Inclusion Infusions

Listen in as historian, storyteller, and assistant curator of the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum Spencer Alexander brings Canada's history to life. Jamie Bramburger, Algonquin College's Manager of Community Affairs at the Pembroke Campus, sits with Spencer to learn more about the history of the Underground Railroad in Chatham Ontario and the mystery and surprise of discovering the stories found in boxes in the attic that reveal the complexity of the history of Black Canadians. 

If you were looking to pick a career path with high employment potential in 2022, according to Forbes and LinkedIn, you should become a Vaccine Specialist or a Diversity and Inclusion Manager. This conversation features Dr. Tanya De Mello, Assistant Dean Student Programming, Development and Equity; Faculty of Law Toronto Metropolitan University and Marian MacGregor, Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights,
Equity and Inclusion at York University. These leaders have spent decades building highly successful careers in Human Rights and Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion and generously will share their experiences, thoughts on credentials and credibility, and offer advice and pitfalls to avoid as professional practice opportunities in the field expand.

At Algonquin College we use the acronym 2SLGBTQ+ - where the 2S represents the Two spirit community, which is an Indigenous specific identity. We place the 2S at the start to centre the importance of the experiences of the 2S community. But what does that mean. What Is the 2S identity, and what Is that experience? Listen into this conversation with T’áncháy Redvers, a Dene / Métis two-spirit social justice warrior, writer, creator, facilitator, and multidisciplinary performer/actor to learn more.

In this episode co-hosts Algonquin College’s David Soltis, Director People & Culture and Sarah Gauen, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist explore inclusive leadership with expert Dr. Leeno Kaurmanchery. Dr. Leeno explains how to weave the science of leadership with context, history and self-awareness into a powerful recipe for organizational and personal success. 

In this episode co-hosts Sacha Leduc (AC Online) & Sarah Gauen (Inclusion & Diversity Specialist) have a thoughtful and personal conversation with three experts on the experiences and learnings from balancing working in the College system while raising children during a pandemic, and where this experience may drive change for organizational culture in the future. Featuring Dr. Kim De Laat, Mitacs postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Sociology at Brock University and The Vanier Institute of the Family on what the newest research is showing; an injection of the Indigenous perspective and beliefs on parenting and children with Marina Westbrook who is Anishinaabe, from the Nipissing First Nation and an AC faculty member; and Patrick Devey Associate Vice-President of Global, Online, and Corporate Learning at Algonquin College, and father to Leyla on his perspectives on parental leave. 

This episode is a dynamic and insightful conversation with three experts on the complexities of Allyship, and how it’s not about you, but the work must begin with you. Curious? Listen to Irfan Chaudhry, Director MacEwan University's Office of Human Rights, Diversity, and Equity; Rita Alma, the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategist for Invest Ottawa; and Meghan Stewart-Wills, Unified Mindfulness Coach and consultant. Co-hosted by Julie Eaves, Manager AC Online and Sarah Gauen Inclusion & Diversity Specialist. 

This episode will try to uncover what it means to be an Inclusion Champion, and how they are made. Co-hosts Jason Timms from the Centre for Accessible Learning and Sarah Gauen, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist, will be joined by all of the nominees of Algonquin College’s inaugural Inclusion Champions employee award. Listen in for some inspiring stores and experiences from the role models for fostering change to create spaces where everyone belongs.

This podcast is an open response to the curiosity and controversy surrounding washrooms and the trans and non-binary community. Listening to an Inclusion Infusions podcast is an opportunity to hear the perspectives of expert thinkers in the field of equity, diversity and inclusion, and tie that to the practicalities of Ontario’s College system. This episode's co-hosts Dr. Martin Lee and Sarah Gauen speak with national and local experts from Pride at Work Canada, the Algonquin College Students Association and Campus Security on safety, security and the lived experiences of transgender students and employees.

Bestselling author Waubgeshig Rice joins Algonquin College for a conversation on lived experiences and the role of culture in authentically finding your voice as an author, writer, chef or any other creative endeavour pursued by College learners. What should students and the College community know and understand about other creators — business people, inventors, artists — who also draw upon cultural roots to succeed in their work? How can we learn to better appreciate this approach in others — and learn to apply the approach to our own endeavors? 

This podcast is an invitation to think critically about the challenges and opportunities of making our learning and working spaces work for everyone. This episode dives into the topic of accessibility on campus, co-hosted by Sara Jordan, Manager of Algonquin College's  Centre for Accessible Learning and Sarah Gauen, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist. They are joined by Michael Lifshitz, comedian and accessibility advocate, and Lindsay Bortot expert in employment and career development. 

This episode is a timely and candid conversation on the impacts of race in the Ontario education system with three experts: Meghan Wills,      Interim-chair of Parents for Diversity; Tim McCaskell, author of the book Race to Equity: Disrupting Educational Inequality; and Pascale Diverlus, Co-founder Black Lives Matter - Toronto. The guest host is Annette Carla Bouzi, professor in the School of Business at Algonquin College and President of the faculty union. Annette adeptly guides a difficult but important conversation on issues that need to be confronted in the College system to achieve educational inclusion, such as  the trauma of racism and the challenges of performative allyship. 

This podcast is an invitation to think critically about this new virtual world and workplaces we find ourselves in through the lens of inclusion and exclusion. This Inclusion Infusions podcast is an opportunity to hear the perspectives of this episode's expert thinker Laraine Kaminsky on the pivot to virtual classrooms and remote workplaces, in the context of the Ontario College System. This episode is co-hosted by Wadhah Almonaifi from AC Online and Sarah Gauen, Inclusion and Diversity Specialist at Algonquin College. 

This podcast is an invitation to listen in on an in-depth conversation on intercultural competence with expert Dr. Lionel Laroche. This episode is co-hosted by Ian Pineau, a faculty member at Algonquin College's Pembroke Ontario Waterfront campus, and member of the Inclusion and Diversity Circle. We discuss what Intercultural competence actually is, why it matters, and how you can develop it as an introduction to the topic. This podcast will tie the concept of intercultural competence to the College system in Ontario today, and how it benefits faculty, administrative and support staff. Hosted by Algonquin College's I&D Circle members Sarah Gauen, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist and Ian Pineau, Professor, Outdoor Adventure at Pembroke Waterfront Campus. Grab a coffee and join us for the conversation.

This first podcast from Algonquin College's Inclusion & Diversity team features interviews with ten women's leaders from every dimension of our College. Listen in as each woman generously shares her leadership journey,  experiences for inspiration, and provides advice for aspiring leaders in Ontario's College system. Hosted by Algonquin College's I&D Circle members Sarah Gauen, Inclusion & Diversity Specialist and Tracy Norris, Manager Academic Partnerships. Grab a coffee and join us for the conversation.