Courageous Conversations

The silhouette of four people, one of whom has their hand up in the air with a speech bubble overhead.

The CSLA's National Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee welcomes you to the Courageous Conversations series.

Explore the meaning of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion during the second event of the series, which will be held virtually at 2:30 pm ET on December 5th, 2024.

This edition of 'Courageous Conversations' will be held virtually and will be moderated by Gail Shillingford and Lina Al-Dajani, member and chair, respectively, of the CSLA Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. While registration is required, your participation will be held strictly confidential by the CSLA and governed by its privacy policy.

Note that you may participate anonymously if you wish, by keeping your camera and audio off, and identifying yourself as 'Participant' in the field which would usually mark your name.

What is it?

Courageous Conversations is an event which gives us the opportunity to explore the meaning of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion freely and candidly in landscape architecture education, practice, and workplaces.

Courageous Conversations are intended to provide a safe space to share our experiences, our worries, our thoughts, and ideas of actions. These conversations will be held virtually and in-person.

"The Winnipeg Courageous Conversations was an opportunity to be honest about our diverse experiences. It was a necessary dialogue and participants felt that they were fortunate to be able to have it in a safe space surrounded by colleagues who care about one another, and the future of our profession. This is a challenging topic, but the session helped those in attendance understand that we all need to know more to do better for the profession."

Ground Rules and Expectations

These conversations take courage: courage to speak about intimate things in public and to receive other people's intimate thoughts. These are the ground rules to ensure a safe and confidential space for all:

Be engaged.
Expect to experience discomfort and welcome it.
Speak your truth (but in a non-threatening way).
Expect and accept a lack of closure.
Respect the Chatham House Rule:
“When a meeting such as this is held, participants are free to use the information heard and received thereafter, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the person may be revealed.”
Respect the CSLA Codes of Conduct: Event Code Of Conduct, Code of Professional Conduct for CSLA Members.

Resources for Participants

Canadian Helplines

Crisis Services Canada for all people in distress and in crisis across Canada.
Get Help | 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline (988.ca) Call or Text: 988
The Hope for Wellness Helpline for all Indigenous people across Canada.
Call: 1-855-242-3310 or Online chat: Hope for Wellness Helpline
Trans Lifeline for all trans people across Canada
Call: 877-330-6366 (5PM – 1AM ET) Get Help - It Gets Better Canada

Provincial organizations

For provincial resources, please refer to: https://itgetsbettercanada.org/get-help/

Canadian organizations

Egale works to improve and save lives through research, education, awareness, and by advocating for human rights and equality in Canada and around the world.
JusticeTrans is designed to provide Two Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming communities in Canada with relevant and up-to-date legal information.
Salaam Canada is a volunteer-run national organization dedicated to creating space for people who identify as both Muslim and queer and trans.
The Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) intersectionally promotes diversity in gender identity, gender expression, and romantic and/or sexual orientation in all its forms on a national level through services in the areas of education, health, and advocacy.

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