With a new year comes a renewed energy to continue collectively learning, reflecting, and adjusting personal and professional actions, centered on ensuring human rights and dignity are upheld for all members of the Limestone Community.

This issue explores learning aimed to enhance Limestone's commitment to developing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion understanding beyond "Cultural Competence", shifting to mindsets rooted in building capacity in "Cultural Humility".

This connects to significant dates of reflection in January. International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27th), and Day of Remembrance for the Quebec City Mosque Attack (Jan. 29th) both demonstrate the urgency to confront & counter Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all instances of hate in LDSB spaces and beyond.

In this "Equity Matters," we will also highlight ways in which LDSB's new partnership with CCDI (Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion) can support continuation and growth in individual and collaborative equity journeys.

Cultural competence encompasses:

• being aware of one’s own world view
• developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences
• gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world views
• developing skills for communication and interaction across cultures

(From: https://ready.web.unc.edu/section-1-foundations/module-8/)

1. A lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique.

2. Redressing power dynamics and imbalances while developing partnerships with communities and those advocating for change.

3. Continuous reflection and critique at the institutional level with considerations to race, ethnicity, culture, language, sexual orientation, and class.

The term ‘cultural humility’ was created by Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia (1998). This concept was originally developed to identify and address the power imbalance in the healthcare field. Now, the concept of cultural humility is widely practiced in various sectors that support students, including education.

(From: https://smho-smso.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Cultural-humility-tool-for-school-staff.pdf)

"This self-reflection tool has been designed to help you to explore, and then reflect upon, your individual cultural humility as a school staff member. The self-reflection tool prompts you to consider your skills, knowledge and selfawareness when supporting students and engaging with parents/caregivers and colleagues who don’t share your culture and identities. Reflecting deeply on your own personal values, beliefs and biases is an important step towards providing identity-affirming supports to students. When you enter the relationship with cultural humility, you can engage in more authentic interactions that promote better mental health for the students you support."

https://smho-smso.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Cultural-humility-tool-for-school-staff.pdf

"The purpose of recognizing Holocaust Remembrance Day is not only to remember that the Holocaust occurred but also to educate and inform ourselves about the gross destruction of this genocide. The theme for 2023 is "Home and Belonging." It looks at what these concepts meant to those persecuted during the Holocaust as well as after liberation and its aftermath."

From: https://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/arts_culture/2023/01/international-holocaust-remembrance-day-jan-27-2023.html

"On January 29, 2017, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City was subject to a tragic, hateful, and Islamophobic crime. A gunman entered the place of worship and opened fire on the worshippers, killing 6 men and injuring many more. Until this day, this tragic shooting continues to shake many hearts and bring deep sadness and fear to our communities. January 29 is a date that Muslims in Quebec and the rest of Canada will forever mourn.

But January 29 also represents a day of hope, a day where we can come together for a better future for Canadians of all backgrounds, for a Canada that is free from Islamophobia and hate.

The National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia serves as a reminder of the work we must do as a nation to eradicate Islamophobia, hate and racism in Canada. In honour of the memory of the victims, in recognition of those who selflessly and courageously put themselves in harm’s way to protect others, and in solidarity with the survivors of this tragedy."

(From: https://www.nccm.ca/greensquare)

As part of that commitment, the Limestone District School Board has entered into a partnership with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) to provide learning resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion for all Limestone staff.

• CCDI monthly newsletter – CCDI’s monthly newsletter provides information about CCDI events and research, and other pertinent news from the Canadian diversity and inclusion realm. Click here and provide your contact information to subscribe. Also, you can view past editions of their Diversity Ink newsletter here.

• CCDI Knowledge Repository. As part of the “Members Only” portal on their website, CCDI has an e-library with over 1,000 documents containing Canadian-specific and international diversity and inclusion research, reports, toolkits and news, which are indexed and searchable by multiple parameters (e.g. by keyword, by topic, etc.). This e-library is an evergreen resource and new content is continually being added. If you would like access to the Knowledge Repository, you can self-register here.

• CCDI monthly webinars. CCDI offers educational webinars which are free for all of our employees. Click here to see a list of topics and dates for 2023. Previously recorded webinars can be accessed via the Knowledge Repository.

For more information on how to register and navigate the CCDI website, please refer to the attached document, or contact a member of the Equity Team if you have any questions.

The Kingston community is invited to the annual Black Histories and Futures Month virtual Opening Ceremony.

Featuring several panels on the theme of Recognition, Justice, and Development, and a moderated discussion with local Black Youth Leadership.

As well as a riveting live performance by poet, writer, and dancer Abena Beloved Green (Abena A. Tuffour).

And the unveiling of this year's Black Histories and Futures Month Calendar, highlighting events and activities occurring throughout the month.

This event seeks to engage all in a meaningful, thoughtful, and celebratory start to the month of February.

Registration Link: Black Histories and Futures Month virtual Opening Ceremony

The BHM event calendar will be released at the ceremony, and there will be the opportunity to hear insights from their esteemed panelists on Black Health and Wellness.

Black History Month Opening Ceremony 2022 Tickets, Tue, 1 Feb 2022 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

The LDSB Equity team is excited to continue working with both staff and students, providing resources and spaces that foster a strong sense of belonging, so everyone can see themselves in Limestone!

Please do not hesitate to contact us; we look forward to working with you!

Andrea Barrow

7-12 Equity & Inclusion Consultant

613-544-6925 ext.213

Rachael McDonald
K-8 Equity & Inclusion Consultant

613-544-6925 ext. 213

Yusuf Abdulkareem

Human Rights & Equity Officer

613-544-6925 ext.256