This talk explores the crucial role of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) in advancing equity for diverse children and communities. These dedicated and often unsung professionals are shaping the next generation's capacity for empathy, combatting racism and oppression, and dismantling health and educational disparities. We'll explore how educators and leaders can harness the power of the RISE framework—Responsive Pedagogy, Inspired Advocacy, Strategic Design, and Engaged Expertise—to champion equity in early education. Discover how this comprehensive approach empowers ECEs and leaders to shape brighter, more just futures for children and families.

In this interactive session, participants are introduced to EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion) in non-profit work and explore how your organization could develop EDI efforts to enhance sustainability and effectiveness in serving your mandate. By the end of this session, the group will:
-Learn the basics of EDI as it relates to non-profit and human services work
-Understand common workplace and service barriers facing equity-seeking groups and service users
-Identify specific barriers, opportunities and risks related to EDI and your organization’s strategic priorities
-Assess where your organization currently stands in its readiness to undergo an EDI journey

This session explores the great potential and common pitfalls of EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion) Committees. Learn from best practices in recent EDI committee work in human service and generate intentional, strategic direction for using EDI Committees in your organization.

This interactive talk explores pandemic grief from a trauma-informed lens, and introduces grief work as a means to reorient to the workplace. We will explore several frameworks for understanding grief, how they may apply to our collective lived experience of the pandemic, and what insights they can bring to our workplace practices.