Inclusion Diversity and Equity

The Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committe (TIDE)

2021-2022 Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary Award: datejie cheko green

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This month the Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI) announced that datejie cheko green is the winner of the 2021-2022 ISC/SCI Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary Award.

datejie is a journalist, digital consultant, and interdisciplinary scholar whose knowledge production spans genres and sectors. Her research interests include decolonial and environmental movements with a focus on uncovering and translating the histories of systems, structures and relations that have led to inequalities today. She has been a union organizer for freelancers, equity-seeking journalists and knowledge workers in Canada and the US, leading her further into projects innovating digital justice.

Since entering journalism through community radio, datejie has tracked gaps and opportunities for more cohesive creation, publication and preservation of the work and works of marginalized peoples – as journalists, and as news subjects. Her early interests in archiving radio and film led her to self study and training of research methods, cataloguing systems, digital asset management software, metadata practices, national and international preservation standards and protocols. 

Looking back at history and forward to posterity, datejie’s current work seeks to address the contemporary urgency for digital literacy, media literacy, news literacy through radical, collective and community-minded publishing, preservation, and archiving. She is presently developing news programming and teaching modules focused by, for and about Black journalists. 

With this bursary, ISC/SCI aims to help achieve equality of opportunity for aspiring indexers belonging to underrepresented and/or marginalized groups. The bursary covers fees for an approved indexing program, two years of ISC membership with listing, and entry into the Mary Newberry Mentorship program.

In addition, six 6-month trial memberships were awarded to Sarah Kahale (BC), Alexander Benmerrouche (SK), Ashley Lavadinho (ON), Jude Klaassen (QC), Fenrir Cerebellion (BC), and Mieke Leigh (BC).

View press release.

2020 Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary Award: Sandra Muchekeza

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August 31, 2020, Toronto: The Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI) is pleased to announce that Sandra Muchekeza is the 2020 ISC/SCI Diversity in Canadian Publishing Bursary Award recipient. The selection committee received ten applications, from which four applicants were shortlisted.

Sandra Muchekeza was born and raised in Kenya before moving to Australia for her Bachelor studies in Psychology. After completing her studies, she joined her family in Toronto, Canada where she started a career in Project Management in the not for profit sector. Over time, Sandra developed a keen interest in Diversity, Equality and Inclusion and works hard to ensure the voices of the marginalized are heard.

Sandra is currently the Executive Director at the Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage (CCACH) based in Edmonton, Alberta. CCACH supports activities that enhance the social, economic and educational life of African and Caribbean heritage communities in Edmonton. Passionate about the rights of women in every aspect of their lives, Sandra sits on the Board of YWCA Edmonton an organization that fights for the right to equal economic opportunities for women and girls and works towards ending gender-based violence.

Sandra loves the world of books so it is hardly a surprise that she and her sister founded a children’s books publishing company called Asili Kids. The company produces and distributes books which have content and characters that children of African heritage can identify with and introduces children from all over the world to African stories.

Married with two young boys Sandra loves spending quality time with her family, dabbling with photography, trying out new food recipes and of course, reading.

About the award

Since 2014, when the hashtag #weneeddiversebooks appeared, the Canadian publishing industry has slowly been waking up to both the lack of diverse voices and the demand for them. With this bursary, ISC/SCI aims to help achieve equality of opportunity for aspiring indexers belonging to underrepresented and/or marginalized groups. The bursary covers fees for an approved indexing program, two years of ISC membership with listing, and entry into the Mary Newberry Mentorship program.

Bursary for Structurally Disadvantaged People

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We were able to secure funding from the Special Projects committee for our very first bursary!

The Bursary for Structurally Disadvantaged People is for one person, and it will cover fees for an indexing course, two years of ISC membership with listing, and entry into the Mentorship program.

The Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity committee (TIDE) is a very small committee and we will be needing more people to join in to help develop and organize the bursary. Please get in touch to help out! siusanmoffat (at.) gmail (dot) com