What began as a day to commemorate the establishment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is now a month-long celebration honouring the diversity and inclusion of people with disabilities, their identities, culture and contributions to society. The origins of Disability Pride Month go back almost 35 years, to when the ADA was passed in the United States in July 1990.

Along with celebration, Disability Pride Month aims to change the way people think about and define disability, with the goal of ending stigma and promoting that disability is a natural part of human diversity. The month of July – and beyond – is a time to build awareness of barriers that people with disabilities still face and continue advocating for change and equity.

Disability Pride Flag

Pictured above is the Disability Pride Flag, which was created in 2019 by Ann Magill, who has cerebral palsy. The flag and its elements represent many cross-sections and advocates for an inclusive society that ensures barrier-free accessibility for everyone.
Meaning behind the design elements:

• Black Field: Mourning for those who’ve suffered and died from ableist violence.
• Five Colours: Representing the variety of disabilities, needs and experiences, including Mental Illness, Neurodiversity, Invisible and Undiagnosed Disabilities, Physical Disabilities and Sensory Disabilities.
• Parallel Stripes: Forming solidarity within the disability community, despite differences.

The zigzags in the original 2019 design represented how disabled people must move around barriers and the creative ways in which they do so. This design element was re-worked in 2021 to reduce symptoms for individuals with visually triggered disabilities.

Virtual Disability Pride Parade

Easterseals is hosting a virtual Disability Pride Parade on Friday, July 26. You can participate on social media by using the hashtag #VirtualDisabilityParade and sharing graphic “signs” designed by Easterseals on your story or feed.

Accessibility at RRC Polytech

While the ADA is an American Act, it is an important piece of Human Rights legislation that has influenced other accessibility acts worldwide. In Manitoba, we have the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA), which became law in December 2013. The goal of the act is to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility for all.

RRC Polytech is committed to developing a culture of diversity and inclusivity for the communities we serve. We believe in equal access to education and employment, and as one of the province’s leading post-secondary institutions, we are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming, supportive and respectful of the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

Student Accessibility Services plays a key role in this commitment by arranging accommodations and supports for students with disabilities. Learn more about Student Accessibility Services at rrc.ca/accessibility. The Supportive Employment Program provides workplace accommodations to ensure employees with disabilities receive appropriate support to continue working or return to productive employment as soon as medically feasible. Read RRC Polytech’s Accessibility Plan, which addresses the Province of Manitoba’s Accessibility for Manitoban’s Act.

RRC Polytech’s Anti-Racism Action Committee – Social Justice Engagement Club has put together a Social Justice Bingo activity to build awareness on anti-racism and social justice this summer.  All members of the RRC Polytech community are invited to engage in the activities on this card to learn more about anti-racist and social-justice related topics and places in our province. This is an opportunity to reflect on power, privilege, bias, and how they influence our own experiences and perceptions, and how they affect individuals and groups in our communities.  

As you engage with these activities, reflect on your experiences, take pictures, and share with the RRC Polytech community. Once you have completed the activities on the card (at least five activities in a row), fill out this form by September 30, 2024 to be included in a draw to win a book prize. 

Names of all respondents who complete the activities and indicate their wish to participate in the book draw, will be entered for a draw on October 1, 2024. Two winners will be randomly picked from the draw and will be informed directly by email to claim their book prize.

Summer 2024 Social Justice Bingo

You can access other Anti-Racism Resources and learn more about the Anti-Racism Working Group in this Diversity Blog Post.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact diversity@rrc.ca.

At RRC Polytech we recognize that diversity within our communities is one of our greatest strengths. We are committed to fostering working and learning environments that recognize and celebrate the diversity of our students and our staff. Together, we are working toward a place where we understand, embrace and uplift each other’s culture, and where all are welcomed for who they are, and for what we can build together.

RRC Polytech’s Anti-Racism Action Committee is a working group of motivated staff dedicated to addressing anti-racism through awareness, learning, events and initiatives that spark action and meaningful, positive change. The Committee has put together this resource list to help the College community in our journey towards anti-racism, by raising awareness and taking action.

As you read these resources, it would be helpful to refer to the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion’s (CCDI) Glossary of Terms, a reference tool for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility terminology. They define race as a social construct and anti-racism as an active effort to eliminate all forms of racism. Here are the definitions of some key terms referred to in these resources: 

• Anti-racism is a conscious choice – it’s not the absence of racism, but rather the decision to actively condemn racism and recognize the impact it has on the people around us. There is no room for racism in any of our spaces and everyone is held with the same expectation to respect all people.  
• Institutional racism is racism that is woven into policies and functions at the organizational and governmental levels – which affects people and opportunities broadly and to varying degrees. 
• Intersectionality is recognizing how the identities of an individual can affect their experiences in different ways, particularly in matters that are impacted by discrimination. 

RRC Polytech’s Anti-Racism Action Committee:

If you’d like to get involved in future efforts focused on advancing our shared commitments to Truth and Reconciliation; and, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility within the College consider joining RRC Polytech’s Anti-Racism Action Committee. Staff and students can participate in events hosted by this working group. If you would like to make a commitment to anti-racism and participate in activities hosted by the Anti-Racism Action Committee, please fill out this anti-racism commitment form.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact diversity@rrc.ca.

June is Pride Month, in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots that took place in 1969. While Pride is a time to celebrate the contributions of the 2SLGTBQIA+ community worldwide, it’s equally an opportunity to recognize its history rooted in the gay rights movement, the progress that has been made towards greater rights, and to continue to advocate for equity and inclusion.

In 2022, RRC Polytech unveiled its new personalized Pride design, which is an evolution of the Progress Pride flag. The design, which is painted as walkways on the Notre Dame, Exchange District, and Portage La Prairie campuses, represents our shared commitment and dedication to fostering safer spaces on our campuses where all students, staff, and visitors feel that they belong.

Last June, RRC Polytech’s personalized Pride flag was raised alongside the Treaty One Nation and Red River Métis flags at the bus loop entrance of the Notre Dame Campus, as a symbol of unity, pride and inclusivity. The flags fly year-round as a daily reminder of our shared commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and enacting Truth and Reconciliation in everything we do.

Show Your Pride!

Throughout June and beyond, there are resources to support you in learning how to best be an ally, amplify 2SLGBTQIA+ voices, and take action in creating greater inclusion in your personal and professional life.

RED Forum 2024

On Friday, May 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., join members of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Working Group at their Experiential Expo booth, part of RED Forum 2024. Activities will include a Match the Pride to the Flag game, DIY button making, and Pride flag giveaways. Plus test your knowledge with a quiz for a chance to win a prize!

Drop by to participate; registration is not required.

The Forecast is Calling for Rainbows: Winnipeg Pride Parade and Rally

For over a decade RRC Polytech has brought together students, staff and their friends/family members to walk alongside the College’s float in the Winnipeg Pride Parade and Rally.

On Sunday, June 2, everyone in the RRC Polytech community is invited and encouraged to bring friends, family, and pets downtown for a few hours to celebrate inclusivity and feel the love, as we show our support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Details are still be finalized and will be shared closer to the date, but a hard-working crew is once again preparing our elaborate float, tailgating festivities are being planned for prior to the event, and each registered participant will receive a complimentary RRC Polytech Pride themed t-shirt.

Canadian Pride Historical Society Talk

RRC Polytech is honoured once again to welcome Jonathan Niemczak to speak with the campus community as part of our Pride Month celebrations.

Jonathan is the Chair and CEO of the Canadian Pride Historical Society (CPHS), Past President of Pride Winnipeg, and a gender, sexuality, and relationship (GSRD) advocate with over fifteen years of community leadership experience.

• Date: Tuesday, June 18, 2024
• Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Roundhouse Auditorium (Second Floor), Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, Exchange District Campus

Registration to come.

Resources for Beyond Pride Month

Our support for and allyship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community doesn’t stop after Pride Month. Visit the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion on Campus Resources page for an evolving list of self-directed learning, including the Library’s Gender and Sexual Diversity Guide, to help foster understanding, allyship, and advocacy all year round.

Observed annually on the third Thursday of May, Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is a time for thinking about and advocating for digital access/inclusion and people with accessibility needs or disabilities.

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility refers to the ability of people with disabilities or impairments to independently interact with digital content, for example, websites and mobile applications. The goal is creating a barrier-free experience through embedding accessibility as a core requirement for all technologies and digital products.

Visit the GAAD website to learn more about digital accessibility.

Manitoba Access Awareness Week

Later this month – May 26 to June 1 – marks Manitoba Access Awareness Week. To recognize this week, the Manitoba Accessibility Office will be hosting four informational webinars, including the kick-off to Manitoba Access Awareness Week (MAAW) featuring an overview of the requirements under the Accessible Information and Communication Standard Regulation.

Register for the kick-off to MAAW webinar.

Further resources:

• Learn more about the Accessibility Act for Manitobans and its five standards for making real, measurable and effective changes to accessibility.
  
• Accessibility at RRC Polytech, including the Accessibility Plan.
  
• Student Accessibility Services at RRC Polytech.

Post written by Dr Obren Amiesimaka and Justine Hawley, Gender and Sexual Diversity Group Members at RRC Polytech.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) is marked every May 17. Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia are probably words you’ve heard before. They refer to the “fear, dislike, or hatred of and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ people”(Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion’s Glossary of Terms) because of their gender identity and/or sexual orientation.

Derogatory language, violence and various forms of discrimination, at work or in the law/education/life generally, are few examples of homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. These acts of discrimination can be subtle, but they don’t have to be overt to negatively impact 2SLGBTQIA+ folk. Sadly, many members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Canada and around the world still face discrimination due to homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. We should not be complicit by letting these hateful actions occur without repercussions or anyone standing up.

The theme for this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is “No One Left Behind: Equality, Freedom and Justice for All”. At RRC Polytech, we are committed to pursuing equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do, and this is embedded in our Strategic Plan. We strive to be allies, show kindness to, and respect the dignity of everyone, no matter who they are and who they love.

Think about how you can be a 2SLGBTQIA+ ally and stand against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia this May 17 and always.

• What is IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia)?
• Being a 2SLGBTQIA+ Ally
• Allyship is leadership
• How to be an Ally to a Bi+ Person
• What Does Trans Allyship Look Like?
• Join the Gender and Sexual Diversity Working Group at RRC Polytech
• CCDI’s Glossary of Terms
  • Homophobia: a fear, dislike, or hatred of and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Homophobia presents in many forms, and can be structural/systemic, interpersonal, or internalized.
  • Transphobia is the fear, dislike, or hatred of and discrimination against trans people. Transphobia exists through offensive jokes, exclusion, denial of services, employment discrimination, intentional misgendering, harassment, and violence.
  • Biphobia: Fear, dislike, or hatred of and discrimination against bisexual people. Biphobia presents through offensive jokes, exclusion, bi-erasure, harassment, and violence. Biphobia exists both within and outside of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

May is Asian Heritage Month, a time to honor and commemorate the histories, cultures and contributions of people of Asian origin within Canada. The theme for Asian Heritage Month 2024 is “Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future: Amplifying Asian Canadian Legacy.” This theme celebrates the rich heritage and contributions of people of Asian origin within Canada while also looking forward to the future with optimism and hopefulness.  At RRC Polytech, we want to mirror this celebration of heritage, and future focused optimism, by offering the following resources, activities, and events aimed at deepening our shared understanding of Asian histories and cultures in order to engage meaningfully in our celebration and recognition of people of Asian origin within our community.

While Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the rich histories, cultures and contributions of people of Asian origin within Canada, it also serves as a reminder that our work to address historical and ongoing racism continues.  We encourage everyone to take advantage of these resources; to participate in the various events and activities planned throughout the month; and to use this time to deepen our understanding, celebrate diversity, and foster a culture of inclusivity, belonging and anti-racism within our College community.

As of 2018, Parliament designated May as Canadian Jewish Heritage Month, celebrating the contributions Jewish Canadians have made over the last 250 years and continue to make within communities across the country.

This type of observance helps us understand one another on a deeper level by highlighting communities and cultures. Acknowledging and appreciating the important contributions that Jewish Canadians have made to Canada from social to economic to political and more, highlights the country we have built together.

Learn more about Jewish culture and history, and celebrate Jewish Heritage Month with the following resources:

• Jewish Canadian History

• Jewish Heritage Guide

National Film Board of Canada:

• The Jews of Winnipeg, Bill Davies, 1973 | 27 min.
• Full Film Selection for Canadian Jewish Heritage Month

• 12 Books to read for Jewish Heritage Month via CBC

• The Secret Life of Canada: Jewish Montreal: A culinary history – A CBC podcast episode

• CCDI Webinar: Antisemitism: How to recognize and prevent it in the workplace
  • Login is required. Free to sign up for RRC Polytech staff.

May 6 marked Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, which commemorates the lives and heroism the six million Jewish people who died in the Holocaust. Following Yom HaShoah, there are week-long commemorations in our community, including synagogue services, film screenings, and educational programs. Visit the Jewish Federation of Manitoba’s website for more information.

Today, May 6, 2024 we recognize Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorates the lives and heroism of Jewish people who died in the Holocaust. Each spring, the community comes together at the Manitoba Legislature with municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives to commemorate the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah.

Today, the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg will host the Annual Public Holocaust Commemoration from 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm at the Grand Staircase, Manitoba Legislative Building, 450 Broadway.

This ceremony features candle lighting, music, readings and prayers. All are welcome to attend. Register for the commemoration event here.

Following Yom HaShoah, there are week-long commemorations in the community, including synagogue services, film screenings, and educational programs.

RRC Polytech celebrates International Girls in ICT Day 2024

Every year on April 25, RRC Polytech celebrates International Girls in Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Day. RRC Polytech and the instructors within the ICT program share the same values to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place both inside our classrooms and the industry once they graduate.

Currently inside global cybersecurity, men make up 78% of the industry. However, the percentage of women in that sector is rising by the decades, with 13% of women 60 or older, and now 24% of women under 30 in the workforce. At RRC Polytech, we see this as a room for growth inside our programs.

In a study published by ICS2, over half of the testing sample believed that building an inclusive, more diverse team is crucial in the security team’s success. This is an important value that Hosna Safiarian, RRC Polytech Instructor in the Data Science and Machine Learning program, also believes is critical to the future success inside the ICT sector.

“Empowering women in the IT field will foster democracy in the IT world. Democracy has consistently engendered creativity, innovation, prosperity, and justice in society, and the IT world is no exception. We can see these diverse ideas infusing fresh vitality into IT products and services, akin to new blood coursing through veins,” says Hosna.

Hosna Safiarian was born in Iran, in the Middle East, where gender norms within careers were heavily influenced by society. Despite this, she found a silver lining and turned challenges into opportunities in the field of IT.

When Hosna entered high school, she initiated a coding competition, leading a team of girls to run different algorithms in computer science. This experience taught her a valuable lesson: ‘We can achieve good results if we try hard enough; we just need to be brave.’

Throughout her career she has made significant efforts as a woman in the fields of academics and the IT industry. She volunteered to teach computer science topics in girls’ schools in Iran to prepare them for this field. Hosna has published more than 15 articles in Persian and English about data science, which serve as valuable references for Iranian students.

Additionally, Hosna has served as a teaching assistant at the Masters and PhD levels, mentoring many female students with their thesis in the field of data science. With their help, she has created a significant amount of educational content on data science, Artificial Intelligence and big data topics.

In the IT industry, she has overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers. By completing numerous international courses and obtaining numerous certificates, she has succeeded in securing a position as a data science expert in Iran’s industry.

Now, as an Instructor at RRC Polytech, Hosna shares her passion for ICT with her students.

“I hope that more girls will fall in love with math and coding, enter the IT world, and turn the challenges of this field into a unique growth opportunity.”

She always tells her students, ‘Wherever your challenges lie, that’s where your potential for growth exists,’ – inspiration she’s gained from Harnessing Jung’s Wisdom on Fears.

In Canada there are currently 25,000 unfilled positions in cybersecurity, so bringing more women into ICT continues to be a crucial step in creating a more diverse and inclusive industry.

RRC Polytech is encouraging more women to enter the field through a training and work-integrated learning pilot with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) and Microsoft.

The pilot will recruit 20 students who are women in RRC Polytech’s Information Technology programs to acquire foundational Microsoft Cybersecurity training and certification, mentorship, and experiential work-integrated learning – all at no cost to the student.

To learn more about the ICTC and Microsoft Cybersecurity Training Pilot, or to register, visit here.