Anti-racism & diversity resources

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. The killing drew an international spotlight on the issue of anti-black racism. It is incumbent on everyone to reflect on systemic discrimination and how we all can contribute to a better, more inclusive tomorrow. 

Supporting diversity and inclusion, promoting pluralism, and responding to systemic discrimination have been long-standing priorities for me. One of the reasons I decided to become a journalist was to channel my student activism into a positive and creative response to the mental and emotional challenges of constantly reacting to demoralizing, and generally sad news related to the treatment of visible minorities and First Nations peoples in Canada.

My late teens and early twenties were marked by the 1990 Gulf War; the 1990 Oka crisis; the 1995 Ipperwash crisis and the death of Dudley George; and the 1995 Gustafsen Lake standoff, as well as the numerous shooting deaths of Black men in Canada. These were political events that I struggled to understand as a young Canadian. Journalism gave me an opportunity to write about these issues.

By the time I arrived in Egypt to start my career as an international correspondent in 2000, I quickly realized that I had taken freedom of expression and speech for granted in Canada, and that there were stark differences between the experiences of North Americans and the lives of people living in the Middle East. Little could I imagine the earthquake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and the war on terror which followed.   

I later joined the Canadian government as a political officer in the Foreign Service because, I felt I should be part of the process to change the Canadian government from within, and that at the minimum my presence inside the halls of power would have a positive impact by informing political leaders and decision makers with more diverse perspectives. 

Even today, I am encouraged to work within Global Affairs Canada on employment equity initiatives to ensure fair representation of visible minorities within the Canadian government. Below is a selection of resources on diversity and anti-racism issues in Canada. 

ARTICLES

• I’ve often been the only racialized woman in the boardroom. But are you really surprised? – Globe and Mail: by Shirley Phillips, the first Deputy Minister of Economic Development in the Government of Ontario 
• The Real Work of Anti-Black Racism – by Executive Director Darrell Bowden, Equity and Community Inclusion, Ryerson 
• Black on Bay Street – Hadiya Roderique had it all, but still could not fit in, Globe and Mail 
• Letters to America from Black Canadians – Eight writers pen open letters to America addressing the task of confronting racism that persists in their own country – MacLean’s 

PODCASTS

• Colour Code: A podcast about race in Canada - Episode: “The most visible minority” – the experience of being a visible minority in a high-profile position 
• The Code Switch Guide to Handling Casual Racism – NPR - thoughtful discussions of race, racism, unconscious prejudice, and innate privilege 
• Why Ta-Nehisi Coates is Hopeful (Ezra Klein Show) 
• Aspen Ideas: How to Quash Bias – interview with Jennifer Eberhardt, author of “Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do,” with Adam Grant, organizational psychologist 

BOOKS

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015) 
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo (2018)  
• Dr. Robin DiAngelo discusses White Fragility – YouTube 
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (2019) 
• The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole (2020) – Documentary on CBC 
• The Skin We’re In – streaming on CBC Gem 
• Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge (2017) 
• Annex A: adult reading list recommended by Parents for Diversity, an Ottawa-based group 

​HOW TO START A CONVERSATION

• How to have conversations about race at work – Forbes - an insightful interview with a recognized expert on racism 
• How should you talk to your employees about racism? - Entrepreneur 
• How managers can promote healthy conversations about race – Harvard Business Review 

Training options: Canada School of Public Service 

• Confronting Your Assumptions 
• Overcoming Your Own Unconscious Bias 
• Bridging the Diversity Gap 
• Your Role in Workplace Diversity