SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUITY SPECIAL FEATURE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
LITERACY, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
COMMUNITY
EXAMINING SEED WINNIPEG’S ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACISM
PLANTING SEEDS OF INCLUSION
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EED Winnipeg is committed to equity and inclusivity. While the charity has been doing this work for decades, SEED knows there is still much to be done; that’s why it’s looking in the mirror and asking tough questions. “We're starting from the premise that we need to address systemic racism within SEED,” says Louise Simbandumwe, SEED’s co-executive director. “Part of what systemic racism means is that it impacts every single institution. And so, we're starting from the premise that there are issues that need to be addressed and that we need to do that collectively as a staff.” SEED – which stands for Supporting Employment and Economic Development – works to support people and community through financial empowerment. Established in response to a study looking at economic development needs of the inner-city, it opened its doors in 1993. Today, it’s located on Salter Street in the North End and has a staff of about 40 people. SEED’s organizational commitment to equity and inclusivity includes six components: tracking progress, building partnerships, staff composition, board composition, solidarity and systemic change, and community-led program development. This ongoing commitment requires regular review and revision. In the late ’90s SEED realized the attrition rate of Indigenous participants in a business development program
was disproportionately high; while 30 per cent of the program applicants were Indigenous, the number who completed the program was very low. “I think for that cohort, we might have even had zero [business launches by Indigenous participants],” Simbandumwe says. After conducting community discussions, SEED learned it is vitally important to not compete for or use resources that would otherwise be going to Indigenous-led organizations. SEED’s board passed a policy of not accessing Indigenous-designated funding unless they are doing it in partnership with an Indigenous-led organization. It also led to the development of the Indigenous Community Collaboration Program which supports Indigenous program participants, facilitates partnerships with Indigenous-led community organizations, develops cultural educational opportunities for SEED staff and board, offers an Indigenous lens in program design and delivery, and more. Engaging Indigenous community members has been an explicit strategic goal since 2003. At the time, some board members wondered whether there should also be focus on newcomers, those with disabilities, and other groups that face disproportionate risks of poverty. However, after education about the history of colonization, board members under-
stood why it warranted a separate goal, Simbandumwe says. SEED’s board has since adopted Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #92. See sidebar for details. When multiple members from equity-seeking communities are represented on a board or staff, research shows improved organizational performance. This “critical mass” also avoids tokenism and ensures there are enough voices to feel comfortable and be taken seriously. While the proportion of Indigenous employees at SEED overall is quite good, one organizational commitment that has been challenging to meet is including employees of Indigenous descent in senior levels in the organization. Same for the board; right
Louise Simbandumwe. Photo courtesy of SEED Winnipeg.
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Recipient: SEED Winnipeg Programs: Database to collect, track, and analyze program and participant data; Support to build SEED’s capacity in truth and reconciliation Grants: Multiple, including $60,000 drawn from the Moffat Family Fund and $25,000 drawn from the hundreds of Community Funds held at The Foundation
