I am a Registered Dietitian currently residing in Vancouver BC, the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. I have worked exclusively in the field of nutrition for the past 23 years, both in Canada and India. In that time, I have worked in a variety of settings such as community, research and public health. I currently work at Langara College as a faculty within the Nutrition and Food Service Management department and as a public health dietitian within Fraser Health Authority. My interest in co-chairing this discussion forum comes from my lived experience as a person of color. More now than ever, I believe we need to do our part to listen to voices and experiences, ask uncomfortable questions, learn/unlearn and take informed decisions.
CSN-SCN strives to promote nutrition science and education and advocate for best practices and policies that value the importance of nutrition for everyone. Within the field of nutrition, biases limit access and stall career progress. This discussion will provide an opportunity to discuss EDI challenges in nutrition education and research. Please join us, share perceptions/experiences with respect to racialism and help identify priorities to fulfill the promise of equity within CSN-SCN and ultimately Canada.