Final Report

Sponsors

Executive Summary....................................................

Acknowledgements....................................................

Conference Schedule..................................................

Introduction...............................................................

Speaker Talks - Day 1.................................................

Opening Ceremonies....................................... Keynote Speaker - Catherine Hamel................ Housing Panel.................................................. Gerry Post........................................................ Amanda Casey................................................. North End Panel.............................................. StudentPresentations.....................................

Pecha Kucha Night....................................................

Speaker Talks - Day 2................................................ Keynote Speaker - Richard Milgrom............... Walking Tours................................................. LeticiaSmillie................................................. Workshop - Catherine Hamel......................... Closing Panel..................................................

Discussion..................................................................

Conclusion..................................................................

Table of Contents

2

2

3

5

6

67889910

12

131314141516

17

18

1

2

Executive SummaryOn March 8 and 9, The SHIFT: Equity Conference, organized by students of the Dalhousie School of Planning, took place.Itattracted160attendeesincludingprofessionalsinthefieldofplanningaswellasplanningstudentsandmembers of the general public. Topics discussed during the conferenceincludedhousingaffordability,accessibility,andgentrificationinHalifax’sNorthEnd.ThekeynotespeakerswereCatherineHamelandRichardMilgromwhocamefromCalgaryandWinnipeg,respectively.OtherspeakersandpanelistswerelocaltotheprovinceandthecityofHalifax.Forthefirsttime,theSHIFTConferenceincludedspeakerswhowerenotnecessarilyplannersordesigners.ThethemeofEquityforthisyear’sconferencewasabletoopenupamuch-neededdialoguebetweentheplanningcommunityandthegeneralpublicaboutequityissues.Nextyear’sconferencewillcontinuethisdialogueandseektobringinmoreparticipantsandattendeesfromdifferentprofessionalbackgrounds.

AcknowledgementsTheauthorsofthisreportwouldliketothankseveralpeoplewhowereinstrumentalinmakingthisconferenceareality.Thankyoutoourspeakerswhoprovidedtheiruniqueperspectivesandinsightonbothlocalandnationalequityissues.Alsoabigthankyoutoourvolunteerswhodonatedtheirtimebothbeforeandduringtheconference,SHIFTwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutyou.Aswell,we’dliketothankMeghanDoucetteforvolunteeringtobeapartoftheconferenceplanningcommittee,wesincerelyappreciateallthehardworkandpassionthatyouputintoorganizingthisconference.Wewouldalsoliketothankourclassmatesforbeingsosupportiveofusandoftheconference.Finally,wewouldliketothankRenThomasandMikikoTerashimafortheirguidanceandfeedbackoverthecourse of the year.

3

T IME SESSION TYPE SPEAKER THEME

8:30-9:00 Doors Open

9:00-9:30 Opening ceremonies (Room1011)

9:30-10:30 Keynote Lecture (Room 1011)

Catherine Hamel “MeasureTwice:Oncefor Inclusion, Once for Exclusion”(SocialJusticeinPublicSpaces)

10:30-10:45 CoffeeBreak

10:45-11:45 Panel Discussion (Room 1011)

RenThomas(moderator)Lisa RobertsEricJonssonBenSivakNanci Lee

Equitable Access to Housing

11:45-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:30 Lecture(Room1011) Gerry Post “NovaScotia:AccessByDesign2030”

1:30-2:00 Lecture(Room3001) Amanda Casey PhysicalActivityandDisability

1:30-3:00 Presentations(Room1011)

LisaBerglund+DalhousiePLAN5500StudioClass

Topics in Equity Planning

3:00-3:15 Break

3:15-4:15 Panel Discussion (Room 1011)

LindellSmith(moderator)PattyCuttellBusbyDeRico SymondsKevinHooperEmmaBeukema

CommunityDevelopmentin the North End

4:15-4:30 Closing for the Day

7:00-10:00 NetworkingSocial(MedjuckBuilding,5410Spring Garden Rd, Room HB-4)

PechaKuchaPresentations

Conference ScheduleFriday March 8RoweManagementBuilding

4

Saturday March 9HalifaxNorthPublicLibrary

TIME SESSION TYPE SPEAKER THEME

9:00-9:30 Doors Open

9:30-10:30 Keynote Lecture Richard Milgrom “ActiveorActivist:Making Age-Friendly Communities”

10:30-12:30 Walking Tours PattyCuttellBusbyEricJonssonLindell SmithElizaJacksonMeghanDoucette

1.“GentrificationorProgress?”2. “Past to Present: A Historic and Contemporary Look at the NorthEnd”3.“ActiveTransportation asaToolforPromotingEquity”

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:00 Lecture LeticiaSmillie EquityInitiativesinHRM

2:00-2:15 Break

2:15-3:15 Workshop Catherine Hamel “SpacesofOpposition”

3:15-3:30 Break

3:30-4:30 Panel DiscussionModerator: Mikiko TerashimaRen ThomasRichard MilgromCatherine HamelGerry Post

Planning for Equity and MovingForward

4:30-4:45 Conference Closing

Conference Schedule

5

The SHIFT Conference is an annual planning conference organized by Master of Planning students at Dalhousie University.Forover30years,thisconferencehasattractedstudents,professionals,academicsandthepublictodiscussplanningissuesaroundaparticulartheme.Forthefirsttime,theSHIFTconferencesteppedawayfromadesign-orientedthemeandfocusedonEquity.ThisnewthemeallowedtheSHIFTconferencetoserveasaplatformforconversationsaroundequityandemphasizetheimportanceofhavingadiversegroupofspeakersandparticipants.

Equityisoneofthemoremoderntopicsinplanningthatstemsfromadvocacyplanning.AdvocacyplanningoriginatedwithJaneJacob’sgrassrootsmovementandwasfurtherexploredinPaulDavidoff’slandmark1965essay“AdvocacyandPluralisminPlanning”.Today,equityissuesinplanningarevastandincludetopicssuchasaccessibility,gentrification,andculturaldisplacement.Equityisaboutincludingmanydifferentvoicesintheplanningprocessandensuringthatthesevoicesareheardandthattheircommunitiesareempowered.

Thisreportwilldescribeeachoftheeventsthattookplaceduringtheconference.Theseeventsincludedlectures,workshops,paneldiscussionsandwalkingtours.ThisreportwillalsoreflectonthelessonslearnedfromtheseeventsandusethisnewfoundknowledgetoshapethecontinuationoftheSHIFT:Equityconferencenextyear.

Introduction

SHIFT:EquityPlanningCommitteeLtoR:MikikoTerashima,SetaraZafar,MeaganDoucette,KatherineDeturbideandRenThomas

6

Opening CeremoniesGeriMusqua-LeBlancMayorMikeSavage

Speaker Talks - Day 1

ThedaybeganwithopeningceremoniesledwithablessingfromGeriMusqua-LeBlanc,followedbyanaddressbyMayorMikeSavage.GeriMusqua-LeBlancisthecoordinatorforDalhousie’sEldersinResidenceprogramandisaproudNakawewomanfromtheKeeseekooseFirstNation.AsitwasInternationalWomen’sDay,shediscussedtheimportanceinacknowledgingtheprogressthatwomenhavemadesofarandhowempoweringthemhasmadecommunitiesbetterforeveryone.MayorMikeSavagealsowishedeveryoneahappyInternationalWomen’sDay,expressedhisenthusiasmfortheconferencethemeandlookedforwardtothefutureofHalifaxasamoreequitablecity.

7

Catherine HamelKeynote Address

“MeasureTwice:OnceforInclusion,OnceforExclusion”

Catherine Hamel is an associate professor of architecture in theFacultyofEnvironmentalDesignatUniversityofCalgary.BorninBeirut,Lebanon,andhavinglivedthroughthecivilwarfrom1975-1995,shebroughtauniqueperspectiveonequityinthebuiltenvironment.Asanarchitectandanacademic,sheseesherselfinanobservationalrolethatisless rigid than the roles of engineers and planners. In this role,sheisabletoquestionwhatisconsiderednormalineverydaypracticeandexplorenewwaysoftacklingoldproblems. Shediscussedtheconceptofidentifying“walls”insocetyandtheimportanceoffinding“leaks”inthem.Forexample,inBeirutafterthewarwasover,aritualtookplaceamongyoungpeoplewheretheywouldpurposefullydrivearoundthecitysimplytoexercisetheirnewfoundfreedomandrights.Shealsospokeoftherippleeffectthatsmallchangesandactsofrebellioncancreate.Shebelievesthatseveralsmallshiftsthatcomefromaplaceofauthenticitycanbemoreeffectivethanrapid,large-scalechange.Anattitudeofpersistanceratherthanresistancewillbemuchmoreeffectiveinthelongrun.

Catherinegaveseveralexamplesofshiftsthroughthebuiltenvironment.Forexample,inCalgary,thereareeffortstorepurposevacantofficespacesintohomelessshelters.Studentsarealsoworkingonanappthatwilleducatethepublicabouttheirlocalpolicies,openinguppotentialconversationsabouttheeffectivenessofthesepolicies.

“Victory is not some absolute that is far away; but changing of it through rigour,

discipline, and thoughtfulness.”

8

Housing PanelModerator: Ren Thomas

Lisa RobertsEricJonssonBenSivakNanci Lee

Gerry Post

ThehousingpanelprovokedaninformativediscussionaboutcurrentstrategiespeopleareusingtoimprovethehousingsituationinHalifax.Thepanelconsistedoffourindividualsallwithdiversebackgrounds.ThepanelbeganbyidentifyingthemainissuesregardinghousinginHalifax.ThisledtoalengthydiscussionthatrevolvedaroundtheNorthEndCommunityLandTrust.Theyworktoensurethattheincreasedlandvaluefromneighbourhoodimprovementsbelongstothecommunityratherthantheownersoftheproperties.ThisinitiativeisanimportantstepincombattinggentrificationintheNorthEnd,whichhaspricedoutmanypeople in the community.

“NovaScotia:AccessbyDesign2030”

GerryPostistheExecutiveDirectorofAccessibilityforNovaScotia.HistalkfocusedontheNovaScotiaAccessibilityActadoptedin2017.ItsgoalistomakeNovaScotiaaccessibleby2030.As1in3NovaScotianshaveadisability,thehighestoftheCanadianprovinces,itwillbeimportantforplannerstobeawareofthisActanddevelopknowledgeaboutaccessibilityissuesinthebuiltenvironmentandbeyond.HediscussedtheoriginsoftheNovaScotiaAccessibility Act and discussed the community-ledeffortsthatwentintoitsdevelopment.Hearingthevoicesofthepeopledirectlyaffectedby the present-day barriers to an accessible environmentiscrucialtoensuringprogressismade.

9

Amanda CaseyPhysicalActivityandDisability

North End PanelModerator: Lindell Smith

PattyCuttellBusbyDeRico SymondsKevinHooper

EmmaBeukema

Dr.AmandaCaseyisanAssociateProfessorwithintheDepartmentofHumanKineticsatSt.FrancisXavierUniversity.Anadvocateforinclusion,Dr.CaseyhasbeenaBoardmemberofnon-profitorganizationsincludingNovaScotiaEarlyChildhoodIntervention,L’Arche,andPositiveActionforKeppoch.Shediscussedthechallengesthatthebuiltenvironmentcanposetopeoplewithdifferentaccessibilityneedsandadvocatedfortheuniversaldesignapproach,whichallowsthebuiltenvironmentto be accessed by all people regardless of age or disability. There isopportunityinthedevelopmentofthebuiltenvironmentTopromotehealthequityforat-riskpopulations.

TheNorthEndPanelconsistedofseveralkeyadvocatesfor the North End community. The panel, moderated byCouncillorLindellSmith,provokedalivelydiscussionabout some of the most pressing issues facing the NorthEndtoday,suchasgentrificationandpoverty.KevinHooperfromUnitedWayexpressedhispassionforbreakingthecycleofpovertyandurgedeveryonetobecreativeinfindingsolutionstothisproblem.DeRico Symonds, a community leader in the North End,reflectedonhisyouthwhenheplayedforthecommunity basketball team and emphasized the importanceofprogramsthatbuildconfidenceandfriendships of at-risk youth.

10

Student Presentations“PlanningThroughanEquityLens”

First year Master of Planning Students

Thisyear,thefirstyearMasterofPlanningstudiocourse,taughtbyLisaBerglund,focusedonequityplanning.Theclasswasdividedintofivegroups,eachfocusingonaparticularequitylens:environmentaljustice;transportationaccess;housingaccessandhomelessness;physicalaccessibility;andculturalrepresentationanddisplacement.Once assigned a topic, each group conducted background research on thesubjectandchoseacommunitywithintheCentrePlantostudyoverthecourseoftheterm.

Duringtheconference,thestudentsmadepostersthatreflectedtheworkdoneto-date.Theypresentedthebackgroundresearchtheyhaddoneontheirsite,aswellasapreliminarylistofinterventionsthatcouldhelpalleviatetheequityproblemsfacingthesecommunities.Theyreceivedvaluablefeedbackfromthreepanelists:GerryPost,PattyCuttell-BusbyandMeganDalton.

ThiswasthefirstyearthatstudentshavepresentedtheirworkattheSHIFTconference,andthegeneralconsensusisthattheywereavaluableaddition.Studentsbenefittedfromgainingtheperspectivesof local professionals and community members, and conference participantsenjoyedfactthateachpresentationfocusedonaparticularequity theme.

11

12

Pecha Kucha NightThe first day of the SHIFT Conference ended with a Pecha Kucha Networking Event. Pecha Kucha is a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each. The presentations were concise and fast paced. There were 10 presentations that all had different themes within planning and equity. The night started off with Josh Creighton’s presentation on social enterprise. Josh Creighton works at the Common Good Solution and in his presentation he shown light on the importance of social enterprise how organizations in Halifax can use their resources to foster relationships local businesses and their community. Alred Burgesson and Joyce Liu from Future City Builders gave a presentation on the innovative approach to the housing issues in Halifax. They focussed on how the Future City Builders 30Lab allows young influences to come together and work to create innovative solution in Halifax. the presentation showcased the work that was done recently during a series of workshops by Future City Builders. Two of the presenters were Richard Milgrom’s students from the University of Manitoba, Daniel Broderick and Samantha Blatz. Daniel presented on the current affordable housing polices and how there is a need to redefine what it means for home to be considered as affordable housing. Samantha Blatz’s presentation emphasizes the importance of age friendly communities and how planners should align with our current growing population. The next presentation was created by Catherine Hamel and her student, Joseph Crawford and was presented by Catherine. Joseph Crawford is a Metis student at the University of Calgary where he is in the Master of Architecture program. The presentation was about the urban land and the covering of the history of the Indigenous culture. Jillian Banfield have a presentation on accessibility and cycling and the importance of active transportation on ones health. She advocates for cyclin infrastructure, accessibility and better public engagement. The Pecha Kucha presentations ended with David Paterson’s presentation on autism and the urban space. David is an Employer Coordinator at Autism Nova Scotia. He connects autistic entrepreneurs to business development supports and development employment opportunities for autistic job seekers. His presentation emphasized how communities should be designed with people who may have both mental and physical disabilities.

13

Speaker Talks - Day 2Richard Milgrom

Keynote Address“ActiveorActivist:MakingAge-Friendly

Communities”Dr.RichardMilgromistheheadandassociateprofessorwiththeDepartmentofCityPlanningattheUniversityofManitoba.Dr.MilgromhasbeenparticipatingintheAge-FriendlyCommunities–ActiveAgingAllianceasaresearcherandasacommitteemember.Recentlyhisworkaddresseesthebarrierstotheproductionofage-friendlycommunitiesinWinnipeg.Hisworkwillmovetowardvisualizinghowthebuiltenvironmentmaybemodifiedtobetteraccommodateactiveaging.

Dr.MilgromwasthekeynotespeakeronMarch9thattheNorthEndLibrarywithhislectureonactivismandplanning.HebeganhispresentationonactivismbyspeakingabouttheInternationalNetworkforUrbanResearchandAction(INURA),whichinvolvesactivistsandresearchersfromcommunitiesthatwishtoshareexperiencesandparticipateincommonurbanprojectsorresearch.Theprojectsusuallyinvolveurbanrenewalandcommunity-ledenvironmentalschemes.Milgromalludedtothesetypesoforganizationstoemphasizetheimportancearoundchangeandnetworkingthatcanstartwithdifferentpeopleratherthanplanningprofessionals.Hediscussedhowinmanycasesprovincialprofessionalassociationsdonot take a stand on issues but rather remain neutral. For this reason, he emphasizes the importance of students and academics to stand up asactivists.

Milgrom’slectureshiftedtodiscussinghowCanadahasagrowingagingpopulationbutmanycommunitiesdonotaccommodatetheagingpopulationandarenotconsideredincommunitydesign.OverallMilgromemphasizestheimportanceofcommunitiestobeaccessibleforeveryone;currently,theagingpopulationisbeingnegativelyimpactedbycommunityplanning.HeintroducedtheWinnipegorganizationAgeFriendlyCommunities,whichdealswithmakingManitobathe“mostage-friendlyprovinceinCanada.”Theorganizationdealswithaskingquestionsabouttheeffectsoftheurbanformonthelivesofpeopleastheyage.Milgromhonesinonthe importance of understanding that the urban form needs to keep uporbealteredtoaccommodatemultipleagegroups.

14

Walking Tours“GentrificationorProgress?”

“Past to Present: A Historic and Contemporary Look at theNorthEnd”

“ActiveTransportationasaToolforPromotingEquity”

Leticia Smillie

AfterthekeynotelecturebyDr.RichardMilgrom,theseconddayoftheSHIFTConferencemovedontoawalkingtourseventaroundtheNorthEndofHalifax.ThetoursideacamefromJane’sWalk,whichisanannualcitizen-ledwalkingtourthatwasinspiredbyJaneJacobs.Therewerethreetoursgoingthatwerebeingfacili-tatedatthesametime.Havingthreetourswithdifferentthemesallowedtheattendeestohavechoicesinthethemestheywereinterestedin.TheGentrificationorProgresstourwasledbyLindellSmithandEricJonsson.LindellSmithistheDistrict8CouncillorandisalifelongresidentoflawNorthEndHalifaxandEricJonssonistheStreetOutreachNavigatorforthedowntownHalifaxandSpringGardenRoadBusinesscommissions.TheirtoursconsistedatalkaboutthechangesthatarehappeningaroundtheNorthEndandhowwecanbetteren-gagewiththecommunitiesaroundtheNorthEnd.ThePasttoPresent:AHistoric&ContemporaryLookatthenorthEndtourwasledbyPatriciaCuttellBusby.PatriciaCuttellisaplanner,strategistandcommunitybuilder.SheiscurrentlytheExecutiveDirectoroftheNorthEndBusinessAssociationwheresheapplieshersillsto-wardsfosteringavibrantandinclusivenorthend.Thetourexaminedsomeofthesocial,economicandphysi-calchangesthathavetakenplaceintheneighborhoodforthepast50years.Thethirdtour,ActiveTransporta-tionasaToolforPromotingEquity,wasledbyElizaJackson&MeghanDoucette.ThetourcomprisedofthemmakingstopsaroundthenorthendtoexploreHRM’svisionforactivetransportation.Thetouralsodiscussedhow“allagesandabilities”infrastructurecanmakeiteaserfordiversepopulationstogetaround.Thereisanimportanceinmeasuringwhoisusingactivetransportationinfrastructureandhowbigprojectsliketherede-velopmentoftheCongswellDistrictcanimpacthowwemovearoundthecity.

EquityInitiativesinHRMLeticiaSmillieisaseniorplannerwiththeHalifaxRegionalMunicipality.Shebeganbydiscussinghowthemunicipalityislookingtoincludeequity in their municipal planning. Although they may be considered babysteps,theyarenonethelessmovingtowardsapositivegoalofequity.Advocacyinplanningisabouthelpingcommunitiestoreachtheirpotentialandunderstandthatifcertaincommunitiesweretobeprovidedwithdifferentresources,theywouldbeabletostrivetowardstheircommunitygoals.SmilliediscusseshowtheAfricanNovaScotianAffairsIntegrationOffice(ANSAIO)wascreatedafterthenegotiatedsettlementbetweentheAfricvilleGenealogySocietyandtheHalifaxRegionalMunicipality.TheANSAIOisanimportantparttothegovernment’sstructureandanassetformakingdiversebusinessstronger.Smillieconcludedherpresentationonthetopicoffoodsecurityaroundthemunicipalityandwhatthemunicipalityisgoingtoprioritizeafoodinthedesignofcommunity.Foodisafundamentalrightandneedandmanycommunitiesaroundthemunicipalitydonothaveeasyaccesstofoodwhichissomethingthatneedstobechanged.

15

WorkshopCatherineHamel-“SpacesofOpposition”

Aworkshopwasledbyoneofthekeynotespeakers,CatherineHamel.Herworkshopquestionedhowpolicychangescanaffectdifferentcommunities.Shepointedoutthatwhenapolicyorbylawisbeingchangedtohaveapositiveimpactononefactor,thechangemayalsohaveanegativefactoronanothergroupofpeople.Duringtheworkshoptheattendeesweresplitupin5groupsof5.Thegroupswereaskedtothinkaboutanareaofplanning/currentlaworpracticeandhoweitheraltering,puttingapauseonitorcompletelygettingridofthelawwouldaffectdifferentcommunities.Oneofthegroupsdiscussedheritagepropertiesandwhattheeffectswouldbewithputtingapauseontheredevelopmentsthathappenontheseproperties.Each group began to discuss policies that may need to be completely dismissed but during the discussion many people found that some policies thatmaynotbedirectlyaffectingonepersoninthe group can impact another person in another group.Workshopparticipantslearnedthatchangesinpoliciesandbylawsneedtoconsidermultiplepeopleandthatitisdifficulttogeneralizewhatneeds to be done.

16

Closing PanelModerator: Mikiko Terashima

Catherine HamelRichard Milgrom

Ren Thomas

The last event at the 2019 School of Planning SHIFT Conference was the closing panel. The closing panel consisted of Dr. Richard Milgrom, Catherine Hamel, Gerry Post and Dr. Ren Thomas with Dr. Mikiko Terashima as the moderator. The panel was around the topic of how to plan with equity in mind and what people and future planners be thinking about when moving forward in planning. The panel discussion began with a general question of what equity is to each of the panelist. The answers included equity being a moral obligation to plan for majorities and minorities, equity is about being in the planning process together and about being considerate in order to be fair. Each of the panelist discussed the barrier when it comes to equity in not only the professional realm but also in academia and research. It is about having to understand that in the face of a barrier one is able to go above, around or underneath to get past and that people who do not change their mind are not worth the time. Barriers are seen with all professionals and it is about understanding that people need to find multiple ways to move past that barrier. Each panelist gave examples of empowered communities today, for example with the closure of the landfill site in Sackville, communities in the area have decided that instead of selecting a site, they have decided to create a waste management strategy. They have taken the initiative to create something that can be used by future generations. Immigrant communities in the Northeast Calgary make big efforts to hear every voice in the community from youths, women, translators and such. Equity in everyday begins with communities that want to see change and having professional and representatives that empathize with that change allow communities to reach their true potential.

17

Discussion

Duringthecourseoftheconference,afewkeythemesemerged during the discussions around equity. Accessibility andgentrification,particularlyintheNorthEnd,stoodoutasmajortopicsthatwererelevanttotheHalifaxcontext.Itwasimportanttohavethesediscussionsbetweencommunitymembers,professionalplannersandorganizationstosharetheirdifferentperspectivesonwhatiscurrentlyhappeninginourlocalcommunities.

Manyofthespeakerscontributedtotheoveralltheme.Forexample,CatherineHamelgaveabroadoverviewofwhatequity and social change means to her. Community leaders andbuilderssuchasDeRicoSymondsandPattyCuttell-BusbybroughttheirviewsofequitythroughthelensoftheNorthEndandguidedthediscussionaboutgentrification.RichardMilgromhighlightedtheimportanceofactivisminplanningandexposedtherealityoftheoutdatednatureofcurrentcommunitydesign.Additionally,professionalplannerssuchasLeticiaSmilliecontributedtothediscussionbyoutlininghowHRMisworkingtowardsamoreequitableapproach to community engagement and planning.

As organizers of this conference, one of the most important lessonsthatwelearnedwasthatinordertofacilitateaconversationaboutequity,weneedbecomfortablewithbeinguncomfortable.Conversationsaboutequitycanbedifficulttotalkaboutanditisrarethatpeoplewillcometoaconsensusonanygivenissue.However,theseconversationsarecrucialanditisnecessarytoovercomeanybarriersthatinterferewithpeople’squalityoflife.

18

ConclusionTheSHIFTConferencethisyearwasawaytoopenupsomemuch-needed discussions about equity in the planning profession. We wereproudtoincludeadiversearrayofspeakersfrombothwithinandoutsidetheplanningrealm,whoeachprovidedtheiruniqueperpectivesonequity.Thefeedbackwereceivedfollowingtheconferencewaslargelypositivewithseveralattendeesnotingthattheyarelookingforwardtonextyear’sconference.

Thisconferencewaspart1ofSHIFT:Equityandpart2willcontinuetheequityconversationnextyear.Wehopetoincludeamorediversegroupofattendeesnextyearbyreachingouttomorelocalcommunitieswhomaybeinterestedinparticipating.Itisourhopethatnextyear’sconferencedelvesdeeperintothelessonslearnedfromthisyear’sconference.