Making History: The First-Ever EDI Social at CPA 2025

By Aisha Taylor, PhD

Dr. Aisha Taylor is the founder of Taylor-Made Strategies, a woman- and queer-owned, evidence-based firm that fosters inclusive leadership and workplace cultures. She holds a PhD in industrial-organizational (IO) psychology from Portland State University and has over 20 years’ experience providing data-driven solutions to organizations in leadership, team building, strategic planning, and EDI. A few of her clients include corporations (e.g., Toyota), nonprofit organizations (e.g., Seattle Aquarium), educational institutions (e.g., Marquette University), and government agencies (e.g., New York City Dept. of Buildings).

On Thursday evening, June 12th, 2025, the Canadian Psychological Association's (CPA) National Convention in St. John's, Newfoundland, witnessed a historic milestone. For the first time ever, a social event brought together CPA conference participants from multiple sections to celebrate and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in our profession. We called it, plain and simple, the EDI Social.

A Vision Realized

The inaugural EDI Social, held at the St. John's Convention Centre, was born from a simple but powerful idea: creating a space where all CPA Convention participants would be invited to come together to build community around our shared commitment to making psychology more equitable, diverse, and inclusive. What started as a vision became reality through the collaborative efforts of CSIOP's EDI Committee, with generous financial support from Taylor-Made Strategies, the CPA, and CSIOP. (L-R) CSIOP's EDI Strategic Lead Dr. Aisha Taylor and Indigenous Peoples' Psychology Section Chair Dr. Iloradanon Efimoff, following their opening remarks at the inaugural EDI Social. EDI2: (L-R) Irene Zhang, Peter Hausdorf, Lara Manganelli, and Annie Lanteigne take a pause from November 2024 through June 2025, I worked with Julie Auger, Director of Events at CPA, to coordinate all their conversation at the EDI Social. EDI Social logistics. CPA provided substantial support by covering the venue space and AV equipment costs – a value of approximately $1,000. When we learned that CPA sections were unable to contribute financially due to stipulations on how section funds can be spent, CPA generously provided an additional $250 toward the costs of the refreshments and catering costs. They also included the event in the member newsletters and in the convention program. On behalf of the CSIOP EDI Committee, we are very grateful for CPA’s active support. The event was also made possible through the support of the three CPA sections, in addition to CSIOP, that signed on as supporters of the event: the Indigenous Peoples’ Psychology Section, the Section on Women and Psychology (SWAP), and the Rural and Northern Psychology section. Special thanks to the members of multiple sections who promoted the event, and to everyone who attended and made the evening so meaningful.

An Evening of Connection and Commitment

Colleagues from multiple sections of psychology gathered in a way that balanced meaningful dialogue with genuine celebration. The event featured remarks from Dr. Iloradanon Efimoff, the chair of the Indigenous Peoples' Psychology Section and me, as CSIOP's EDI Strategic Lead, both speaking about the work our sections are doing to foster EDI as a collective, as CPA sections and in psychology as a whole. In reflecting on the event, Dr. Efimoff stated, “At the inaugural EDI Social, I was delighted to meet members of various sections who are doing vital equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) work. Events like the EDI Social are important to support allyship development and solidarity building across sections in CPA. EDIA work starts with relationships, so I'm pleased to see space being made at CPA for cross-section relationship building." The culinary experience showcased St. John's hospitality, with favourites including bacon-wrapped scallops and classic deviled eggs that had attendees lingering over both food and conversation. There were options for folks with food restrictions of all kinds, with each item carefully labeled vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, etc.

More Than Just a Social

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with designated greeters from CSIOP’s EDI Committee welcoming people as they entered the room (as often as possible). The significance of the gathering extended beyond the evening itself, representing a tangible commitment to fostering cross-sectional collaboration in EDI work and creating spaces where psychologists from all backgrounds and areas of expertise could connect around shared values. Many attendees noted16 (L-R) Irene Zhang, Peter Hausdorf, Lara Manganelli, and Annie Lanteigne take a pause from their conversation at the EDI Social. the unique energy that comes from gathering specifically around EDI principles – a sense of purpose that elevated the typical conference networking experience. That connection to a shared purpose – psychologists who are committed to EDI – highlights the strength that comes from cross-sectional collaboration. When psychologists from different areas of expertise and diverse backgrounds come together around shared EDI commitments, the resulting conversations and connections have the potential to drive meaningful change across our entire profession.

Participant Voices

To share a variety of reflections on the event, we sought quotes from CSIOP members. Dr. Ivona Hideg, Associate Professor of Organization Studies at Schulich School of Business at York, described the event in this way: “The inaugural CSIOP EDI social was a brilliant event offering a unique opportunity to connect with and learn more about other CPA’s sections deeply interested in promoting EDI causes. Too often, we stay within our own section, missing out on the important work happening across other sections. Events like this create much-needed intersectional spaces—and it was inspiring to see everyone come together in such a fun and engaging atmosphere.” “I appreciated the EDI committee organizing the social, as the CSIOP convention is about community as well as sharing knowledge. The EDI social shows our diversity!” said Dr. Peter Hausdorf, Professor at the University of Guelph and Managing Partner at Potentia Talent Management, Inc. Dr. Anja Krstic, CSIOP Chair and Assistant Professor at York University, shared, “It was such a great opportunity to meet, connect with, and hear from people across CPA who support and share a commitment to EDI. I hope that this is the first EDI Social of many to come!

Building on Success & Making Improvements

The success of this inaugural EDI Social demonstrates both the appetite and the need for such gatherings within our psychological community. Plans are underway to build on this momentum, with discussions about how to maintain these connections and continue advancing EDI work across all CPA sections. Attendees expressed enthusiasm for making this an annual tradition, as stated by Jacob Belliveau, a Master’s student at the University of Calgary and a CSIOP EDI Committee member: “What a great way of meeting others interested or involved in EDI across sections. Hopefully we can make this an annual event!” During the CSIOP EDI Committee’s meeting that occurred a week after the EDI Social, we offered ideas for future programming and collaboration opportunities to keep the momentum going and improve it. For example, we would like to start the collaboration with other sections earlier in the year, and the first step is to gauge interest in having a similar event at the CPA Convention in Montreal in June 2026. Dr. Krstic will bring this up at the next CPA Section Chairs meeting in September.

Committee members also brainstormed interactive relationship-building activities for future events, such as speed friending sessions (like speed dating, but for professional connections), table bingo games, and other structured activities designed to help attendees move around the room and connect with colleagues from different CPA sections. Additional ideas focused on showcasing EDI work from across CPA sections. One suggestion was to coordinate with sections that have EDI-related awards, using the social event as a celebratory venue for presenting these honors. Another idea addressed the challenge of attending other sections' presentations by inviting EDI-related posters to be displayed during the social, creating opportunities for informal networking around shared research interests.17 One final idea for improving the event was inspired by the success of the Round Dance at the Convention in Ottawa in 2024. The idea is to work with members of the Montreal community to host an activity that celebrates a local Indigenous, Francophone, and/or psychology community.

Looking Forward

As we reflect on this historic evening, it's clear that the first EDI Social was more than just a fun event – it was a statement about the kind of profession we're building together. The conversations that began in that room have the potential to continue throughout the year and beyond, creating lasting relationships of support and collaboration.

A Foundation for the Future

The first EDI Social at CPA 2025 will be remembered as a pivotal moment in our profession's ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. It demonstrated that when we prioritize community building and cross-sectional collaboration, we create opportunities for the kind of meaningful connections that drive lasting change. As we look toward future conventions and continued EDI work throughout the year, this gathering serves as both inspiration and proof of concept. When psychology comes together around our shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity, we don't just strengthen our profession – we strengthen our ability to respectfully engage with and advocate for our diverse client, academic, and local communities.

Do you have reflections on the EDI Social that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from more attendees about their experiences. Please reach out to Aisha Taylor (ataylor@taylor-madestrategies.com) with your thoughts.