Equity and Reconciliation
“Nothing about us
without us.”
Our identities should not determine whether we are healthy, housed, educated, employed, and safe. But, because of the way our societies have operated over time, marginalized communities are worse off in many ways.
By collaborating with underserved communities and thoughtfully distributing resources and opportunities where they are needed most, United Way East Ontario is building a more equitable future.
Equity and Reconciliation
“Nothing about us without us.”
Our identities should not determine whether we are healthy, housed, educated, employed, and safe. But, because of the way our societies have operated over time, marginalized communities are worse off in many ways.
By collaborating with underserved communities and thoughtfully distributing resources and opportunities where they are needed most, United Way East Ontario is building a more equitable future.
Mentors with lived experience are key for local 2SLGBTQIA+ youth
Sandra and Teigan, both of whom identify as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, met years ago through a mentorship program led by a United Way partner. When they heard about a new United Way-supported program to help 2SLGBTQIA+ youth find empowering mentors, they knew it would make a big difference. Their friendship brings value not only to Teigan as a young person, but also to Sandra as an adult. Now, even more 2SLGBTQIA+ folks will get that experience too.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t really have anybody to talk to or role models in the LGBTQ+ community. So, for me, being on the flipside, being a grown-up, having gone through the struggles—figuring out who I was, what my place is—it means so much to me to be that person.”
People are not problems. Social inequities are.
Many people face discrimination for their skin colour, culture, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, religion, age, and/or ability. These biases are deeply rooted in colonialism and systemic racism, showing up in policies and power structures that keep Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, women, and other marginalized groups from reaching their full potential.
The result is higher levels of poverty, poor mental and physical health, and social exclusion for those groups.
116
hate-motivated incidents were reported to Ottawa police in 2024.
12%
is the increase in the number of people who identify as Indigenous experiencing homelessness in Ottawa from 2021 to 2024.
30%
of Ottawa’s Black community who tried to access mental health services felt prejudice or negative attitudes from service providers.
69%
increase in hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation from 2023 to 2024.
People are not problems. Social inequities are.
Many people face discrimination for their skin colour, culture, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, religion, age, and/or ability. These biases are deeply rooted in colonialism and systemic racism, showing up in policies and power structures that keep Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, women, and other marginalized groups from reaching their full potential.
The result is higher levels of poverty, poor mental and physical health, and social exclusion for those groups.
116
Hate-motivated incidents were reported to Ottawa police in 2024.
12%
is the increase in the number of people who identify as Indigenous experiencing homelessness in Ottawa from 2021 to 2024.
30%
of Ottawa’s Black community who tried to access mental health services felt prejudice or negative attitudes from service providers.
69%
increase in hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation from 2023 to 2024.
What we’re doing
Tackling the toughest social issues requires that we are always learning about the different forms of oppression contributing to disparities across Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark County, and Renfrew County.
Every issue that United Way East Ontario tackles involves strategically distributing resources and opportunities to the people who need them most, so everyone can thrive. It means that we must walk the talk: the internal workings of our organization should reflect the values we promote in our communities.
We might not always get it right on the first try, but we’re committed to lifelong learning, and building strong relationships that help us move forward, better, together.
Equity and justice are achieved when systemic barriers are dismantled, and everyone has the freedom and opportunity to reach their full potential.
Equity in action
Continuously implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls on corporations and organizations to “…adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.” Read the full call to action.
- United Way co-leads the Indigenous Employment Leadership Advisory Table (IELAT) with the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition and Kagita Makim. Alongside other organizations in East Ontario, our vision is that through our collective efforts, more Indigenous Peoples, specifically youth, are employed in workplaces that value their cultural identity, inherent gifts, and worldviews.
- Our staff take training, led by Indigenous leaders, about our history, residential schools, Treaties, working with Indigenous colleagues and partners, intercultural competencies, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and more.
Investing with an equity lens
With every investment we make, we give priority to organizations that are led by or have a mandate to support marginalized communities. This includes First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; African, Caribbean, and Black communities; minority language and racialized populations; people living in poverty; people with disabilities, and other underserved communities.
- We invest in and work with partners across our region to support 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in meeting their diverse needs. We work with our partners to expand culturally appropriate mental health services and programs created by and for the communities they serve.
Strengthening workplace accessibility and inclusion
United Way leads the Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN) and Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO) to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities and newcomers. We work with partners to create resources that educate and empower organizations to better attract, hire, integrate, and retain people of diverse backgrounds and experiences in the workforce.
- EARN hosts employer workshops and learning events, employment recruitment and information sessions, and Job Match Calls throughout the year. Since 2012, the 165-member network has helped more than 10,000 job seekers with a disability access employment.
Tackling hate
United Way convenes and invests in United for All, a coalition of 44 organizations representing 150+ partners committed to overcoming hate-based violence, racism, and extremism. Our role involves increasing the capacity of frontline agencies to prevent and respond to hate when it happens and coordinating support for people most affected.
- Since 2018, United for All has convened the community for discussions and learning on issues such as the root causes of online hate, preventing gender-based violence, racism around refugee settlement, and engaging in meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous communities. In 2024/25, United for All rolled out the Building Bridges series, meant to empower community leaders to address fear and discrimination, and joined with key partners to launch the deployment of a series of workshops devoted to education and training on Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-black hate, anti-2SLGBTQ+ ideology, and misogyny.
Collaborating with Indigenous communities
We hold relationships with local Indigenous leaders, coalitions, and organizations that guide and deepen our understanding of the needs facing Indigenous Peoples in the communities we call Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, Lanark County, and Renfrew County.
- We invest in programs led by and for the local Indigenous communities for youth, people experiencing mental health challenges, and survivors of gender-based violence. These programs help people reconnect with their cultural identity as part of their healing journey.
- We build the capacity of employers to create more culturally sensitive workplaces for Indigenous Peoples.
Engaging donors in learning
Our Women United and GenNext giving programs offer donors the opportunity to learn about key issues facing marginalized communities, and how they can tackle systemic issues with us.
- Celebrating queer creativity and community: GenNext hosted a panel discussion on art, identity, and inclusivity. Four local queer artists opened about the challenges they’ve faced—growing up, discovering their queerness, and carving out spaces in industries that haven’t always welcomed them. This conversation was a celebration of queer joy and the transformative power of art to break down barriers, tell stories, and spark meaningful social change.
- Women United Disruptive Dialogues highlight the challenges facing women and gender-diverse people and empower participants to use their influence for good.
We listen to the community and follow their lead
Through storytelling, we celebrate diversity while shedding light on systemic challenges faced by marginalized people. We take a trauma-informed approach to sharing stories that focuses on an individual’s strengths, so we avoid causing further harm, contributing to stereotypes, or defining people by their toughest moments.
We listen to the community and follow their lead
Through storytelling, we celebrate diversity while shedding light on systemic challenges faced by marginalized people. We take a trauma-informed approach to sharing stories that focuses on an individual’s strengths, so we avoid causing further harm, contributing to stereotypes, or defining people by their toughest moments.
This work is never over.
Our approach to reconciliation and equity involves ongoing engagement with and feedback from our diverse stakeholders, and our willingness to be flexible and humble.
We know when we work together with a common vision, when we think differently about problems, and when we shift power imbalances, we can change the systems that hold people back.
When you give to United Way East Ontario, your support brings us one step closer to a future where everyone thrives.
