Deep Diversity Summer Institute (2024):
Rebuilding DEI at a Time of Backlash Using Systems Thinking

Online Group Course

Doing racial justice and equity work has been challenging enough during an era defined by democracy-destroying political divisions and massive wealth gaps while at the doorsteps of climate crisis…but today, DEI work itself is under attack!

If you are a veteran (or an aspiring) racial justice and equity leader seeking hopeful and bold solutions to address this ever-changing context, we invite you to join us at our Deep Diversity® Summer Institute (DDSI). Now more than ever, we need courageous, heart-centred and effective leadership in order to bring more people onto the side of justice.

Even if you’ve done a Deep Diversity® training with us previously, this is the time to refresh as we’ve revamped the entire curriculum to address our turbulent context, including:

• How organizations can deal with world events and address competing stakeholder needs;
• How to politic-proof your DEI strategy so it remains sustainable and impactful;
• Skill development to be a non-polarized leader, avoiding binary choices or the false trap of “neutrality” in order to truth-speak and lead during a politically divisive era;
• A systems-thinking approach to DEI with proven, data-backed strategies to support you and your organization;

This training is a rethinking of how we do racial justice and equity work, differentiating unhelpful rigid DEI strategies from those that are restorative and reparative. There will also be a high-level review of key concepts from the award-winning Deep Diversity® training that is essential in helping leaders understand how systemic discrimination threatens fairness and morale in both overt and subtle ways.  This trauma-informed training process has been helping leaders develop key knowledge and skills to support workplace inclusion and equity, as outlined in Shakil Choudhury’s book, Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Racial Justice.

This includes:

• Leadership competencies for diversity champions with a focus on emotional literacy, including skill development in self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and relationship management;
• How to apply the Deep Diversity® framework to help uncover systemic discrimination patterns within organizations with regards to race/ethnicity specifically, and social identity broadly;
• How unconscious bias results in mistreatment of people of minority groups in organizations and the importance of developing bias detection and reduction skills;
• Where your organization is at and where it wants to go using the unique measurement tool: the Deep Diversity® Leaders’ Snapshot.

To cover this ambitious curriculum, there is an expectation for pre-work, which will be outlined in post-registration emails.

This year’s DDSI will be an outstanding opportunity to gather and network with like-minded leaders across Canada and the US. This gathering will rejuvenate you while developing a special set of organizational leadership skills using systems thinking to navigate uncertain times, helping nurture an inclusive and democratic future for all.  Join us!

“In the darkest times, the most luminous souls arise!”– Imam Timothy Gianotti

Dates/Time: August 20, 21, 22 + 23, 2024 | Noon-4pm EST
Format: Four interactive modules each including a live webinar and pre-online video content
Length: Each webinar = 3 hours and pre-online video = 1 hour
$600.00 USD per participant