DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH
Racial Justice Roundtable
I am the leader of the CFL's internal diversity & inclusion policy group which provides mentorship opportunities and reviews the league’s hiring practices ensuring inclusivity and representation. I also lead the ongoing public-facing content to support this initiative. Below is a quick history and description of our latest project.
In 2017 the Diversity Is Strength campaign was launched to celebrate the rich cultural history of the Canadian Football League. Through various content activations under this banner, we ensure diversity and inclusion remains a pillar of our League.
During the recent period of social unrest following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, it was crucial to provide CFL players with a platform to express their views on racial justice. Due to the cancellation of our football season, our players did not have the opportunity to be in front of the media regularly. The roundtable format ensured free and honest discussion, guided by our CFL host Donnovan Bennett. We researched the backgrounds of various players, personnel and alumni and brought together a group who we believed would offer varied points of view, ensuring that the black experience was not portrayed as monolithic.
The piece was released during a virtual week-long event called Grey Cup Unite, which connected fans to the CFL at what would have normally been our most engaged time of the year. I provided creative direction to our designers, landing at a graphics package that invoked the feeling of social protest yet felt cohesive with the overall modern design of elements being used for other Grey Cup Unite events. The visuals were cohesive across all touchpoints, including promotional posts across all social platforms.
Watch as coaching personnel and current players discuss their personal experiences with prejudice and discrimination.