In 2020, humanity witnessed historic world events that brought about a new level of awareness around important issues such as race relations, reconciliation and the dire need for a more inclusive world for all.
On Feb. 10, 2021, the MPI Toronto Chapter Professional Development Committee and the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce will jointly welcome industry professionals who will tackle top-of-mind topics that will enable event professionals to create accessible and inclusive environments for their meeting and event attendees.
During this 90-minute webinar you will learn about:
- Racism
- Cultural Appropriation
- Allyship
- The way forward – a courageous conversation Q&A
Join us on Feb. 21, 2021
3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET
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The 2020 Virtual Holiday Gala could not have been a success without the generosity of our great partners — a big thank you for your continued support!
Our Holiday Gala partners are listed below. Please keep them in mind for your future planning needs. Reach out if you’re interested in partnering for future events!
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Stephan Dyer, co-founder of MalPensando, and Izzy Piyale-Sheard were guest speakers at “Just Networking” on Oct. 15, 2020. They shared valuable insights on how to speak on virtual calls so people will listen and remember you.
Stephan started off with these quotes:
“Authenticity over perfection”
“Relationships move at the speed of vulnerability”
He spoke about "uncommon commonality." As a speaker, uncover if you have uncommon commonality with your audience (e.g., share your background or challenges you have in your job). If your audience has the same challenges as you, they will feel more connected to you.
Stephan also shared the formula for communication when doing a virtual presentation:
- 70% is body language — how you look.
- 20% is tonality — how you sound.
- 10% is content — what you say.
They wrapped up the session by giving the audience five do's when doing virtual calls:
- Crowd work, interact with people.
- Come with an agenda.
- Use a professional virtual background, not distracting.
- Acknowledge your personal background and current situation.
- Dress according to the type of event/presentation.
The last key takeaway is to ensure your audience has a voice. Find those who look engaged and ask them direct questions.
Thank you to our sponsors for this event:
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We were fortunate to have some Canadian representation at this year’s MPI WEC 2020. According to Delia Lapensee, the atmosphere was engaging and energetic, the learning was relevant and the advocacy was front and center. The in-person event included an opportunity to join MPI's DEI Advisory Council and meet other professionals who care about issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
During opening remarks (which were broadcasted live to those attending virtually), MPI shared the news of signing ECPAT-USA’s Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism in 2019 and how it continues its advocacy work.
WEC Digital also provided opportunities for virtual engagement by inviting virtual attendees to share photos of their own conference setups at home. Take note of Jennifer Pitt and her office setup!
It was also fun to workout before the first session from the comfort of your own home. Check out Delia representing #myOttawa at morning Zumba!
While our MPITO chapter members were disappointed not to join in person, WEC sure did make them feel like they were a part of it!
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The MPI Toronto Virtual Professional Development session on Nov. 19 was all about improving your portfolio to help up-level your career.
Many professionals have been affected by the global pandemic and have been furloughed, temporarily laid off or terminated while others worked on taking their career to the next level.
Lana Melnichuk (Two Steps Forward Consulting Co.), Connie Cay-Santos (CAY VII Events & Services) and Manal Sayid (Sayid Consulting) presented essential advice for taking your career to the next level while Zaman Ishaad hosted. Here are a few highlights:
- “Knowing your audience is key” - Ensure your resume has consistent formatting, a splash of colour and a focus on achievements instead of daily tasks. It is best to upload your resume as a word document, as this allows the automated software to search keywords that match skills required by companies.
- “Helping is the new selling” - Update your LinkedIn profile to match your personal brand. Keep it updated and relevant while continuing to connect with your network.
- Be prepared for virtual interviews. Smile and practice answering behavioural questions ahead of time utilizing the STAR technique (i.e., Situation, Task, Action, Result).
We thank our three speakers, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in February 2021 for our next PD webinar.
We also appreciate our sponsors and would like to thank them for their partnership.
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