On October 23, the Federation of Black Canadians (FBC) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM), with 45 participants reflecting on the organization’s 2023 milestones and setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. The meeting, called to order by Robert Tyndale,...
What does Representation mean?
- the actions of speaking or acting on behalf of someone or the state of being so represented.
- the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature.
Did you know?
40%
Representation in the Financial Industry Statistics
The Importance of Representation
Representation in financially regulated sectors is important in Black communities due to the disportionate rates of Black individuals holding managerial positions within this field.
According to Statistic Canada Black men were about 40% less likely to work in management occupations than non-visible minority men (SatsCan, 2021). Where is the data on Black women or members of the Black LGTBQ2Sl community within Canada?
What Does Representation Look Like?
Representation in financially regulated sectors is important in Black communities due to the disproportionate rates of Black individuals holding managerial positions within this field. Many individuals are under the impression that representation solely means hiring more diverse candidates. However, representation in corporate institutions can be executed in different ways! Below are some examples of ways you can promote diversity, equity and inclusion within your organization.
1. Culturally Responsive Onboarding
Setting the tone for the type of organization you would like to run is vital in the overall success of EDI within your spaces. During employee onboarding, individuals should undergo anti-racist and anti-oppression workshops. These workshops can go over concepts such as implicit bias, imposter syndrome, team building and much more.
2. Promote Pay Equity
Managers should actively ensure all employees are receiving the best pay for their roles. This can be done through analysis of roles and responsibilities and comparing them to their pay and the pay of others annually.
Practicing this not only ensures pay equity, but it promotes transparency and allows employees to know that they are valued.
2. Promote Pay Equity
Terms to Consider
Tokenism
- According to the Oxford Dictionary the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to do a particular thing, especially by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality within a workforce
Example of Tokenism in the workplace: Expecting the Black employees to plan Black History Month activities every year, rather than educating yourself and making an effort to create initiatives as a group.
Implicit Bias
- In social identity theory, introduced by Henri Tajfel, an implicit bias or implicit stereotype, is the pre-reflective attribution of particular qualities by an individual to a member of some social out group (Macleod, 2019).
Example of Implicit Bias in the workplace: not hiring individuals with different academic credentials than the ones in your hometown. International candidates come from all around the world, it is important to disable implicit bias while on a hiring board.
Imposter Syndrome
- Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments (Tulshyan and Burey, 2021).
Example: Feeling not good enough compared to your counterparts at work.
Code switching
- Code-switching involves adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities (McCluney et al, 2019).
Example: Hiding your accent at work and putting on a “customer service” voice.
Resources
Workshops and Training
Educational Resources
We Can’t Talk about That at Work! How to Talk about Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics
Diversity in the Workplace: Eye-Opening Interviews to Jumpstart Conversations about Identity, Privilege, and Bias
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations on Race
Upcoming EDI webinars and consultations
Latest Events
Black Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition December 11th
Join us for an electrifying evening of innovation and inspiration! Watch our Black Entrepreneurship Program graduates showcase their groundbreaking ideas as they compete for over $10,000 in prizes. Don’t miss this celebration of creativity, ambition, and community! 📅...
Black Entrepreneurship French Pitch Competition Recap
The BEP French Cohort’s Pitch Competition on November 5th, 2024, was an unforgettable evening celebrating Black Francophone entrepreneurship. With over 80 attendees and a lineup of seven impressive pitches, this event for the Federation of Black Canadians’ French BEP...
Community Consultation: Sankofa Square
We are partnering with Sankofa Square to help make sure our community is heard! Be part of the conversation as we reimagine the vibrant heart of Toronto! Formerly known as Yonge and Dundas Square, Sankofa Square is undergoing an exciting transformation, and we want...