Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Week 2022
January 31 to February 4, 2022
Language, Land and Literature: The Changing Legacy of the Holocaust
Dr. Norman Ravvin, PhD, Concordia University
Presented by the Faculty of Arts in honour of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
This will be a talk about the changing reception of the Holocaust and the different ways we live with its legacy. A beginning point for such a talk are the words used to name the events associated with the war which continues to shift. With changes in denomination, the place of the Holocaust in our culture and literary life continues to shift, as does its role in educational contexts. The exposure in the summer of 2021 of unmarked burial grounds at Canadian Residential Schools has a parallel in contemporary Poland and Ukraine. There, especially in Poland, much has been done to place monuments at sites of massacre and mass burial, as well as at communities where entire Jewish communities did not exist after the war. At Ravvin's ancestral village in central Poland there is an unmarked burial ground, fully desecrated by the Germans and left unmarked in the post-war years. Ravvin aims to convey the variety of ways that Holocaust commemoration has taken shape, both close to our homes and far away at the locations where the events of the war took place.
Thursday, January 27, 2022 | 3 to 4:30 p.m. (MT)
Dr. Norman Ravvin has taught in the Department of Religions and Cultures at Concordia University in Montreal since 1999. For much of that time, he held the Chair in Canadian Jewish Studies and directed the department’s Institute for Canadian Jewish Studies. He regularly teaches Holocaust Literature to varied and large groups of students and has published in the field since he was a graduate student. Some of this work is collected in A House of Words: Jewish Writing, Identity, and Memory.
In the past two decades, he has developed a range of contacts in Poland, both in the academic context and in pursuit of creative projects. These have led to co-publications and conferences co-organized with Polish academics, particularly inŁódź and Poznan. Dr. Ravvin’s ancestral town in central Poland, Radzanów, is the focus of his creative work, most recently in his novel The Girl Who Stole Everything. In it he addresses postwar connections between Canadian Jews with Polish ancestry and contemporary Poles and Polish life. Other publications include his co-edited Canadian Jewish Studies Reader and Hidden Canada: An Intimate Travelogue (these were collaborative publications with Red Deer Press, based at the University of Calgary). A native of Calgary, he lived in Vancouver, Toronto, and Fredericton before settling in Montreal with his family.
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 4 (running all week)
The Equitable City: Constructing Canadian Identity
Presented by School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape
Located in the Stantec Gallery, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape – PF2182
The Equitable City explores the relationship between social equity and spatial equity at the scale of architecture and urban design. The six featured design projects engage topics such as food security, homelessness, multiculturalism, and Indigenous futures in a manner to recuperate the capacity for design to catalyze change.
A collaboration between architects in the Calgary-based firm MBAC and graduate students of the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape as part of a Work-Integrated Learning studio.
Visit http://sapl.ucalgary.ca/exhibitions for more information on the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape’s exhibitions.
Monday
JANUARY 31
Dr. Ann E. Lopez is a professor of educational leadership and policy in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She is the Director of the Center for Leadership and Diversity and Provostial Advisor, Access Programs. Dr. Lopez is the immediate past president of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME). Her research and teaching focuses on antiracist education, school leadership across contexts, decolonizing and socially just leadership, issues of equity in education and schooling, and most recently developing concepts of what she describes as “ProLovePedagogy”. Dr. Lopez has published several articles and written 5 books including her most recent book entitled Decolonizing Educational Leadership: Alternative Approach to Leading Schools. Dr. Lopez is co-Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of School Leadership, Co-Series Editor, Studies in Educational Administration, and the recipient of the 2020 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She draws her inspiration and commitment to challenging inequities in education and schooling from her beloved grandmother.
Embedding and Sustaining Equity and Decolonial Praxis in Higher Education: Actualizing ProLovePedagogy
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ann Lopez, PhD, University of Toronto
Presented by The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
These are challenging times marked not only by an ongoing pandemic that has impacted all aspects of life, laid bare structural inequities, but also marked by calls for greater equity in education and schooling. Students and communities who have traditionally not been served well in education systems in Canada and across the globe, are calling for greater equity, not only in K-12 schools but also in higher education. They are calling for pedagogy, curricula, policies and practices that centre their lived experiences, support their educational advancement, and create teaching and learning spaces where they can thrive. Educators must attend to these ongoing challenges and complexities while carrying on their everyday work.
In this talk, Dr. Lopez explores ways that educators in higher education, drawing on both personal and collective agency, can embed and sustain equity and decolonizing praxis in their everyday work that will create lasting change. Drawing on her research and experience as an educator in public school and higher education, Lopez offers insights on navigating complexities faced by educators in implementing equity and decolonial practices in higher education, as well as strategies to embed and sustain the work over time. She grounds this in what she describes as “ProLovePedagogy” which places love at the heart of equity and decolonizing praxis. As the late bell hooks wrote “the moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom.”
Monday, January 31, 2022 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. (MT)
COVID-19 Vaccinations and The Duty to Accommodate
Myrna El Fakhry Tuttle, JD, MA, LLM
Presented by the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre
Mandating COVID-19 vaccines in Canada, including Alberta, has made it difficult for individuals with medical conditions and disabilities to access some venues even when businesses are required under the law to accommodate these individuals. Some of these individuals feel they are being discriminated against and do not know what legal recourse they have. But what does the law say about discrimination and the duty to accommodate?
Monday, January 31, 2022 | 2 to 3:30 p.m. (MT)
Myrna El Fakhry Tuttle is the Research Associate at the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre. She has a law degree from Saint Joseph University in Beirut. She earned an MA in Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Malta, and an LLM in International Legal Studies from American University Washington College of Law. She practiced law in Lebanon and worked as a consultant in Washington D.C. and New York. She was assistant dean for student affairs and a lecturer at Qatar University, where she taught international human rights and international humanitarian law. She also worked as a paralegal instructor at CDI College in Calgary. She is passionate about human rights and civil liberties and has been involved with many organizations that deal with immigrants, refugees and human rights issues.
Empowering Leadership by Embracing Unearned Privilege
Dr. Linda Kongnetiman, PhD
Presented by the Women's Resource Centre
To mitigate oppression, we must understand privilege as privilege and oppression go hand-in-hand. This session will explore how today's leaders can address oppression and increase empowerment by giving up unearned privilege.
Monday, January 31, 2022 | 3 to 4 p.m. (MT)
Linda Kongnetiman has a PhD in Social Work. Her training and research interest focus on preparing professionals for working in global contexts. She is a committed social worker with attention to addressing issues of oppression and marginalization in health care, integrating research into practice, and facilitating meaningful anti-oppressive conversations
Tuesday
FEBRUARY 1
Kendal Netmaker is an award-winning entrepreneur, author and gifted keynote speaker who is on a mission to empower and motivate people worldwide by sharing his story that regardless of where you come from and what challenges you face, you have the power to enact change.
From Sweetgrass First Nation, Kendal and his siblings were raised by their single mother. Life wasn’t easy for them, growing up on the reserve surrounded by poverty and few chances for opportunities, but one moment would change their life forever.
Kendal has a natural gift; he’s a master storyteller who weaves his real-life experiences into motivating lessons that everyone can use in their own lives. His heartfelt stories are impactful and he speaks professionally to thousands of people each year on resilience, leadership and the power of telling your story.
He is a leading entrepreneur whose passion to succeed is contagious. To date, Kendal has founded and invested in 5 businesses. One of them is Neechie Gear, a lifestyle apparel brand that gives back a percentage of their profits to go toward funding underprivileged youth to empower them to take part in sports. He is the author of Driven To Succeed and won over 25 business awards, including being named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and runner-up at the YBI Global Entrepreneur of the Year.
Kendal lives with his wife and two children in Saskatoon, SK, where he continues to run his company. He delivers virtual and in-person keynotes, as well as executive leadership coaching to organizations.
Indigenous Diversity Awareness and Education
Keynote Speaker: Kendal Netmaker
Presented by Haskayne School of Business and co-sponsored by OEDI
Indigenous peoples are the fastest-growing demographic in Canada, and there are over 370 Million Indigenous people worldwide in over 90 countries. We must continue to raise awareness and educate to work together for a prosperous future.
In this powerful keynote, Kendal takes you into Indigenous peoples’ worldview and shares his heartfelt stories of living and thriving in two different worlds. He explains the importance of understanding everyone’s stories, beliefs and way of life. Kendal’s offering is to plant seeds of hope so that we all are working, succeeding and prospering together.
Attendees will gain:
- Deep insights into Indigenous Peoples way of life
- Educating about the importance of Indigenous spirituality and beliefs
- Understand the similarities/differences between different Indigenous groups in Canada
- Creating awareness on how to be respectful towards one another and work together
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | 12 to 1 p.m. (MT)
Indigenous 101: The Stories we are Told
Keeta Gladue
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Presented by Indigenous Student Access Program (ISAP), Writing Symbols Lodge
Together we will re-examine the stories we have heard about Indigenous peoples, where those stories came from and how the historic context informs the present for the relationship between Indigenous and Canadian Peoples in the context of language, place and space. Gladue will explore the following questions during the seminar:
- What do you really know about Indigenous communities?
- What is going on and how did we get here?
- Isn’t Canada a haven of human rights and equality?
It's complicated, let's get into it!
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (MT)
Keeta Gladue is the Indigenous Student Program Advisor at UCalgary's Writing Symbols Lodge. Her family is from the Sucker Creek Cree Nation. Keeta grew up on a small island on the west coast called Tlay Maak Tsu in the traditional territory of the Ehattesaht people of the Nuu chahnulth. She has worked in leadership and engagement for the past twelve years, in both Canada and England. Keeta transitioned from over ten years working with youth, to supporting Indigenous student success, and intercultural engagement and understanding at UCalgary. A self-proclaimed Indigenous nerd, Keeta is passionate about pop culture, social justice and the power of story.
Leadership isn’t found at the top; it’s found in you. Do you, the best you can, in a good way.
Intersectional Approaches to Understanding Mental Health
Truelove Twumasi-Afriyie
Presented by Student Wellness, Staff Wellness, and the Campus Mental Health Strategy
If we don’t experience something ourselves, how do we become aware that it exists? How do we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes to understand what life experiences are like for them?
In recent years, mental health has become a topic more accepted and discussed in our society. Yet, most educational campaigns and media articles still talk about it in generalities. Research shows that mental health challenges impact us all, but that these impacts are compounded for people also experiencing stigma and discrimination as a result of intersecting identities (race, gender, class, ability, sexuality etc.).
In order for us to build a more caring and empathetic world, we must create space to talk about the impacts and experiences of intersecting identities as they relate to mental health.
Join the University of British Columbia Workplace Wellbeing team for an informative session that will:
- Outline core concepts like mental health literacy, intersectionality and positionality.
- Highlight the impacts of varying risk factors, stigmas and discriminations (homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, colonialism, classism, and ableism) on mental health.
- Provide an opportunity to reflect on your own position and identity within the world as a way to foster empathy, compassion and safety.
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | 3 to 4 p.m. (MT)
Truelove holds a Masters’ degree in public health from Simon Fraser University. Her interest in health promotion and mental health & wellbeing was established working with diverse populations in Canada and internationally.
Truelove is passionate about community engagement, interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and supporting initiatives that lead to positive, sustainable change. Developing strong relationships is the foundation of everything she does, both professionally and personally
Wednesday
FEBRUARY 2
Equitable and Inclusive Hiring Focus Group
Lauren Remple, B. Mgt, MA, Nicole Wheeler and Dr. William Yimbo, PhD
Presented by Human Resources and The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Human Resources and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are partnering to create an inclusive hiring workshop. This event is an opportunity for faculty and staff to contribute to the development of this workshop. This 90-minute focus group session will ask participants to share their thoughts and ideas for the content and execution of an inclusive hiring workshop.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | 9 to 10:30 a.m. (MT)
Lauren Remple is a member of Alexander First Nation and a lifelong resident of Calgary, Alberta. She has a master's degree in global leadership and her work focused on the reciprocal benefit of global Indigenous youth learning building relationships and learning from each other. She works at the University of Calgary as the Talent Acquisition Strategist specifically focused on increasing the number of Indigenous staff and faculty on-campus, in a good way.
Nicole Wheeler is a Manager in Human Resources at the University of Calgary with a focus on Talent Acquisition. She has 20 years of experience working with industry create work experiences for students and in talent acquisition. She has a background in human resources, career development, coaching and change management. She works with stakeholders to support and champion equity, diversity, and inclusion in hiring at UCalgary.
Dr. William Yimbo is a Senior Advisor, Education Specialist 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.
EDI Awards Ceremony
The University of Calgary’s annual Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Awards recognize and celebrate inspiring students, faculty, and staff working to advance a more accessible, equitable, diverse, and inclusive university.
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 be announcing 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 Reg Crowshoe. Following the award ceremony, Dr. Teri Balser, PhD, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), will introduce Dr. Kalwant Bhopal as our keynote speaker.
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.
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Teri Balser joined the University of Calgary as provost and vice-president (academic) on April 1, 2021.
Dr. Balser is a former Interim President and Provost & Vice-President Academic at Dalhousie University. Prior to joining Dalhousie, she was the Dean of Teaching and Learning for the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University, after having been Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida.
A graduate of Dartmouth College, in Biology and Earth Sciences, she received a Ph.D. in soil microbiology from the University of California at Berkeley and completed postdoctoral research in ecosystem ecology at Stanford University.
She has been honoured as an NSF Early Career Award winner, has been made a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, and was a John Curtin Distinguished Professor for her work as an environmental scientist.
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)
Dr. Reg Crowshoe is also known as Awakaaseena, meaning Deer Chief in the Blackfoot language. His teachings as a Spiritual-Cultural Advisor have been instrumental to cross-cultural learning surrounding Canada’s TRTL.
Reg is from the Piikani Nation in Southern Alberta. As an Elder and a Bundle Keeper, he runs ceremonies of the Thunder Pipe, the Sun Dance, and the Brave Dog Society, as a part of his traditional lineage and Blackfoot identity. Reg attended the University of Calgary, receiving an honorary degree. He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and worked on several reserves in Saskatchewan before returning to work with the Peigan Band departments, and with the Province of Alberta in developing the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump heritage site. He has also developed cultural courses with the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge, and has co-authored numerous works, including Akak-stiman and Science in the Native Community.
Dr. Reg Crowshoe is married to Rose Crowshoe, who was born and raised on the Piikani Nation in Southern Alberta and fills a variety of roles – wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
Kalwant Bhopal is Professor of Education and Social Justice and Director of the Centre on Research on Race and Education at the University of Birmingham, U.K. Kalwant’s research focuses on the achievements and experiences of minority ethnic groups in education. She has conducted research on exploring discourses of identity and intersectionality examining the lives of Black minority ethnic groups as well as examining the marginal position of Gypsies and Travellers. Her research specifically explores how processes of racism, exclusion and marginalization operate in predominantly White spaces with a focus on social justice and inclusion. From 2017-2019 she was Visiting Professor at Harvard University in the Graduate School of Education. Her recent book, White Privilege: the myth of a post-racial society was published by policy press. Her new book (with Martin Myers) Elites and the making of privilege will be published by Routledge in 2022.
Black and Minority Ethnic Experiences in higher education: social justice, inclusion and white privilege
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kalwant Bhopal, PhD, University of Birmingham
Presented by The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
This lecture will examine how Black and minority ethnic staff and students remain marginalized in higher education. It will provide statistical data on the inequalities experienced by staff and students, followed by empirical research on Black and minority ethnic academics in the U.K. and U.S. higher education. The lecture will also explore how processes of whiteness and white privilege work to perpetuate the white space of higher education. The lecture will conclude by examining possible ways forward for higher education to engage with a socially just agenda for the inclusion of all groups.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. (MT)
Game of Adding Ladders
Panelists: Dr. Laleh Behjat, PhD, Jennifer van Zelm, MSc and Matthew Bardsley
Presented by Schulich School of Engineering/ WISE Planet
While discussions around equity, diversity, and inclusion issues are often difficult, we can bring levity and co-operation through gamification. In this session, Behjat, Van Zelm and Bardsley show how major issues can be discussed in a friendly and disarming manner. Together Behjat, Van Zelm and Bardsley developed a board game, Adding Ladders that is based on the game of Chutes and Ladders. Participants explore and discuss the issues facing women and minorities in STEM and collaborate to find solutions to overcome these issues.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | 1 to 2 p.m. (MT)
Dr. Laleh Behjat, PhD is a Professor in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. She joined the University of Calgary in 2002. Behjat’s research focus is on developing EDA techniques for physical design and application of large-scale optimization in EDA. Her research team has won several awards including 1st and 2nd places in ISPD 2014 and ISPD 2015 High Performance Routability Driven Placement Contests and 3rd place in DAC Design Perspective Challenge in 2015. She is an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems and Optimization in Engineering from Springer. Behjat has been developing new and innovative methods to teach Computer Science and EDA to students. She acted as an academic advisor for of Google Technical Development Guide and has won several awards for her efforts in education including 2017 Killam Graduate Student Supervision and Mentorship Award. Her team, Schulich Engineering Outreach Team, was also the recipient of the ASTech Leadership Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness Award in 2017. Her other interests include raising awareness about issues related to diversity and inclusion and promoting diversity in engineering. She received the Women in Engineering and Geoscience Award from APEGA in 2015 in recognition of her work in this area.
Jennifer van Zelm, MSc
After graduating from the Schulich School of Engineering with a master’s in electrical engineering, van Zelm spent 10 years at TRTech, supporting industry with in-house research, academic resources, and government support. During these early years of her career, Jennifer gained a deeper understanding of the importance of diversity in STEM.
van Zelm took on a leadership role in this area, hiring on as a consultant with Schulich to develop its five-year strategic plan—Energizing Engineering Leadership. She guided the faculty in setting one of its key priorities: a welcoming, diverse community of learners and educators.
Since her work with the university, she has held several technology-focused consulting and advisory roles, including 2 years as a full-time technology advisor submitting and defending SR&ED claims, and most recently helping launch UCalgary start-up DESTINE Health Inc., where she is currently a board member. At DESTINE, she stepped in as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the all-female team of inventors, securing early funding, winning a social innovation pitch award and successfully completing PLATFORM Calgary’s Junction training program for entrepreneurs.
van Zelm often speaks to students, sharing openly about her experiences and challenges as an engineer and parent in a dual-working household. She is thrilled to be part of the WISE Planet team, helping with program development, network formation and execution.
Matthew Bardsley is an award-winning communications professional with a diverse skill set informed by solid academic credentials. With undergraduate degrees in history and communications, and a technical diploma in journalism, Bardsley understands the nuances of sharing complex stories and ideas with diverse audiences. Specializing in distilling complex STEM-based content into broadly applicable, engaging stories, Bardsley is a sought-after resource in this space. Bardsley's experience has allowed him the opportunity to design and implement campaigns utilizing a range of media platforms across many different industry settings.
Clients come to Bardsley for support and counsel when they need creative, effective ways of sharing their story with the right audience at the right time. With experience crafting strong written communication for clients in the financial services, energy and natural resources, post-secondary, STEM, and travel and tourism sectors, Bardsley is comfortable as an in-house resource or external consultant. Bardsley is now working to complete a graduate-level credential in journalism.
In Your Face: Listening to the Voices of Niqab-Wearing Women
Dr. Natasha Bakht, PhD, University of Ottawa
Presented by the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Law
"The niqab is incompatible with gender equality.” "Women are forced by the men in their families to wear the niqab.” "Wearing a niqab makes living together impossible."
This talk will examine such claims made by the majority to constrain the lives of a small minority. The rampant spread of legislation banning face veils globally has transformed niqab-wearing from a non-existent issue to a spectacular threat to the nation-state. Even educated, sophisticated scholars and judges who claim to accept and even welcome diversity will “draw the line” at the niqab.
Relying on interviews with niqab-wearing women from Ontario and Quebec, Dr. Bakht helps to refocus understandings of the niqab from the perspective of the wearer. Dr. Bakht then analyzes popular and legislative objections to the niqab to reveal their specious logic. Through the experiences of niqab-wearing women and analyzing objections and legal proscriptions of the niqab, we will get to know niqab-wearing women and ourselves better.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | 3 to 4:30 p.m. (MT)
Natasha Bakht is a full professor of law at the University of Ottawa and the Shirley Greenberg Chair for Women and the Legal Profession. Her research focusses on the intersection of religious freedom and women’s equality. Her first monograph In Your Face: Law, Justice and Niqab-Wearing Women in Canada (Irwin Law, 2020) analyzes niqab bans while also drawing on interviews with niqab-wearing women to reveal their complex identities and multiple motivations for dressing in this way. Her book was awarded the Huguenot Society of Canada Award and was listed in the Hill Times 100 best books of 2020.
Thursday
FEBRUARY 3
The Impact of Culture in Academia
EDI Leadership Club
- As a student, do you ever hope that your supervisor would give you more direction?
- As a supervisor, do you ever wish your student would take more initiative?
While this can be a result of personality differences, they can also arise from cultural differences.
Culture is an accumulated pattern of values, beliefs and behaviours shared by a group of people with a common history and verbal and non-verbal system.
In this event, we'll do a short experiential exercise based on the attached required reading (7 pages, ~15 min read) about the concept of "Power Distance", and have an open conversation about how power distance can influence collaboration in academia.
No past experience is required! This event is open to all graduate students and faculty.
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 10 to 11 a.m. (MT)
Readings for this session
The impact of culture on the supervisory relationship REQUIRED
Managing cultural diversity in technical professions OPTIONAL
Being Vulnerable and Creating Safe Spaces
Dakshima Dilipani Haputhanthri
Presented by the Women's Resource Centre
Join Dakshima Dilipani Haputhanthri as we discuss the importance of vulnerability in safe spaces, and how to create safe spaces.
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 12 to 1 p.m. (MT)
My name is Dakshima Dilipani Haputhanthri. I am a registered social worker in Alberta, Canada. I worked as an attorney, in my home country Sri Lanka. I have been an invited speaker on many platforms such as Mount Royal University, University of Calgary and non-profit organizations such as Diversecities, Distress Centre and Immigrant Services Calgary. I am also a board member in the Gender and Sexual Diversity Board of Calgary Police Services and Co-Chair for Immigrant Advisory Table member at Calgary Local Immigration Partnership, Vice President at Calgary Outlink, as well as an Advisor at the Faculty of Social work’s community advisory committee.
After struggling for many years to hide my sexuality, I now fully embrace my true self and am here to safely support you to embrace your true self and to find your freedom and peace.
Allyship: The Key to Unlock EDI
Panellists Hannah Brundson, Linda Corcoran, Syreeta Nolan, and Nimrat Obhi
Let’s talk equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility! Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A on allyship in various areas of EDI. Panellists will share their stories on allyship followed by a Q&A session.
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. (MT)
Hannah is many things– a sister, daughter, friend, plant mom, beginner tap dancer, feminist, cookie eater, cross country ski enthusiast, mediocre community theatre performer, and reluctant jogger. She currently works as a Solutions Navigator with Strathcona County’s Family and Community Service department just outside of Edmonton on Treaty 6 land. She received her Master’s of Social Work specializing in International and Community Development from the University of Calgary in 2019 and a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies, minoring in Drama, from the University of Alberta in 2017.
In her only other real adult job, she proudly co-coordinated the Cybermentor program (a virtual mentorship program for youth who face barriers to accessing science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education) and now connects individuals facing any kind of challenge with social services and resources. She is passionate about social justice, art, and supporting community members from all walks of life with dignity and love. She also loves silly jokes and not taking things too seriously. During the Q & A, please feel free to ask her what her favourite joke is and she will happily tell you.
Linda Corcoran is an Irish food scientist. Being a first-gen, disabled LGBTQ+ grad student, Linda is passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion work, and accessible science and research. They are a host of Grad Chat by PhD Balance, Managing Director of Disabled in Higher Ed and Accessibility Director of Dragonfly Mental Health.
Syreeta Nolan is a disability justice advocate. She serves as co-founder of Disabled in Higher Education on Twitter (@DisInHigherEd) and is the founder of JADE (Justice, Advocacy and Disability Education) as a holistic disabled justice platform focused on empowering disabled students, faculty, staff and alumni through community and support. Her lived experience as a Black, Disabled, bisexual woman has informed her advocacy goals along with her career goals. As a board member of HealthAdvocateX, she hopes to expand the reach of health advocacy in partnership with her organization while bringing disability advocacy and health advocacy together.
Syreeta graduated with her Bachelor’s in Human Health Psychology from the University of California San Diego and hopes to continue to obtain a PhD in Health Policy or Prevention Science toward her goal to transform the mental health field through comprehensive preventive systems similar to what we have in our physical health system.
Nimrat is from Ottawa, Ontario and obtained her HBSc at the University of Ottawa in 2014. They completed their PhD in chemistry at the University of Toronto in 2020, where their research focused on the synthesis and investigation of carbon-based semiconducting polymers with complex architectures for electronic applications. During this time, Nimrat also completed a teaching fellowship to design and implement a Green Chemistry course module into an upper-year chemistry course at the University of Toronto. They are committed to equity and diversity work and have worked with local and national teams for seven years on advocacy and policy initiatives, including co-chairing the first LOGIC Retreat in Toronto in 2017.
Throughout their PhD they have been the recipient of numerous awards, including being named as an element (hassium) in the IUPAC Periodic Table of Young Chemists in 2019. Nimrat joined Beyond Benign as a Program Manager in early 2021 and aims to bring her combined passion for chemistry, science education, social justice advocacy, and sustainability to her work. Outside of work, Nimrat is an avid skier, cook, swimmer, and bookbinder.
It’s Not Just You: Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, and Microaggressions
Keeta Gladue
ᑫᐁᑕ
Presented by Indigenous Student Access Program (ISAP), Writing Symbols Lodge
Have you used the word perfectionist to describe yourself? Have you ever felt like a fraud or been afraid that at any moment someone is going to ask you a question you won’t be able to answer, and they will know you don’t belong here? Have you been at work or school when someone makes a joke about how “you don’t sound native” or how “you are too pretty to be trans?”
It isn’t just you. You are not imagining it. You are not alone. We are in this together.
Come out and learn the flavours of Imposter Syndrome, how it affects our psychological and physical selves and how we can reclaim our brains. Learn about the types of microaggressions and gaslighting and how they impact us, and how we can use curiosity and community to change the world.
No big deal #CollectivistforLife
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 1 to 3 p.m. (MT)
Keeta Gladue is the Indigenous Student Program Advisor at UCalgary's Writing Symbols Lodge. Her family is from the Sucker Creek Cree Nation. Keeta grew up on a small island on the west coast called Tlay Maak Tsu in the traditional territory of the Ehattesaht people of the Nuu chahnulth. She has worked in leadership and engagement for the past twelve years, in both Canada and England. Keeta transitioned from over ten years working with youth, to supporting Indigenous student success, and intercultural engagement and understanding at UCalgary. A self-proclaimed Indigenous nerd, Keeta is passionate about pop culture, social justice and the power of story.
Leadership isn’t found at the top; it’s found in you. Do you, the best you can, in a good way.
Equitable and Inclusive Hiring Focus Group
Lauren Remple, B. Mgt, MA, Nicole Wheeler and Dr. William Yimbo, PhD
Presented by Human Resources and The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Human Resources and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion are partnering to create an equitable and inclusive hiring workshop. This event is an opportunity for faculty and staff to contribute to the development of this workshop. This 90-minute focus group session will ask participants to share their thoughts and ideas for the content and execution of an inclusive hiring workshop.
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | 2 to 3 p.m. (MT)
Lauren Remple is a member of Alexander First Nation and a lifelong resident of Calgary, Alberta. She has a master's degree in global leadership and her work focused on the reciprocal benefit of global Indigenous youth learning building relationships and learning from each other. She works at the University of Calgary as the Talent Acquisition Strategist specifically focused on increasing the number of Indigenous staff and faculty on-campus, in a good way.
Nicole Wheeler is a Manager in Human Resources at the University of Calgary with a focus on Talent Acquisition. She has 20 years of experience working with industry create work experiences for students and in talent acquisition. She has a background in human resources, career development, coaching and change management. She works with stakeholders to support and champion equity, diversity, and inclusion in hiring at UCalgary.
William Yimbo is a Senior Advisor, Education Specialist 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.
Friday
FEBRUARY 4
Start Here: Building and Presenting your EDI plan for Tri-Council Funding Applications
Facilitators - Jaya Dixit (she/her), Caroline Morrison (she/her) and Emma Koiston
Hosted by Research Services
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are increasingly central to research excellence. Careful consideration of each concept can augment the sophistication of research design, inform elevated practices in governance and supervision 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:
- An understanding of how EDI is tied to research excellence.
- Initial and essential learning to develop an authentic, high-impact EDI plan in their own research program/team.
- Skills to address EDI-related selection criteria and avoid common issues in Tri-council funding applications.
*Please note this workshop is now full. However, this session will be offered again in the coming weeks due to overwhelming interest. If you would like to be notified of the additional session, please click the button below to send a blank email to be added to a waitlist. You will receive registration information as soon as a future workshop is scheduled.
Jaya is the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Advisor in the Office of Research Services at the University of Calgary. She supports researchers and teams in developing impactful EDI action plans that are evidence-based and grounded in local contexts. Previously, Jaya has worked directly with graduate students, staff, and faculty to mobilize equity and inclusion-focused change in academic issue resolution and administrative processes.
Jaya has degrees in Political Science and Sociology and has worked in policy and communications roles in federal Indigenous and Human Rights portfolios. She is a proud Canadian of Indian heritage, and a settler in beautiful Treaty 7 territory, who does her best (un)thinking while hiking, cross-country skiing, and doing art with her 3 awesome kids.
Alisha Kadam is a Research Grants Officer at the University of Calgary’s Research Services Office, specializing in Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) programs. She advises members of the university faculty on NSERC funding opportunities and reviews applications for adherence to merit indicators, including the consideration of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion best practices in research methodology and highly qualified personnel (HQP) training.
Alisha has a Master of Science degree in Cancer Sciences from the University of Alberta.
DiversiTEA: Justice in Scriptures
Hosted by the Faith and Spirituality Centre
There are many instances in which religion has been used as a tool to sew violence and division. Passages from holy texts have been manipulated to perform atrocities. But which passages could be used to encourage justice, inclusion, equity, and peace as we design a better, pluralistic society?
Justice in the Scriptures will follow the scriptural reasoning approach to interfaith dialogue. Each faith community represented will pick a short passage from their scripture surrounding the topic of justice. 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 that they may have, bring up things that struck them, and discuss the passage as much as they are comfortable with.
Friday, February 4, 2022 | 12 to 1 p.m. (MT)
Monday
FEBRUARY 7
Building the Equity Bridge Symposium
Dr. Cindy Blackstock, PhD, McGill University and Alanis Obomsawin, C.C, G.O.Q., C.A.L.Q
This presentation is being hosted by the Cumming School of Medicine through the Offices of Professionalism, Equity and Diversity and Indigenous, Local and Global Health, with additional assistance provided by the Office of Continuing Medical Education. This presentation began as a cross-faculty initiative supported by members of the Faculties of Medicine, Social Work, Education, and Law, as well as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, and is open to all.
Renowned advocate and scholar Dr. Cindy Blackstock will speak on health and social inequities related to First Nations children, with a focus on Jordan's Principle, as well as relevant systemic and legal matters. Dr. Blackstock will address the links between equity and culture in ensuring equal access to healthcare and other vital services while drawing attention to relevant historic, systemic and legal matters.
Decorated Indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin will comment upon the making of her films, Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger and We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice. A panel discussion with representatives of Alberta-based Indigenous social and educational supports and resource agencies will follow the keynote speakers.
Attendees are encouraged to watch the following films in advance of the symposium (films will not be viewed during this event).
Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger
We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice
The organizers of the symposium hope that each attendee has the opportunity to complete the following learning objectives:
By the end of this Building the Equity Bridge event, participants will be able to:
- Describe how historic injustices and ongoing systemic racism have disadvantaged and continue to impact First Nations children, youth, and families.
- Describe the ramifications for clinical practice of Jordan's Principle, by gaining a critical understanding of its legal perspectives.
- Describe key approaches, opportunities, and actions for implementation of Jordan’s Principle within clinical practice.
Monday, February 7, 2022 | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (MT)
A member of the Gitksan First Nation with 25 years of social work experience in child protection and indigenous children’s rights. Dr. Blackstock’s research interests are indigenous theory and the identification & remediation of structural inequalities affecting First Nations children, youth & families.
An author of over 50 publications & a widely sought after public speaker, Dr. Blackstock has collaborated with other Indigenous leaders to assist the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in the development and adoption of a General Comment on the Rights of Indigenous children. Recently, she also worked with Indigenous young people, UNICEF & the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to produce a youth friendly version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Her promotion of culturally based & evidence informed solutions has been recognized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Frontline Defenders and many others.
A member of the Abenaki Nation and one of Canada's most distinguished filmmakers, Alanis Obomsawin is a director and producer at the National Film Board of Canada, where she has worked since 1967.
In September 2021, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is presenting the world premiere of Ms.Obomsawin’s new film, Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair, which shares the powerful speech Senator Sinclair gave when he accepted the WFM-Canada World Peace Award, interspersed with the heartbreaking testimonies of former students imprisoned at residential schools.
It’s her 53rd film in a legendary career spanning 54 years, devoted to chronicling the lives and concerns of First Nations people and exploring issues of importance to all.
TIFF is also presenting Obomsawin with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, recognizing leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema, along with a career retrospective entitled Celebrating Alanis.