A Discussion with Rawlson King: Exploring Ottawa’s Anti-Racism Strategy and the Importance of Civic Engagement
Diversonomics
We are excited to share that Diversonomics is back with our hosts Phedely Ariste and Gladys Osien. In the first episode of this season, joins our co-hosts for an engaging discussion about the City’s first Anti-Racism Strategy approved by Ottawa City Council in 2022. The conversation focuses on the grassroots efforts to develop and implement the strategy, the importance of civic engagement and the collective ability to advocate for meaningful change. King is Ottawa’s first Black city councillor and is the liaison for the City’s Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations initiatives. A...
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The importance of intentionally claiming your agency
Diversonomics
After a brief hiatus, we’re excited to share that Diversonomics is back . On the premiere episode of season six, Gladys and Phedely are in conversation with Raphael Tachie, current president of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) and head of Gowling WLG's Private Client Services team in Vancouver. On the premiere episode of season six, Gladys and Phedely are in conversation with Raphael Tachie, current president of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) and head of Gowling WLG's Private Client Services team in Vancouver. Together, they discuss the importance of...
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504 The long game: Alternative ways to entrench diversity & inclusion in the workplace
Diversonomics
In this episode of Diversonomics, our hosts Roberto Aburto and Cindy Kou have a very insightful discussion with former in-house counsel turned chief legal officer, Naveen Mehta. Together, they delve into the common pitfalls organizations face when trying to prioritize diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and new ways in which employers can think of and approach D&I for long-term, sustainable change.
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502 Holding space: A new era of mindfulness in Indigenous allyship
Diversonomics
On this week’s episode of Diversonomics, our co-hosts are joined by Gowling WLG associate lawyer Alyssa Flaherty-Spence. Alyssa shares the pros and pressures of being an Indigenous lawyer in big law, tips on how to effectively create and hold space for meaningful Indigenous representation within the legal space, and what all Canadians can do to dismantle the status quo when it comes to the mistreatment and underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
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503 Solving for X: The problematic advancement equation for Black people in the workplace
Diversonomics
In this episode, we hear from Charlene Theodore, in-house counsel at the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, and the Ontario Bar Association’s first Black president (and first “pandemic” president too!). Charlene candidly discusses her experiences as a Black female lawyer in Canada and sheds light on her forward thinking initiatives “Work that Works” and “Not Another Decade”, aimed at reimagining workplaces from an equity and diversity framework.
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501 Under pressure: Tackling systemic racism in Indigenous communities & beyond
Diversonomics
On this week’s episode of Diversonomics, we hear from Brad Regehr, the first Indigenous lawyer to hold the office of President of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). A member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Brad is passionate and unapologetic when it comes to Indigenous rights and moving the needle forward on anti-racism in the legal community. Tune in as he discusses his role with the CBA and his plans to advance the work of the Association’s Truth and Reconciliation initiative.
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406 The WE Empower Program: Encouraging organizations to become signatories of Women’s Empowerment Principles
Diversonomics
Established in 2018, and set to conclude at the end of 2020, the WE Empower Program is a joint initiative between UN Women, the International Labour Organization and the European Union.
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405 Forging ahead: Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace
Diversonomics
Tune in to episode 5 of Diversonomics season 4 as hosts Roberto Aburto and Cindy Kou speak with Adrian Ishak – senior corporate counsel for global labour & employment at Salesforce and vice-chair of the Roundtable of Diversity Associations – about the key barriers to EDI success and the importance of remaining committed to continually moving forward.
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404 Moving the needle: Key barriers to embedding diversity and inclusion within an organization
Diversonomics
From misunderstood expectations to lack of buy-in on the value of diversity, there are a number of challenges and obstacles facing leaders who want equity, diversity and inclusion to really thrive in their organizations.
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403 Partnership admission: Addressing the risk of unconscious gender bias
Diversonomics
In 2018, Gowling WLG Canada embarked on its three-year Clients First: Strategic Plan. One of the goals of the comprehensive plan is to have a partnership that is one-third female by January 1, 2021.
info_outlinePodcast summary
In the inaugural episode of Diversonomics, co-hosts Roberto Aburto and Sarah Willis introduce listeners to the podcast and discuss their experiences with diversity and inclusion in the legal industry. They also outline some of the obstacles the profession faces with respect to adopting new strategies and overhauling old practices.
Episode tip
"Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common." — Sarah Willis, Co-host of Diversonomics and an associate at Gowling WLG
Resources mentioned in this episode
- About Gowling WLG
- About the combination between Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence Graham
- Gowling WLG's diversity and inclusion initative
Episode guests
Roberto Aburto
Roberto Aburto is an associate in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office, practising in municipal law and civil litigation, with a focus on real estate disputes, land use planning law and commercial litigation.
He is also an active member in the swimming and lifesaving community, serving on the board of directors for the Lifesaving Society (Ontario Branch) as the corporate secretary/legal adviser, and on the Lifesaving Society (National Branch) National Team Selection Committee for Lifesaving Sport.
He is also co-chair of Gowling WLG's Diversity and Inclusion Council and is committed to promoting these principles.
To learn more about Roberto, visit his bio or connect with him on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Sarah Willis
Sarah Willis is an associate in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office, practising in the areas of commercial and civil litigation, and medical defence law. Sarah also has ecommercial and civil litigation experience in a variety of areas, including contractual and construction law disputes, tort actions, and small claims court claims. While in law school, Sarah was an oralist in the 2013 Willms and Shier Environmental Law Moot competition, sat as an executive on the Women and Law Association, and was the vice-president of the class of 2013 council in her final year.
To learn more about Sarah, visit her bio or connect with her on LinkedIn.