2020-2021 Race, Equity & Action Speaker Series Events

October 14, 2020 - 10:00 am – 11:30 am
The Way Forward: Deconstructing Systemic Racism

Objectives

  • Explore how systemic racism manifests within institutions and the impact of systemic racism on the lived realities of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities;
  • Identify tools and strategies that can be incorporated to dismantle systemic racism within institutions particularly within the postsecondary environment;
  • Learn about the current initiatives of the Ontario Anti-Racism Directorate with a focus on the successes and challenges of addressing systemic racism.

Speaker

Kerry-Ann Douglas-Powell, Manager of Policy and & Systems Transformation within the Anti-Racism Directorate for the Province of Ontario
Kerry-Ann Douglas-Powell
Manager, Policy & Systems Transformation | Anti-Racism Directorate
Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General
Kerry-Ann Douglas-Powell uses the pronouns she/her. She is currently the Manager of Policy and & Systems Transformation within the Anti-Racism Directorate for the Province of Ontario and has the privilege of leading a team responsible for identifying and addressing organizational and cultural systemic race barriers within the OPS in addition to supporting leaders as they navigate through their anti-racism leadership journey.She is a graduate from Ryerson University’s Human Resources Management Program with over 15 years of experience in HR, Change Management, L&D and most recently equity within both the private & public sectors. Before going to the ARD in June 2019, Kerry-Ann led technical and leadership development learning initiatives within the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, served as a member of Board of Directors of AMAPCEO, the union for Ontario’s Professional Employees, and was the Networking Committee Chair for the Institutes for Performance and Learning’s Toronto Chapter until earlier this Spring.As an HR professional, an organizational educator and a change leader, Kerry-Ann thrives on designing innovative solutions that allow for people and organizations to navigate their way through the chaos, especially during times of change (whether those changes are operational, cultural or technological) – all under the guise of learning.

Format: Virtual – Zoom Platform

 


 

November 25, 2020 - 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Critical Conversations on Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia and the Implications for Postsecondary Environments

Objectives

  • Increase understanding of anti-Asian racism and the relationship to xenophobia
  • Deepen exploration of the overt and subtle manifestation of xenophobia and anti-Asian racism and its impact on community members with a focus on students
  • Tools and strategies universities can employ to immediately address anti-Asian racism and foster inclusive environments

Speaker

Avvy Go, Clinic Director, Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Avvy Go
Barrister & Solicitor
Clinic Director
Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Avvy Go is the Clinic Director of the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic and a co-founding steering committee member of Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change. Since her call to the Bar in 1991, she has worked exclusively in the legal clinic system, serving the legal needs of low income individuals and families. Immigration, human rights, and employment law are some of the main areas of law that she practices in. Between 2001 and 2019, Avvy served as a bencher of the Law Society of Ontario. She also served on the LSO’s Access to Justice Committee, the Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee and the Human Rights Monitoring Group. Apart from her legal practice, Avvy spends much time doing community organizing and advocacy work. Avvy has received numerous awards, including OCASI Life Time Achievement Award, Senate of Canada 150 medal, SOAR Medal, Order of Ontario, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers’ Lawyer of Distinction Award, City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations and President’s Award of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario.

Format: Virtual – Zoom Platform

 


December 3, 2020 • 10:00 am – 11:30 am • In recognition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities:
The Intersections of Disability and Multiple Identities: Fighting Stigmas, Advancing Opportunities

This event is being co-hosted with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Office and AccessAbility Services, University of Toronto Scarborough

Objectives

To emphasize the connections between ableism and racism and the tools needed to fight stigma, advance opportunities, and increase the accessibility of racial justice movements.

Keynote Speaker:

Dr. Roberta K. Timothy, PhD, RP

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
Social and Behavioural Health Science, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Adjunct Professor, Graduate Program in Critical Disability Studies, York University

 

Panelists:

Rabia Khedr

Access, Equity and Inclusion Consultant, DiversityWorx

 

Meenu Sikand

Executive Lead, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

 

Format: Virtual – Zoom Platform. Accessibility information for Zoom.

ASL: American Sign Language will be provided.