As a young, black woman working as a lawyer on Bay Street, Dr. Hadiya Roderique delivered a wake-up call to corporate Canada in the form of her Globe and Mail feature essay, “Black on Bay Street.” Shared more than 13,000 times on Facebook, with the accompanying video watched more than 250,000 times, Roderique’s think piece sparked discussion in boardrooms across Canada. In her thought-provoking talks, she discusses barriers and challenges to diversity and inclusion, and counters those common arguments to show the power behind a diverse and inclusive workplace.

A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, Roderique is a researcher, consultant, broadcast commentator, and former podcast host. An award-winning writer, she has bylines in The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, the National Post, Chatelaine, and Maclean’s. She also holds an M.A. in Criminology, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Management from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. As a researcher, she broadly examines how race, gender, and parenthood shape perceptions and relationships in the workplace.

In 2018, Roderique was named one of Canadian Lawyers’ 25 Most Influential Lawyers, and she was recognized with the Rising Star award from the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers.