
May 25-26, 2023
In this Summit
Engaging Black Communities

Human Rights and Equity Lead Administrator for the Avon Maitland District School Board, Jason Hendrix Burt will guide leaders in understanding the impacts of their role, positionality, and commitment to addressing and dismantling anti-racism and oppression with black families.
What People are Saying

I have never in my career of 20 years as an educator seen an opportunity like this, that spoke to me so much. I wanted to be here, I did everything I could to be here. I wanted to see what it would mean to be valued, to be supported, to be promoted in a school board. What’s hit home for me again is that we need White allies, we need Racialized, Indigenous, Black individuals to be together in the same spaces and hone in on what it is we are going to do to take action together.
Sajah Stiller
Safe Schools and Racial Equity Consultant
at HWDSB


I am really enjoying the fact that I am in the same room as the leadership in my system, so they’re hearing the exact same message about hiring practices and equity that I’m hearing so that when we go back to our board, there is no excuses about the fact that they’re not understanding what we need to be doing to do better.
Alanna Trines
Indigenous Education Lead,
Ottawa Catholic School Board


There has been so many things I wasn’t expecting to learn … bring[ing] back moving recruitment from transactions to a more purposeful conscious opportunity to not only impact our student’s lives but also our employees … we talked about psychological safety, I felt so safe, it's just been invaluable.
Shannon Azzerello
Human Resources Recruitment Officer,
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

Speakers

Chris D'Souza
Chris D'souza (M.Ed Equity Studies) has delivered over 5000 Equity and Inclusion lectures/workshops to agencies across Canada. A DEI activist and National Award winner with the Harmony Movement, he is currently focused on developing, recruiting, and retaining Racialized and Indigenous talent.


Lesa Williams-George
Lesa is a provincial mentor and an instructor for the MentorCoaching Additional Qualification course with the Ontario Principals’ Council in addition to being an International Coaching Federation Certified Transformational Coach and Mentor. She holds a diploma in mental health and addiction counseling and trauma informed response therapy.


Jason Hendrix Burt
After 11 years as assistant principal in North Carolina, Jason Hendrix Burt (M.S.A.) came to Ontario in 2014 to become vice-principal of the Avon Maitland District School Board and subsequently their Human Rights and Equity Lead Administrator in 2021. Burt is committed to ensuring equity, anti-racist, and anti-oppression education and inclusivity practices permeate all aspects of the district’s education, guidelines, programs and procedures.


Nathalie Sirois
Nathalie is an experienced education professional, having worked in a variety of roles in Ontario school boards, including community worker, teacher, coach, consultant, and system leader. In each role, she placed issues of social justice and human flourishing at the centre of her work and learning. Nathalie currently leads the Global Centre for Pluralism’s efforts to support educators and system leaders to operationalize pluralism in their specific contexts with a view to building inclusive societies resilient to fear and hate.


Alanna Trines
Alanna is the Indigenous Education Lead for the Ottawa Catholic School Board. She has non-status Indigenous ancestry on her mother's side and this influences the perspective from which she approaches this work. As a presenter of Indigenous issues, Alanna puts relationship building at the foundation of all she does.


Pardeep Singh Nagra
Pardeep Singh Nagra is an international speaker and athlete. An active member with the Sikh community, his DEI work and humanitarian service has earned him the YMCA Canada Peace Medal, University of Toronto Arbor Award, Region of Peel Chair’s Award for community service, Auxiliary Constable of the Year with Peel Regional Police, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. His personal journey as a boxer seeking equity is the subject of the movie Tiger.

Agenda
Wednesday (Optional)
6:00 pm – Hotel stay and dinner Alderwood
Thursday
9:00 - 10:30 am – Examining "White Think" and Implementing a T.H.I.R.D. Rail Hawthorn AB
10:45 am - 12:15 pm – Anti-Black Racism Hawthorn AB
1:15 - 2:45 pm – Managing and Leading for Equity Hawthorn AB
or
C.R.A.S.H. Case Studies Beech
3:00 - 4:30 pm – Connecting with Black Families Hawthorn AB
6:00 - 8:00 pm – Reception/Dinner Alderwood
Friday
9:00 - 11:00 – Séance en Français Beech
or
9:00 - 10:00 am – You Can't Address What You Can't Acknowledge Hawthorn AB
10:00 - 11:00 am – Indigenous Discussion Hawthorn AB
11:30 am - 12:30 pm – Discussion Hawthorn AB
1:30 - 2:30 pm – Reconciliation, Governmental Policies, Self-Determination Hawthorn AB
May 25 and 26, 2023
-
All food and beverage included
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Toronto Airport West
5444 Dixie Road, Mississauga, ON, L4W 2L2
Limited seats available
(pricing is in CAD)
Questions?
