In the pockets of opportunities, is where you’ll find change

Voices of lived experience

“You can’t check your cultural heritage at the door. You are who you are, so you’ll find yourself always advocating.”

The interesting thing is that Sayyedya didn’t always see herself working in Indigenous advocacy but she quickly realized that the lack of representation in key areas of decision making meant that Indigenous voices weren’t being heard, and as a result, programs and policies were not reflective of the needs of Indigenous communities. Advocacy then became something she couldn’t avoid, “you can’t check your cultural heritage at the door. You are who you are, so you’ll find yourself always advocating,” Sayyedya says. What really struck her as a policy maker working in Indigenous policy and programs for First Nations on reserve was the realization that often the individuals who have the authority to make decisions that impact her, her family, and her community directly, do not have the lived experience. This is a critical hindrance to their ability to have a deeper understanding, “you don’t always come out with the best product that way,” she explains. “Now on the other hand, when you work with someone who has similar experiences as you, you can skip some of the explaining—which can often be very taxing to have to get people to understand where I’m coming from—because the understanding is already there.” Knowing that you’ve lived through it but still feeling like you have to prove your own experience is rightfully unfair and difficult.

The butterfly effect

“One policy has the ability to impact an entire community.”

Sayyedya reveals an important truth that the implementation of hiring policies can be directly responsible for a lack of representation at all levels. She noted that default language profiles for senior level positions poses a great challenge for Indigenous employees, to whom the official languages are often second and third languages. “It’s not the policy itself per se, but the implementation of it,” she says. Hiring managers have the authority to choose the language profile of any position, as per the Directive on Official Languages for People Management, but often times the red tape required makes it the road less travelled, leaving less opportunity for representation. Sayyedya describes this as an example of the butterfly effect, where “one policy has the ability to impact an entire community.” In job positions that are specifically for creating Indigenous policies and programs Sayyedya says it’s important to weigh the choices: fluency in both official languages or lived experience? There is so much untapped potential and knowledge to be gained when lived experience is prioritized for this type of work. The ultimate goal isn’t to check a box, but to focus on the value that Indigenous employees bring to the table.

“You have to be brave. But being able to have these tough conversations and seeing it resonate with people, seeing the lightbulb go on, seeing that you’ve piqued someone’s curiosity—is a rewarding feeling because that’s where change happens.”

The Clerk’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the Federal Public Service is another opportunity to address the gaps. Sayyedya is grateful that it speaks to the challenges Indigenous employees face and that the Clerk is calling on all leaders to take action, because accountability is powerful. “You have to be brave. But being able to have these tough conversations and seeing it resonate with people, seeing the lightbulb go on, seeing that you’ve piqued someone’s curiosity—is a rewarding feeling because that’s where change happens,” Sayyedya describes.

The power of community

Much of the work Sayyedya does is for the Indigenous Federal Employee Network (IFEN), a network she started in the summer of 2017, with support from Deputy Minister Gina Wilson. When Reconciliation was identified as a government priority, Sayyedya immediately saw it as an opportunity to have Indigenous voices heard. She reached inward, to 80 of her closest friends across the GC, asking if they would like to revitalize a network, and every single one of them said yes. Since then, the network has grown significantly, and it is now a safe space for approximately 400 Indigenous employees. The goal is to let these employees know that they are not alone and that they have a community within the GC.

IFEN works at the grassroots level tackling big policies that impact Indigenous employees, and in turn, the policies and programs that impact Indigenous communities. Often, departments will reach out to the network seeking Indigenous perspectives on the initiatives they are working on. The network also assists hiring managers who are looking for Indigenous employees, while also having conversations with those managers to ensure that their work environments are conducive to successful career progression for Indigenous employees. “That’s what motivates me,” Sayyedya tells me, “seeing how things have changed from early on in my career where there was a huge, noticeable gap in knowledge and experience being put forward, to now being in a position to be able to provide that advice and have those conversations.”

Silence is loud, but voices are louder

“We all have it within our power to address something when we see it isn’t right. We have to speak up. We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

I asked Sayyedya how we can all be better colleagues to each other, to which she responded: “to our allies out there, if you see something that’s not right, or if you see someone not being heard and you agree with what they’re saying, say something.” She shares that Indigenous employees often don’t feel supported, particularly when they speak up and are met with silence. This is damaging because what’s going to encourage someone to continue to speak up? Being shut down or not heard makes it even more difficult when a voice is alone. “We all have it within our power to address something when we see it isn’t right,” Sayyedya says, “we have to speak up. We have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

If you’re an Indigenous employee and would like to join the IFEN, or a leader/employee who would like the network to provide an Indigenous perspective on your initiatives, Sayyedya welcomes you to reach out to her via email.