Starting with Connection

This week’s Teachings Tuesday is offered by Culturally Committed’s Director of Organizational Relationships and Special Projects, Katy Carson.

Katy brings a impassioned warmth to her leadership, always returning us to what matters most: relationship. In her role with the BC College of Oral Health Professionals, she’s been helping to reshape the way meetings are held—not with big declarations, but through the intentional act of beginning differently.

This reflection offers a glimpse into how something as simple as an introduction can become a powerful tool for cultural safety, trust-building, and transformation.

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"When relationships are at the heart of your work, you begin to notice how much power lives in the seemingly small moments.

At the BC College of Oral Health Professionals, where I serve as Director, Cultural Safety & Humility, we’ve been exploring what it means to center connection in the spaces where decisions are made. One of the ways this has shown up is through how we begin our meetings.

Instead of launching into agendas and updates, we’ve created space for intentional introductions, offering people the opportunity to share something personal: who they are, where they’re from, what they carry into the room. And something beautiful has happened.

People are showing up differently.

Some have shared that they initially planned to hold back, but felt safe enough to open up after hearing others speak vulnerably. These moments have shifted the tone of our meetings—surfacing unexpected connection points, sparking meaningful conversations, and fostering trust in real and lasting ways.

Introductions have a way of revealing threads we didn’t know were there: threads that connect us in surprising and meaningful ways.

In one meeting, someone shared their background as a commercial fisherman, which sparked a conversation that uncovered a family connection with another person in the room. In another, a thoughtfully offered introduction led to the discovery of a shared lineage link, shifting the tone of the gathering and grounding everyone present in a deeper sense of relationship.

So often in professional spaces, we show up in fragments—titles, roles, tasks—rarely making room for the fullness of who we are. These introductions remind us that beyond the job descriptions and responsibilities, we are people first. When we take the time to see one another in that way, something shifts. We speak differently. We listen more openly. We lead with care.

These practices have been integrated into our board meetings and are now informing national conversations. As part of a national working group, we’ve seen our BC-based experience influence the Federation of Dental Regulators of Canada—who now dedicate up to 30 minutes for introductions at national meetings, prioritizing relationship-building before content. It reminds me of something my dear friend George Harris Jr. once told me:

“We do not get to our location in one paddle stroke—it takes thousands upon thousands to reach our destination. But each paddle stroke is important.”

That teaching continues to guide me.

Because this work—the work of cultural safety and humility—isn’t always marked by sweeping reform. Often, it’s the steady rhythm of small, relational acts. The stories shared. The eyes that meet with more compassion. The shift in how we speak and listen.

These moments may seem small, but they hold the weight of transformation.

Each one is a paddle stroke—subtle, steady, and essential.

And with each stroke, we move closer to the kind of spaces we’re striving to create.

More connected. More relational. More human.

We’re not there yet—but we’re on our way. And we’re paddling together."

~ Katy Carson

As Katy reminds us, change doesn’t always arrive in loud or obvious ways.

Sometimes it’s a few words spoken from the heart.Sometimes it’s a name, a place, a story shared in the quiet of a meeting room.Sometimes it’s the choice to begin differently—again and again.

These are the moments that create momentum.

If you’re part of a team, a board, a classroom, or a community space, we invite you to try this: start with connection. Make space for introductions that go beyond names and roles. Watch what opens up.

And if you’re feeling nervous about how to begin, you’re not alone. We’ve created a free resource to help guide the way—simple, intentional practices that can support you in integrating relational introductions into your meetings with care and clarity. 

One paddle stroke at a time, we are reshaping what leadership looks like.And we are so grateful to be paddling alongside you.

🧡 Kim