Co-teaching a class exploring of how to facilitate justice and social equity change initiatives within organizations in the Human Systems Intervention masters program.

The Saltwater Learning and Consulting Group supports organizations through learning and change. We are passionate about attending to the complex human relationships that are at the center of any organization. By creating spaces where people can be caring, authentically themselves, seen and heard, we find that organizations become more honest and find more clarity and alignment. They are more able to address the pressing issues of our time. We work primarily with the nonprofit and public sectors. We offer the following services, in English and in French: - Accompaniment. As facilitators and consultants, we help organizations tackle problems that feel big and overwhelming. This often looks like identifying the issues they are facing, articulating their desired future, and finding the most effective strategies and actions to get us there. This includes everything from organizational restructuring, to EDI assessments, to strategic planning. - Training & facilitation. We offer training on a variety of topics related to human relationships in the workplace, including equity, diversity and inclusion, conflict resolution, governance, and group dynamics. - Coaching. The coaching relationship empowers individuals to become the leaders they want to be - Mediation. Conflict mediation is directed at small groups of people experiencing challenges in their working relationships. - Curriculum development. We love collaborating to create or improve courses or training programs, usually related to justice, equity diversity and inclusion questions.

- Transformed the internal hiring and onboarding practices at COCo by integrating anti-racist, and critical (dis)ability approaches. Shifts include: application anonymization, clearly outlining expectations and timelines, integrating a diversity of perspectives into the interview process- Authored and shepherded a progressive Pregnancy, Family and Community Support Leave Policy with the aim of being inclusive of different family and community structures- Accompanied and supported over 40 grassroots and non-profit groups and funders in initiating or implementing organizational change using a universal design and holistic approach- Developed over 60 made-to-measure trainings, workshops, and coaching sessions on topics such as Board Roles & Responsibilities, Conflict, Anti-Racism and Train-the-Trainers- Conceptualized and adapted multiple pedagogical tools for use with community groups, including The Oppression Tree, The Organizational Health Tree, The “Problem” Women of Colour in Organizations (adapted), and White Supremacy Culture (adapted)- Provided legal information and resource referrals to community groups on an array of topics including anti-oppressive hiring and onboarding best practices, high conflict situations, supporting policy development- Integrated creativity, storytelling, and learning-through-play into complex trainings, with a particular focus on centring the voices of marginalized communities- Co-created an accessible event and facilitator guide for the Montréal community sector- Conceptualized and delivered a research project called Diversité d’abord, which investigated the experiences of race and racism in the Quebec Community Sector using 2 surveys and 6 focus groups- Analyzed findings using statistical analysis best practices to highlight differences in perceptions, outcomes, and experiences based on demographic profile, such as the experiences of women and femmes of colour

Select Works:- Illustrated the children’s book ‘For Laika: The Dog Who Learned the Names of the Stars’ by Kai Cheng Thom.- Co-created with Aun Li the cover of ‘ZOM-FAM’ by Kama La Mackerel.- Illustrated (with Wai-Yant Li) the children's book 'From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea' by Kai Cheng Thom. Additionally, designed the layout of the French translation of the book. - Illustrated and designed (with Wai-Yant Li) the cover of Trish Salah's poetry collection, 'Lyric Sexology, Vol. 1'- Illustrated and designed ‘Giving Birth to Yourself: Poems for Combat,’ a chapbook for a local Montreal poet and spoken word performer, Lady Sin Trayda, which was launched at QPIRG McGill’s Rad Frosh- Co-created ‘Opium Dreams,’ a multimedia projection and spoken word piece integrating the experience of the Chinese diaspora with traditional Chinese myth, presented at QPIRG Concordia’s Study in Action - Conceptualised and staged ‘Distant Intimacies,’ a collaborative photography project aimed at recreating and capturing moments of solidarity, compassion, and love within racialized and Indigenous communities, presented at Qouleur- Designed posters and art for community groups such as the Sexual Assault Centre of McGill Students’ Society, Midnight Kitchen, the Prisoners’ Correspondence Project

- Developed, coordinated, and facilitated programs and educational initiatives, forums, presentations, lectures, and workshops to all levels of the University community with the goal of enhancing the experiences of historically marginalized populations.- Facilitated dialogues and group conversations in which there was potential for conflict among participants, with an understanding of how identity, history, power, systematic discrimination, and other equity and inclusion issues played into conflict as it emerged in the university community.- Developed and implemented organizational change strategies that promoted equity, diversity, and inclusion in all learning, living, and working environments across campus, and actively contributed to institutional, intellectual, and personal transformation for students, faculty, and staff.- Consulted with Administrative Heads of Units and other administrators in assessing facilitation and education needs of their particular units and designed appropriate interventions tailored to needs.- Worked in partnership with the EIO Institutional Evaluation & Planning team to manage the development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting of progress on plans and outcomes of initiatives.- Worked collaboratively with colleagues in UBC Okanagan to support research, planning, and implementation of equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives.- Regularly and actively engaged in critical reflection and dialogue (both individually and as a team member) about inclusion, diversity, equity, and the implementation of social justice principles in the workplace.

- Oversee the day-to-day functions of two residence halls, comprising of a diverse group of close to 1000 residents- Respond to emergencies in a rotating on-call basis, including incidents consisting of alcohol and substance use, suicide ideation, and other medical issues - Collaborate in implementing a new hiring process for Residence Assistants that allows candidates to demonstrate their skillset through multiple means including one-on-on interviews and group activities - Supervise and counsel 21 Resident Assistants through conflicts arising within the residence halls- Plan and conduct bi-weekly professional development meetings with Residence Assistants

- Created the position and project by developing a comprehensive plan for education and outreach initiatives through the engagement of a network of stakeholders, including the Social Equity & Diversity Education Office- Ensured the long-term viability of the project through community needs assessment, budgeting, proposal drafting, and by securing over $90,000 in funding from various grant sources- Consulted with stakeholders through meetings, surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews to ensure nuanced understanding of the community’s short-term and long-term needs- Supervised and facilitated the development and completion of an accessibility audit with recommendations to revamp programming, physical access, communications, and equity hiring practices- Developed and delivered workshops and trainings for over 3200 students and staff on topics including race, mental health, and sexual violence- Coordinated the first pan-campus McGill Mental Health Awareness Week, including logistics coordination, programming, event planning, and media development- Wrote a comprehensive report of recommendations for program sustainability, policy development, and accountability

- Collaborated with a research lab in developing qualitative methods to assess experiences of racism on campus- Facilitated focus groups for racialized students in student housing - Assessed focus group transcripts of East Asian students and established links between their experiences and academic literature on racial microaggressions- Communicated and strategized with student housing administrators on how to improve student support systems through infrastructure and training development

- Represented the interests of over 20,000 undergraduate students to all levels of the University administration, including on disciplinary committees- Developed a comprehensive Equity Policy based on constituent feedback while managing competing interests - Managed and supported approximately 50 student employees and representatives- Organised outreach fora including the first Consultation Fair and the first Strategic Summit on Equity - Advocated student and worker rights, as an elected executive, on the McGill University Senate on issues such during a year of significant political upheaval- Took the lead in releasing statements to the press on a variety of topics including the student union’s Judicial Board review- Consulted with and assessed the needs of different constituencies, including students, professors, and unions through different media including surveys, in person meetings, and social media- Sustained outreach with various University services and organisations such as the LGBT*Q community and first year services- Advised the student union’s executive committee on issues of university administration- Reviewed and analyzed University policies and governance documents to better support undergraduate Senators in fulfilling their mandates and responsibilities- Coordinated student research on various topics germane to the student union’s political and service oriented functions- Participated in hiring committees for both staff and senior administration- Oversaw the planning and submission of the multiple budgets including Equity and Social Justice Days

- Chaired the Society’s Equity Committee and provided transparent and accountable representation for constituents- Ensured marginalised students had access to equity resources and support through the reviewed and development of policy, programming, and outreach initiatives- Assessed and mediated equity complaints, and provided support services referrals with confidentiality and compassion- Organised, budgeted, and fundraised for equity events, including supporting QPIRG’s Social Justice Days- Developed a comprehensive Equity Policy based on constituent feedback while managing competing interests - Liaised with equity groups such as the Union for Gender Empowerment, the Black Students’ Network, and Queer McGill