President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART)
Racism in health care is a large and complex problem and Sunnybrook recognizes it’s not something that will be solved easily or quickly. The President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) was established in 2020 to focus on producing tangible and visible results that will have a broad impact.
The taskforce includes members from the hospital, Sunnybrook Foundation and Sunnybrook Research Institute.
The input and efforts from these members as champions of anti-racism at Sunnybrook are key to sparking change within our organization, and we thank them for their ongoing efforts as the taskforce gets underway.
PART’s terms of reference align with the Ontario Health Anti-Racism Framework and the Toronto Region Anti-Racism Framework, with its vision of ensuring structural and systemic change.
PART has developed and is implementing an action plan with specific measures to combat racism and ensure Sunnybrook is an inclusive organization for our staff and partners, our Black, Indigenous, and racialized clients, and all communities we serve.
Sunnybrook staff: You can find more information about PART on Sunnynet.
Two Years of PART
In the two years since the inception of the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART), the membership has been working diligently to take tangible steps toward making Sunnybrook an anti-racist institution.
PART has five subcommittees:
Completed HR recruitment diversity statement.
Looking ahead:
Continue to deepen understand of HR process.
Recruit for subcommittee.
Long-term outlook:
Support the framework for a more diverse pool in hiring employees at all levels and volunteers.
Assess or develop metrics that reflect diversity experiences.
Ensure that equity is infused the process of hiring staff & volunteers throughout the hospital
Ensure there is an equity panel or staff member who has experience with equity.
Worked with 2 programs to implement demographic data as an objective in their program-level strategic plan.
Worked with Trauma to implement demographic data survey into the workflow one inpatient unit. Presently expanding to a second unit.
Demographic data collection initiated in the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre.
Participated on the Toronto Region Anti-Racism Implementation Committee to advise on updated Measuring Health Equity Core Questions.
Looking ahead:
Working with Indigenous Advisory Council and others with respect to data sovereignty and storage.
On-going collection of staff & physician demographic data through the staff & physician engagement survey with improved uptake.
Long-term outlook:
Demographic data collection is embedded into the hospital’s Strategic Plan, with specific targets measuring the % of patients with demographic data collected in new areas across the organization each year.
Drafted the Hospital’s Anti-Racism Policy with input from a wide group of stakeholders.
Looking ahead:
After obtaining final approvals, rollout the Hospital’s Anti-Racism Policy to all staff, volunteers and students at all campuses.
Long-term outlook:
We will work to embed an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens into all new policies at Sunnybrook.
Led the re-design of the Introduction to Anti-Black Racism eLearning module in partnership with TAHSN Anti-Racism leaders.
Introduction to Anti-Black Racism module is now offered in the Sunnybrook Onboarding courses, and included in the new Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship certificate program (IDEA-C) accredited with University of Toronto, through Organizational Development & Leadership (OD&L) – Sunnybrook Leadership Institute (SLI).
Looking ahead:
Work with OD&L to recruit and enroll departments in the Leadership Development and IDEA-C program.
Continue to rollout anti-Black Racism training module to physician group.
Long-term outlook:
We continue to explore how to roll out education & training initiatives more broadly across the organization. With new hires and leaders now undertaking required learning, how best can we expand the reach to other Sunnybrook staff and volunteers. Education and Training targets and goals have been included in the Hospital’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan.
Supported 2022 Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, Jewish Heritage Month and Indigenous Heritage Month events and communications.
Looking ahead:
Expand reach of PART by including community partners and volunteers more robustly in PART-led initiatives.
Work with departmental and program EDI committees to further recognize and celebrate cultural days of significance.
Long-term outlook:
Strive to ensure that staff, volunteers, physicians, donors, patients & families and the community at large are aware of PART projects and the impact the taskforce is having on the hospital.
Other 2022 Projects and Events:
Black History Month
The month of February marked Black History Month at Sunnybrook. The theme of this year’s Black History Month was: Black Joy and Wellness. Each year, Black History Month importantly draws attention to the historical struggle and the continued racism faced by Black people; it can also draw attention to the resilience, strength and joy of Black people. The theme asked us all to consider activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have practiced in an effort to maintain health and well-being — which we tried to reflect in the events and materials shared this month.
This year the President's Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) and Black History Month committee invited Sunnybrooker’s to engage in celebration, learning and reflection by taking part in events and activities throughout the month. These events included: Movement Break with Annie B, two podcast listening circles, a Black-owned business market, Restore Virtual Session on mindfulness/wellness, and anti-Black racism workshops for leaders. Staff were also invited to share their moments of Black Joy.
Asian Heritage Month
Asian Heritage Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of members of the Asian diaspora in Canada. It is also a time to acknowledge the challenges and racism that members of Asian communities continue to face in this country.
We recognize those who have journeyed from East Asia, Southern Asia, Western, Central and Southeast Asia, their families and descendants. They bring a rich cultural heritage representing many languages, ethnicities and religious traditions and have contributed in countless ways to life in Canada — through art, sport, food, business, science and medicine and more.
Anti-Asian racism continues to be prevalent in Canada. Sunnybrook denounces anti-Asian racism and all racism, and we all stand in solidarity with Asian communities who are faced with racist attacks and other forms of macro- and micro-aggressions.
The Asian Heritage Month Subcommittee of PART developed a unit/departmental activity to highlight the different connections we have to countries on the continent of Asia. Maps were distributed/posted to Sunnynet for download and Sunnybrookers could initial or mark where they lived, where their family lives, where they studied and more.
Jewish History Month
Jewish Heritage Month is an opportunity to learn about the impact of Jewish heritage in communities across the country, and to appreciate the significant contributions made by Jewish Canadians to the country’s social, political and cultural fabric.
Here at Sunnybrook, we recognize the Jewish staff, physicians, learners, volunteers, patients and community members and their important contributions to the organization.
An audit released recently by B’Nai Brith found that the number of Antisemitic violent attacks increased in Canada in 2021 by 700 per cent over the previous year. And we have heard recently in the news here in Toronto about Antisemitic symbols, gestures and slurs being used increasingly by students in schools and at post-secondary institutions.
An all-staff email brought attention to the month and a staff profile on Dr. Ayelet Kuper was posted to social media.
PART Conversation: Cultural Connection through Food and Tradition
In honour of Jewish Heritage Month and Asian Heritage Month, food historian and writer Lara Rabinovitch and chef Trevor Lui came together to discuss how food connects us, shared food memories, and explored the long-standing tradition of Jews eating Chinese food on Christmas at this virtual event.
Indigenous History Month
June was National Indigenous History Month and June 21 was National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is a time to celebrate, recognize, learn, reflect, appreciate and honour the history, contributions, cultures and diversity of Indigenous People in Canada. The President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce along with the Indigenous Advisory Council hosted two educational workshops in honour of this month. Resources and training opportunities were shared with staff via Sunnynet and Snapshot.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Sunnybrook staff, volunteers, students and physicians were invited to attend a screening of the film 'Unforgotten', a 2 minutes and 15 seconds of silence and discussion and reflection led by Dr. Mike Anderson and Leonard Benoit of the UHN Indigenous Health Program.
All were once again invited to reflect and consider our individual and collective responsibility to Reconciliation. Commitment Cards were developed in partnership with the Indigenous Advisory Committee. The card invites staff to commit to an action toward reconciliation. Some leaders reflected and share the steps they took to work toward their 2021 commitment.
Staff were also invited to wear orange shirts and to tie an orange ribbon on a tree branch in a quiet moment of reflection.
SunnyBook (Virtual Book Club for staff)
This book club with a social justice focus is registered with Amnesty International. It is a joint project of PART and the Wellness Committee at Sunnybrook.
Like Sunnybrook’s Commitment to Dismantling Racism, PART is using the LEAP framework to measure its action and success. The four components of the LEAP framework will help guide Sunnybrook’s commitment, transformation and vision.
Below and under each of the subcommittee links above, you can find some information about PART’s work over the past year. The highlights mentioned are the work of PART committees, members or allies, and by no means capture each and every equity, diversity and inclusion initiative taking place across the hospital’s campuses. Thank you to every member of Team Sunnybrook who is taking daily steps to make Sunnybrook a more inclusive space for all.
Thank you to the PART membership and partners for your leadership and your continued dedication toward anti-racism.
Transformation through LEAP
Leadership and accountability »
- Sunnybrook’s Commitment to Dismantling Racism was developed and has now been endorsed by the Hospital and Foundation boards as well as the Research Institute’s leadership. Leaders are accountable for the Framework for Action within the commitment.
- The Hospital’s new Strategic Plan includes specific targets and goals for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in a number of areas (ie. Education and Human Resources).
- A new anti-racism policy is in development; the pre-policy development form has been submitted to the hospital’s Forms Committee.
- We are working with Quality and Patient Safety to develop an escalation process for the reporting of racism, discrimination and cultural safety incidents. A policy will be created to support this process.
- The Policy Subcommittee is beginning to engage stakeholders and partners in the anti-racism policy development.
E- Education and Training targets and goals have been included in the Hospital’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan.
- The San’yas Cultural Safety Training Program has now been embedded into all leadership programs within the Sunnybrook Leadership Institute.
- All new hires at Sunnybrook are enrolled in an online Equity, Diversity and Inclusion module.
- Hosted an Inclusive Leadership Workshop for Sunnybrook and health system partners.
- All members of PART have been offered enrollment in the San’yas program this fall.
- A new, accredited Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate program is launching soon through Organizational Development & Leadership.
- Planned and supported Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month and Indigenous History Month events and educational initiatives (more on these events below).
Actionable data »- Demographic data collection was included in the Sunnybrook staff engagement survey for the first time. Space was included for staff to report and comment on their experiences with respect to racism. Data from the staff survey is now being analyzed. With robust data, targeted interventions and improvements can be designed.
- Assisted in establishing demographic data collection in the Sunnybrook COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic, and worked with clinic to implement provincial demographic data survey into their workflow.
- Demographic data collection is also embedded into the Hospital’s Strategic Plan with specific targets measuring the percentage of patients with demographic data collected in new areas across the organization each year.
P- An inventory of EDI initiatives across the hospital was completed. Leaders were asked how they are addressing equity, diversity and inclusion for staff and patients in their local areas. This is a great resource of projects and initiatives that have the potential for broader implementation.
- “Nurturing a culture of wellness, equity and anti-racism for all Sunnybrookers” is a key objective of the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. The Commitment to Dismantling Racism provides key indicators and objectives for this and PART will continue to support and further these objectives.
- An initial review of select HR policies related to racism, discrimination, recruitment, and hiring practices has been conducted.
- We researched the diversity hiring statements of TAHSN Hospitals and academic institutions
- Black and Indigenous Mentorship Program to be aligned to the proposed organizational Sunnybrook Mentorship Program. Invitations will be designed and delivered to leaders within the organization desiring to build a mentor-mentee relationship with those from the black and indigenous community.
- Make recommendations to update/revise Sunnybrook’s Diversity Hiring Statement with an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens.
- Examine Sunnybrook’s recruitment and hiring practices and provide recommendations for improvement.
Meet the co-chairs
Alicia Stewart
Alicia is a Patient Care Manager in Nephrology – Integrated Community Program, and Sunnybrook employee for over 10 years. An active contributor to staff and student mentoring, Alicia is excited to serve as PART co-chair to address racism at Sunnybrook: increase awareness, and enhance experiences for all staff, patients and visitors, and learners that embody equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
Christopher Townsend
Christopher is Director, Social Accountability, Organizational Development & Leadership in the Department of Equity and Social Accountability, and will co-chair the taskforce combining his lived and professional experience, as an advocate of change. In OD&L, our mandate and goal is to create a culture of engagement, respect and inclusivity, that attracts professionals to our organization. Christopher serves as committee member on Sunnybrook Education Advisory Council (SEAC) and serves as a facilitator for the Schwartz Centre Rounds. Christopher is a recent graduate of the Educator Scholars Program, Centre for Faculty Development, University of Toronto and is currently enrolled in the Rotman Leadership Program. Christopher is a published author and volunteers his time as a musician, teacher and mentor in several community-based initiatives.
Laurie Legere
Laurie is the Director, Equity & Social Accountability. Laurie leads the implementation and evolution of Sunnybrook’s engagement strategy with an aim to improve care, research and education, and inform organizational decision making by engaging patients, caregivers and communities. She has worked for 16 years in the health care and research sectors, both in Canada and Australia, with specialization in strategic communications and community engagement, and with a focus on health as a human right.
Michelle Lynch
Michelle has been the Volunteer Resources Coordinator for Acute Care at Sunnybrook for the past eight years, leading hundreds of volunteers of all ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds who bring a unique touch to the patient experience.
She is an active supporter of diversity-based initiatives within health care with a desire to open doors to build more inclusive and culturally accepting work environments for all.
Michelle continuously strives to develop innovative approaches with technology for teams and champion workplace culture where diversity is valued and recognized from entry level to leadership.
Fully French bilingual, she is a certified instructor/facilitator and life-long learner.
Michelle has been a member of the President's Anti-Racism Task Force from its inception in 2020 and is honoured to take on this next step as a Co-Chair.
List of PART Members »
Mariam Abdel-Malik
Sara Abu-Middin
Ashley Ahuja
Hammad Aqeel
Sara Atri
Alexis Bungay
Dorothy Carson
Kamilah Clayton
Joanne Davies
Alexis Dobranowski
Bertha Effio
Shaunteque Harris
Kirishanthy Kathirkamathamby
Carina Lam
Laurie Legere
Myrene Lychek
Michelle Lynch
Emilia Main
Rochelle Martin
Keitha McMurray
Dr. Mireille Norris
Vasu Patel
Manuela Pechova
Kevin Reel
Dr. Giovanna Sirianni
Alicia Stewart
Christopher Townsend
Looking back: View PART's 2021 initiatives »
One Year of the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce
In the year since the inception of the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART), the membership has been working diligently to take tangible steps toward making Sunnybrook an anti-racist institution.
PART has five subcommittees:
Demographic data collection was included in the Sunnybrook staff engagement survey for the first time. Space was included for staff to report and comment on their experiences with respect to racism.
Assisted in establishing demographic data collection in the Sunnybrook COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic and worked with clinic to implement provincial demographic data survey into their workflow.
Looking ahead:
Data from the staff survey is now being analyzed. With robust data, targeted interventions and improvements can be designed.
Long-term outlook:
Demographic data collection is also embedded into the Hospital’s Strategic Plan with specific targets measuring the % of patients with demographic data collected in new areas across the organization each year.
An inventory of EDI initiatives across the hospital was completed. Leaders were asked how they are addressing equity, diversity and inclusion for staff and patients in their local areas. This is a great resource of projects and initiatives that have the potential for broader implementation.
Looking ahead:
A new anti-racism policy is in development; the pre-policy development form has been submitted to the hospital’s Forms Committee.
Working with Quality and Patient Safety to develop an escalation process for the reporting of racism, discrimination and cultural safety incidents. A policy will be created to support this process.
The Policy Subcommittee is beginning to engage stakeholders and partners in the policy development.
Long-term outlook:
We will work to embed an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens into all new policies at Sunnybrook.
The San’yas Cultural Safety Training Program has now been embedded into all leadership programs within the Sunnybrook Leadership Institute.
All new hires at Sunnybrook are enrolled in an online Equity, Diversity and Inclusion module.
Hosted an Inclusive Leadership Workshop for Sunnybrook and health system partners.
Looking ahead:
All members of PART have been offered enrollment in the San’yas program this Fall.
A new, accredited Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate program is launching soon through Organizational Development & Leadership.
Long-term outlook:
We continue to explore how to roll out education & training initiatives more broadly across the organization. With new hires and leaders now undertaking required learning, how best can we expand the reach to other Sunnybrook staff? Education and Training targets and goals have been included in the Hospital’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan.
An initial review of select HR policies related to racism, discrimination, recruitment, and hiring practices.
We researched the diversity hiring statements of TAHSN Hospitals and academic institutions
Black and Indigenous Mentorship Program to be aligned to the proposed organizational Sunnybrook Mentorship Program. Invitations will be designed and delivered to leaders within the organization desiring to build a mentor-mentee relationship with those from the black and indigenous community.
Looking ahead:
Make recommendations to update/revise Sunnybrook’s Diversity Hiring Statement with an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens.
Examine Sunnybrook’s recruitment and hiring practices and provide recommendations for improvement.
Long-term outlook:
Using an anti-racism lens, establish fair and equitable access to growth, development and career advancement that is free of barriers for all staff, volunteers, learners, researchers, and physicians.
Launched Days of Significance calendar on Sunnynet to recognize and celebrate cultural and religious holidays. Staff are also able to submit significant days.
Looking ahead:
Support quarterly updates to the Hospital, Foundation and Research Institute on PART’s achievements and projects.
Plan and support Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month and Indigenous History Month events and initiatives.
Long-term outlook:
Strive to ensure that staff, volunteers, physicians, donors, patients & families and the community at large are aware of PART projects and the impact the taskforce is having on the hospital.
Other 2021 PART initiatives:
Black History Month
PART led Sunnybrook’s first corporate acknowledgement of Black History Month. Staff were invited to engage in celebration, learning and reflection by taking part in events and activities throughout the month. These events included Fireside Chat, COVID Conversation: Implications and Impact on Black Communities in Ontario, and Black History Month: A celebration of movement and culture.
A robust section on the staff intranet was created and remains available, with a fulsome resource list, information about the history of Black Veterans, Words of the Week (like equity and allyship) and more. Food services developed a Black History Month menu for Thursday specials at the M1 Food Emporium on the Bayview campus.
A photo series with images by Kevin Van Paassen “Staff Reflections: What Black History Month Means to Me” was well-received by staff and the community at large via social media.
Staff feedback throughout the month was extremely positive and also included ideas and support for addressing racism throughout the year. The Black History Month subcommittee has started meeting in preparation for Black History Month 2022. (Want to get involved? Email part@sunnybrook.ca).
Asian Heritage Month
The President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) hosted a virtual event on June 9 or Sunnybrook staff and volunteers in recognition of Asian Heritage Month (which was in May 2021. Scheduling conflicts pushed the event to June). PART Conversation: Anti-Asian Racism and the Impact of Racism on Mental Health featured Joanna Chiu, Toronto Star reporter and author, and Dr. Amy Cheung, youth psychiatrist, along with members of PART. The panel discussed the history of anti-Asian racism in Canada and the current state, the impact of racism on mental health, and how to be a better ally to Asian colleagues and patients. The virtual event was well-attended and well-received by participants.
Two staff stories of PART members (Myrene Lychek and Carina Lam) reflecting on Asian Heritage Month were shared on Sunnybrook’s social media channels and on Sunnynet.
Indigenous History Month
PART Conversation: Knowing the Land Beneath Your Feet – Creating Land and Territorial Acknowledgements
“Know who lived and traveled on the land beneath your feet. Who raised their children here, hunted, fished and enjoyed life here. Recognize and acknowledge your privilege that you have as you walk, live and enjoy the land of someone who was here before you. How do we walk in reconciliation and acknowledge the original people of Turtle Island?”
PART hosted a two-part lunch and learn with Lorrie Gallant in honour of National Indigenous History Month.
Staff reflections: Claire Dion Fletcher and Joanna Diindiisikwe Simmons shared their personal reflections on Indigenous History Month.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 was the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to acknowledge the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.
It was a time to reflect on the legacy of residential schools in Canada, particularly in light of recent discoveries of thousands of unmarked graves at former residential schools across the country.
Sunnybrook staff, physicians, volunteers and learners were asked to reflect and consider our individual and collective responsibility to Reconciliation. Commitment Cards were developed in partnership with the Indigenous Advisory Committee. The card invites staff to commit to an action toward reconciliation. Some leaders shared their own personal commitments via Sunnynet and on the digital screens throughout the hospital.
Staff were also invited to wear orange shirts and to tie an orange ribbon on a tree branch in a quiet moment of reflection.
New anti-racism, equity and inclusion digital screen at Bayview Campus
A large new digital screen on M1 on Bayview Campus will be dedicated to messages of anti-racism, equity and inclusion. It will replace the flags that are periodically hug in the M-wing atrium and provide a more permanent solution for sharing this content.
