Workshop on implicit bias aimed at creating inclusive and safe places to work and learn

In December 2019, Heather Bensler and Aniela dela Cruz co-planned a workshop for the 2019-2020 Together in Action Event Series - Building & Sustaining a Diverse, Inclusive & Culturally Safe Community for All as part of a larger effort to promote and sustain an inclusive, culturally and psychologically safe learning and working environment for UCalgary Nursing.

More than 30 undergraduate and graduate nursing students, faculty and staff attended an Implicit Bias Workshop facilitated by Dr. William Yimbo from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Protected Disclosure. 

During this workshop, participants learned how to recognize implicit and explicit bias, how to respond to it in ourselves and  those around us and some ways to respond to bias in professional nursing practice or in practice as students. 

As community members of UCalgary Nursing, all participants gained insight into how we can reflect on our own biases and how to do our part in creating inclusive and safe places to work and learn.  We recognize that the topics discussed are difficult to address at times, but that we can play a role in responding to challenging situations in our environment even if we start with small steps of courageous acts.

Watch for our final event of the Together in Action Series, hopefully by the end of the Winter 2020 semester, for all nursing students, faculty and staff. We plan to use an arts-based approach to building inclusivity, diversity and safety and encourage everyone to participate in our efforts to build an inclusive and safe community!  

-Aniela dela Cruz & Heather Bensler