2024 Annual Conference – The Regional Diversity Roundtable (RDR)

Topic: Centering Diversity for Workplace Equity: Sustainable Transformations.

October 9, 2024 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

The social sector converges to empower diverse communities, and foster inclusive workplaces. The path to realizing collective vision for transformed ecosystems is through community building and sustained investment of cross-sectoral entities, programs and policies. Let us come together to center diversity, equity, and inclusion as catalysts for systemic transformation, paving the way for a brighter, resilient tomorrow.

Resources

Eve Saint

Wet’suwet’en Land Defender,Organizer, Public Speaker, Co-founder of Porcupine Warriors

Indigenous Opening Speaker: Eve Saint

Eve was one of the four Indigenous Land Defenders arrested Feb 7th 2020 at Gidimt’en Checkpoint which helped spark the Shut Down Canada Movement a nation and in other parts of the world actions of blocking highways, borders, and railways. Eve is a Financial Divestment Campaigner for Gidimt’en Checkpoint, and helps lead the campaign against RBC. She is based in Toronto, Ontario where raising her two Children.

Julia Satov

Global Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Litera

Keynote: Julia Satov

Julia is a diversity & inclusion leader passionate in how companies mobilize inclusion and social impact. In her 15+ years of experience her career, in both the private and public sector, start up, scale up and M&A, spans the industries of academia, legal, finance and tech. Julia is a published author in the International Journal of Diversity in Education, and Huffington Post, a national award winner for outstanding achievement in organizational development, was CIO Views Top 10 DEI Inspiring Leaders to Follow in 2023, and most recently the recipient the Community Impact Award by Extraordinary Women in Tech 2024 and New York Moves Power Women DEI Leaders 2024 . She has taught business executives at the University of the West Indies, has guest lectured at Schulich & York U and keynotes nationally and internationally in various forums.

Julia sits on the Board of Directors for Ernestine’s Women Shelter, and as Co-Chair to UNITAR CIFAL York, EDI Committee. She has a degree in Philosophy, a Master of Education, a Law Clerk Diploma, and Certificates in: Professional Ethics (2012), Data-Driven Decision Making (2018) and a Certificate in Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2023). Julia is currently the Global Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Litera.

Dr. Alexis Buettgen

Assistant Professor, Community Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University

Joyce Barlow

Associate Director, Disability Inclusion, University of Waterloo

Workshop #1: Progressive Transformation and Sustainable Inclusion Facilitators:

In this workshop, Dr. Alexis and Joyce will guide us through an analysis of what sustainability currently looks like and what can be done to make it more progressive. This session will explore long-term, sustainable strategies for promoting diversity and equity in the workplace, including measurement and accountability mechanisms. Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways on how to adapt current practices to ignite change. The session will also reflect on current policies and laws, discussing whether they are reflective of the increasing diversity and complex needs nationwide, with a special focus on the local scene.

Focus: A critical capacity building session assessing the state of sustainability and proposing progressive strategies to enhance it, along with visioning a new pathway of policies and laws that serve the evolving national/provincial/regional diversity.

Nation Cheong

Vice President, Community Impact and
Mobilization
United Way Greater Toronto

Workshop #2: Transformation Across Sectors -Community, Institutions and Funding Bodies

Nation will lead this workshop, exploring the existing challenges and best practices within community organizations, institutions, and funding bodies that respond to emerging trends and address historical inequities. The session will highlight the interplay between government policies, corporate funding, philanthropy, and individual donors in supporting environmental and sector priorities. The focus will be on sustainable funding models, policies, and programs achieved through allyship and advocacy. It offers a platform to discuss implementable solutions for sustainable transformations across sectors and communities.

Focus: An in-depth examination of the interplay between community organizations, institutions, and funding bodies, addressing existing gaps and advocating for equitable funding systems that unintentionally create further disparities and fragmentations. This workshop will provide practical solutions and sustainable models for fostering allyship and advocating for policy and practice changes to achieve transformative and sustainable outcomes across sectors and communities.

Contact RDR for any additional accommodation needs at rdr@regionaldiversityroundtable.org. We will consider all reasonable requests.

RDR is a charitable non-profit organization committed to the institutionalization of diversity, equity and inclusion.