ONA-sponsored DEIB conference “bright and vibrant,” members say

“The Halton Equity & Diversity Roundtable (HEDR) is a collaborative network dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) while breaking down barriers across the entire region of Halton,” explains Region 3 Vice-President Karen McKay-Eden, who holds the portfolio of anti-racism, equity and human rights. “They do so by bringing together individuals, organizations and businesses with the common goal of building communities where individuals of all identities feel valued and empowered.”

The HEDR 2026 IDEA Leadership Conference was part of that.

Small town

Held in Georgetown in early June, the powerful conference, in its 11th year, brought together delegates, including McKay-Eden, Region 4 Vice-President Grace Pierias, ONA Member Education/Anti‑Racism and Anti‑Oppression Senior Manager Kieran Maxwell and several members from Region 4 (Halton is located in their region), who are both seasoned DEIB practitioners and those emerging in their leadership journeys, under the theme, Small Town, Big Ideas: Intersectional Paths to Equity in Urban and Rural Communities. 

The two-day event featured prominent leaders in the DEIB space, such as Chef Devan Rajkumar, Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional Andrea Carey, author David A. Robertson, and linguist Dr. Ashley Moore, breakout speakers, engaging workshops, interactive learning sessions, social events and meaningful opportunities for delegates to connect with others advancing DEIB across sectors.

The HEDR also encouraged local artists to visually explore the concept of intersectionality by applying for their work, including photography, drawings, paintings, mixed media and sculptures, to be featured.

Presenting sponsor

“ONA has been a Presenting Sponsor of the event since 2023, and last year we facilitated sessions on braver conversations,” explains Maxwell. “We’re also a founding sponsor of the health and wellness programming of the event, which began in 2024.”

That allows us to:

• Help HEDR centre care, reflection and wellbeing in a space that often asks a lot of people personally and professionally. 
• Support a team of practitioners who thoughtfully design an immersive and restorative experience for delegates during the conference (past wellness rooms have included art therapy and aromatherapy). 
• Showcase ONA’s dedication to the well-being of individuals within the Halton and surrounding area. 

“ONA’s support plays a meaningful role in ensuring HEDR can continue to create impactful and accessible programming for participants,” adds Pierias. “Overall, the HEDR conference was a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to attend again next year.”

She’s not alone. Here are some of the comments members who attended as part of the Region 4 group shared with us:  

• It was a bright and vibrant conference. All are welcome and HEDR is doing such great work. 
• Very tactile and hands-on keynote speakers and breakout rooms. I loved the cooking demonstration. 
• Creative approach and beautiful location.  
• Inclusive and welcoming space. I felt encouraged to make connections with fellow HEDR members and staff. I made some good connections to bring back to my ONA work. 
• It was interesting to learn that, in keeping with the conference theme, there has been a lot of progress in rural Ontario when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. Small towns are reaching out to groups like HEDR to get ideas and assistance and to be leaders in initiatives that foster safe spaces and celebrate diversity.

Learn more about HEDR here.