July 15, 2021

Since my last update in May, we have promoted and received responses for the new Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. Today, I’m excited to share with you the membership of this new group. To provide continuity with the Anti-Racism Task Force work from last summer, continuing as co-chairs are Andrea Miller-Ffrench (Area Manager, Ottawa) and Laura Watson (Director of Recruitment & Retention, Waterloo office). The members of the working group are: 

  • Amber Groeneweg, Direct Support Professional, Peterborough 
  • Catalina Hernandez, Executive Assistant, Waterloo Office 
  • Edeline Angrove, Direct Support Professional, Durham 
  • Gary Arcand, Direct Support Professional, Prince Albert, SK 
  • Ismail Erten, Direct Support Professional, Hamilton 
  • Janet McBean, Direct Support Professional, Moose Jaw, SK 
  • Jasmine Duckworth, Community Development Manager, Ottawa 
  • Joan Spaulding-Williams, Direct Support Professional, London 
  • Leslie-Ann Griffin, Program Manager, Simcoe 
  • Mojib Ahmad, person who uses services, Ottawa 
  • Nothemba June Moyo, Direct Support Professional, Waterloo 
  • Okpan Ogbu, Direct Support Professional, Toronto 
  • Sarah Smith, Direct Support Professional, Muskoka 

This membership represents Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, people from the LGBT+ community, and people from various faith perspectives, ages, genders, and abilities. This representation isn’t exhaustive, but we’re excited to get this group started and to continue to learn. In two weeks (July 29), we will feature brief biographies and photos of the group members. 

Thank you, Andrea and Laura, for leading this important work. Thank you, each member, for your willingness to step into this role and help Christian Horizons as we continue to work to be a place of belonging for all people, both employees and people who use our services, and where diversity is welcomed and celebrated.  

Recently, from Isabel Wilkerson’s book, Caste: The Origins of our Discontent, I learned that slavery and the subjugation of the Black people was a legal practice in the United States for 246 years, almost a quarter of a millennium – 8 or 9 generations. After learning about the unmarked graves of Indigenous children here in Canada at the sites of old Residential Schools, I started to read The Inconvenient Indian, by Thomas King. I am humbled to continue to learn and grateful to all of you for daily demonstrating that communities are better when everybody belongs.  

Sincerely,  

Dwayne Milley 

Vice President of Operations