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Hiring an equity and inclusion professional will ensure that policies are strategically put in place to improve and maintain the inclusive culture and opportunities of the workplace and benefit the employees as well as the employers. Employees who are fully integrated and have equal participation work will be more invested in being high performers, which will have a direct influence achieving the company’s objectives.

Health care and mental health care have become more of a generic offering from companies to their employees and does not service the whole scope of the diverse work community. The misconception that everyone experiences health care the same has provided inequitable benefits to the overall workplace health. ot all genders,  cultures, ethnicities etc.,  have the same physiology and require access to a range of health care and Mental Health services.

For example a racialized woman’s pain in labour is underestimated and often not tended to properly, which causes an increase in the mortality rate in childbirth among women of colour even when they show the same symptoms as their counterparts. The stigma is perpetuated through the school system directly affecting the children with behavioral concerns and they are often prescribed medicine without taking into consideration the long-term effects. This raises the question of whether equity and inclusion training should be included in the education track of healthcare professionals.

On the level of government, equity and inclusion implementation is pertinent, as it affects the way people live and operate as a community. Setting the example will have companies, institutions and organizations align with government regulations. Having someone well-informed, educated and experienced in equity and inclusion implementations will bring an effectiveness and workability to the governing body. When these spaces operate as though systemic oppression does not exist, the language to explain inequitable actions and constructs do not exist either. Without the effective language or mechanisms, frustration may be expressed through aggression when staff and community members are limited. Acknowledging the injustices and the implementation of equitable structures will build a community that functions and that works towards equitable and inclusive resolutions.

The common theme is that the marginalised population, mainly in Canada and the US have more frequent interactions with law enforcement and are more likely to be subject to routine stops and ID checks. The fact is: there is a stigma that is being perpetuated more by law enforcement than the actions of the accused.

The community work that is initiated by law enforcement is heavily focused on isolated acts of  kindness, while good, those acts do not help the official function of law enforcement and that is the area where an implementation of equitable action and structures are needed. There is more than enough evidence in the news archives alone to show that the actions of law enforcement are heavily based on stigmas and stereotypes that are not perpetuated in media and isolated situations.

Non-profit organizations tend to be for the greater good of the community and still lack the full awareness for equitable actions to take when faced with inequitable concerns from the community. The staff generally have the goal of equity and inclusions but lack the knowledge to implement such policies and structures. Companies that deal solely with community are in an essential need for the implementation and practice of equity and inclusion policies. Although the staff of these companies and organizations have the passion that is needed to strive to a better future, they’re not necessarily equipped with the knowledge it takes to implement proper equitable policies. 

The results of passion without knowledge runs the risk of being perceived as careless and not thought out. Representing and engaging a community is a responsibility not to be taken lightly and hiring an equity and inclusion counsellor; trainer; coach would be a step in the direction of responsible implementation of equitable policies.

Racialized people who attend the hospital are often misdiagnosed and given ill-prescribed tests and treatments without proper assessment. With biased diagnoses based on stigmas and ill-conceived ideas, doctors and practitioners fail to administer public service to aid their community rather than put them at risk. The application of their medical knowledge is limited with stigmatic ideals. 

Misdiagnosis can also result in misplacement of children within schools. Where a black student would sooner be placed in a special education class then diagnosed with ADHD and children from at risk situations would be mis-prescribed medicine for ADHD to improve performance within school without consideration of long term adverse effects.

It is important to be properly represented in the media where there is a high rate of appropriation within today’s media representation of racialized groups. From Gucci ads to pictures of political figures in black face. It has been perceived as appropriation and thoughtless in terms of the history behind the misrepresentation of black culture. More effort had to be put in place to resolve the issue than it would have taken to be educated in equity and inclusion in the area of Media and culture. 

Building organizations and content from ill-conceived notions and ideals will cause the issues listed above and more. Cultural appropriation is less and less common place as the racialized groups are speaking up and making it known that it will not be tolerated. The implementation of equity and inclusion regarding proper representation in media and cultural spaces will benefit organizations and companies profit margins and public engagement.

We know that children are the future and implementing equity and inclusion teachings in the educational system at the grade school level will have a long lasting effect on society and the future of companies, institutions and organizations. Equity would become ingrained in the new generation and become a pillar to uphold the community. At the school board level equity is integral in providing equal opportunity to every student. Low income should not dictate the type of education that a child receives and the opportunities that are available for them.

There is cause for alarm when looking at North American child welfare outcomes for marginalised youth. While the child welfare system is the epitome of where equity implementations are needed, it does not meet the needs of equity seeking groups. It is important to acknowledge the systemic oppression that is happening to make sure that the proper policies are put in place to make the difference for equity seeking groups. Staying in a neutral part of the situation will not allow for any long-lasting change and will not lead to resolution of systemic problems.

Children of racialized background face the same discrimination as an adult of racialized background would face when being admitted to the hospital. Similar to the education system children of racialized backgrounds are more susceptible to misdiagnosis and ill-prescribed drugs as an immediate fix without taking into account the long term effects.