IDEAA-nomics (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Anti-Racism) Podcast: Recent Episodes
Anti-Racism Ambassadors Network Podcast
Join our host, Niha Shahzad Chandrarajan, and Sean Karmali on exploring difficult, funny, and heartfelt conversations on race, equity and diversity for public servants in Canada. This podcast is produced by Marcela Popowich, and brought to you by the Anti-Racism Ambassadors Network, a Government of Canada employee network.
Niha speaks to Sebastien N'Singi, Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice working at the Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Secretariat. His conviction for fightingwrongdoing did not start at the public service. Rather a career in Government is an outcome of his constant dedication to advocate for what is right, even ifit threatened his life. While at university in the 1970s, Sebastien participated in protests against the dictatorship regime of President Mobutu in Democratic Republic of Congo. Due to the substantial risk, he was forced toflee his home country as a refugee. After landing in Portugal, he came to Canada, after a the Commissioner of the UN High Commission for Refugees tooknotice of Sebastien, and his proficiency in French.
Here in Canada, he continued his education and was encouraged by mentors to become a lawyer, andeventually he found himself at the Department of Justice. Sebastien’s story is a fascinating tale of resilience and justice with an inspiring ending, coming in Part 2. We're convinced he'll have a documentary soon.
This special episode is a rebroadcast of a webinar hosted by Policy Horizons Canada, during Futures Week 2024. This webinar was recorded on May 7, 2024, with the introduction by Kristel Van der Elst, Director General of Policy Horizons Canada. The episode is about witnessing Indigenous perspectives on the future and how they influence our relationships to work, time, each other and earth.
Circle Keeper
- Larissa Crawford, Founder and Managing Director, Future Ancestors Services
Circle members
- Freddie Campbell, Director of Energy and Climate, Indigenous Clean Energy
- Grace Dillon, Professor Indigenous Nations Studies department, Portland State University
- Samantha Matters, Founding Director, Future Ancestors Services
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Cet épisode spécial est une rediffusion d'un webinaire organisé par Horizons politiques Canada, dans le cadre de la Semaine du futur 2024. Ce webinaire a été enregistré le 7 mai 2024, avec l'introduction de Kristel Van der Elst, directrice générale d'Horizons politiques Canada. L'épisode traite des perspectives autochtones sur l'avenir et de la façon dont elles influencent nos relations au travail, au temps, aux autres et à la terre.
Gardienne du cercle
- Larissa Crawford, fondatrice et directrice générale, Future Ancestors Services
Membres du cercle
- Freddie Campbell, directeur de l'énergie et du climat, Indigenous Clean Energy
- Grace Dillon, professeur au département d'études des nations autochtones de l'université d'État de Portland
- Samantha Matters, directrice fondatrice, Future Ancestors Services
In this episode you'll hear Niha Shahzad speak to Denise Wong, Director of Emerging Priorities at Natural Resources Canada about her journey navigating her public service career. After achieving a hard-won accomplishment of completing an EX-01 Director-level competition, Denise faced a setback in her career. She took time to introspect and reaffirm what it was that she wanted to accomplish. She reflects on reconnecting with her values, what it means to be a racialized woman in the public service, and how she wanted to build effective teams in the public service. Through this process and the sponsorship of another public servant, Denise became a Director, and exemplifies what it means to lead as your authentic self.
Please note: this episode contains references to violence.
What would you find after riding along with police officers and interviewing them for four years? How much of the 'war on cops' is true or just rhetoric? What are the unintended consequences of orienting an institution around the idea that they are always in danger when they're on the job?
Niha and Vishala find the answers to these questions with Dr. Sierra-Arévalo, whose new book, the Danger Imperative, explores these very questions. Dr. Sierra-Arévalo also describes the shift in policing after George Floyd and alternative methods to public safety and reducing violence.
You can find The Danger Imperative here:
https://www.sierraarevalo.com/dangerimperative
https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Imperative-Violence-Death-Policing/dp/0231198477
In this conversation with Dr. Shaun Anderson, Shamir and Niha talk about the greatest black athletes including Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Lebron James about their approaches to standing up for social justice. Hear Dr. Anderson explain the story behind his book, the Black Athlete Revolt. He explains the genesis of athletes standing up for justice, to today's impact of social media on the social movement.
This episode was recorded on Dec 2022.
You can buy the Black Athlete Revolt here:
https://www.shaunmarqanderson.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Athlete-Revolt-Movement-BlackLivesMatter/dp/1538153246
In celebration of Black Excellence for this year's Black History Month, we are proud to introduce you to NRCan student employee and rugby player Brianna Martey.
This episode is co-hosted by Niha Shahzad and Vishala Shembedasie.
On this episode you'll hear how Faduno Ali was able to create a sanctuary space for all at DND. Faduno talks to Barbara Abbas and Niha from NRCan about how to start, who to talk to and, how to overcome some of the challenges that might come up.
After listening, if you're looking for more information on how to create a Sanctuary Space in your Department, visit: Searching for tranquility? Visit the redesigned Sanctuary at NDHQ (Carling) - Canada.ca
Part 2 of our discussion with author and historian Blair LM Kelley where she discusses her new book, Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class. This episode is co-hosted by Niha Shahzad and Vishala Shembedasie.
Part 1 of our discussion with author and historian Blair LM Kelley where she discusses her new book, Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class. This episode is co-hosted by Niha Shahzad and Vishala Shembedasie.
In this episode, Marcela Popowich speaks to Alfonso Manolo, a proud queer first generation Filipino-Canadian, about his career in the public service. Alfonso shares how he successfully advocated for the inclusion of anti-Asian racism and religious discrimination into the RCMP’s national anti-racism course, alongside his advocacy for the collection of perception-based data.
Jaspaul takes us through his journey as the son of immigrants, what it meant to be part of the public service as the oldest, and how he experienced his identity throughout his career.
Jennifer Hong, co-chair of the Visible Minorities Ambassadors Network at NRCan, explores the ways in which we can engage meaningfully with ourselves and others. Jenn also reminds us to approach life and people with curiosity to connect, learn and grow.
Listen to Niha speak with Winnie Man Yin Pang, Director General of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch at Department of Canadian Heritage. Winnie talks about her journey from hiding her Chinese name in her youth to making the decision to embrace her full name as an adult. Though she experienced microaggressions within the public service, she shares how she found inspiration (including DM Quan-Watson's Open Letter) to help her embrace her identity and background.
She constantly works toward change and helping those like herself, who at first may have felt like outsiders within the public service, through the Network of Asian Federal Employees.
Join Niha and Sean as they speak to Deputy Minister Quan-Watson about how entered into the public service, his experience with racism and diversity, and how to make a difference by speaking up and out. The Deputy shares with us his list of top 5 books that he recommends everyone read, but ultimately he says that if you think of a Canadian experience that you don't know about, pick up something from that point of view.
- Epic of Gilgamesh
- Meditations by Marceus Orelius
- Guns of August - Barbara W. Tuchman
- Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
- Five days in May London 1940 by John Lukacs
In this episode Dr. Ellingwood shares his thoughts on being an agent of change while not allowing yourself to (be) diminish(ed).
He shares thoughts on bringing and being our authentic selves while acknowledging that "we don't recognize how much we have sacrificed of our authentic selves to fit in, to be a part of a system". Hear about his arduous journey entering the public service and lessons learned along the way.
Our discussion with Dr. Nicholas delves into the multiLAYERs of anti-racism and the EDI world.
He shares with us the work he's done and his thoughts on disaggregated data to colorism to a new name for our podcast to a need to add anti-racism as a factor of psychological health and safety in the workplace. His use of language, and the questions he raises about it, can teach us all how to critically think about the way we speak and write.
Join Niha and Sean as they talk to Alexi Ford-Ellis about including Indigenous Health and Wellness in the workplace. We explore Alexis's childhood as a Gwich'in woman, her experience in HR during the DRAP era, and her current role as a Director for Wellness at the Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion (KCII).
Niha Shahzad speaks to Roxane Lee, Executive Director at Service Canada and Yvette-Monique Gray, Regional Director General at Public Services and Procurement about the creation of a new Network called Building Black Leaders. They also share how they've created communities outside of government with their leadership in the sports and arts worlds. Roxane is the co-founder of a Vancouver Sports Club for youth playing basketball. Yvette-Monique is a part of a competitive dance group, President of the Board for the Little Chamber Music, and a Screener for South African Film Festival.
Join Niha and Sean in a conversation with Clinical Counselor Bohang Benedix on decolonizing mental health, and how to support yourself and your peers with compassion.
Bohang is an Registered Clinical Counselor who embodies empathy, compassion and authenticity in her counseling relationship. She has experience working with children, adults, couples and families from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and holds a Bsc. (Honours) in Psychology, as well as a MA in Counselling Psychology.
Prior to moving to Canada over 10 years ago from Southern Africa, she worked in trauma counseling and mental health within schools, as well as with adults and couples in relationship counseling for nearly ten years. Since moving to Canada, Bohang worked with refugees and immigrants as well as their children and youth by providing counseling services to cope with trauma, culture shock and assimilation, depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.
https://nofearcounselling.com/bohang-benedix-clinical-counsellor/
This episode is produced by Marcela Popowich.
Join Niha and Sean in a conversation with Aalya Dhanani, co-Founder of the Anti-Racism Ambassadors Network. Aalya talks about her experience as a woman of color within government, setting up the Network itself, and what she sees for the future of the public service.
Our host, Niha Shahzad Chandrarajan speaks to Trudy Samuel, the Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at NRCan on her experience working in the EDI field, what made her pursue this career, and what we see for the future of EDI.