now an investment advisor and team lead at RBC Dominion Securities, where he is responsible for building relationships, providing wealth management guidance, and holistic, goal-oriented financial planning so his clients can realize their best lives.

Cornish works with various non-profits and charities around Calgary, including many events as an emcee for the Alberta Children's Hospital, working directly with at-risk youth for Wood's Homes, and at the Calgary Foundation, where he serves on Doc Seaman Hockey Fund. He also continues to work with the Calgary Stampeders as their gameday ambassador. Cornish is president and founder of the Calgary Black Chambers, a non-profit working to make Calgary the best place to live and work for BIPOC people. The Calgary Black Chambers provided over $60,000 in scholarships to help university students and supported 300 high school students with skill training to aid in their careers and life journeys over the last two years.

Friday


FEBRUARY 10

Practical Strategies for Collaborating on EDI Change with Staff and Students

This interactive workshop will invite you to consider the reasons we don’t always partner with non-academic staff and students in leading change for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Then, we will work together to overcome those perceived obstacles to identify future actions for authentic collaboration.

Facilitators: Ms. Kenna Kelly-Turner, Mr. Ali Kiani

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 9 - 10 a.m. (MT)

Ms. Kenna Kelly-Turner

Kenna is the operational lead for faculty development at the CSM and the Health Professions Education Leadership stream lead for the Precision Health graduate program. As a doctoral student in adult learning and a faculty developer, Kenna focuses primarily on equity, bias, and anti-oppression in university environments.

Mr. Ali Kiani

Ali is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in Business Administration. He currently serves as a GPA for the Precision Health and MBT programs at the CSM. In the past, Ali held the VP of Academic and Student Affairs position at the GSA, where he advocated for graduate students. His research focuses on leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion for staff at the university.


Community-Based Research: At the Intersections of Queerness and Gender

Presented by the Department of Sociology

In collaboration with the Canadian Sociological Association Student Concerns Subcommittee, this webinar invites students interested in and researchers engaged in community-based research at the intersections of queerness and gender to share their teachings and learnings around project design, collaboration, implementation, funding, evaluation, and continuing social action. 

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 11 - 12.30 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Pedrom Nasiri MStJ (they/them)(SGSC Chair

they/them

Pedrom Nasiri is a non-binary, queer, mixed-race doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology, at the University of Calgary. As a member of non-monogamous families and communities, Pedrom’s academic and community scholarship is oriented towards expanding social, political, and legal understanding of the variety of family practices beyond monogamous kinship.

Pedrom’s research interests lie at the intersections of sociology of families, law, gender, critical race theories, and phenomenology. They are currently working on two funded research projects. The first project examines the increasing prevalence of multiple-partner families and their articulations with ongoing race, gender, and class formation projects. The second project, now completed, examines the social resilience of Canadian polyqueer families. The results of this project will be released in 2022.


Equity in Action Workshop: Achieving Equitable Outcomes in Practice

Presented by the Faculty of Nursing and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This session will focus on taking the concept of equity and putting it into action, regardless of your practice in the university context. We will take one tool to help unpack the concept of equity and apply it to case studies directly related to university contexts (i.e. learning, teaching, and working in teams) to generate co-learning among participants. The goal of this session is for participants to have a shared understanding of equity, how to recognize it and what to do when you identify inequitable situations.

Based in Edmonton, Alberta Roxanne Felix-Mah and Ashima Sumaru-Jurf join us from Equity in Action. Roxanne and Ashima each have 15+ years of experience facilitating and leading diversity and inclusion (D&I), equity, and anti-racism initiatives in corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. They have worked as both internal and external consultants. They have been accountable for organizational change efforts around diversity and inclusion/equity/anti-oppression within their organizations as managers and leaders. These experiences have provided comprehensive insight into the knowledge/theory and practice of diversity and inclusion work. Their diverse backgrounds tailor their development services in ways that are practical, relevant, and responsive to organizational and community goals and strategies. 

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 11 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Roxanne Felix-Mah

Roxanne Felix-Mah has more than seventeen years of experience working in equity and inclusion in health promotion, community-based research, evaluation, settlement, and anti-racism in the private, public and non-profit sectors. These diverse experiences are a backdrop for her work in community capacity building, community development and mentorship. 

Ashima Sumaru-Jurf

Ashima Sumaru-Jurf has facilitated, coordinated and managed programs related to immigration and migration, intercultural competency, anti-racism, literacy, adult education, and organizational effectiveness in the not-for-profit and government sectors. She has worked with communities and organizations throughout Alberta to build inclusive and equitable spaces and help find strengths-based solutions to our challenges. 


Start Here: Planning and Presenting your EDI Actions Plans for Tri-Council Funding Applications

Presented by the Office of Research Services

Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility are increasingly recognized as central to research excellence. Each of the tri-council funding agencies now require researchers to present EDI action plans for some – if not all – funding opportunities. Careful consideration of each concept can augment the sophistication of research design, inform elevated practices in mentorship and governance, and contribute to institutional and broader efforts to increase the representation and advancement of members of equity-deserving groups in the research ecosystem. This session is a compact primer, providing researchers from all disciplines and career stages with research and practice-informed tips to approach the design, implementation, and articulation of EDI actions in the context of research funding.

Participants in this session will gain the following:

  1. An understanding of how EDI is tied to research excellence
  2. Initial and essential learning required to develop an authentic, high-impact EDI plan in their own research program/team
  3. Skills to address EDI-related requirements and avoid common issues in tri-council funding applications.

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 12 - 1.30 p.m. (MT)
virtual

Jaya Dixit (she/her), Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor in the Office of Research Services

Jaya Dixit (she/her) is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor in the Office of Research Services. Her everyday professional practice draws on lived experiences as a racialized woman of South Asian heritage, a background in Sociology and Political Science, and a deep understanding of diverse student experiences in the research ecosystem. She advises researchers and teams in the design of effective, full-spectrum EDI action plans for tri-council funding proposals and works on a cross-unit team that supports the genuine, robust implementation of our institutional Canada Research Chairs EDI Action Plan. Jaya is also co-chair of the UCalgary Dimensions’ Racialized and Visible Minority Persons Equitable Pathways Working Group, and a member of the Intersectionality and Language of EDI Working Groups.


Bannock, Business and Storytelling

Presented by Haskayne School of Business and co-sponsored by the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

There is a lot to learn from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers. They have passed on cultural beliefs, values, practices, relationships, and ways of life, from generation to generation, through storytelling. Join us to eat bannock and hear from Indigenous scholar Robert Andrews, who will guide us in reflecting on contemporary leadership practices based on a traditional Blackfoot story and ceremony.

Friday, February 10, 2023 | 12 - 2.30 p.m. (MT)
Viewpoint Circle for Dialogue, 3rd floor Mathison Hall, UCalgary main campus

Robert Andrews is the Executive Director of the AFOA Alberta and is the Program Director of Indigenous Business and Assistant Professor within the Faculty of Business, Athabasca University. He is a full-status First Nation and is a member of the Kainai Nation (Blood Tribe) of the Blackfoot Confederacy. Robert has developed and delivered management programs to Indigenous organizations across Canada and has authored numerous teaching case studies. He designed a culturally relevant management program for First Nations’ senior management. He co-developed the curriculum for Harvard Business School’s executive certificate - Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities for Indigenous Leaders. He has facilitated and offered training to many diverse groups, including First Nations’ Chief and Council and Federal and Provincial Departments, as well as professional associations and organizations.

He innovated management undergraduate instruction to Indigenous people to address systemic barriers to success with Athabasca University and co-developed their Indigenous major within the Bachelor of Commerce program as part of the No Limits initiative with the CPA Education Foundation and AFOA Alberta. He has been appointed to the organizing committee of the Canadian Association of Accounting Academics (CAAA) and CPA Canada to develop approaches for Canadian universities and colleges to indigenize their curricula and support reconciliation. He has taught at the graduate and undergraduate levels at Athabasca University and the University of Calgary. Robert is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from CPA Alberta and the Impact Award from the CPA Alberta Education Foundation for his work with Indigenous management education.

Robert is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA), holds an MBA with Distinction from Cornell University, Graduate Certificates in Evaluation and Social Impact Strategy from the University of Victoria and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Calgary where he is currently a doctoral candidate at the Haskayne School of Business. His research interests focus on understanding the role and efficacy of managerial training within Indigenous administrations and the socio-spiritual and economic impacts on community members. Robert is a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM).


Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): Foundations and Principles

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, OEDI, is launching a series of EDI workshops available for faculty, students and staff as part of our education, training and literacy role.

The first workshop in this series is scheduled for Wednesday, March 1, 2023. In this foundational workshop titled "Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI): Foundations and Principles," participants will be introduced to equity and inclusion in practice within the context of the university's mission and commitments. Participants will also discuss applying EDI foundations and principles in their roles and their units' functions.  

This foundational overview of EDI explores the concepts enhancing participants' understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion, unconscious bias, and microaggression and their application in the institutional setting. The interactive session will examine the impact of EDI issues on equity-deserving faculty, students and staff and on the culture and climate of the university. Participants will also learn critical perspectives on equity, diversity, and inclusion and develop an understanding of commitments to and measures towards applying equity and inclusion principles in their roles and responsibilities. 

Wednesday, March 1, 2023 | 9 - 12 p.m. (MT)
Virtual

OEDI logo