Cultivate Belonging: Harness the Power of our Differences
Ready, Set, Re-connect!
Take advantage of this long-awaited opportunity to network in person with colleagues from other departments and agencies where we will be reflecting on what it means to belong and the community we create when we make space for difference, curiosity and authenticity.
Date and Time
Tuesday, November 15, 2022, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM AST
Location and registration
Event room, St. James’ Gate, 14 Church Street, Moncton, NB
Language
This event will be bilingual.
To note that due to space limitations and the pilot nature of the sessions, the regional events will not include simultaneous translation services. Participants will be able to submit their questions in the language of their choice and a moderator will help with translation.
Agenda
9:00 to 9:45
Registration/Booths/Networking
9:45 to 10:00
Moderator: review logistics
Opening Remarks – NMC Atlantic Champion
10:00 to 11:00
Keynote address: Manju Varma, Commissioner on Systemic Racism, Government of NB.
Commissioner Manju Varma will engage managers on a conversation about how to take the anti-discrimination journey. Her discussion will include shared stories, DEI concepts and tools that anyone can use regardless of where they are on this journey.
11:00 to 11:15
Break (booths/networking)
11:15 to 12:15
World Café on topics related to keynote
Facilitator Moncton: Stephanie Bilodeau
12:15 to 13:30
Lunch (not provided) /Booths/Networking
Food available to purchase in St. James Gate restaurant downstairs and other local eating establishments.
Reflection during lunch: What 2 learnings from World Café and Keynote will you apply tomorrow?
13:30 to 14:45
Reverse Mentoring Panel discussion on “What employees need from Managers to feel valued and connected?”
14:45 to 15:00
Closing Remarks
15:00 to 15:30
Booths / networking
Mixer
Attend the mixer organized after the event at the Oyster room of St. James Gate from 5:00 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Speaker Bio
Manju Varma
Manju Varma, Ph.D. moved to Canada with her family at the age of two and grew up in Moncton, NB. She obtained her doctorate in anti-racist education from the Ontario Institute in Education/University of Toronto. For the past 30 years she has focused on issues around diversity and anti-racism in New Brunswick and has published both national and internationally on the topics of mental health, diversity in the workplace, inclusion, and anti-racist education.
From 2001-2008, she was an Assistant Professor with the University of New Brunswick in the department of Education. Later, she joined the Federal government and has worked at Canadian Heritage, Correctional Services Canada, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) where she created and led the Office of Inclusion, Equity and Anti-Racism. She is also a certified Conflict Mediator (Harvard Law School) and Negotiator (Dalhousie University). She also co-owns Engaging Matters Diversity Consultants, a business that teaches organizations how to be inclusive and anti-discriminatory. In October 2021, Dr. Varma was appointed as New Brunswick’s Commissioner on Systemic Racism; this position is the first of its kind in Canada.
