CivicAction program aims to improve diversity of Toronto-region boardrooms
Thestar.com
Feb. 6, 2019
Jason Miller
Biju Pappachan is focused on breaking down the barriers stymieing diversity in Toronto boardrooms and government, and a civic engagement organization is bringing him together with 29 others on a mission to do just that.
“This program is trying to bring those diverse voices to the decision-making and funding tables,” Pappachan said. “It allows me to share my narrative, so that we have an understanding that policy has a direct impact on people.”
Biju Pappachan is among 30 people selected for CivicAction’s one-year DiverseCity Fellows program.
Pappachan, executive director of POV 3rd Street, a firm working with youth having a hard time breaking into the media industry, is part of a fresh cohort -- including a public servant, a mentor to blind youth and a Syrian refugee -- from an eclectic mix of backgrounds in the one-year DiverseCity Fellows program offered by CivicAction Leadership Foundation.
“The media industry does not reflect the population it’s meant to serve,” he said. “On screen, we’re starting to see some levels of diversity, but behind the scenes there wasn’t a lot of representation that reflected what the Canadian society looked like. Because of that, the stories that are being told are very one-dimensional.”
The Malvern resident is among the 30 leaders who earned a spot on this year’s roster. The year of programming will entail networking with experts, mentorship, workshops and a leadership retreat.
Pappachan, 36, wants to help find solutions for how to bolster gender and race equity across all sectors, regardless of socio-economic limitations.
“I wasn’t born here (immigrated here from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) and I faced a lot of the marginalization that economic disparities could place on an individual,” he said. “I recognize the lack of connections and networks.”
CivicAction’s CEO Sevaun Palvetzian says data indicates clearly that the Toronto region’s executive ranks and government leadership fall short of reflecting the diversity found here.
“Our DiverseCity Fellows program is the ultimate silo-breaker because it trains rising leaders on how to bridge the gaps between our communities and bring new players to city building tables,” said Palvetzian.
The numbers speaks for themselves -- 51.5 per cent of Toronto’s population is from a visible minority, yet only four people of colour were elected to city council last year, and Mississauga only has one city councillor to represent the 57 per cent of its residents who are racialized, according to CivicAction.
To get to the bottom of these issues and how these DiverseCity participants hope to use the program as a catalyst to enact change, the Star had conversations with some of those chosen for the program. The responses have been edited for length
Amy Soden, 31
The Star: Who are you?
Soden: I’m a communication professional and I’m very invested in the social impact space. I’m also legally blind and I want to make a difference in that space and represent my community.
What do you do in the community?
I do a lot of work in the blind community. I try to mentor and volunteer, and just be there for young people who are legally blind and vision-impaired. I’ve done that through workshops, conferences and just chatting with youth who have gone through things I’ve gone through.
How do you see you involvement with CivicAction helping to drive change?
My voice does matter. I want to focus on that invisible diversity lens. I’ve lived with something you don’t see when you look at me on the street and that’s challenging. I hope my voice during the fellowship will only amplify that example for other people.
Rupal Shah, 40
Who are you?
I’m an arts worker and a volunteer. I served as the board chair for the Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention.
What do you do in the community?
I’m a programs manager at Toronto Arts Council. I designed and implemented a newcomer and refugee artist mentorship program. It pays each of them $5,000 to spend time together. The program has allocated $470,000 to 94 participants since 2017.
How do you see your involvement with CivicAction helping to drive change?
I’m looking to be involved with a bigger conversation and I feel the arts community is a part of that conversation -- talking about housing, poverty and equity. I’m looking forward to being in a room full of people who have completed different perspectives and get a better handle on the city as a whole.
Mohamed Huque, 33
Who are you?
Most of my experience has been in non-profit management. Currently, I’m a philanthropy consultant, advising foundations and other charities on how to increase the impact of their charitable givings.
What do you do in the community?
I was the executive director of an Edmonton-based social services agency, involved with food security, refugee settlement, youth programming and affordable housing. The kind of city-building issues I think this fellowship program is concentrated on.
How do you see you involvement with CivicAction helping to drive change?
I’m excited to be working with people who have experience in different sectors, and engage in important issues. I want to use my background to help with addressing some of the complicated challenges we are facing.
