Diversity In Practice Updates 3 - Health Journey
Sabrina Shadie 
Addressing inequalities in health and disability are key elements of achieving equity, which starts with sharing our stories.
Dear Community Members,
This week’s update is a mixed bag of news, personal and professional.
Firstly, I have to share my personal update – for the last few months I have been going through a number of tests and procedures which have determined that I may have either Ovarian Cancer or Endometriosis. Luckily, the treatment for both is a hysterectomy, which is booked for 11th September. Due to the extensive nature of the surgery, I will be unavailable for at least a few weeks. I will have a significant recovery period following the surgery and my plan is to have a phased return to work.
As always, I am looking at this life challenge as an opportunity and a time for personal introspection and development. If you have been connected to me for a while, you will know that each time I face big challenges, I end up growing into a new and exciting phase of my life. This part of the adventure is no different and I am looking forward to stepping into this new aspect of the journey.
Between now and the surgery date, Damian and I will be taking every opportunity to have fun on our #ShadieAdventures, from last minute tickets to Chase and Status in Milton Keynes Bowl (see picture below), to VIP tickets to Race Day at Donnington Park. I am squeezing as many summer celebrations into these last few weeks as possible, as I will be limited in my travel options during my recovery.
In my absence, the business email inboxes will be monitored and the scheduled content will still be made available thanks to my small team of talented and exceptional associates. I expect to be available for September’s Diversity in Practice call but in case of my absence I will have one of my capable team members step in.
If you have any questions or want to speak to me about an urgent matter prior to my surgery please email me directly. Alternatively, you can join us for one of our live community calls –
Community Response Call 4pm 27th August
Diverse Business Network 12noon 5th September
Diversity in Practice Call 4.30pm 26th September (potentially with a guest host)
Look out for some upcoming content from D’Rose about health inequalities and challenges which have been highlighted by my current experiences. If you would like to contribute to this, please email support@drosebusiness.com with information and content ideas.
Diversity in Practice Community Update
August's DIP call was another great opportunity to connect people, with new members and some familiar faces. The discussion was centred around the impact of the recent racial violence and practical ways we can support each other in time of crisis.
We discussed that the cycle of racial violence is not new and often rises in line with increased poverty on a 10-to-15-year rotation. When considered nationally and globally with a political lens, we can track the creation of the hostile environment which leads to increases in hate crime. Please register for our free series Building Excellence Open Webinars where I cover this topic in more detail.
The link between misogyny and the violence was also tabled, identifying the false concern for women’s wellbeing to justify increased violence, so who’s safety are they protecting? Because violence in public spaces does not create safety for anyone. Unpacking some small aspects of how misogyny and patriarchy are damaging for men and women.
We explored some of the disparities which feed into the behaviours we have witnessed, such as the UK’s Prevent Programme which is often racist and Islamophobic in how it is taught and shared. The lack of accountability of those in leadership roles and in the media for promoting harmful and untrue stories.
We also spoke about how the skewed and unfounded narratives are sadly at the heart of British social systems, linked to elitism, nepotism masked as meritocracy, colonialist mindsets and unspoken acceptance of inequalities based on a person’s proximity to perceived power. The stoking of the hostile environment which has been undermining communities, from the Windrush Scandal to the Grenfell inquiry and the failed Rwanda Project, these divisive policies continue.
We closed the session by sharing meaningful ways in which we can be effective in our support of each other and I shared one of my favourite quotes, from Dr Lilla Watson an Indigenous Australian visual artist, activist and academic.
" If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
Join us for our next Diversity in Practice call in September – details below.
In the meantime, we would like you to join us in celebrating our new CPD certified programmes being launched. We now have 2 CPD workshops available and we are offering a 20% discount for our community members - just use the coupon code ‘Change24’ at the checkout.
D’Rose TRAACER Toolkit – A CPD certified workshop providing simple and practical Equality Impact Assessment tool, which can be used in the development or review of projects or activities to ensure appropriate inclusive practice. This Toolkit is a valuable resource for everyone to understand their impact.
D’Rose Inclusive Leaders Lived Experience – Our introductory CPD certified workshop, introducing a series of professional training aimed at supporting leaders developing their inclusive practice. This workshop guides leaders through a practical exploration how identity and lived experiences impact our leadership styles and approaches.
Finally, please take the time to visit our new socials and blog page Diversity in Practice Updates, where all the news, events and opportunities will be shared regularly to support the community. We welcome input from our members, so if you have items you would like us to add to the content, please email us with your news.
Thank you all for your ongoing support and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
Sabrina
https://www.facebook.com/DRoseAcademy