Monday, April 22, 12:10-1:00PM
PABC 224 or Teams (Hybrid)
Please register ahead by contacting Rebecca DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
Light snacks provided. Please bring a lunch if you would like.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is growing due to immigration. As more people move to Chatham-Kent, join colleagues with lived experiences and from Community Attraction and Promotion to learn about LivingCK resources and how to be supportive of newcomers to Chatham-Kent in the workplace and community.
Open to all municipal employees.
Panelists:
Çağla, Waste Management
Chuda, Employment and Social Services
Melissa, Employment and Social Services
Nissam, Information Technology and Transformation
Olamide, CK Public Health
Teresa, Community Attraction and Promotion
March is Nutrition Month and we can't talk about that without also talking about Food Insecurity.
1 in 5 households in Chatham-Kent do not have enough money to buy food. That's 20% of the community who must decide between paying their bills or buying food.
The 2023 Cost of Eating Infographic shows the monthly cost of eating in CK and the numbers show that current social assistance programs are not enough.
View the entire infographic at: www.ckpublichealth.com/foodinsecurity
Monday, March 25, 12:10-1:00PM
PABC 224 or Teams (Hybrid)
Please register ahead by contacting Rebecca DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
Light snacks provided. Please bring a full lunch if you would like.
Despite progress made over the past decades, women, and especially women with identities that have historically been marginalized, remain under-represented across every level of the corporate structure in organizations across Canada. Women face multiple barriers to participation and promotion in the workplace.
Join colleague Emily Crawford, Solicitor in Legal Services, for an open discussion about the experiences of women and how we can support women in our own workplace.
This session is open to everyone. We encourage people from all divisions to attend, including aspiring allies of women in the workplace.
Click on the image above to download the March calendar of dates important to communities in Chatham-Kent. Click on the text in the calendar to learn more about each date.
If you are printing the calendar, please print on Legal size paper.
If you are sharing with partners, please use our external website version.
Please contact us if you notice dates missing or errors DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
Use this calendar to inform programming, scheduling, and to better understand colleagues and communities we serve.
Throughout March, there are several holidays that may involve some form of fasting or more frequent and/or evening prayers (i.e. Ramadan, Maha Shivaratri, Nineteen Day Fast, Lent, as a few examples). Be aware of these periods of time as colleagues may be avoiding food, drink, or be up late into the evening as part of their faith practices.
See our resource on Inclusion During Ramadan for more tips for this time of observance, in particular. We will be releasing a video with Economic Development and Chatham Islamic Centre shortly to share with community partners.
Other ways to use this calendar:
Remember that outside of these holidays, people may have regular prayer or reflection practices. For example, Friday afternoons are a significant time of prayer for some people of Muslim faith.
We encourage you to get to know your team - find out what days and holidays are important to each other, if and how these days should be acknowledged.
Did you know you can access more information about each date through a DEIJ Outlook calendar?
To get access to the calendar, email DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or call x. 2447
Find information about some of the events to honour important days in our community in the 'Engage' section of the DEIJ Employee Portal.
This year, Ramadan will be observed from about March 10th - April 9th. Learn about Ramadan and how to be supportive of colleagues during this important time for people who are Muslim through the resource below.
This resource is intended for Municipal employees.
A video is up on our public DEIJ website with tips for how businesses and organizations can support colleagues and community members honouring Ramadan. Please feel free to share that post and video.
Have questions or feedback about the resource? Contact the DEIJ Coordinator DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or .2447
Click on the image below to view the resource.
February 2024 DEIJ Lunch and Learn: Inclusion During Ramadan
Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 12:10-1:00PM
PABC 224 or Teams (Hybrid)
Please register in advance: DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
Starting around March 10th (the date varies with the sighting of the moon), Muslim communities across the world will observe Ramadan.
Join guests from the Chatham Islamic Centre to discuss how to be inclusive in the workplace and when providing services during this important time.
Click on the image above to download the February calendar of dates important to communities in Chatham-Kent. Click on the text in the calendar to learn more about each date. The calendar can also be found under the 'Resources' section of the DEIJ Employee Portal.
If you are printing the calendar, please print on Legal size paper.
If you are sharing with partners, please use our external website version.
Please contact us if you notice dates missing or errors DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 2447
Use this calendar to inform programming, scheduling, and to better understand colleagues and communities we serve. For example:
We encourage you to get to know your team - find out what days and holidays are important to each other, if and how these days should be acknowledged.
Did you know you can access a DEIJ calendar through Outlook? See and learn about important dates to communities in CK with the click of a button.
To get access to the calendar, email DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or call x. 2447
Find information about some of the events to honour important days in our community in the 'Engage' section of the DEIJ Employee Portal.
February is Black History Month, a month dedicated to honouring and celebrating the accomplishments of Canadians of African descent.
This month and all year long, we encourage you to learn about Black communities and community members who have helped shape what Chatham-Kent is today.
See below for some of the events taking place across Chatham-Kent throughout the month. Feel free to share with colleagues and community.
We would like to thank the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum, Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History, and our colleagues across the Municipality of Chatham-Kent for their partnerships and continued work to preserve and share our local and national history.
Black History has largely been excluded from mainstream recounting of Canadian history. That means the contributions of Black community members have often been excluded, even though they are important parts of our shared history. For example, many people don't know that soldiers of African descent made sacrifices in wartimes and actually had to advocate to be able to fight for their Country. Or, that African people were enslaved in Canada, in addition to the United States of America. Because of this exclusion of Black stories and contributions, having a dedicated month helps ensure that these stories are told. And, it helps to highlight the continued struggles for liberation, equity, and justice.
In Canada, Black History Month was first proclaimed in 1978 by the City of Toronto as a result of advocacy by the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS), including Dr. Daniel G. Hill and Wilson O. Brooks.
In 1993, the OBHS successfully filed a petition in Ontario to proclaim February as Black History Month. Following that success, Rosemary Sadlier, president of the OBHS, introduced the idea of having Black History Month recognized across Canada to the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament.
In December 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month in Canada following a motion introduced by Dr. Augustine. The House of Commons carried the motion unanimously.
In February 2008, Senator Donald Oliver, the first Black man appointed to the Senate, introduced the Motion to Recognize Contributions of Black Canadians and February as Black History Month. It received unanimous approval and was adopted on March 4, 2008. The adoption of this motion completed Canada’s parliamentary position on Black History Month.
Black History Month Flag Raising, 315 King St W, Chatham (Civic Centre)
Bundle up and show your support for the kick-off of Black History Month in Chatham-Kent!
Join the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum, and the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History to honour the start of Black History Month and learn about what is happening in Chatham-Kent throughout the month.
Buxton Museum Storytime, Chatham-Kent Public Library, Chatham Branch
Join us for a special story time celebrating Black History Month with special guests from the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum. Best suited for children 5 and younger. Drop-in.
Chatham-Kent Black Excellence Awards, Retro Suites Hotel
This inaugural event to recognize the outstanding accomplishment of local Black community members and celebrate Black cultures, and community advocates. Attendees from all cultures are welcome.
Learn more and purchase tickets through EventBrite.
Twilight Tails, Chatham-Kent Public Library, Dresden Branch
February is Black History Month, and we have all kinds of treasures to help celebrate. Play the jumbo Match-Up of famous athletes, entertainers, and inventors. Registration is not necessary.
Join Red Barn and Buxton's Next Generation (BNG) for a fun night of trivia featuring Black History Month questions! A portion of proceeds will go to BNG.
Tickets available online from Red Barn Brewing.
Screening of The Color Purple, Chatham Capitol Theatre
A story of love and resilience bast on the novel and Broadway musical. Rated PG-13. Admission $7 at the door. No registration required.
Visit Ontario’s second largest national historic site, a tribute to the Elgin settlement virtually or in-person.
Learn about the Black community that settles along McGregor’s Creek in Chatham at the end of the 18th century to present day. Self-guided tours available.
Site of the Dawn Settlement, built by Rev. Josiah Henson in 1841. In-person tours available for groups of 15 or more. Virtual tours also available.
Let Us March on till Victory is Won: The Struggle for Racial Equity in CK and Ontario
The exhibit traces the National Unity Association’s crusade for justice and determination to end practices of segregation in Chatham-Kent and Ontario. Visit the virtual exhibit or book the travelling exhibit to see it in-person.
Celebrate the diversity of Black experiences by reading books by Black authors and illustrators. Participants will earn a ballot when they borrow a book with the Black Voices bookmarks for a chance to win a prize pack.
Drop-in to the Tilbury Branch each week in February for a new quiz about notable Black figures and historic events.
Stay tuned to the Living CK Facebook or Instagram channels for information about Black History Month in Chatham-Kent.
Visit their Facebook and Instagram pages to learn about Black artists with local ties throughout the month.
Thursday, February 1st, 12:00 - 12:30, 315 King Street West, Chatham (Chatham Civic Centre)
Join the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History, the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, and the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum to honour the start of Black History Month and learn about what is happening in Chatham-Kent throughout the month.
Stay tuned to the DEIJ website for details about events happening throughout February to honour Black History Month.
January 2024 DEIJ Lunch and Learn: The Struggle for Racial Equity in Chatham-Kent
Tuesday, January 30th, 2024
12:10-1:00PM
PABC 224 or Teams (Hybrid)
Please register in advance: DEIJ@chatham-kent.ca or x. 224
Most of us are familiar with the Underground Railroad and Chatham-Kent’s history as a refuge for Black people seeking freedom from enslavement in the United States. However, Black people and communities also experienced racism once they arrived in Chatham-Kent. These experiences led local Black communities to organize and advocate for equal rights here and across the province. Join Blair Newby from Chatham-Kent Municipal Museums to learn about the struggle for racial equity in Chatham-Kent. We’ll explore how these historical and current experiences of racism continue to impact our community and highlight some of the people and organizations continuing to advocate for racial justice in Chatham-Kent.