Creating Inclusive and Resilient Communities

Communities consist of various sub-communities, such as students, businesses, professionals, traders, families, mothers, kids, seniors, dads, and care providers. Resilient communities must be inclusive, diverse, and equitable and foster a sense of belonging. Regardless of our intersectional identities, we often have unconscious biases that stem from colonialism perpetuated systemically through media, education, history, and privileges.

However, we can unlearn non-inclusive behaviours and create intentional safe spaces within our communities where everyone feels welcomed and valued. By empathetically listening to each other’s experiences, we can create a rich cocktail of social identities and perspectives grounded in inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging. This results in strong, agile, and resilient communities.

Our initiative, Embracce, was inspired by the idea of a big mother’s hug that nourishes and embraces all. It is also important to note that Indigenous and Black people in Canada continue to face more unconscious biases and stereotypes than other ethnic identities.