Weekly Message from Our Director and CEO, Stephan Jost

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Hello Everyone,

I am proud of all that we have all done here at the AGO to keep everyone as safe as possible during COVID. When I arrived here – almost five years ago – I spoke about how it is vital to balance our work life and our personal life. I want to again send a clear message that it is important to not communicate work related things on weekends or after hours unless it is truly urgent. I firmly believe that restorative breaks from work helps us all do a better job.  I admit that after a year of this COVID thing I am pretty exhausted – which I know hardly makes me unique! – so I am also going to encourage all of us to use some of your vacation time. I will take several days off during the April school break (Niagara Falls!).

On Wednesday, we received an update from Cian Knights, Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, and Nathalie Sato, Manager, Talent, on the AGO’s Diversity & Inclusion Learning Plan. Do take a moment to read the e-mail (also posted on the blog).  

At the bottom of this message, I have included a number of Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion webinars and other resources that all staff and volunteers can access to continue independent learning. If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact Cian at [email protected].

For all who are celebrating – Happy Passover

Take care,

Stephan

CCDI Webinar: Diversity and inclusion fundamentals

What is diversity and inclusion? Why is this important for workplaces across Canada? What is the business, people and social imperative? Join us to cover the building blocks of your D&I comprehension.

CCDI Webinar: Moving the needle from equity to justice

Equity recognizes that different approaches have to be applied for fair results for diverse individuals. This webinar will move the needle from equity to justice to shed light on how organizations can develop approaches to individual approaches at the systems level.

Anti-Asian Discrimination Resources

https://ccdi.ca/media/2659/202010322-learning-resources-anti-asian-racism-en.pdf

Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian Harassment and Xenophobia Workshop (facilitated by Hollaback, an American organization)

The one-hour, interactive training will teach you Hollaback!’s 5D’s of bystander intervention methodology. We’ll start by talking about the types of disrespect that Asian and Asian American folks are facing right now — from microaggressions to violence — using a tool we call the “spectrum of disrespect.” You’ll learn what to look for and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities. We’ll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct; and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening. We’ll have time at the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see Anti-Asian harassment online or in person.

Training Dates and Times: