Black History Month
By Keba Walters, Assistant Manager, Recruitment (RES/CIC)
This February 2022, Our Diversity and Inclusion Committee hosted yet another successful Black History Month Roundtable. As the second annual event in this space, the roundtable focused on building on the discussions from the previous year’s event, which was fantastically hosted by Melicia Gregory, our D&I Employee Chair.
Last year’s roundtable focused on the lived experiences of Black-identifying employees at ASP and coming into awareness of the histories, stories, and lingering discrimination faced by Black Canadians. This year, hosted by our newly appointed D&I Employer Chair, Keba Walters, the conversation furthered the discussion regarding the experiences specific to ASP, how ASP management views these topics, and what their responsibility is to provide a safe and equitable space for their Black employees.
We received a lot of feedback regarding bias, and how micro-aggressions can come from various communities, whether it’s intentional or not. Overall, it was another year of valuable learning and togetherness.
The Diversity and Inclusion Committee works to ensure that these roundtables are not only outlets for employees of protected groups to share their experiences, but are also platforms to uplift our employees and create action. Whether you’re interested in sharing or simply interested in learning about the experiences and lives of your fellow ASP coworkers, we encourage all employees to join us. The goal is to create a better ASP for all.
What’s Up Next in Diversity & Inclusion?
Stay tuned for details about Asian heritage Month! We will be welcoming employees to share their experiences from all over the Asian diaspora. Come to share and learn about history, holidays, favourite foods, similarities and differences between cultures, and to celebrate our diverse Asian community here at ASP. See you soon!