Over the last few decades — and particularly the last several years — the world has seen a heightened awareness around the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA). Everyday environments like the workplace are changing policies and practices to ensure all individuals are physically, culturally and socially integrated, a shift many say is long overdue.
Whether it’s using a person’s correct pronouns, offering adaptive digital technologies like screen readers or text-to-speech synthesizers, or accommodating multi-faith prayer spaces in workplaces, we’ve all seen change in our lifetime. But how far have we really come, and how far do we have left to go?
Dalhousie’s Open Dialogue Live event on October 8 will tackle these questions.
Camille Dundas, founder of The IDEA Practice and racial equity consultant, has made it her life’s work to understand these changes. She will be one of four expert panelists to speak at the upcoming Open Dialogue Live event.
An evolving concept
“A decade ago, many organizations had a more reactive approach to issues around EDIA, often focusing on compliance with legal regulations rather than actively fostering an inclusive culture,” Dundas says. She adds that the concepts (of EDIA) were narrow, but now encompass a wider range of identities and experiences — from race and ethnicity to abilities, faith, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity and more.
“Justice movements, like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, have put pressure on organizations to take meaningful action,” she says. “And I think younger generations are very vocal about prioritizing diversity and inclusion, influencing employers to adapt to attract and retain talent.”
Dundas, who will also offer a free workshop through Dalhousie’s Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development about creative inclusive workplaces this fall, looks forward to sharing her experiences with Open Dialogue Live attendees on Oct. 8. “My research has shown me a great deal about the workplace’s — and more broadly, Canada’s — unique place in the diversity, equity and inclusion space.”
The future workforce
Quenta Adams, Dalhousie’s assistant vice provost, student engagement and success, whose past work has examined historically excluded and underserved students and communities (see this article), looks forward to bringing a student and post-secondary perspective to the Oct. 8 event.
“Institutions like Dalhousie have recognized that the type of student who historically attends our schools — while still here — is complemented by others who have accessed education differently, or who were otherwise excluded,” she says. “We’re responding to that need for change and transformation, as communities claim space in conversations where their voices were previously silenced.”
Adams, who is part of Dalhousie’s African Nova Scotia strategy working group, adds that equity-deserving groups act as their own champions now more than ever and need more public support. “The very purpose of higher education is to drive change and transformation, and we can only do that with diversity of thought.”
A continuous integration
Looking to the future, panelist Orla McDevitt, director of accessible employment at Dalhousie, shares that to be truly effective (in the workplace), EDIA must be fully integrated into an organization’s vision and culture.
“Education and training are key to creating this culture, and to removing barriers,” she says. “Policies such as fair hiring practices increase diversity and build a more inclusive and equitable workplace. An open and accommodating workplace fosters high morale for a diverse range of employees, maximizing their opportunity to reach their potential.”
Creating inclusive workplaces is not something that happens overnight, however. “It’s a continuous task,” McDevitt adds. “And it requires leadership throughout the organization. Everyone has a role to play.”
Jude Gerrard, member of the Millbrook First Nation and Ombudsperson for NSCAD University, will bring a systematic oppression and racial identity lens to the ODL event. Having worked at several post-secondary institutions in Nova Scotia, Gerrard currently provides mediation and negotiation services in cases of conflict, while also playing a leadership role in advancing EDIA at NSCAD University.
Need to know
Open Dialogue Live: EDIA in the Evolving Workplace will take place Oct.8 from 6-7 p.m. at Dalhousie’s Ralph M. Medjuck Building (Room B015) at 5410 Spring Garden Road and is available through livestream. Admission is free and open to the public, but guests must RSVP in advance for in-person or livestream attendance.
The event will be moderated by Jeff Myers, director of community partnerships and projects in Dalhousie’s Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development.