Hello, my name is Nicole, and I was born and raised in the Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago. I am a Licensed practical nurse and have worked in the healthcare industry for over 20 years.  As a nurse, I was privileged to work in various healthcare settings, including postpartum and palliative care. I started teaching in January 2016 at NorQuest College.  As a lab instructor, I was the Medical Surgical lab course organizer.  I created a peer mentorship program for our Practical Nursing students during that time. In 2020, I became a student advisor for the Practical Nursing program while continuing to have a teaching assignment line.  For the past seven years, I have been active in college work regarding equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism (EDIAR). I currently sit on numerous committees where I work with other team members to help provide recommendations and implement initiatives to foster an equitable and inclusive learning and working environment. I also advise the executive team on EDI strategies and recommendations.  I have worked on our Reimagine Higher Education (RHE) initiative for the last two years. The work of EDIAR is important to me for professional and personal reasons. Working in EDI and anti-racist groups has been my place of ignition. I am passionate about using my voice to have complex and uneasy conversations. I am doing this work for myself and my three children. I am determined not to fail them and do everything I can to allow them to live, be educated and work in a society that sees them as humans and recognizes them for their accomplishments and characters.
This is hard work and not easy, but I feel like I am no longer just a byproduct of systemic inequities but an active participant in how things can be changed for the better.
