Skip to Main Content

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

A collection of resources related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Welcome to the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Guide!

Welcome to the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusivity Guide!

Here, you will find resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

We at BCIT, seek to find ways to build a diverse community where everyone has equal opportunity to thrive and grow.

The DEI Guide resources serve to: 

  • Enable DEI conversations
  • Educate and create awareness about DEI issues
  • Enable DEI advocates
  • Eliminate barriers to making environments diverse and inclusive

The guide includes as many resources as possible that will be useful to a wide range of audience, such as students and teachers. It is also intended to be a starting point for researchers. If you have recommendations that will help make this guide comprehensive, let us know, and we will try our best to have them included.

What is DEI?

Terminology

Diversity is about the individual. It is about the variety of unique dimensions, qualities, and characteristics we all possess, and the mix that occurs in any group of people. Race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, economic status, physical abilities, life experiences, and other perspectives can make up individual diversity. Diversity is a fact, and inclusion is a choice.

Where everyone is treated according to their diverse needs in a way that enables all people to participate, perform, and engage to the same extent.

This is particularly true of the equity-seeking groups/equity-deserving groups, which are groups of people who have been historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. These groups include but are not limited to the following groups:

  • Women
  • Visible minorities
  • Aboriginal Peoples
  • People with disabilities
  • People in the LGTBQ2+ community, or People with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations

Equity-seeking groups identify barriers and unequal access, and actively seek social justice and reparation.

Inclusion is creating a culture that embraces, respects, accepts, and values diversity. It is a mindful and equitable effort to meet individual needs so everyone feels valued, respected, and able to contribute to their fullest potential. Where diversity occurs naturally, creating the mix in the organization, inclusion is the choice that helps the mix work well together.

Inclusive Language

Inclusive language refers to a words as well as phrases that make all members, irrespective of their race, gender, orientation, age, and other differentiating features feel welcome. The goal behind inclusive language is to ensure that certain groups of people do not feel discriminated against, or excluded.  

The Government of Canada has shared Inclusive Writing Guidelines and Principles to ensure that everyone can produce content that is free from discrimination based on any identity factor.