“How can we break the Bamboo Ceiling and build a more inclusive Canada?”

In honour of Asian Heritage Month this May, we are thrilled to welcome Teresa Woo-Pawn for this inspiring episode of Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham. As a trailblazer in human rights advocacy, Teresa made history by becoming the first Asian Canadian woman elected to the Alberta legislature.

Throughout her career, Teresa collaborated with diverse communities across Canada to promote inclusivity and equitable representation of Asians in all spheres of society. In this episode, she shares how her family's immigration story and cultural background have informed her activism and public service. We delve into the importance of telling a fuller, more inclusive history of Canada, the persistence of Yellow Peril stereotypes, and the challenges of the Bamboo Ceiling in leadership.

In addition, Teresa reflects on the evolution of Asian Canadian networks, sharing practical advice for developing cultural competency and resources for deeper learning. This episode is packed with actionable insights to help build a more equitable future for Asian Canadians and guidance for allies looking to offer meaningful support.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Canada’s richly diverse and multicultural Asian population.
• Teresa’s election as the first Asian Canadian woman in the Alberta legislature.
• The story of her family’s immigration, which began with her two grandfathers.
• How her cultural background has shaped the way in which she works and lives.
• Asian Heritage Month and its role in telling the full history of Canada.
• Underreporting of the statistics and experiences of Yellow Peril bias and stereotypes.
• Unpacking solutions to the problem of the Bamboo Ceiling in leadership.
• How the Asian Canadian network has evolved and formalized over time.
• Developing cultural competency as Asian Canadians and allies to the community.
• Digital resources for those who wish to dive deeper into this topic.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Teresa Woo-Paw LinkedIn
• Asian Heritage Foundation Calgary
• Act 2 End Racism
• Action Chinese Canadians Together (ACCT) Foundation
• Canadian Race Relations Foundation
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion

Our latest podcast continues the new series, Inclusion Table Talks, which is included in our regular programming. In this episode, Anne-Marie Pham speaks with Jake Stika, Executive Director at Next Gen Men, about men's essential role in the DEIA ecosystem. Jake reminds us of the damaging impact of perpetuating our patriarchal system and how his organization is actively working to include men and boys not only for allyship but also benefactors whose life experiences are valued and important.

Jake emphasizes the need to recognize how the active exclusion of men has negatively affected their roles and contributions within DEIA efforts and shares insights into reframing this narrative for true inclusion.

Listener discretion advised: This episode contains a brief discussion of Jake’s personal story, which touches on sensitive topics including substance use, depression, self-harm, bullying, and suicide. These references occur between 6:10 and 7:55. If you find these topics distressing, we encourage you to pause, skip this section, or seek professional support as needed.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Jake Stika describes who he is and what inspired him to cofound Next Gen Men (NGM).
• Why men only think critically about masculinity much later in life than they probably should.
• The ins and outs of NGM as it continues to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
• How the company’s gender equity training protocol differs depending on the client.
• Why some men are omitted from gender equity conversations and how we can include them.
• How men are viewed as a societal problem to solve instead of as people who need help.
• The importance of men and women supporting each other in diverse gender debates.
• Why empathy (for everyone) matters and why we shouldn’t forget accountability.
• How capitalism is driving many conversations about gender equality and how we can fix this.
• Toxic masculinity: What it means, how it manifests, and why its wording needs a reshuffle.
• Jake critiques popular gender-based terms with advice on how to avoid them.
• How the everyday person can support gender equity initiatives in rethinking masculinity.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Jake Stika on LinkedIn
• Jake Stika on Medium
• Next Gen Men
• Voice Male Magazine
• Jermal Alleyne Jones on LinkedIn
• Adolescence
• NGM Library
• ‘Incels: A Guide to Symbols and Terminology’
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
• Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham

CCDI is pleased to introduce 'Inclusion Table Talks', a new sub-series of our podcast: Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham. This series brings together CCDI's Employer Partners and thought leaders for in-depth discussions on the growing anti-DEI rhetoric and its impact on our collective vision of building a more inclusive Canada. We'll explore what DEIA truly is and isn't, address common misconceptions, and discuss the profound impact DEIA has had and continues to have on workplaces across Canada.

In this episode, Dr. Sara-Jane Finlay joins us to unpack the rising prevalence of anti-DEI rhetoric. She is the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). We begin by hearing from Dr. Finlay on the landscape of DEI across Canada, and what has set certain companies up for long-term success in this arena. Discussing diversity as an outcome of equitable policies, we explore the government’s role and the impact of the media on public opinion.

We unpack the changing acronym, from DEI to DEIAT, and discuss some of the challenges increasingly associated with this work. Lastly, Dr. Finlay offers some advice on the roles we can each play to build a more inclusive future. Thanks for joining us.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The rise of anti-DEI rhetoric today.
• Introduction and welcome to Dr. Sara-Jane Finlay, Associate Director of DEI at ICBC.
• Dr. Finlay’s analysis of DEI in the Canadian workplace today.
• How long-term strategies have supported the companies that are still prioritizing DEI today.
• Reframing diversity is an outcome of equity.
• The lack of government intervention in this space.
• How the media is shaping public opinion in the US and Canada.
• Navigating anti-DEI rhetoric at ICBC.
• Why the acronym is changing from DEI to DEIAT.
• Common myths and misconceptions around what DEI is truly about.
• Tips on navigating the challenges that are increasingly associated with this work.
• Some of the roles we can each play to build a more inclusive Canada.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Sara-Jane Finlay on LinkedIn
• Equity and Inclusion Office of the University of British Columbia
• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
• The Tyranny of Merit
• Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham