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DEI Alphabet Soup: Decoded! Part II

Earlier this month, we started to “decode” some common terms that are used in the sphere of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Because this field can be approached from many different angles, and there are many intersections of identity and inclusivity, we are continuing our series of posts by diving into another group of terms related to a particular theme.

Today’s theme is disability justice. These terms are related to activism surrounding the acceptance of bodies and physical abilities.

Disability: An impairment that may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or some combination of these. Disabilities may be present from birth or may occur during a person’s lifetime.

Importantly, there are two different models which can be applied to the definition of disability, which we will define below. These models can help frame discussions around accommodation, and how best to talk with others about disability in various contexts.

Medical Model of Disability: this model regards disability as an impairment, illness, or defect, and focuses on an individualized approach to solutions or accommodations. In other words, this is a framing of a disabled person’s abilities as abnormal or detrimental, and something to be fixed or cured if possible. “The medical model often refers to a disabled person as a victim: this can be very patronizing and offensive.” ie: A disabled person needs to request accommodations for their disability, to be able to participate in an activity or receive a service.

Social Justice Model of Disability: “views disability as a consequence of environmental, social and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with an impairment from a maximum participation in society.” In other words, this model calls on folks of all abilities to re-examine and re-evaluate their views on disability, and strives to find collective solutions to accessibility. This model also focuses on creating worlds where disabled people can participate to their fullest without needing to request individual accommodations.

Now that we know what disability is, let’s check out some other terms.

Ableism: The belief that disabled individuals are inferior to non-disabled individuals, leading to discrimination toward and oppression of individuals with disabilities and physical impairments. Ableism also takes the form discriminatory policies, failure to provide suitable accommodations, and prejudice against people with disabilities.

Accessibility, Accessible: The extent to which a facility is readily approachable and actually usable by individuals with disabilities. Accessibility can also refer to the type of language being used (have you ever tried to read a technical article full of jargon you don’t recognize or understand?), and, in our pandemic world, how readily approachable and usable a virtual event or program is to attendees.

Identity First Language: this generally refers to the syntax or order of words used to describe a person, where the describing word appears first. Eg. disabled person; autistic person; wheelchair-user

Person First Language: this refers to the order of words used to describe a person, where their personhood is specified first; eg. person with a disability; person who uses a mobility aid; person with ADHD; person with autism.

When it comes to the kind of language you should use to talk to or about someone, it is always best to ask how they refer to themselves and how they would like to be referred to. Just like when we consider others’ personal pronouns, don’t make assumptions! Some folks will prefer ID-first, others will prefer person-first. Part of practicing allyship is to ask, listen, and act in ways that support those we are allied with, in the ways they want to be supported.

We hope that this list of terms has helped your understanding of disability and how to talk about it. Keep an eye out for our next post where we will explore more terms to broaden our intersectional justice vocabulary! Subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss out, and contact us if you want to learn more about any of these terms.

Sikh Heritage Month: What it is and how you can celebrate

In April, Canadians across the country mark the beginning of Sikh Heritage Month–and on April 14, Sikhs world-wide celebrate Vaisakhi. Whether in politics or sports, Canada’s Sikh community has been a part of the country’s DNA since the late 19th century. Not quite sure you understand what Sikhism is? Read on to find out, and explore a few ways to help celebrate Sikh Heritage Month.

What is Sikhism?

According to the World Sikh Organization, the Sikh faith is the world’s fifth-largest religion, with over 25 million devotees worldwide. Founded in 1469 by Guru Nanak, the belief is monotheistic, upholding the equality of humans, men and women, and all religions as part of its basic tenets. The religion emerged from Punjab, and while many Sikhs have South Asian roots, as with any religious practice, there are Sikhs of all backgrounds and nationalities.

Like many other faiths, Sikhs have five primary articles of faith–learn more about those here. You may have had Sikh colleagues that wear some or all of these articles of faith, like the kara, an iron or steel bracelet, or, more commonly, the turban.

As Sikhism is built on tenets of equality for all, the practice of wearing a turban emerged during a time when women were required to cover their faces as a sign of respect toward men. It’s said that Guru Nanak rejected that tradition because God created women and men as equals–thus, requiring women and men both to cover their hair as a mark of respect toward God. The turban has become a recognized symbol of the Sikh faith from that moment onward.

What’s Vaisakhi?

Traditionally, Vaisakhi is a spring harvest festival celebrated by many South Asian cultures, but mainly by the Sikh community worldwide. The festival has been associated with Sikhism since the end of the 17th century when Guru Gobind Singh chose the date of the festival to create the highest order that can be reached by Sikhs, known as the Khalsa Panth.

How to Cultivate Allyship with the Sikh Community

1. Learn about the faith.

We’ve addressed a few key points above–but as with any form of allyship, take the initiative to learn about Sikhism and the Sikh lived experience. Then, as Canadians, we can take a moment to also reflect on the systemic inequalities that have existed right here at home, from the SS Komagata Maru to the ongoing microaggressions faced by Sikh people today.

2. Check your biases.

Sikh Canadians have often been the victim of othering and numerous biases–and many of us have internalized biases about Sikhs through poor representation in popular culture. Identify and disrupt these unconscious biases when you can, and do the same with your friends, family and colleagues.

3. Speak up!

There’s no allyship without action. When you see or hear biases in the workplace that unfairly target your Sikh colleagues, speak up. Affirm their experiences and call out harmful behaviour when you see it–that means poor jokes, disproportionate workloads, interruptions in meetings, and more. If you’re in a leadership position, this is even more critical–foster an inclusive environment by setting a precedent that your workplace is a welcoming and supportive one.

To learn more about Sikhism and the Sikh faith, visit the World Sikh Organization here. Want to make sure you don’t miss out on acknowledging Vaisakhi in your organization? Download MT Consulting’s diversity calendar below.

download your free 2022 canadian diversity calendar now

#WIRE Roundtable

In Episode 5, we welcome Rosie Yeung of Changing Lenses to discuss education and credentialing and what this means for a decolonized workplace.

Join Sherilyn and Sky of MT Consulting Group and Trisha McOrmand of McOrmand Coaching &Consulting at 1:00pm MT every Tuesday for the #WIRE Roundtable on LinkedIn Live. Follow us on Instagram to receive alerts and reminders each week before the event.

DEI Alphabet Soup: Decoded!

Wading through the world of ever-changing terminology and labels can be intimidating. This week we are looking at some commonly used terms that you may come across in the work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), to make it a little less daunting! Keep in mind that these definitions are contextual, meaning that they apply in the context of creating more welcoming and inclusive workplaces and professional spaces. In other contexts, each word may have a different meaning.

We are also aware that words’ meanings change over time as well! The following definitions are our current understanding of each term in a professional context. Today we will be summarizing some of the more generally applicable terms across DEI practice. Let’s start with breaking down this umbrella acronym!

Diversity: refers to the variety of identities held by members of a group, team, or staff.

Equity: is to be fair or impartial, accounting for each individual’s particular needs or (dis)advantages

Inclusion: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who are excluded or marginalized by systemic powers.

It’s also worth noting that making an acronym out of these three words is sometimes different, depending on the agency or field. The most common ones tend to be DEI and EDI. In different sectors, sometimes other words are added, to create different initialisms, such as: “accessibility” (to make “IDEA”) or “justice” (to make JEDI).

Accessibility, accessible: refers to how easily a person or people can connect with an idea, service, or place. Common accessibility issues encompass motor (eg. wheelchair access to a building), visual (eg. colour blindness), auditory (eg. hearing issues), learning/cognitive (eg. dyslexia, dyscalculia), and more. Something that is accessible, such as an event, takes into account these barriers and eliminates or accommodates for the barriers to increase access.

Ally, Allyship: the practice of using one’s privilege to disrupt systems of oppression, to ultimately benefit members of an oppressed group, to which the ally does not necessarily belong. It can be helpful to think of “ally” as a gift word. This means that you cannot identify yourself as an ally, but you must be identified as allied with someone by that person or group. Allyship is a verb: it takes practice and vulnerability, and a willingness to make mistakes and not take criticism personally.

Erasure: the act of disregarding or ignoring the presence of something, such as a particular identity. An example is the erasure of bisexual people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community: some folks insist that bisexuality is simply a ‘gateway’ to being ‘fully straight’ or ‘fully gay or lesbian’, instead of appropriately recognizing bisexuality as its own separate, full, valid identity.

Equality: the practice of providing the same treatment or resources to everyone, regardless of individual needs; not to be confused with equity.

Justice: behaviour or treatment that is just, or fair; in this context, it differs from the goals of ‘equity’ in that it takes action a step further from fair treatment or accommodations for all, to strive for the removal of barriers which block out individuals in the first place.

Microaggression: We really like this definition from an excellent resource called the Micropedia: “Microaggressions are everyday snubs and insults that marginalized groups face. They’re often very subtle comments or actions that come from implicit bias and/or stereotypes. They might seem like a compliment, a harmless comment, or a subconscious action.” Microaggressions can seem innocuous or minimally harmful in the moment, but like this mosquito bite analogy, can wear greatly on a person’s patience and resilience as they ‘stack up’.

We hope that makes navigating the world of DEI a little easier on your learning journey! Come back for our next post where we will get into some more definitions related to different social identities and justice topics. Let us know if there are any terms you would like us to define!

The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®)

An office with white walls and a wooden desk, atop sits a computer screen that reads Intercultural Development Inventory

MT Consulting Group is happy to announce the offering of a new service – the Intercultural Development Inventory. As qualified assessors of the IDI, we administer the assessment, provide a debrief and prepare a personalized growth plan for professionals seeking to lead inclusively through increased intercultural competence.

In this video, we provide answers to commonly asked questions about the Intercultural Development Inventory, including:

What does the IDI assess?
What is intercultural competence?
What are the kinds of questions that I’ll have to answer?
What does the debrief entail?
How actionable is the personalized growth plan?
I’m not a member of the dominant culture – will the IDI be of value to me?
I have had a lot of exposure to other cultures and I speak other languages – will the IDI be of value to me?
I don’t lead a team in my organization – will the IDI be of value to me?
What are some examples of ways in which my leadership can improve as a result of me taking the IDI?

Are you ready to build your intercultural competence and reach your organization’s inclusion goals? Contact us today:

#WIRE Roundtable

In Episode 4, we discuss decision-making. How do different viewpoints, worldviews and life experiences help make better decisions? The goal of diversity, equity, inclusion and reconciliation sounds good but in the current socio-economic and geopolitical climate, why does it matter and how does it help businesses achieve long-term strategic goals beyond profits?

In this episode, we discuss the driving forces behind the decisions leaders make and explore the Global Diversity Equity and Inclusion Benchmarks as one potential framework for ensuring decisions are made inclusively across an organization.

How I Navigated the Return to Work in a Pandemic with an Invisible Disability

I have a Primary Immune Deficiency. You’d have to be a wizard to perfectly navigate a life of illness, work and society with any semblance of “normalcy”. Navigating the workforce as an immunocompromised person was a feat of its own even during the “good times” given the repeated, recurrent infections I contracted. I worked with children for more than 20 years, but when Covid struck I realized that schools were probably not the best place for an immunocompromised asthmatic such as myself and I resigned from my position with the Edmonton school board. After consulting my immunologist and family doctors, we concluded that moving forward, working from home was the only way I was going to be able to protect my health, and my life. Given that the entire world had shifted to working online I figured that working from home would be an easy request to make….

My job search journey began full of hope; I trusted and believed in humanity and I put myself out there in full vulnerability for workplaces to see. As an Occupational Therapist, I have worked with people with disabilities and believe that everyone can be productive. It is my job to provide therapy to build one’s skills and break down barriers so that anyone with any disability can contribute to society. And yet here I found myself face to face with my own barrier, staring into an abyss of questions:

What do I tell potential employers?

How much do I disclose in an interview?

Should I disclose anything at all?

This last question was an impossibility, as tempting as it was to not disclose, because although I do have an invisible disability the pandemic had forced my disability to be fully disclosed. I am forced to tell every one of my coworkers, supervisors and bosses exactly what is going on and exactly why I am so special as to be the only one still working from home. Or why I am the one in the interview asking for an accommodation to work from home, and explaining why I cannot do the “virtual” position that I specifically applied for from the company office.

At first, I thought it would be ok to apply to a regular position and simply ask for an accommodation to work from home. One would think after a rejection or two I would’ve given up, but I am persistent! I had multiple interviews, enough to keep me motivated and interested, and keep my hopes up.

I tried several approaches.

Waiting until the end of the interview to disclose my need for accommodations.

Nope.

Disclose at the beginning of the interview?

Nope. But at least it was over quick!

Respond to the rejection email from a potential employer with a super long explanation of the legal responsibility to accommodate.

Nope. Definitely not recommended.

I must’ve gone through 10 interviews! Some hired on the spot, but the offer was rescinded once the request for accommodation was uttered. Sometimes negotiations were attempted, with the bargaining chip being my life and health. Every time, the deal was too steep a risk to pay for the job. Most interviewers did not even bother to reply or inform me of the outcome.

Employers do have a duty to accommodate; however, without clear guidelines and binding legislation in all provinces, employers are left to interpret what that means. In my experience, that never works out in the best interest of employees with disabilities. Many highly skilled and experienced disabled people are unemployed, underemployed or under-utilized in the labour market. People are capable of incredible feats if you remove the barriers you have created for them. Break down the access barriers and see people for who they are, for their abilities.

Here are 5 things organizations can do when a prospective employee has the courage to disclose a disability or directly request an accommodation:

Consider skills, experience and interview performance first. Hire based on these parameters. It is rare that an accommodation cannot be made; with some discussion, solutions can often be found.
Collaborate. Work together with the candidate to find creative solutions together. Find ways to utilize the person’s talents and skills within your workplace. See the candidate for their potential and not the limitations created by external barriers.
Ask questions of the candidate to learn specific steps you can take to accommodate their needs.
Do not request details of the medical diagnosis. The candidate is free to share should they choose, however the specific accommodation needs should be the focus of hte conversation.
Consult with your workplace Diversity and Inclusion departments when necessary and speak with outside agencies with experience in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion if needed. Agencies such as WCB, or MT Consulting Group are valuable resources in providing guidance on accommodating individuals with disabilities.

In the end, I did find a new position, with a company that did not hesitate to meet my need to remain working from home. I am thriving.

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Kimberley Small, Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Edmonton, Alberta.

Ramadan in the Workplace

Creating Inclusive Spaces for Muslims During the Holiest Month of the Year

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and marks the holiest month for Muslims around the globe. Tradition holds that Allah (swt) revealed the first verses of the holy Quran to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) during the month of Ramadan, on the night now known as Laylat al Qadr (Night of Power).

The month of Ramadan is a spiritual time of family, charity and introspection for Muslims. It is also the month of fasting, where no food or drink – including water – is to be consumed between sunrise and sunset. Fasting is an opportunity for Muslims to practice self-control, to avoid anger and immoral behaviour, and to show compassion. The practice of sustained fasting helps develop understanding and empathy for the poor and the hungry. For many Muslims, Ramadan is the most wonderful time of the year, with much celebration and community around the daily Iftar meal (breaking of the fast).

I had the privilege to observe and celebrate ten Ramadans overseas, and to experience first-hand the spiritual and physical benefits of fasting. What struck me most about Ramadan, was how school and work continued on as normal throughout the month, but with some accommodations to help get through the day.

Read below to learn more about how you can support Muslims in the workplace during Ramadan.

Trans Day of Visibility: Why it Matters, How to Celebrate

International Transgender Day of Visibility (also sometimes known as TDOV) is celebrated annually on March 31. This day was started by Rachel Crandell-Crocker in 2009. She created the day out of a desire to provide more narratives about trans and gender-diverse people than the tragic, violent deaths of (mostly Black) trans women remembered in November for Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR). Crandell-Crocker chose the date of March 31 more out of convenience than significance, because it is “far enough away from TDOR in November and Pride Month in June that it wouldn’t conflict with either”. Since 2009, millions of people have started to observe and celebrate this day, and the resilience and joy of trans folks everywhere.

Why Trans Day of Visibility is important

As we continue to see time and again, representation matters. TDOR focuses on honouring the memory of trans and gender-non-conforming (GNC) people who have been murdered in the preceding 12 months, through advocacy, collective mourning, and direct action. TDOV is a hopeful day, meant to highlight the happiness and thrival of trans people, to balance the collective mourning that trans communities face every day.

By focusing on the living for a particular day, it provides the community with hope and visibility beyond the all-too-frequent tragedy that impacts trans folks in particular. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate our trans neighbours and friends in particular, because they can often be overshadowed by more broadly-reaching Pride celebrations. And trans people experience significantly more discrimination than cisgendered folks, queer or otherwise.

How to Celebrate Trans Pride on TDOV

Here are 5 suggestions for celebrating Trans Day of Visibility and making your workplace more inclusive of trans and GNC folks every day.

Include pronouns in introductions, email signatures, name tags, etc. Normalizing the sharing of pronouns helps to reduce assumptions about people’s gender presentation, and avoid misgendering (intentional or unintentional).

Make reparations or donations to trans care organizations. To get started, look at PFLAG Canada (including our local Edmonton chapter!), Egale, and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Each of these organizations provide education for allies, support for community members, and do work to create safer spaces for all 2SLGBTQIA+ folks.

Raise awareness and advocate for trans rights. Donate to or support research and movements such as Working for Change – a Two-Spirit and Trans Un(der)employment Study. Research the work that the organizations listed above are engaged with, and find out how you can support that work. Be vocal in your own communities about the work that they do!

Share stories of trans people’s success and thrival. Look to the advocacy groups above for a place to start, or ask your trans friends and colleagues how they would like to be celebrated. A saying often invoked during TDOV is to “give people their flowers while they can still smell them”; in other words, notice, appreciate, and celebrate them while they are alive, so that they can continue to live, and do so happily.

Don’t just celebrate on this one day. Trans people deserve happiness and celebration every day, not just once per year. Make your contributions and actions sustainable and continuous. Like all forms of allyship, it should be a consistent effort to strive for a safer, more equitable world for all, year-round.

We would love to know in the comments below what your organization is doing to be a safe space for trans employees . Remember MT Consulting Group is always here to help.

#WIRE Roundtable

In Episode 3, we discuss leaders and leadership. How can different models of leadership can support more equitable, sustainable workplaces?

The old model of leadership lends itself to a “might makes right” mentality, and we can see the fruits of that approach: the Great Resignation and levels of employee disengagement for those who haven’t resigned yet are in the range of 60% or higher. This model is simply unsustainable.

How can the C-Suite evolve to meet the needs of employees, clients, and – increasingly urgent – ensure their business practices are sustainable and regenerative?

In this episode, we share our own experiences of working for great leaders and explore alternative leadership frameworks and their applicability to the realities of today, including inclusive leadership, the 3 models of leadership outlined in the Buddhist tradition, the Art of Possibility and more.

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