The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable

GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
Healing from Intergenerational Trauma to National Director of Indigenous Relations for a Global Engineering Firm: Meet Ruby Littlechild, Rising Above Life's Obstacles
 
Tansi, my name is Ruby Littlechild, and my Cree Spiritual name is Kihew Pihesiw Iskwew – Eagle Thunderbird Woman. I am Plains Cree from Maskwacis, Alberta. I am of Treaty 6 descent. I come from the Wandering Spirit bloodline, one of Big Bears’ revered spiritual warriors. Big Bear was a signatory to Treaty No. 6 agreed to in 1876, here in Canada. I come from royalty and powerful spiritual lineage.
 
My parents were raised in the infamous, inhumane, and dehumanizing residential schools here in Canada. Due to the breakdown of our family system because of residential school, I grew up in and around intergenerational trauma as a result of the residential schools. I did not leave my childhood unscathed. My father experienced the killing of children in residential school. Both of my parents experienced separation from their parents. I also experienced separation from both of my parents in my youth.
 
I was a teen mom, getting pregnant at 16. I never graduated high school. I wanted to give my daughter a better life, so when I was 22 years old I challenged the grade 12 departmental finals. I passed and was able to get into the University of Alberta. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous (Native) Studies, I also completed a Master’s in Education from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and I completed an MBA – Masters Degree in Business Administration from Cape Breton University. Higher education became my salvation.
 
I do not have white or male privilege and as a First Nations woman working in mainstream society, I knew that in order to survive as a single mother, receiving no child support- I would have to armor myself with higher education to provide for my family and put food on the table.
 
I have worked for and at the Alberta Legislature Building for the Government of Alberta, APEGA – Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, and am the former manager of the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre at NorQuest College, I am now National Director of Indigenous Relations for SNC-Lavalin, a global engineering firm.
 
Community-driven projects I am proud of include: My first Master's thesis, which was on “Violence Against Indigenous Women” it was in this research I came to a better understanding and awareness of oppression, lateral violence, marginalization, patriarchy, racism, and the abuses of power when it comes to the barriers and challenges of healing, liberating and empowering Indigenous women. Because I am conscious and aware of it, I am able to alleviate it.
 
In 2011, I was hired at the Alberta Association of Professional Engineers, it was here I was immersed in the world of engineering. Engineers pride themselves on their code of ethics and values in their profession. My career flourished under Len Shrimpton and Gary Bosgoed, both professional engineers. I had the opportunity to “build bridges” via relationships with communities and create Indigenous engineers. I managed a mentoring and outreach program to create more First Nations engineers. First Nations engineers are still very rare to find. I brought the engineers to showcase them as role models and to ‘plant the dream’ of becoming an engineer to the next generation.
 
In 2015, with the guidance of my engineer associates, I was hired to help launch and create the Alberta Indigenous Construction Career Centre, a center in downtown Edmonton created to empower First Nations people coming to the city seeking employment and a better life for their families. In Alberta, poverty is prevalent in our First Nations communities. The center provides training and employment to First Nations. I am proud of this center, because I removed barriers for our people. I did not power trip or lord over my clients, I empowered them with tools to succeed in mainstream society. It is an agency that receives government and industry funding to train our Indigenous clients and get jobs within Alberta’s industries, thereby fueling the economy. I am grateful for my non-Indigenous allies in the work that I do.
 
Today at SNC-Lavalin, as National Director of Indigenous Relations, I am educating and collaborating with my colleagues to build a better world, by leading the company when it comes to working with Indigenous communities in infrastructure and engineering.
 
As a Nehiyaw Iskwew, Cree woman, who practices our traditional ceremonies, I go to Rocky Boy, Montana, USA regularly to visit my family and participate in the sweat lodge and sundance lodges. It is an 8 hour drive, but it is an investment and commitment to myself as I work to build and empower our First Nations people and communities. You cannot give what you don’t have, if you are not strong, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically as an Indigenous leader, you are of no use to others. To be honest, it was not until I became spiritual and started attending ceremonies that my life started healing and truly working out for me.
 
I am a strong advocate of truth, healing intergenerational trauma due to colonization and residential schools. I am a survivor, an educator, and a lifelong learner. I believe healing and personal growth are a constant evolutionary process. Self-love, Self-Respect and Self-Esteem are imperative to heal and empower our women and heal our families and communities from the prevalent poverty and inter-generational trauma.
 
I believe training, education, healing, reconciliation, respectful relationships, business development, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and the understanding of historical and cultural awareness are key factors in successful Indigenous Community Economic Development and to alleviate the systemic inequality and oppressive living conditions that First Nations people live under. I advocate encouraging Indigenous inclusion in all industries that impact the economy. I truly believe shifts in social consciousness, higher education and ethical practice are vital to sustainable development in our Indigenous communities in order to alleviate the prevalent poverty.
 
As a leader, what motivates me to move forward in adversity is the fact that my parents, grandparents, and myself survived the worst of the worst already - there is nothing we cannot overcome. The inhumane residential schools dehumanized my family. The intergenerational trauma we are still healing from as a result of those schools hurt my family and me. We were not allowed to practice our Cree traditional ceremonies or speak our language, and if we were caught singing, praying or dancing, we were put in jail. The fact that my parents were not allowed to leave the reserve, they had to get a pass from the Indian agent, this is an example of the raw, recent history we are still healing from. As a survivor, I am proud of our resilience, and I have reclaimed my dignity and pride via embracing ceremony, I am proud to be from the Nehiyawak – Cree people, and will continue to educate and make a difference in the world.
 
Ninanaskomon – I am grateful.
Social Justice and Equity: A constant evolution but we still haven’t hit the mark!
Social Justice and Equity: A Constant Evolution but we Still Haven’t Hit the Mark!, a Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable presentation
Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System
Reiland Rabaka; Founder and Director, Center for African and African American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder,
Lana Hailemariam; Chief Executive Officer, StandUP, LLC,
Emily Shamsid-Deen; Principal, ESD Consulting,
Dr. Roberto Montoya; Chief Educational Equity Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education,
Keith Station; Deputy Chief of Staff—Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, City of Omaha Mayor’s Office
Join us in Denver June 7-9 for GlobalMindED 2023
Early Bird Registration Open Now
Register here

To get a feel for the conference experience, please see this brief video by The PhD Project from the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference
The GlobalMindED Inclusive Success NetworkTM had another banner year of growth, impact, and outcomes for First Generation, poverty-affected and minoritized students. Here are some of the highlights: 
 
  • Return of in-person GlobalMindED conference with record attendance and the largest First Gen Leadership Class ever of 122 student leaders. See PhD Project brief video of the event. 
  • Our fourth annual Inclusive Leader Awards recognized 15 DEIB leaders across sectors.
  • Almost all our 100+ panels and sessions of 2022 featured a student. 
  • Of the 300+ speakers, 73% were diverse leaders sharing their thoughts. 
  • We held our first Industry Marketplace Career Exploration Arena at GlobalMindED 2022 with 40 companies, giving K-12, college students, educators, and leaders a way to learn about emerging fields and careers. Join us for the next one at GlobalMindED 2023. 
  • Our first satellite event at Georgia Institute of Tech was livestreamed via the Atlanta PBS affiliate. 
  • We became an official initiative of the Foundation for the Support the United Nations (FSUN) and will hold our first UN event on March 22, 2023. 
  • ·We served ten colleges with the GlobalMindED Success Collaborative connecting students at each HBCU, MSI, HIS and Tribal College with role models, mentors, internships, and jobs. 
  • We had partners/volunteers from Microsoft, Salesforce, Rubrik, HP, Stanford MBA and more. 
  • We spoke at the White House Initiative for HBCUs with sponsor Hewlett Packard. 
  • Our team, Board, Colorado Board and Executive Leadership Council are all majority diverse serving a majority diverse population of emerging leaders. 
  • We continued to publish our daily newsletter and conduct monthly virtual Equity events, led by people of color with majority diverse panelists and students. These are the role models for our students.
  • Our annual operating budget increased by 67% emerging COVID strong. 
  • We doubled our staff from four to eight as we grow to scale our impact. 
  • Our Young Professionals grew to 40 strong, with a ten-person leadership cabinet made up of, but not limited to, graduates of our programs who are now working professionals.  
  • Since 2015, we have successfully connected 1,200+ students to internships and jobs. 
  • Our founder, Carol Carter, was recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal. 
 
We are grateful for the support, inclusive leadership, and financial contributions of our community and sponsors who work tirelessly to open doors for the students we serve, the institutions who support them, and the businesses and non-profits who are committed to hiring a capable, diverse talent pipeline.  We look forward to seeing all of you June 7-9 at our best event yet, GlobalMindED 2023 - Transforming Boundaries: Creating Systemic Access and Equity. The Inclusive Leaders Awards Dinner is June 7, followed by the conference June 8- 9 at the Denver Downtown Sheraton.  
GlobalMindED | 303-327-5688 | contact@globalminded.org | www.globalminded.org
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