Webinar: Busting Myths About DEI Data: Your Rights, Responsibilities, and Opportunities [Partners Only - EN]
2025-05-14 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Toronto)
Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 12 PM to 1 PM EDT – this event is exclusive for employees of our Proud Partners and Community Partners.
Data collection is a cornerstone of successful DEI strategies, yet many organizations struggle to navigate the complexities of ethical and effective practices. This session will address common myths surrounding DEI data, clarify legal rights and responsibilities, and highlight opportunities for leveraging SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression) data to drive workplace inclusion.
With International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17, this webinar provides timely insights into how data collection can support efforts to combat systemic barriers faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ employees. By understanding key workforce trends, organizations can take meaningful actions to build equitable workplaces and uphold their commitments to diversity and inclusion.
Learning objectives:

Understand your legal rights and responsibilities around DEI data collection.
Learn how to leverage SOGIE data to inform your DEI initiatives.
Identify systemic barriers and use data to create targeted, effective solutions.

Target Audience:

HR leaders,
DEI professionals, and
Compliance teams.

About the speaker:

Sophia Dhrolia (she/her, they/them)
Sophia Dhrolia (she/they) is a DEI leader who is passionate about building a culture that values diversity, champions inclusion, and promotes collaboration to drive business results. She is committed to developing environments where differences are valued and where people are empowered to bring their authentic selves to the workplace. She focuses on breaking down systemic barriers, driving positive change in organizations, and on improving experiences.
Sophia speaks regularly on the importance of advocacy, inclusive language and creating cultures of belonging. She has been a keynote speaker for Steps of Pride 2022, CPHR in BC and Yukon, a featured guest on the ‘Mom Strength’ podcast and in high school classrooms. She is also the proud recipient of the 2024 Women in Payments advocate for Diversity & Inclusion award and 2022 Women in IT ‘Diversity Lead of the Year’ award.

Accessibility:

Spoken language: English
Automatic translation: English to French
Subtitles provided: English and French
Format: Virtual (Zoom in webinar mode)
Type of engagement: participants are invited to interact via the chat (no audio or video)
Please register below for any additional accessibility requests. For any questions, you can email info@prideatwork.ca.

Registration for this event has closed.

This event is exclusive for employees and board members of our Proud Partners and Community Partners. If you would like to register after the deadline, please send an email to events@prideatwork.ca.

Webinar: Navigating AI & Inclusive Prompt Engineering
2025-10-07 13:00 - 14:30
Tuesday October 7 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm EDT – this event is exclusive for employees of our Proud Partners and Community Partners.
As workplaces increasingly adopt emerging and evolving technologies, it’s crucial to ensure their implementation supports equity, safety, and impact. Join a panel of experts to explore how to avoid reproducing bias and harmful stereotypes when using generative AI to create content for or about queer and trans communities. This webinar will introduce tools and best practices for responsible AI use, with a focus on preventing bias, promoting inclusive representation, and safeguarding digital integrity.
Additionally, we’ll discuss the importance of cybersecurity in AI workflows, especially when handling sensitive or identity-based information and offer strategies to mitigate associated risks. Learn how to leverage AI ethically and securely to advance your organization’s social impact.
Learning objectives

Understand strategies to avoid reproducing bias and stereotypes when creating content for or about queer and trans communities.
Cybersecurity and safety of using generative AI
Learn tools and practices towards responsible AI use

Target audience

2SLGBTQIA+ employees at Pride at Work Canada’s partner organizations
Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders
HR & DEI Professionals
Marketing and communications professionals

Facilitator

Jade Pichette (they/she)
Director of Programs, Pride at Work Canada

Jade Pichette is an inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA!) professional based in Tkarón:to/Toronto. Currently, Jade serves as the Director of Programs at Pride at Work Canada, where they work with over 250 large employers across Canada around gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation inclusion. Previously, Jade served as the Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator at the ArQuives, the Education Programs Coordinator at Kind Space, and an independent inclusion consultant. They were one of the authors of Transitioning Employers: A survey of policies and practices for trans inclusive workplaces and are the cohost of the Uncovering Belonging Podcast. In their spare time they can be found geeking out over queer, trans, and Norse histories, disability justice, interfaith advocacy, firekeeping, and spending time with their chosen family.

Panelists

Carlos Chalico (He/him)
Cybersecurity and privacy specialist

Carlos Chalico is a consultant specialized in cybersecurity and privacy. He started his career in Mexico City when he joined a big four accounting firm Mexico back in 1996, today he is a partner based in Toronto. Carlos is also an instructor with the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, where he teaches cybersecurity and privacy.
Carlos volunteers for different organizations including ISACA, IAPP, and Hispanotech. He discovered the Association of Latinx Professionals for America (ALPFA) in 2019, when EY Canada sent him to Nashville, Tennessee for attending his first ALPFA convention. When Carlos saw what ALPFA was doing for the Latinx community in US, he asked what was needed to make it work in Canada and, in 2022, Carlos helped bring ALPFA Canada to life with the first chapter in Toronto. Today, ALPFA Canada has also chapters in Montreal and Calgary, and is close to having a new chapter in Vancouver. Most of Carlos’ volunteering time is now focused on ALPFA Canada’s development.
In his free time, Carlos enjoys spending time with family, reading, writing, walking with Leis (his dog), riding his bike (not in winter) and playing drums somewhere in Toronto or Mississauga.

Vipul Bhardwaj (he/him)
Senior Manager, Emerging Capabilities, TD Bank

Vipul is a people-first leader with over 16 years of experience in financial services, spanning roles in retail banking, wholesale banking, wealth management, and human resources. He is passionate about AI-driven innovation and its potential to transform the delivery of products and services in the financial services industry. At TD, Vipul has led strategy and delivery of large-scale digital transformation initiatives and was most recently tapped to lead the GenAI transformation and enablement for the Wealth Management business. He is also influencing AI policy in Canada by partnering with governance and control partners at TD as well as regulators. Vipul is passionate about talent development and Inclusion & Diversity. He is a member of TD Wealth’s I&D core committee and provides thought leadership on strategy and programming aligned to TD’s I&D agenda.

Registration for this event has closed.
Accessibility

Spoken language: English
Automatic translation: English to French
Closed captioning provided: English and French
Format: Virtual (Zoom in webinar mode)
Engagement type: participants invited to engage via chat (no audio or video)

Please register below additional accessibility requests. Any questions may be sent to events@prideatwork.ca

Advocating for Equity: Modernizing the Employment Equity Act [In French]
2026-03-03 13:00 - 14:30
March 3 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 PM EDT – this event is exclusive for employees of our Proud Partners and Community Partners. This webinar will also take place in English on February 24.
Employment equity has been a priority for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada for over 50 years. Despite this long term advocacy, 2SLGBTQIA+ workers remain excluded from the Employment Equity Act’s protections, leaving them underrepresented in data and equity initiatives, and facing persistent barriers such as wage gaps, precarious work, and higher unemployment.
In September 2025, 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations gathered for coordinated advocacy on Parliament Hill, meeting with parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, sharing a clear and united message: equity in employment is not optional—and the time to act is now.
It’s time for the Employment Equity Act to explicitly include 2SLGBTQIA+ and Black communities as designated groups, and to include stronger intersectional, transparent, and accountable mechanisms that reflect today’s workplace realities.
Join us to learn about our proposed updates to the Act, our advocacy work, and how you can get involved!
Learning objectives:

Understand the gaps in the Employment Equity Act
Learn about recommendations for the modernization of the Act
Explore advocacy efforts and strategies

Target audience:

2SLGBTQIA+ employees at Pride at Work Canada’s partner organizations
Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders
HR & DEI Professionals

Panelists

Bilan Arte (she/her)
National Representative, Human Rights Department
Canadian Labour Congress

Bilan Arte is an award-winning activist and organizer with over fifteen years of experience in campaigns, leadership, and movement building. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Ottawa, and she is the National Representative for Human Rights at the Canadian Labour Congress.
Bilan is a Black, Muslim feminist who lives and works in the unceded and never-surrendered traditional territories of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe peoples.
In all aspects of her work, Bilan is fueled by her passion for social justice and equity.

Alex Arseneau (he/him)
Alter Acadie NB

Alex Arseneau est directeur général d’Alter Acadie NB, le seul organisme de défense des droits 2SLGBTQIA+ francophone à l’est du Québec. Depuis son lancement en 2023, Alter Acadie NB s’est imposé comme un pilier du militantisme franco-queer au pays, notamment par son travail de plaidoyer et de revendication, ancré dans les réalités rurales, face à la montée de l’extrême droite et à l’intensification des attaques contre les droits queer.

Facilitator

Cynthia Eysseric (she/her)
Consulting Coordinator

Cynthia is a dedicated professional working at the intersection of feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and sexuality education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sexology from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a certificate in entrepreneurship and SME management from Université Laval, bringing a strategic and inclusive approach to her work. Her commitment to LGBTQ+ communities has led her to collaborate with several organizations, including the Réseau des lesbiennes du Québec (RLQ) and Club Sexu, where she serves as Vice President on the Board. She is also part of the team at Fierté au travail Canada, a national organization advocating for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Passionate about organizational inclusion, Cynthia began a graduate microprogram in equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace at Université Laval in 2024. Her work aims to strengthen intersectionality within the spaces she engages in, reinforcing her commitment to creating more just and representative environments.

Accessibility

Spoken language: French – This webinar will also take place in English on February 24.
Automatic translation: French to English
Closed captioning provided: English and French
Format: Virtual (Zoom in webinar mode)
Engagement type: participants invited to engage via chat (no audio or video)

Please register below additional accessibility requests. Any questions may be sent to events@prideatwork.ca

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Empowering 2SLGBTQIA+ Workers in Energy: From the Office to the Field [In English]
2026-03-17 13:00 - 14:30
Tuesday, March 17 from 1 PM to 2:30 PM ET – Ce webinaire aura lieu en français le 14 avril.
Canada’s energy sector is evolving, but for 2SLGBTQIA+ workers, jobsites remain high-risk environments where harassment, hypermasculinity, and isolation are still seen as just part of the job. Based on the recent report “Empowering 2SLGBTQIA+ Workers in Energy,” published by Pride at Work Canada, this webinar offers concrete actions employers, unions, and community partners can take.
Over 90 minutes, we’ll begin with a brief presentation of key findings from the national qualitative study involving 2SLGBTQIA+ workers, business and people leaders, and community organizers. We’ll then move to a facilitated panel featuring experts, industry leaders, and community organizations, demonstrating how these findings can be put into practice, followed by an open Q&A.
Together, we’ll examine how homophobia and transphobia manifest on job sites, how office-focused DEI efforts often fail to reach field-based workers, and what is needed to rewire systems so that psychological and physical safety are seen as inseparable. We’ll also showcase promising practices: simple communication strategies, inclusive infrastructure, accountability mechanisms, and the roles of ERGs, mentorship, and leadership in fostering lasting change.
Format
90-minute webinar:

15 min – presentation of key research findings
45 min – panel discussion (3 speakers)
30 min – audience Q&A / group discussion

Key learning outcomes
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Recognize common ways homophobia and transphobia appear in energy workplaces, and how these behaviours impact inclusion, safety, and retention.
Identify gaps between office-centric DEI initiatives and field-based work, and understand why closing these gaps is essential to genuine workplace inclusion.
Apply the guide’s recommendations for practical actions to advance 2SLGBTQIA+ safety and inclusion.

Panelists

Mitchel Bowers
(he/they)

Mitchel Bowers, also known by his vibrant drag alter ego, Simma Downe, brings a unique and dynamic perspective to his work. Beyond being an advocate for inclusion, Mitchel is a seasoned performer with over 10 years of experience as Simma Downe, a captivating Metis Two Spirit Drag Queen. Mitchel is a champion for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and Two Spirit visibility. As the Executive Director of Wood Buffalo Pride and a founding member of the Oil Royals, he has played a crucial role in shaping the queer community in Fort McMurray. They have experience working across sectors including the energy sector, where they were a founding member of the companies 2SLGBTQ+ ERG, and helped drive systemic and policy change to improve inclusion. Their commitment extends to community-building initiatives, with a focus on human rights, safety, and security. Mitchel wears many hats serving on multiple boards including, Arts Council Wood Buffalo, the Missing, Murdered and Exploited Indigenous Peoples Task Force, and more.

Rachel Elser
(she/her)

Rachel Elser was born and raised in Fort McMurray, where the energy sector has been woven into every stage of her life. She began her career in the trades as a Power Engineer and has spent more than 20 years working through field and leadership roles within the industry.
As a transgender woman who came out and transitioned mid‑career, Rachel navigated her own corporate social transition at a time when clear processes, tools, and supports were limited. This experience deepened her understanding of privilege, visibility, and the gaps that exist for 2SLGBTQIA+ workers in energy. Her willingness to share lived experiences played a role in supporting her organization’s development of a “Transitioning in the Workplace” guideline, helping ensure future employees and leaders have a clearer, more affirming path.
Rachel now serves as Co‑Chair on her organization’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Employee Inclusion Network, where she focuses on building connection, increasing visibility, and advancing inclusion across the organization. Her commitment to community extends beyond the workplace, recently elected Co‑Chair of the Wood Buffalo Pride Board of Directors, where she intendeds to strengthen consistent and affirming messaging across both local community spaces and the wider energy sector.
A proud parent of two and an avid golfer, Rachel is passionate about fostering inclusive and welcoming environments in both recreational and competitive sports for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Témoc Vega
(they/them)

Témoc Vega, PhD, is the Learning and Development Coordinator at the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO). With a background in research, critical policy analysis, organizing, and teaching, they are building an educational program designed to actually work for ECAO members and their teams.
Beyond just improving efficiency or meeting compliance requirements, Témoc is focused on helping electrical contractors create workplaces that are inclusive, fulfilling, and collaborative. At the heart of this work is a commitment to building a genuine culture of learning, where workers at every level feel valued, empowered, and supported to grow in their current roles or advance into new ones if they choose.

Facilitator

Ting-Fai Yu (he/him)
Project Coordinator, Energy

Ting-Fai Yu is an anthropologist-turned-organizational consultant with extensive experience in academic and applied settings. As a scholar of transnational queer Chinese cultures, his research has appeared in field-shaping journals like the Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and Journal of Intercultural Studies, as well as in landmark volumes such as the Elgar Encyclopedia of Queer Studies and Oxford Handbook of Language and Prejudice. He received his PhD in gender studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has held faculty and research positions at Monash University, Leiden University, and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study. As a DEI professional, Ting-Fai previously worked for Logitech as the first DEI Lead to oversee the Asia Pacific region and lead global Pride initiatives. He has been a faculty member of The Conference Board’s DEI Masterclass Certificate Program, training business and people leaders on workplace psychological safety and intercultural competence. His work in queer and organizational inclusion has been featured in global media outlets and leading industry publications, including BBC News, the HR Excellence Magazine, and HRM Asia.

Accessibility

Spoken language: English – Ce webinaire aura lieu en français le 14 avril.
Automatic translation: English to French
Closed captioning provided: English and French
Format: Virtual (Zoom in webinar mode)
Engagement type: participants invited to engage via chat (no audio or video)

Please register below additional accessibility requests. Any questions may be sent to events@prideatwork.ca
