BE YOU Conference - Embracing Diversity and Marketing Your Best Self
As more organizations embrace diversity, the vast benefits of an inclusive workforce are being quickly realized by major industry players.
Be You - Embracing Diversity and Marketing Your Best Self was the result of a collaborative effort between Alliances in Marketing, Business Pride Club, and S.i. Systems to bring a unique and valuable perspective to the marketing world. In this event, we draw from the experiences of industry professionals to discuss topics such as personal branding, biases in the workplace, and personal development, providing a unique learning experience and opportunity to network for aspiring business professionals.
There has never been more of a time to Be You.
Workshop
Conference participants were given the chance to join the workshop they were interested in. The workshops were hosted by 2 professionals with many years of experience in addressing gender, racial justice, and diversity in general.
Uncovering Your Unconscious Bias & How to Overcome Them - Audra Tettenborn
We're all biased. Our many experiences, along with factors such as our race, ethnicity, gender, height, weight, sexual orientation, place of birth, and various other factors, impact the lens with which we view the world. This workshop, led by Audra Tettenborn (Manager, Strategic Business Development at S.I System) helped us recognize and acknowledge our own biases, prevent ourselves from making calls based on a biased viewpoint, and learn strategies to overcome biases in the workplace.
In this workshop, Audra provided us the tools to:
Understand the concept of unconscious bias, where does it come from and why does it matter
Realize the impact unconscious bias has in the workplace
Become more self-aware by reflecting upon personal experiences and uncovering how our hidden biases are formed
Develop tools to self-monitor unconscious bias
The importance of diversity and LGBTQIA+ representation in the media - Persis Abraham
The presence and positive portrayal of the LGBTQIA+ communities are needed to increase acceptance and support towards the communities. In this workshop, Persis Abraham - Critical Mass’s Social Media Strategist created a safe space for the conference participants to talk about the importance of LGBTQIA+ representation in media and marketing, and if it has evolved in a positive way over time.
Hosting an LGTBQIA+ podcast with her best friend called ‘Girl on Girl’ gives Persis the chance to explore the complex world of sexuality from a Queer perspective, from a straight perspective, and everything in between. She brought about her coming out journey and shed light on how the media’s lack of the Queer communities had affected her reflection and self-acceptance. The workshop ended with a discussion session with the following topics:
Why do you think it’s important to have more queer roles represented on TV or in movies without the common LGBTQIA+ narrative of showcasing a struggle or putting so much emphasis on it?
Do you personally think there’s been an improvement with Queer media representation we had in the media growing up vs now?
Networking
Representatives from S.I Systems, Critical Mass, TD Bank, S.I System, and M2T Collective joined AIM and BPC to take the participants on their organizations’ approach to Diversity and Inclusion.
Audra Tettenborn
Manager, Strategic Business Development at SI Systems
Sharon Forster
Vice President of Human Resources at SI Systems
Persis Abraham
Community Manager & Social Strategist at Critical Mass
Gelila Mast
Regional Manager (Western Canada) Black Community Business Development
Vivian Lee
Associate of M2T Collective
