EDI Statement

Just like biodiversity is the key to the healthy sustenance of nature as a whole and all the species that it comprises of, as they depend on each other to thrive, I believe that the key to human development and success lies in the acceptance, appreciation, and involvement of practices, values, and ideas from people of all backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, races, and beliefs. This belief extends to effective learning in academic settings as well as work settings that value growth.

My first experience in a diverse academic environment was during my Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at GIKI (Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology).  With people from all over Pakistan living on a campus situated at a remote location, it was a rewarding experience to interact, collaborate, and work with people from different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds.

The general notion that engineering is “for boys” was visible in our class of over 110 students, where only 2 of them were girls. As a fellow student, I always made sure that they felt welcomed in academic and non-academic activities. Growing up with siblings who are both males, and studying in an all-boys environment before my bachelor’s, I deemed it necessary to learn about the needs, boundaries, and rights of women to ensure that they feel valued and respected. As a result, they felt comfortable collaborating with me and bringing their perspectives in academic projects to the table. Moreover, we often discussed ways in which the university’s, as well as our country’s social environment, can be further improved by ensuring women’s inclusion on the bases of equity. Our discussions made them confident in raising their voices for their rights in the university during the ‘Annual Showdown’ in our final year. I stood alongside them in support during the hours-long dialogue with the higher-level administration. Furthermore, I grouped with one of them for my final year project, and I believe that her unique perspective helped us realize a broader scope towards the application of our project, thus allowing us to justify working on it in the first place.

However, being a firm believer in meritocracy at that time, I still could not fathom that a close male friend of mine who had an excellent academic profile was not selected for a job because they hired female students. This conflict led me to thoroughly research the matter and reach an understanding that equity is above equality. From then on, during my discussions with peers and members of academic community, I always defended the separate quotas for females during job fairs to ensure that they are represented and valued in work environments, in-turn establishing new norms for a society where women are confident to step into the field of engineering.

Appreciating the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion through past experiences, I, as a brown, Pakistani, Muslim male, felt confident and thrilled to experience Canada which has established these values as its identity. Where the element of leaving my home kicked in, I was simultaneously eager to explore how an environment where human success thrives on equity, diversity, and inclusion of people from all ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds looks like. At Concordia University, I feel that these values are at the core of our classroom activities that involve a high percentage of peer interaction, discussions, and presentations, and I believe that it is due to these values that I was able to learn and grow into the field of Educational Technology so quickly. Moreover, I am grateful for the opportunity to practice my values and beliefs beyond my classroom with my study friends. With all of us being from different racial, cultural, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, we celebrate, cherish, respect, and learn from each other’s perspectives in academic as well as non-academic discussions.

Moving forward, I plan on volunteering my time, efforts, and skills on platforms such as the Centre for Gender Advocacy, Otsenhákta Student Centre, Black Perspectives Office, and the Office of Community Engagement that uphold, represent, and respond to historically underrepresented people. I believe that it will be an opportunity for me to connect and grow together with people that completely synchronize with my personal belief in the high value that diversity, equity, and inclusion hold in the development of our personal selves, in the academic advancement, and in the growth of our community as a whole.

In the future, I would like to work in a place that respects and values the diversity of opinions, cultures, and beliefs. As an educational technologist, when provided with the choice, I would opt for projects which are directed towards the uplifting and empowering of underrepresented people. In this way, I will be able to contribute my efforts towards a community where we respect people regardless of their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, religion, language, ability/disability, or sexual orientation, and understand that the growth of each one of us will lead to the growth of the company as a whole.