New initiative hopes to get more diversity on local boards
WATERLOO REGION — A new initiative hopes to match Black, Indigenous and people of colour with vacant seats on local nonprofit boards to help diversify representation in the region.
Beisan Zubi says it is a mutually beneficial initiative to help visible minorities discover new opportunities and for local boards of directors to better represent the community around them.
“If we look at the representation on boards across the region, it is predominantly white,” said Zubi, a local resident who works in the tech sector. She also ran for a seat on regional council last year.
“It is really not representative of the community they help and serve.”
Zubi said many local nonprofits and charities recognize they lack diversity on their boards, but there hasn’t been much momentum to recruit more Black, Indigenous and people of colour.
She hopes her new matchmaking program, Get on Board, can help change that.
“We are having conversations about representation in leadership right now, and I think organizations need to take a very frank inner look at themselves,” Zubi said.
Zubi said many boards of directors typically recruit members through word of mouth, which makes it difficult to find people from outside their own networks.
“They haven’t approached multicultural communities,” she said.
On the other hand, she has heard from people of colour who are reluctant to apply to a board of directors because they fear being tokenized.
“I don’t think this is going to fix systemic racism, it’s not,” Zubi said. But it can help Black, Indigenous and people of colour be heard and to also help them with networking, experience in a new sector, leadership and public speaking skills.
That is why Zubi thinks she can help bridge the gap. Interested individuals can apply using a form on Zubi’s website The New Rules and she will match those candidates with local organizations that suit the individual’s interests.
She has seen a number of people reach out since she launched the initiative on Monday. Zubi hopes to match 100 people to different local organizations over the next year.
“I think it is doable,” she said. Zubi has already heard from other cities interested in adopting a similar model.
“All you need is somebody to be the matchmaker. I think this could be really great for the broader community.”
To learn more, visit thenewrules.ca/ get-on-board.