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.

Celebrate Diversity Month is observed in April every year to recognize, celebrate and honour the diversity of the world around us. Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) refers to diversity as the variety of unique dimensions, qualities, and characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, economic status, physical abilities, life experiences, and other perspectives that we all possess.

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.

All staff at RRC Polytech have access to the CCDI 2024 Diversity Calendar to learn about religious or cultural days of significance that are celebrated or commemorated by our students and staff. We have highlighted some of the celebrations/observances that our staff and students celebrate based on this calendar. If there is a holiday that you celebrate or observe, and would like to add to the calendar, please fill out the Celebrate Everything form.

In recognition of this month, we would like to share resources and support to help us grow in our understanding of diverse cultures, perspectives and equip us in creating an inclusive working and learning environment.

Passover (Pesach) is a sacred Jewish holiday celebrated around the world each spring to commemorate the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. It is observed during the Hebrew month of Nisan and began this year at sunset on Monday, April 22 and will last until nightfall on April 30.  

During these eight days, this sacred holiday is celebrated with Seder feasts of traditional and symbolic foods, like matzah (an unleavened bread) and bitter herbs, the re-telling of the Exodus story and prayer. This holiday holds profound significance and a reminder of resilience and hope. It is a time to reflect on the enduring spirit of the Jewish people. 

At Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech), diversity is one of our greatest strengths and that the College is home to thousands of employees and students from all different backgrounds – including those from the Jewish community. 

Chag Pesach Sameach (Happy Passover) to all staff, faculty and students who celebrate this holiday.  

May this celebration hold joyous times for you and your families.  

International Day of Pink, also known as Day of Pink, is celebrated annually on the second Wednesday of April to celebrate diversity, acceptance, courage, and inclusivity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and beyond.

Day of Pink is for people who have previously, or recently, experienced discrimination because of their sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression. This day urges people around the world to stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to continue fighting for equality and acceptance.

At RRC Polytech, Campus Well-Being in partnership with the Gender and Sexual Diversity Working Group hosted a booth at Notre Dame Campus on April 10 to create awareness and share resources. Staff and students had the opportunity to create a customized button to mark the day.

You can explore the International Day of Pink website, to read more about this year’s theme, and to learn more about the anniversary of three important milestones: the birth of the Trans flag, the Brunswick Four, and the Depathologization of Homosexuality.

via United Nations

World Autism Awareness Day is an annual observance on April 2, designated in 2008 by the United Nations to acknowledge the lived experiences, bring awareness to the inequities and advocate for the rights of individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (or autism).

Also known as World Autism Acceptance Day, the observance highlights the importance of accepting, supporting and including persons with autism, so they can lead a full life and make meaningful contributions at work, at home and in the community.

Learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder and how you can recognize World Autism Awareness Day:

• RRC Polytech Library and Academic Success Centre Guides:
  • Autism Spectrum – readings
  • Autism spectrum – videos
    
• Free self-paced online program offered through the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism:
  • Autism and Neurodiversity in the Workplace
    
• Autism Canada
  
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) – RRC Polytech employees can sign up to access all resources for free!
  • Neurodiversity Guide
  • CCDI Webinar: Neurodiversity: An introduction
    
• The United Nations
  • Tuesday, April 2, 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. EDT | Free virtual event: Moving from Surviving to Thriving: Autistic individuals share regional perspectives. Register Here.

On April 2, and every day, may we recognize the unique contributions of persons with autism, and continue to create more inclusive environments where everyone feels accepted.