Digging In With ONN

It’s no secret that pay transparency is a vital aspect of Decent Work practices within the nonprofit sector. In this episode, we speak to Paul Taylor of FoodShare about the different ways nonprofits can ensure that pay equity, transparency and accountability are central to creating thriving work environments for Black, Indigenous and racialized workers.

Bio: Paul Taylor is the Executive Director of FoodShare Toronto, and a lifelong anti-poverty activist. Growing up materially poor in Toronto, Paul has used his experience to fuel a career-focused not just on helping others, but dismantling the beliefs and systems that lead to poverty and food insecurity, including colonialism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchal structures. Each year, FoodShare provides a quarter-million people with fresh produce and fights for their right to have access to “good” food on their own terms, rather than charity on someone else’s. Paul’s experience includes Executive Director roles at Gordon Neighborhood House and the Downtown Eastside Neighborhood House.

Resource:

FoodShare's Commitments to Truth and Reconciliation

Making pay transparency a reality | FoodShare

The Enchanté Network is an organization connecting and supporting 2Spirit and LGBTQ+ communities and nonprofit workers across Canada. In this episode, we connect with Roland and Noah to discuss the different dimensions of 2Spirit and LGBTQIA+ realities working within the nonprofit sector including how to make nonprofits more gender-inclusive from a Decent Work perspective.

Bio: Noah is a Black person of trans experience with a passion for creating dialogue and space for Black queer and trans communities to exist as their fullest selves. Noah received his bachelor's in Social Work from Carleton University in 2014 and has worked with various Black and 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in Ontario including Jaku Konbit, Kindspace, the Centretown Community Health Centre, the LGBT Youthline, Rexdale Pride, and Family Services Ottawa’s Around The Rainbow program. He is currently the Program Manager with The Enchanté Network, where he gets to use his vast experience to support 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and groups across the country"

Roland Jones is Saulteaux–Cree, originally from Regina, Saskatchewan (Treaty no. 1 & 4) and is currently living on Algonquin Territory in Ottawa. They are a Two-Spirit, Non-Binary and Queer multimedia artist, educator and full spectrum doula in decolonizing our approach to gender, sexuality and sexual health. They are currently the Two-Spirit Coordinator at The Enchante Network.

Resource:

Driving Transformational Change: A Funder’s Guide to Supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Organizations

The Decent Work movement building has been part of ONN’s fabric for the last several years. Join us as Pamela Uppal, Policy Advisor at ONN breaks down how nonprofits can lean into creating equitable conditions for workers in the nonprofit sector using Decent Work practices.

Bio: Pamela (she/her) cares deeply about how women experience the world and so her work over the past 10 years has focused on creating gender equitable systems by bridging frontline work, research initiatives, and policy advocacy. Currently, she is a policy advisor at the Ontario Nonprofit Network leading its decent work, care economy, and future of work portfolios.

The next provincial government is hopefully going to lead us to the other side of the pandemic. But are parties bringing an anti-Black racism lens to their policy commitments? Velma Morgan of Operation Black Vote Canada joins us to talk about why it matters to bring party hopefuls to Black communities to hear issues directly, and why all nonprofits need to get political.

Guest biography: Velma Morgan has experience in creating and implementing public policies and programs in the Ontario provincial government. For over 10 years she advised Cabinet Ministers in 5 Ministries. Her comprehensive knowledge of government and public policy processes allows her to quickly decipher and analyze complex issues and positively contribute to a solution. As an advocate for gender and cultural representation and inclusion in government, she ensured that the voices of marginalized communities were reflected in the government's policies and communications.

This episode jumps into the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and how the climate movement in Ontario stays agile. Our guest Tim Gray of Environmental Defence shares why the election window is such an important time to advocate for policy, the message collectives are hoping to get across to politicians this cycle, and the work that comes after election day.

Guest biography: Tim grew up on the shores of Lake Huron and acquired his love of nature there. He has over 25 years of experience developing and implementing environmental policy change efforts. These have included major shifts in land conservation, forest practices and climate change. Starting out his career as a biologist and policy analyst, Tim has spent a lot of time learning skills that move complex environmental issues toward resolution.