School of Greatness Worldwide

The Canadian Congress is proud to host today’s Lunch & Learn as part of National Accessibility Week.

Across Canada, we have delivered over 100 Lunch & Learn sessions—but this is the first ever dedicated specifically to accessibility.

That marks a shift in priority, leadership, and national awareness.

FEATURED VOICES YOU WILL HEAR

We are joined by respected leaders and practitioners in the accessibility space—bringing together policy expertise, lived experience, and organizational transformation insight.

These are voices actively shaping how accessibility is implemented across systems, workplaces, and communities.

WHY YOU MUST ATTEND (THE REALITY IN NUMBERS)

Because over 1.3 billion people globally live with some form of disability (WHO), representing one of the largest and most underserved populations in the world

Because global disability spending power is estimated in the multi-trillion-dollar range (commonly cited between $8–13 trillion USD), meaning inaccessible systems are directly leaving significant market value untouched

Because studies consistently show organizations lose billions annually in missed revenue and avoidable friction when digital platforms, services, and workplaces are not accessible

Because inaccessible design increases operational cost through rework, complaints, legal exposure, and employee disengagement

Because accessibility is now directly tied to competitive advantage in hiring, customer experience, and brand trust

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR PROFIT, PERFORMANCE & CORPORATE CULTURE

Accessibility is no longer a side initiative—it is a strategic business advantage.

Organizations that embed accessibility early reduce downstream costs, improve product usability, and expand their customer base without additional acquisition spend.

Inclusive design enhances employee engagement and retention because people perform better in environments that are designed for participation, rather than adaptation.

More importantly, accessibility improves decision quality at the leadership level. When barriers are visible and addressed, systems become clearer, simpler, and more scalable. That translates into stronger performance, stronger teams, and stronger outcomes.

REGISTER NOW at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0dsLvQDaRT6kk8PfsCENTw

The session is starting now.

Join immediately by clicking the link to participate live. If you cannot attend, register anyway—registration ensures you still receive access to the full recording and resources after the session.

Then share widely. Not selectively. Widely.

This is a leadership conversation.

A business conversation.

A national conversation.

Join us now.

If all you think of when you hear the word, accessibility, is a wheelchair ramp, you are one of those who need to learn more.

But accessibility is so much more.

Accessibility includes physical disabilities that can be seen.

It also includes invisible disabilities that often go unnoticed:

hearing loss,
vision loss,
chronic pain,
learning disabilities,
ADHD,
autism,
mental health conditions,
cognitive challenges,
speech differences,
neurological conditions, and
age-related limitations.

Think about it.

Have you ever struggled to hear during a virtual meeting?

Have you ever squinted at tiny text on a screen?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by information, noise, or confusing instructions?

Have you ever been excluded because something wasn't designed with you in mind?

Then you've experienced a form of accessibility barrier.

The truth is accessibility is not about "them." It is about all of us.

At some point in our lives—through injury, illness, aging, or circumstance—most of us will encounter accessibility challenges.

Yet accessibility remains one of the most overlooked and misunderstood dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It is often the forgotten arm of diversity.

Tomorrow, join us for a powerful National AccessAbility Week Lunch & Learn as we explore what accessibility really means, why it matters, and how we can build workplaces and communities where everyone can participate, contribute, and thrive.

We are honoured to feature one of Canada's leading accessibility coaches, consultants, and speakers, Michelle Buckland, as our keynote presenter.

🗓 Thursday, June 4, 2026
⏰ Noon – 2:00 PM EST

This conversation is for leaders, HR professionals, managers, educators, public servants, community advocates, and anyone committed to building a more inclusive society.

Register now. Share with your colleagues. Invite your team. Bring your entire squad.

Because accessibility is not a special interest issue.

It is a human issue.

Register today at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0dsLvQDaRT6kk8PfsCENTw

INVITE EVERYONE ELSE - STAFF, PEERS, ASSOCIATES, FAMILIES, ETC

DID YOU KNOW that more than 1.3 billion people worldwide live with a significant disability — that's approximately 1 in 6 people?

DID YOU KNOW that nearly everyone will experience some form of disability, temporary or permanent, at some point in their lives?

We talk about diversity. We talk about inclusion. We talk about belonging.

But how often do we talk about accessibility?

And do we really understand what it means?

Accessibility is not just ramps, elevators, or reserved parking spaces.

Accessibility is about ensuring that people can fully participate in society, regardless of disability, age, injury, neurodiversity, mental health conditions, language barriers, or temporary limitations.

The greatest barriers are often not physical — they are attitudinal, systemic, and invisible.

Reflect on these questions:

❓ Have you ever struggled to read small text, hear clearly in a meeting, navigate a website, or access a building?

❓ Have you ever assumed accessibility was someone else's issue?

❓ Could someone be excluded from your workplace, event, website, communication, or services without you even realizing it?

❓ Is your organization compliant, or is it truly accessible?

❓ Are we building communities where everyone can participate, contribute, and thrive?

The reality is simple: accessibility benefits everyone.

When we design for accessibility, we create better workplaces, better communities, better services, and a more equitable society for all.

This National AccessAbility Week, join us for a timely and important Lunch & Learn featuring prolific speakers who will unpack this critical topic that impacts far more people than most realize.

🗓 Thursday, June 4, 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST

Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0dsLvQDaRT6kk8PfsCENTw

Let's move beyond awareness and toward action.

🌟 HAPPY NATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY WEEK 2026! 🌟

From May 31 to June 6, Canadians across the country celebrate National AccessAbility Week—a time to recognize the contributions, achievements, resilience, and leadership of persons with disabilities while recommitting ourselves to removing barriers and building a more accessible and inclusive society.

Accessibility is not simply about compliance. It is about dignity, belonging, opportunity, innovation, and human potential.

Today, more than 8 million Canadians—27% of the population aged 15 and over—identify as having a disability. With an aging population, that number continues to grow.

Yet many continue to face barriers in employment, education, technology, transportation, healthcare, and community participation.

The Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity and Workplace Equity is proud to host an exciting and educational Lunch & Learn in honour of the National Accessibility Awareness Week Summit.

📅 Thursday, June 4, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST

🎯 Theme: BREAKING BARRIERS, SHAPING AN ACCESSIBLE FUTURE

🔗 Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0dsLvQDaRT6kk8PfsCENTw

The theme is "Building a Strong, Accessible Canada," and features an outstanding panel of accessibility leaders and advocates:

• Michelle Buckland, Founder of EMBRACE 2 Learn Inc., Award-Winning Accessibility Advisor & Disability Inclusion Advocate
Christilene Jewel Elie-Risden, Child & Youth Care Practitioner and Counsellor
• Kellina Powell, Disability Inclusion Advocate, Mental Health Coach and Keynote Speaker
• Ingrid Luster, Digital Accessibility Coach and Accessibility Professional
• Nakeisha Geddes, Founder of Geddes Concept, Co-Founder of Beyond Services

Together, we will explore:

✔ Artificial Intelligence and Digital Accessibility
✔ Young Professionals with Disabilities
✔ Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
✔ Visible and Physical Disabilities
✔ Disability Etiquette, Accessibility Integration, Allyship, and Intersectionality

Accessibility impacts all of us.

In Canada, persons with disabilities represent approximately $55 billion in spending power. Globally, more than 1 billion people with disabilities represent an estimated $8 trillion market opportunity. Organizations that embrace accessibility are not only advancing inclusion—they are unlocking talent, innovation, customers, and growth.

Over the coming days, I will be sharing insights and practical strategies that may change the way you think about accessibility and help organizations better engage one of the largest underserved communities in the world.

Who should attend?

Leaders. Employers. HR Professionals. Educators. Entrepreneurs. Students. Community Organizations. Advocates. Anyone committed to building a stronger and more accessible Canada.

***ASL Interpreters will be provided.

Let's move beyond awareness.

Let's move beyond compliance.

Let's build a future where everyone can belong, contribute, thrive, and succeed.

THE DANGERS OF LEADERSHIP TITLES

There is perhaps no greater confusion about the concept of leadership than the belief that leadership is simply a position of authority.

Somehow, we have convinced ourselves that the moment someone is promoted, elected, hired into management, given a title, a corner office, a microphone, or a seat at the table, they automatically become a leader.

That is simply not true.

In fact, I have always believed the opposite.

Most people are placed into positions of leadership because someone saw leadership characteristics in them already.

The position was never meant to create a leader. The position was supposed to refine, develop, sharpen, test, and mature the leadership spirit that already existed within the person.

Unfortunately, society reversed the equation.
We started worshipping titles instead of transformation.
We started following positions instead of principles.
We started confusing authority with leadership capacity.

Over the years, I have come to define leadership this way: Leadership is a spirit that can only be ignited by purpose, sustained by passion, and guided by principles.

That is why leadership cannot be manufactured by a title.
Titles may give authority, but they cannot give vision.
Titles may command attention, but they cannot command respect.
Titles may create followers temporarily, but only true leadership creates transformation that lasts.

I wrote extensively about this in my book, The Mystique of Leadership, and I revisit it in my upcoming book, Change is NOT Enough, because the consequences of this misunderstanding are now everywhere around us.

Look at the state of the world today.

Economic instability.
Political division.
Wars and conflicts across nations.
Broken institutions.
Toxic workplaces.
Corruption.
Distrust. Fear.
Families collapsing.
Communities fragmented.

People with titles everywhere, yet genuine leadership is becoming increasingly rare.

These are not merely policy failures.
They are leadership failures.

And if there was ever a time for every single one of us to ignite our leadership spirit, it is now.

Leadership is not reserved for politicians, CEOs, pastors, executives, or public figures.
Leadership is the courage to influence positively.
Leadership is responsibility.
Leadership is vision.
Leadership is integrity when compromise is easier.
Leadership is the ability to bring light into confusion, hope into despair, and direction into chaos.

This has been my message for years, spoken in over 400 cities across 40 nations worldwide, across institutions, conferences, boardrooms, classrooms, communities, and platforms around the world.

To engage me, email [email protected].

If you truly want to grow your leadership spirit, mindset, influence, and transformational capacity, join our global school community for FREE, join us at https://www.skool.com/school-of-greatness-8685

NOW, be a leader & share this post!

And enjoy your weekend - leading!

There comes a point where advocacy is no longer a trend, a hashtag, or a moment of outrage.

It becomes a psychological, emotional, spiritual, and moral commitment to justice, dignity, humanity, and transformation.

Six years after the murder of George Floyd shook the conscience of the world, the fight for equity, inclusion, justice, and human dignity continues.

But so do the emotional burdens carried by advocates, leaders, marginalized communities, and those who refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice.

Join us for the 6th Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture as globally recognized speaker, author, consultant, and transformational leader, Nosakhare Alex Ihama, delivers a powerful keynote on:

“THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY”

This timely and transformational keynote will explore:

• The emotional and psychological realities of advocacy
• Why many advocates burn out, disengage, or become overwhelmed
• The trauma, resilience, courage, and hope behind movements for change
• How to sustain the fight for justice without losing yourself
• The future of social justice leadership in an increasingly polarized world

DATE:
Thursday, May 28, 2026

TIME:
12 PM – 2 PM EST

EVENT:
6th Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture

Organized by the Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity & Workplace Equity

This is more than an event.
It is a conversation the world still desperately needs.

Seats and virtual spaces will fill quickly.

Register NOW and invite your colleagues, leaders, educators, advocates, HR professionals, students, policymakers, and change-makers.

Because justice is not sustained by passion alone.
It is sustained by people who understand the psychology behind the struggle.

REGISTER NOW at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C0debnWUQp2VnSyvP9O7kQ

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY:
SIX YEARS AFTER GEORGE FLOYD

Tomorrow at Noon EST, I will deliver the keynote at the 6th Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture.

This is not merely another lecture.

This is a confrontation with pain.
A confrontation with resistance.
A confrontation with exhaustion.
A confrontation with hatred.
And ultimately, a confrontation with ourselves.

The reality is that many advocates, racialized professionals, allies, community leaders, and organizations are psychologically tired.

We are watching hard-fought progress being challenged aggressively.
We are watching anti-racism mocked.
EDI dismantled.
Human dignity politicized.
Compassion weaponized.
Truth distorted.
And hatred normalized with increasing boldness.

Our pains are magnified.

Every video.
Every attack.
Every hateful rhetoric.
Every systemic barrier.
Every dismissal of lived experiences.
Every attempt to erase history.
Every subtle and overt act of discrimination adds psychological weight to individuals and communities already carrying generational burdens.

But hear me clearly:

While our pains may be magnified, our resolve remains unwavering.

We are still here.
Still speaking.
Still organizing.
Still educating.
Still building.
Still resisting.
Still believing.
Still refusing to surrender our humanity to hatred.

Because social justice advocacy is not merely political.
It is psychological.
It is emotional.
It is spiritual.
It is human.

If we do not understand the psychological warfare behind oppression, intimidation, division, fear, silence & exhaustion, we will continue fighting external battles while internally collapsing.

Tomorrow, we go deeper.

How do we sustain ourselves emotionally and psychologically in these times?
How do we resist burnout while confronting injustice?
How do we build stronger alliances?
How do organizations move beyond statements into courageous action?
How do we protect ourselves and our communities against rising extremism, hate, and systemic resistance?

This conversation is necessary.
This moment is critical.
And this work is far from over.

To George Floyd.
To Yves Sakila.
To the many unnamed victims.
We remember.
We resist.
And we continue the work.

To grab your spot: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C0debnWUQp2VnSyvP9O7kQ

Yesterday marked exactly six years since the gruesome murder of George Floyd.

I browsed social media posts and reflections surrounding this remembrance anniversary, and I was encouraged to see people of all ethnicities pause to remember the day.

And as I reflected, a few things became very clear to me.

𝟭. 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Not necessarily because of the man alone, but because of what his death ignited.

George Floyd’s murder forced the world to confront uncomfortable truths about race, justice, policing, humanity, and systemic oppression.

𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

That is why we are hosting our Sixth Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture. People still yearn for spaces that foster reflection, dialogue, healing, and collective action.

Register NOW at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C0debnWUQp2VnSyvP9O7kQ

𝟯. 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆.

These are the modern-day social media police — individuals whose hearts have become so callous & consumed with hate and indifference that they cannot even acknowledge the inhumanity of how a fellow human being died.

Even if George Floyd stood for nothing to them, the manner of his death should move any person with basic human decency. The fact that people still mock this moment six years later proves why we must never stop pushing forward.

𝟰. 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲.

They do not care that George Floyd was killed.
They do not care about the hate.
They do not care about justice either way.

These may be the most dangerous people of all — those who are indifferent to social justice. At least hatred identifies itself openly. Indifference quietly sustains injustice.

5. Finally, while George Floyd’s death initially sparked global conversations and some progress toward racial justice, 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺.

As hateful rhetoric, exclusionary politics, and attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and human rights efforts intensified again, many institutions retreated.

Programs were canceled.
Commitments faded.
Courage disappeared.

This is exactly why we cannot forget.

Join us for the Sixth Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture.
It is FREE and hosted on Zoom, with room for thousands to attend.
Let our presence alone make a statement that humanity, justice & dignity still matter.

Register NOW at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C0debnWUQp2VnSyvP9O7kQ