Frameworks for Equity

Implementing frameworks for equity that disrupt power structures for effective organizational culture change.

Frameworks for Equity

The Challenges

As equity has become a growing focus for organizations and institutions, some of its frameworks have become well-known and widely discussed. In particular, multiculturalism, which promotes the recognition and respect of different cultures within an organization; diversity, which calls for the inclusion of people of different identity groups; inclusion, which argues that people should have access to experiences and opportunities regardless of their identities; and cultural competence, which emphasizes the ability to understand and work with people from different cultures and belief systems.

These frameworks have been the most popular approaches to equity work undertaken by organizations and institutions in the public and private sphere.

Kike Ojo-Thompson photo

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The key challenge has been that organizations and institutions have not tailored their approach to equity work to address the specific disproportionalities and disparities for equity-seeking groups in their staff and client base. Instead, they have pursued the frameworks that are popular amongst other organizations in their sector, or pursued the frameworks that sound good and positive rather than approaches that address issues of inequity at their roots.

Without frameworks that name and disrupt the power structures that impact equity-seeking groups—specifically anti-racism, anti-black racism, anti-colonialism and anti-oppression—this work is not only largely ineffective but produces claims of reverse-discrimination from members of the dominant group, places pressure on the equity-seeking group to defend why specific efforts are being made for their benefit, and raises questions of the value of the investment of equity work.

Frameworks for Equity

Our Solutions

At KOJO Institute, we work with organizations and institutions to develop, facilitate, and implement strategies for equitable outcomes, including choosing and applying the most effective frameworks for equity. Whether we receive and review data or reports from our clients, our conduct our own data collection through focus groups and consultations, our customized approach is based on naming and understanding each organization’s specific social issues and selecting frameworks accordingly. While we often include frameworks like inclusion, diversity, multiculturalism, and cultural competence as a part of our work, we are primarily focused on the disruptive frameworks of anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-black racism, and anti-colonialism that promote and create permanent organizational culture shifts.

Through long-term professional development and sustained effort, we guide our clients to build and meet indicators of success that are based on the claims articulated by equity-seeking groups and the disparities and disproportionalities identified by the data. This includes intentionally diversifying the workforce to reflect the populations they serve, putting leadership structures in place to push equity work forward, and creating systems of accountability. Results are higher employee satisfaction, fewer labour issues in unionized environments, and permanent organizational culture shift that promotes and supports equitable outcomes.

8 Levers To Organizational, Institutional and Systems Change

  • Engaging the Board of Directors
  • Impacting Staffing Strategies
  • Examining the Accountability Framework
  • Maximizing the Use of Data
  • Implementing Fresh Training and Learning
  • Amplifying Communications Strategies
  • Widening Community and Stakeholder Relations
  • Revisting Service or Business Models

What We Do Well

  • Equity
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression
  • Anti-Black Racism
  • Organizational Culture Change

How We Prepare You

  • Training
  • Executive Coaching
  • Community Consultations
  • Content & Research Development
  • Keynotes & Guest Lectures
  • Conferences
  • Multi-Session Programs

Building Transformation Skills

KOJO Institute leads executives, managers and organizations through an innovative approach that reconstructs their paradigms and systems connected to equity, diversity and inclusion. We amplify the vision for change through deep-dive explorations that identify the scope, segment competencies and quantify resources required to birth social innovation.

With a clear focus on client expectations, we aim to produce actionable frameworks and solutions that ultimately better the lives your people and organization. Contact us.

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What Our Clients Say

Joanne Adair
Development Manager, House of Friendship
Game Changing and Empowering

Kike visited House of Friendship for a Leadership/Management training session last June. It was incredible and life-changing for many of us. Kike’s gift to the world is to be able to openly name and allow us to sit in the discomfort of this work, holding us accountable, but also not judging anyone. She created a…

Javeed Sukhera
Chair, London Police Services Board
Profound and Actionable

The London Police Services Board asked Ms. Ojo-Thompson from the KOJO Institute to start off a day-long strategy session devoted to anti-racism in policing. Her presentation hit on all the right notes. In addition to challenging the Board to question long standing assumptions that are built upon racist legacies, she guided Board members towards actionable…
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Janine Manning
Granting Committee Chair, Laidlaw Foundation
Conscious and Skillful

Laidlaw Foundation had the privilege and pleasure of having Kike Ojo-Thompson support our collective staff and board anti-oppression training. Our individual levels of awareness and competency on the issue was from ‘none’ to ‘well versed’. Regardless of where we were on the spectrum of knowing, she supported all of us, with patience and enthusiasm. Miigwetch…
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Chris Robert
Co-President, BOLDforce for Salesforce Canada
Business-Critical Training

Kike exceeded our expectations at Salesforce.  She dynamically navigated audience demographics to provide extremely relevant Equity Training that stimulated immense conversation and insight. Her teachings should be at the centre of every organization’s strategy moving forward. I can’t wait to work with her again!

Graeme Young
President, Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth
Enlightening and Effective

We thought we already had a pretty good handle on equity, diversity, inclusion and Anti-Black Racism, but Kike’s presentation was enlightening.  I have used her concepts several times since. Her style is energetic and engaging and she has a very positive manner. Our thirteen board members were engrossed by her work. Extremely effective.

Yasmin Razack, M.Ed.
Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion
Global Mind Innovator

Kike Ojo has the depth, knowledge and experience to engage participants of diverse backgrounds with highly complex subject matters that are relevant to all organizations. The sheer brilliance of her mind and ability to connect ideas is masterful, which allows everyone in the room to powerful moments of learning.

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