The importance of fostering a workplace that is diverse and inclusive By Kat Leonard
In recognition of Pride Month, we spoke to Sheetal Deo, Founder of The Diversity Collective and Principal of Shakti Legal about the current state of LGBQTI+ in the legal industry, her advice on inclusive practices as well as what Pride means to her.
Could you please tell us a bit about yourself, your background and what lead you to establish The Diversity Collective? I’m a first-generation Canadian. My parents are 5th or 6th generation Fijians and we’re descendants of the Girmitiyas, or indentured labourers who left India in the middle to late 19th century to serve as laborers in the British colonies. I generally dislike labels (labels are for food, not people), but for the sake of societal constructs, I am an able-bodied cis-gendered queer woman of colour. Before beginning my legal career, I undertook a Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus on philosophy and political science (race and gender studies, identity politics, etc.). While I took most of these courses, ‘for fun,’ they have formed the basis of my passion for equity and inclusion and underpin much of what I do, including how I do it.
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