Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility…

Effective OD practice is an anti-oppressive practice, rooted in the stand for a world free of oppression.

In the thriving human places and spaces we seek to co-create with clients, leaders, communities, families and all the domains of human organizing we support as OD practitioners and leaders, we must ensure there is room for all.

Participants are invited to explore the What, So What & Now What of building anti-oppressive and pro-belonging human systems.

1. Exploring the issues and practices for initiating, facilitating and sustaining JEDIA programs and systemic change in an “anti-EDI” era (WHAT?)
2. Locating yourself and framing your narrative as an OD Practitioner/human system intervenor in a world demanding social justice (SO WHAT?)
3. Determining how to integrate anti-oppression + pro-belonging mindsets and skillsets into your life and OD/human systems intervention practice (NOW WHAT?)

Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson is a multiple award-winning organizational development leader and scholar who centers equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all she does. Throughout her career, which has spanned the public, private and non-profit sectors, she has helped people and organizations build capacity for transformational change. In addition to many academic peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, she has published

• Transformation After Trauma
• The Power of Resonance
• Co-editor for the 2022 Palgrave Handbook of Learning for Transformation
• The We Will Lead Africa book series 
• Short story collections about global African experiences: Identities, Ancestries, Destinies

In addition to being Founder and Principal at SLD consulting, she has served in Executive Leadership roles within the British Columbia Public Sector and is Simon Fraser University’s first Vice-President, People, Equity and Inclusion. Her awards have included

• International African Woman of the Year by UK-based Women4AFrica
• Organization Development Practitioner Award from US-based Organization Development Network 
• The prestigious Harry Jerome Professional Excellence Award given in recognition of Black-Canadian achievements
• She is a 2024 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women honoree

When asked about her work in the world, Yabome describes it as “developing our human capacity to be, think and do things differently and better.” If you ask what she is best known for, she will tell you, her wicked laugh!