This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today we feature Nadine Duguay-Lemay of Dialogue NB, in Moncton.

DIALOGUE NB IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A MANDATE TO BUILD MORE SOCIALLY COHESIVE COMMUNITIES. WE ASPIRE TO HAVE A NEW BRUNSWICK WHERE EVERY PERSON FEELS VALUED, HEARD, AND THAT THEY BELONG.

The organization develops initiatives, programs, and tools to inspire communities and individuals to live together in greater harmony based on principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Dialogue NB regularly brings together experts and those with lived experience on several pressing and important topics related to EDI and antiracism or topics, like residential schools and women’s financial literacy. We offer these public dialogues for free with the goal of raising awareness and fostering a better understanding of complex issues.

We are proud to say that in 2021 we hosted 18 public dialogues with 95 volunteer subject-matter experts and reached over 20,000 individuals. Many of the dialogues that we have hosted in the last year were instigated by individuals in the community or community groups who turned to Dialogue NB for its expertise in hosting these dialogues.

There are many ways which are elaborated below but it can be summarized to amplifying the voices of individuals and communities, fostering capacity building, knowledge, and connectedness. For instance, we facilitate public dialogues on complex topics.

Our annual Lieutenant Governor’s Dialogue Awards recognize individuals and community groups who champion the principles of harmony and respect in our diverse communities. We help organizations, business, and groups develop environment where people feel accepted, valued, and equal.

We help elementary teachers to foster social-emotional skills in their students through activities that are aligned with the New Brunswick’s Personal Wellness Curriculum.

Finally, we help youth aged 15-30 years old ideate or grow their ideas that fosters social cohesion in our communities.