It is the kick off to the new school year, the shift into routine after the freedom of summer and the start of the fall season more broadly. It’s also an important time to pause, gauge our progress against the priorities and goals set at the start of the year, and recalibrate where needed as we move into the final stretch of 2026.
In this edition of Diversity Ink, I want to seize the opportunity to welcome Dahabo Ahmed-Omer, CEO of the BlackNorth Initiative, a leading Canadian organization advancing economic opportunity and combating anti-Black systemic racism and Robert Zhu, Partner at Roots Strategies, a national Indigenous affairs agency, two new directors to our Board at the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, (CCDI).
Both bring deep expertise and fresh perspective to our governance table, and their appointments reflect deliberate efforts to strengthen the strategic capacity of our Board as CCDI continues to grow. Through these strategic appointments, we are reinforcing our leadership and helping CCDI remain Canada’s trusted source for DEIA knowledge, learning, collaboration and the practical solutions organizations need to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in meaningful and lasting ways.
Towards the end of the month, on September 30, we will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Reflecting on this tragic chapter in Canadian history and its lasting and ongoing impacts on Indigenous Peoples and communities, is essential to advancing truth and reconciliation.
As stated by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: “Together, Canadians must do more than just talk about reconciliation; we must learn how to practise reconciliation in our everyday lives—within ourselves and our families, and in our communities, governments, places of worship, schools, and workplaces. To do so constructively, Canadians must remain committed to the ongoing work of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships”.
We encourage you at your respective workplaces, schools, and communities to engage with Indigenous-led initiatives across the country to mark this important day of commemoration. CCDI also offers multiple learning opportunities including webinars and resources on our website.
We remain committed to shaping the national dialogue towards a more equitable and just society for all.
With gratitude,
Sartaj Sarkaria
President and CEO
CCDI welcomes Dahabo Ahmed-Omer, the CEO of the BlackNorth Initiative, a leading Canadian organization advancing economic opportunity and combating anti-Black systemic racism and Robert Zhu, Partner at Roots Strategies, a national Indigenous affairs agency to its Board of Directors.
They will contribute to CCDI’s mission of building a more inclusive Canada. By adding complementary expertise on its board, CCDI aims to strengthen governance to support its long-term national impact and capacity to support evolving workplaces and communities with diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, (DEIA) education.
September 30th marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
In 2021, September 30 was federally recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.The day is a direct response to Call to Action No. 80 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.In 2015, the TRC released a report with its findings after travelling across Canada and hearing the testimonies of more than 6,500 individuals from Indigenous communities. The report documented the truth about the residential school system and included 94 Calls To Action.
Orange Shirt Day is also observed on September 30 since 2013 as inspired by Survivor Phyllis Webstad’s story. The new orange shirt that 6-year-old Phyllis proudly wore to her first day of residential school was immediately taken away when she arrived.
Her experience gave rise to Orange Shirt Day and the “Every Child Matters” movement. The orange shirt is now a symbol of many aspects of residential schools’ legacy, including Indigenous cultural resilience and revitalization. For example, language
revitalization is included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action (#14) and over 70 Indigenous languages continue to be spoken in Canada.
We encourage you to engage with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day topics by:
Join 2026’s most transformative DEIA conversation at CCDI Community of Practice events, held virtually and in person across Canada this October and November.
As complexity and change increase, some wonder whether DEIA can keep pace with evolving realities. Yet adaptation has always been central to this work, enabling the field to grow alongside changing contexts, environments, and understandings of DEIA and belonging.
These events will help build practical skills to sustain momentum, respond to resistance, and make thoughtful decisions through adaptive practices.
Learn more and register for an in-person or virtual session today.
Entrepreneurship helps build confidence, independence, and thriving communities.
Combined with Indigenous perspectives, it strengthens innovation, leadership, and creates more resilient communities.
In this episode of Leader Talks, host Sartaj Sarkaria speaks with Magnolia Perron, who leads the Indigenous Women and Youth Programs at the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, (NACCA) to discuss the power of supporting Indigenous women, believing in their potential, and creating a stronger sense of belonging for Indigenous youth.
Magnolia shares insights on meaningful allyship, unconscious bias, championing Indigenous entrepreneurship, and what employers should know to better assist Indigenous employees and Indigenous women-owned businesses.
This episode is available on your favourite podcast platform and ccdi.ca/podcast.
In our latest blog post, "How a Diversity Calendar Supports Workplace Inclusion and Employee Engagement", the CCDI team shares the many benefits of a diversity calendar.
Organizations want to create more inclusive workplaces; yet important cultural, religious, accessibility, and community observances are often overlooked during annual planning.
A diversity calendar helps organizations proactively recognize important observances, strengthen belonging, and embed inclusion into everyday workplace practices. Our 2026 Diversity Calendar is a popular tool.
To help you get a jump start on your planning, the 2027 edition will be released in just a few weeks.
What if workplaces were designed to support women rather than expecting women to adapt?
In this episode of Leader Talks, host Sartaj Sarkaria speaks with Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, an award-winning social entrepreneur, leadership and belonging expert, and Founder and President of Accelerate Her Future. Drawing on her journey from Iran to Canada and her work in corporate leadership, academia, and community, Golnaz shares why she built a career accelerator for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women.
They discuss the hidden barriers that affect careers, the relationships that open doors, and how trust and shared purpose can help organizations create workplaces where more people can grow, lead, and thrive.
Tune in today at your preferred podcast channel or visit: ccdi.ca/podcast.
Together we are shaping more equitable workplaces, schools and communities through our Employer Partners, moving towards a truly inclusive Canada. Join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest Employer Partners.
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