Equity, diversity and inclusion efforts are under increasing scrutiny across North America, but Fanshawe College’s Director of EDI, Joseph Pazzano says the work remains crucial.

Pazzano explained on the Almost 107 Podcast that EDI (also referred to as DEI) is not about reducing opportunities for certain groups, but rather about removing systemic barriers that prevent others from accessing the same opportunities.

“I saw so many individuals harmed by systems of oppression and discrimination,” said Pazzano , who previously worked as a human rights and labour lawyer in California. “If we had been able to intervene earlier to remove those barriers, many of them wouldn’t have ended up in litigation.”

Pazzano joined Fanshawe in 2021 and has since worked to create equity principles throughout the college. His experience in law, particularly in anti-discrimination and employment cases, shaped his belief that policy and education are essential for real progress.

Critics of EDI initiatives often argue that such efforts result in “reverse discrimination,” claiming that hiring or admissions decisions are biased against white or majority groups. Pazzano acknowledges this perception exists, but calls it a misunderstanding  particularly of how EDI functions in Canada.

“In the U.S., affirmative action may have once included quotas. But that’s not the Canadian context,” he said. “Here, EDI is about identifying barriers and removing them, whether that’s physical, cultural or systemic to create equal access for all.”

He used the example of workplace accommodations for employees who use wheelchairs or need quiet spaces for prayer. These changes, he said, help specific individuals but also benefit the wider workplace culture.

“There’s a myth that equity compromises excellence,” Pazzano said. “What we’re really doing is evaluating candidates in the context of their experiences and ensuring the workplace supports everyone.”

The conversation comes amid a broader rollback of corporate EDI programs across North America. Companies like Meta and Google have downsized their internal departments in response to political pressure.

Pazzano called the trend disappointing, but not unexpected.

“These things are cyclical,” he said. “There’s expansion, followed by resistance. But the need doesn’t go away and the companies that dismantle their efforts now will have to rebuild them later.”

He pointed to Costco as a positive example. Despite facing similar criticism, the retailer has maintained and even strengthened its commitment to EDI, citing its diverse workforce and customer base as key business reasons.

“They understand that inclusion isn’t just good ethics, it’s good business.”

Looking ahead, Pazzano believes that educational institutions play a key role in shaping more inclusive attitudes, especially among students who may not have encountered these ideas in high school.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the pushback against EDI is so focused on post-secondary,” he said. “It’s because this is where minds change. This is where students are introduced to new perspectives.”

He added that while students may not leave college with radically different beliefs, the goal is that they become more reflective and socially aware.

“Hopefully they develop a deeper understanding of the world around them and their place in it,” Pazzano said. “That’s how change begins,  one conversation at a time.”

Find more episodes of the Almost 107 Podcast at 1069thex.com or wherever you get your podcasts.