Anti-Racism &amp; Cultural Diversity Office

Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

IDERD

�鶹��Ƶ

Equity

Meric Gertler

Members of the University of Toronto community gathered in-person and online Tuesday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD).

Presented by �鶹��Ƶ’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, the event held at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy comprised panel and community discussions, and was attended by students, staff, faculty and alumni from the three campuses. It was also available via livestream.

People around the world have observed IDERD since it was established by the United Nations to denounce apartheid and honour the lives of 69 peaceful demonstrators killed when police opened fire on a crowd of protestors in South Africa on March 21, 1960.

�鶹��Ƶ President Meric Gertler said IDERD is an opportunity to reflect on the university’s current approach and to determine where improvement is still needed.

He noted that there’s been a “long history of equity work at the University of Toronto, which is a key part of our institutional-led campaign to eliminate racism and advance inclusive excellence,” and that anti-racism working groups across the three campuses have made tangible progress in addressing racial and religious discrimination in teaching and learning, student experience, faculty and staff recruitment and engagement, and community-based research.

“We know that the entire university community is collectively responsible for addressing all forms of racism and that every member must participate to achieve the deep and lasting change that is needed,” President Gertler said.

�鶹��Ƶ President Meric Gertler said the university community is collectively responsible for addressing all forms of racism (photo by Polina Teif)

The event also featured remarks by Nouman Ashraf, an associate professor, teaching stream, at the Rotman School of Management, a panel discussion moderated by Leigh Naturkach, the executive director of the Mosaic Institute and a steel pan performance by Devindra Ramoutar, and a closed session community discussion focused on the themes of faith and racial discrimination.

Members of the public panel included: physician Umberin Najeeb, associate professor and vice-chair of culture and inclusion in the department of medicine at Temerty Faculty of Medicine; Anna Shternshis, director of Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies and Al and Malka Green Professor of Yiddish studies, Pardeep Singh Nagra, human rights and equity adviser at the Halton District School Board: and Hiren Mistry, vice-principal at White Oaks Secondary School.

They discussed their personal and professional experiences with racial and religious discrimination – and how that has shaped their work. Panel members also emphasized the importance of addressing intersectionality, understanding one’s own implicit bias and being an active listener as ways to address discrimination and racism in education and in society.

Najeeb said she remains hopeful in her equity, diversity, and inclusion work because of the changes she’s seen throughout her career.

“In medical education, we never used to speak about faith,” she says, noting that the Temerty Faculty of Medicine now asks students if they require religious accommodations during their studies. “My program never asked me that. I didn’t know I could get days off for religious celebrations like Eid.”

While Najeeb said the work can sometimes be exhausting, she said she is encouraged by the conversations that are now taking place.

“We can all only stay hopeful if positive changes continue to happen,” Najeeb said. “We all need to be changemakers.”

Black History Month 2023: What's on across �鶹��Ƶ's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:58:26 +0000

Black History Month 2023: What's on across �鶹��Ƶ's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/01/2023 - 12:58

Cutline

Volunteers serve food at the annual Black History Month Luncheon three years ago, when the event was last held in-person (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Canadian Black Scientists Network

Black Founders Network

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Black

Black History Month

Cinema Studies

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Film

Innis College

Rotman School of Management

Toronto International Film Festival

Ghetto Fabulous: Black Y2K Party

From dance parties to thought-provoking panels and celebrations of Black excellence, the University of Toronto is hosting a wide array of events across the three campuses to mark Black History Month.

Members of the �鶹��Ƶ community will have the chance to come together to learn, reflect, share stories, have fun and engage in self-care at conferences, cultural events and celebrations throughout February.

Rounding out the calendar is the annual Black History Month Luncheon, which is being held in-person and will spotlight Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey.

Here’s a sampling of the events on offer throughout the month.

Feb 1. – Feb. 4

BE-STEMM 2023 Conference

The Canadian Black Scientists Network is hosting a four-day virtual conference that brings together researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine and Health (STEMM). The agenda includes talks by leading Black scholars across disciplines, networking sessions and opportunities to mentor the next generation of scientists.

Feb. 1

Time to pull out your finest threads from the 1990s and 2000s for this throwback bash, hosted by the Black Students’ Association at �鶹��Ƶ, reclaiming the word “ghetto” and celebrating the Black subculture of the era.

Feb. 2 – Feb. 3

Re/Viewing, Re/Visioning, and Re/Imagining Black Canada Symposium

This two-day symposium, co-hosted by �鶹��Ƶ and York University, will provide a forum for Canadian and American scholars to reckon with themes raised in the recent volume Unsettling the Great White North: Black Canadian History, published by University of Toronto Press. The event will engage participants in the latest debates, research and theories in Black Canadian history/studies to better understand how scholarship has evolved to offer a more expansive and nuanced view of Black Canadian experiences.

Feb. 4

Black Excellence Kiki Ball

You better bring your A game to this sports-themed kiki at �鶹��Ƶ's Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Guests can warm up with a beginner-friendly vogue dance workshop led by Legendary House Mother Snoopy of the Disney Kiki House. Then get ready for a ballroom battle celebrating game-changing Black athletes such as Colin Kaepernick, Simone Biles and Venus and Serena Williams.

Feb. 6

Black History Month Symposium – What Has Changed: The Role of Attitudinal Barriers to Advancing Black Inclusion

Hosted by the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, this event will examine attitudinal barriers that contribute to anti-Black racism in post-secondary environments and discuss strategies to address this systemic problem. It includes a performance by �鶹��Ƶ alumna Michelle Bookal and opening remarks by Njoki Wane, chair of the department of social justice education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and Charmaine Williams, dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Panellists include: Cherilyn Scobie Edwards, director of the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Office at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough; Andrew Campbell, assistant professor at OISE; Nancy Simms, adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law; and Teeanna Munro, project co-ordinator in the Black Perspectives Office at Concordia University.

Feb. 8

Kickoff Panel for Black Histories Wikipedia & Wikidata Edit-a-thon

This is your chance to contribute to Wikipedia through a series editing sessions focused on Black histories. The events are co-organized by �鶹��Ƶ and other universities in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library. Funké Aladejebi, an assistant professor in the department of history in the Faculty of Arts & Science, moderates the kickoff panel featuring multidisciplinary artist Debbie Ebanks Schlums and Jonsaba Jabbi, co-founder of Building A Black Archive.

Feb. 9

Tastes of Culture 2022-23: African Perspective

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s International Education Centre and Hart House co-present this virtual cooking session that will bring the tastes of Ghana to your home kitchen. Chef Kwame Owusu-Afriyie Nsafoah will show how to make stewed black-eyed peas and krakro (plantain fritters) to be paired with jollof rice and stuffed into a burrito.

Feb. 9

The Intersecting Identities that Inspire Our Excellence

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health hosts a celebration of Black leaders across a range of fields for a discussion on how their intersecting identities inform their work. Panellists include: Toronto Argonauts linebacker Hénoc Muamba; Celina Caesar-Chavannes, a former MP and business consultant; Jason Faulkner, owner and clothing designer of Spread Love; Stella Djulus, visual artist and founder of Arts by Stella; and Kevin Allwood, owner of Allwood MKRT & KaSpace Café.

Feb. 10

Rest as Resistance

This session, hosted by Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, invites Black participants to slow down and engage in community care. After starting the session with gentle meditation and movement, Yamikani Msosa will facilitate a dialogue about how both rest and action can be forms of resistance in the fight against anti-Black racism.

Feb. 13

Pop-Up Barbershop

Get a free trim, fade or braid while testing your hip-hop knowledge at this pop-up hosted by Hart House Hip Hop Education in partnership with beauty services finder Fyyne, co-founded by Jeff Fasegha, a �鶹��Ƶ graduate and a member of the of the Black Founders Network.

Feb. 15

Our Stories: Black History Month

Learn from the lived experiences of three �鶹��Ƶ students as they share their stories at this virtual event co hosted by �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough’s International Student Centre, �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s International Education Centre and the St. George Centre for International Experience.

Feb. 16

Black Health Leaders Recognition Ceremony

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health hosts its inaugural recognition ceremony celebrating Black leaders in Toronto’s public health and health systems. This year’s recipients are: Fatimah Jackson-Best, project manager at the Black Health Alliance and assistant professor at McMaster University; Cynthia Damba, director of health analytics at Ontario Health, Toronto Region; and Jacqueline Silvera, director of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism with the University of Health Network.

Feb. 17

Hip Hop Family Skate Day

Skaters of all ages are invited to hit the ice at Varsity Arena and glide along to the sounds of hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeats curated by DJ Mel Boogie. Professional figure skaters Chloe Panetta and Kieran Thrasher will be on hand to offer tips and perform a routine.

Feb. 22

Black Ice: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

�鶹��Ƶ's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), Innis College and the Cinema Studies Institute present a special screening of Black Ice, an acclaimed documentary tracing the history of anti-Black racism in hockey, from the 19th century to the present-day. Director Hubert Davis will join KPE faculty members Janelle Joseph and Simon Darnell for a discussion of the film, which counts LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter as executive producers.

Feb. 23

Panel Discussion on Black-Led Community Space

Isaac Olowolafe Jr. of the Dream Legacy Foundation, Amina Mohamed of the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation and Alica Hall of Nia Centre for the Arts engage in conversation about the need for community spaces built by and for Black communities. The event – sponsored by the Infrastructure Institute at �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Cities and co-hosted by the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation – comes on the heels of a joint report examining gaps in public investment in and access to Black-led social infrastructure in Toronto.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Feb. 24

21st Annual Black History Month Luncheon

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey is set to give the keynote address at this year’s celebration of Black excellence, continuing a more than two-decade-long tradition that has become Black History Month’s marquee event at the university. Community members will come together at Hart House and be treated to delicious food, captivating speakers and dynamic performances.

Feb. 25

Future Black Business Leaders Conference

Black business leaders will share their tips for success with the next generation of power players at this conference hosted by the Rotman School of Management. Attendees will have the chance to connect with top industry professionals and learn more about Rotman’s scholarships and awards for future Black leaders.

Feb. 28

Lecture/Recital with Beau Dixon

Actor, musician and playwright Beau Dixon returns to �鶹��Ƶ to discuss his creation and curation of the Stratford Festival’s Freedom Cabaret 2.0: How Black Music Shaped the Dream of America. The event will also feature performances by Dixon and singers from the Faculty of Music.

Feb. 28

The Self-Care Fair

There are plenty of ways to decompress at this Hart House event aimed at encouraging self-care for Black students. Relaxing activities include painting, aromatherapy ball-making, guided meditation, massages and board games.

�鶹��Ƶ to host restorative circle, other events in support of Jewish community

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 18:21:50 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ to host restorative circle, other events in support of Jewish community

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/06/2023 - 13:21

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Antisemitism

Meric Gertler

Multi-Faith Centre

The University of Toronto will host a restorative circle for the Jewish community this month as part of a slate of programming that aims to address antisemitism on its campuses and beyond.

The Jan. 23 session – led by Jacqueline Dressler, advocacy manager at Hillel �鶹��Ƶ and organized by �鶹��Ƶ’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office – will provide a forum for faculty, students, staff and librarians who identify as Jewish to share experiences about the harms of antisemitism while healing through restorative practices.

It’s just one example of the many seminars, workshops, training sessions and other initiatives taking place across the university – including in its various faculties and divisions – that seek to eradicate what �鶹��Ƶ President Meric Gertler has condemned as “a pernicious and despicable form of racism.”

In recent a letter to �鶹��Ƶ’s Governing Council, President Gertler called on all members of the �鶹��Ƶ community to unite against the scourge that plagues Jewish people.

“We must do everything we can to combat and eradicate it,” he said. “Antisemitism subverts and demeans our entire community, not just those who are targeted.

“The University of Toronto must respond as a community.”

Dressler will return to �鶹��Ƶ this spring for a seminar about understanding antisemitism on campus. As well, trainer and consultant Shari Golberg, who holds a PhD in religion from �鶹��Ƶ, will facilitate a workshop held in collaboration with the Multi-Faith Centre (MFC) that will trace the millennia-long history of antisemitism to its modern-day manifestations, equipping participants with tools to identify and address instances of antisemitism to foster a more inclusive learning environment.

�鶹��Ƶ staff and faculty can learn more about antisemitism at the Multi-Faith Centre’s annual religious diversity and inclusivity training later this year. The centre is also running a training program addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia and religious accommodations for the Residence Life team on �鶹��Ƶ’s St. George campus.

President Gertler, who recently wrote an op-ed in the Globe and Mail on a similar topic, said in his letter that collective action – “from education, solidarity, speaking out, challenging casual discrimination, standing with our Jewish friends and colleagues” – is ultimately the key to making progress.

“This is how we will succeed,” he said.

�鶹��Ƶ’s programing — both new and ongoing — comes as the university prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of the �鶹��Ƶ Antisemitism Working Group’s final report, which was formally entrusted to the administration last February.

President Gertler said in his letter that �鶹��Ƶ has already made progress on fulfilling its institutional commitments, including redefining the Institutional Equity Office’s (IEO) mandate to explicitly include antisemitism, updating employment guides with clearer language on accommodations for religious observances and raising awareness on steps to report hate-related vandalism.

But more work remains to be done, he said, and “because antisemitism is insidious, like other forms of racism, addressing it will take time, persistence and patience.”

Further education and outreach initiatives are underway across �鶹��Ƶ’s campuses, faculties and divisions.

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine has made learning about the Holocaust and antisemitism part of its MD curriculum. It also has a mentorship program for diverse students, including Jewish learners, and is expanding antisemitism and antiracism training for instructors.

The medical school is also taking accountability for injustices within its own history, issuing a formal apology last fall for the use of quotas to cap admissions of Jewish students around the mid-20th century.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Law is preparing mandatory antisemitism training for all first-year law students and is considering similar programming for all upper-year students.

�鶹��Ƶ is engaging with Jewish community members about how to promote inclusion on campus, including through regular meetings between the Institutional Equity Office and Hillel representatives.

At �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, a working group representing Jewish Student Life, the Office of Student Experience & Wellbeing and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office convenes monthly to discuss strategies and supports.

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga has implemented processes to simplify facilitating religious accommodation requests for students. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga has also created a central resource for supporting religious accommodations and keeping observances front of mind for annual academic and administrative planning.

“Sadly, antisemitism is clearly on the rise in Canada and in other countries,” President Gertler said. “We must not be lax on our campuses. We will commit to accelerating our progress and adding support capacity at �鶹��Ƶ.

“We will not shrink from our goal of being the most welcoming, diverse, inclusive and excellent academic community in the world.”

�鶹��Ƶ celebrates Black History Month with virtual film screenings, discussions and other events

mattimar — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:05:10 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ celebrates Black History Month with virtual film screenings, discussions and other events

mattimar Tue, 02/01/2022 - 15:05

Cutline

Six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse will be the guest of honour at �鶹��Ƶ's Black History Month Luncheon, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Feb. 28 (photo by Lui Siu Wai/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

Black

Black History Month

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Entrepreneurship

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Music

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

St. George

Women and Gender Studies

From film screenings to conferences and thought-provoking discussions, the University of Toronto community is celebrating Black History Month with virtual events across the three campuses.

Events are scheduled for every week in February and will culminate on Feb. 28 with �鶹��Ƶ’s Black History Month Luncheon, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary and features six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s taking place at �鶹��Ƶ and beyond this month:

Jan. 30 – Feb. 2

BE-STEMM 2020

The Canadian Black Scientists Network is holding the first annual conference for Black Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine/Health. With local host �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, the four-day virtual event will feature academic programming, leadership summits, a career fair, panels and talks meant to support Black Canadians in STEMM.

Feb. 2

What Makes Us Human? AI, Spirituality and Race

Join Rhonda McEwen, �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s vice-principal, academic and dean and professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology, Suzanne van Geuns, PhD candidate in the department for the study of religion in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and others for a conversation about AI, spirituality and race. The virtual event, presented by Hart House, the Centre for Student Engagement and the Multi-Faith Centre, will be moderated by Efosa Obano, program manager for the Black Founders Network at �鶹��Ƶ’s Entrepreneurship Centre. 6 – 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 3

Black Queer Students on: Mental Health

The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office is hosting an open discussion about mental health for Black students. Centering around Black queer voices, the virtual event will feature Carae Henry, community assistant with �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga Residence and Equity Outreach Network and co-founder of Prism, a QTBIPOC group, and �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough student Mi(chelle) Yvonne Carter, who is the president of the Sexual Diversity Studies Student Union. 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 3

Fireside Chat: Celebrating Black Excellence and Authors

A webinar hosted by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health will launch with a performance from award-winning poet Amoya Ree. The virtual event will then move to a conversation between moderator Beverley Essue, associate professor of global health in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation and Dexter Voisin of Case Western Reserve University and former dean of the Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, about their personal journeys and themes impacting Black cultures, communities and experiences. 6:30 – 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 3

In Conversation with Black Students in Design: Building Black Spaces

A virtual event discussing the role of architecture in building Black spaces will be moderated by Black Students in Design at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. On the panel will be Rashad Shabazz, associate professor at the Arizona State University’s School of Social Transformation, Elizabeth (Dori) Tunstall, dean of design at OCAD University, and Rinaldo Walcott, a professor at �鶹��Ƶ’s Women and Gender Studies Institute and at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. 6:30 – 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 7

Black History Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon Launch

�鶹��Ƶ is co-hosting a month-long series of events on the basics of editing Wikipedia and Wikidata entries to improve the quality of Black history pages. The kick-off event will feature moderator Mark Campbell, assistant professor of music and culture at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, Cheryl Thompson, assistant professor of creative industries at X University, and Collette Murray, a PhD candidate and African-Caribbean arts-based educator at York University. 1 – 2:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 7 – 11

Fourth Annual Diversity & Equity in Wellness and Physical Activity Conference

The virtual conference will host four sessions focused on wellness and physical activity with a lineup of speakers to guide participants through engaging discussions and movement practices.

Feb. 12

Because She Cares Film Launch

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work will host a 60-minute screening of Because She Cares, a spoken word film series that documents the experiences of African immigrant women living with HIV. It will be followed by a panel discussion with performers, film artists and African, Caribbean and Black women who work in Ontario AIDS service and allied organizations. 2 – 4 p.m. ET

Feb. 14 and 16

Restore Celebrates – Happy Black Futures Month

Join Yamikani Msosa, facilitator of Restore, for wellness and restoration sessions for Black community members. A session for faculty and staff who identify as members of the Black community will take place on Feb. 14, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET. And on Feb. 16, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET, there is a session for students who identify as members of the Black community.

Feb. 15

Freedom: Spirit and Legacy of Black Music

(Photo by Diana Bentley)

Beau Dixon, award-winning actor, musician, playwright, music director and sound designer, will present a lecture that focuses on the creation and curation of his Stratford Festival production of Freedom: Spirit and Legacy of Black Music. The event is organized by the Faculty of Music and will be streamed on their YouTube channel. 12 p.m. ET

Feb. 16

Black Faculty in Conversation

Six faculty members from �鶹��Ƶ’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) will gather to discuss the new Centre for Black Studies with moderator Andrew Campbell. The panel features: George Dei and Njoki Wane, both professors in the department of social justice education, Lance McCready, associate professor in the department of leadership, higher and adult education, Rosalind Hampton, assistant professor in the department of social justice education, Whitneé Garrett-Walker, assistant professor in the department of leadership, higher and adult education, and Linda Iwenofu, assistant professor in the department of applied psychology and human development. 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 16

It Takes a Riot: Black Histories, Black Futures, and Community Organizing

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health will screen the documentary It Takes a Riot: Race, Rebellion and Reform before joining one of the filmmakers, Simon Black, for a panel discussion on the documentary’s impetus, how it maintained authenticity and other themes in the short film. 6 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 25

Addressing Anti-Black Racism at the Intersections: Stories, Advocacy and Actions

A keynote presentation by Moya Bailey, associate professor at Northwestern University, and a film screening of HERstory in Black will explore anti-Black racism as it intersects with forms of gender-based discrimination. The virtual event is hosted by the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office. 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 24

Black History Month 2022 with Canute Lawrence and Gayle Gonsalves

Hosted by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and A Different Booklist Cultural Centre, authors Canute Lawrence and Gayle Gonsalves discuss Lawrence’s book Pathology of a Pandemic. 7 – 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 28

Black History Month Luncheon

(Photo by Lui Siu Wai/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Celebrating its 20^th year, �鶹��Ƶ’s Black History Month Luncheon will feature six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse and his mother Beverley DeGrasse. The virtual event will also feature Ontario Poet Laureate Randell Adjei and a special guest appearance by actor Tatyana Ali. 12 – 2 p.m. ET

Feb. 28

Exploring Black and Indigenous Futurisms: Rock as Witness

Quentin VerCetty, Michael Belmore, Karyn Recollet and Audrey Hudson.

Hart House has partnered with the AGO to present a discussion meant to support Afro-Indigenous thinking. The event features Quentin VerCetty, multi-award-winning multidisciplinary storyteller, educator,and Afrofuturist, Michael Belmore, artist and sculptor, Audrey Hudson, chief of education and programming at the AGO, and Karyn Recollet, assistant professor at �鶹��Ƶ’s Women and Gender Studies Institute. 6 – 8 p.m. ET

Beyond inclusion: �鶹��Ƶ hosts annual conference on ending racial discrimination

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 17:39:37 +0000

Beyond inclusion: �鶹��Ƶ hosts annual conference on ending racial discrimination

geoff.vendeville Fri, 03/19/2021 - 13:39

Cutline

�鶹��Ƶ's annual IDERD conference included a keynote by john a. powell, a renowned expert on civil rights, civil liberties and structural racism who is director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Anti-Black Racism

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Diversity and Inclusion

Equity

Student Life

Hundreds of University of Toronto faculty, staff and students gathered virtually on Friday to discuss ways to deepen anti-racism actions and celebrate the work of community members who have championed equity, diversity and inclusion at the university and beyond.

The annual conference marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), observed March 21, took place just days after a gunman in Atlanta killed eight, including six women of Asian descent – a tragedy that sparked an outcry against anti-Asian racism and misogyny.

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president, human resources and equity, led participants in a moment of silence for the Atlanta victims.

“This day emphasizes the need for continued work to address racism in all its forms,” she said. “Although we have taken steps toward the elimination of racism, we must continue to engage in dialogue and action to address systemic and individual forms of racism at �鶹��Ƶ.

“In order to make lasting change, both on our campuses and in the world around us, we will continue to critically examine our practices and processes and create new spaces where everyone belongs.”

The three-hour event, held virtually this year, began with a keynote presentation by john a. powell, a renowned expert on civil rights, civil liberties and structural racism, who is director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, before participants split off into several breakout sessions.

A professor of law, African American studies and ethnic studies, powell spoke of the need to enlarge the conversation beyond notions of equity, diversity and inclusion to make space for the principle of belonging.

Inclusion on its own isn’t enough, powell told attendees. “It’s basically saying you’re being invited to someone else’s space – you’re a guest in someone else’s space … it’s not the same as saying it’s your space,” he said.

“Belonging is when you get to help make the rules – when you get to help organize the space – and you can bring your entire self. Belonging in practice creates a deep sense of being fully – of being recognized.”

Profound social changes related to demography, climate, globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic are creating anxiety and fuelling racism and hate in Canada and the United States, powell continued, citing the 2017 attack on the mosque at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City and a 717 per cent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes reported by Vancouver police since the start of the pandemic.

When it comes to rooting out racism and fostering a sense of belonging at universities, powell said �鶹��Ƶ was taking steps in the right direction through the work of the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office and by participating in the creation of the Scarborough National Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education.

At the same time, he said the next step – “equity 2.0” – involves an approach where marginalized groups participate in the design of structures instead of removing barriers after the fact.

In a subsequent question-and-answer session moderated by Professor Maydianne Andrade, �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough’s vice-dean faculty affairs, equity and success, powell added that efforts to create a fairer, anti-racist society require recognizing the past injustices that continue to have repercussions today.

“We’ve done good things; we’ve done bad things. And those things still live today – they have consequences today,” he said.

Participants also celebrated the student, staff and faculty winners of the 2020 IDERD Awards (see full list below).

Entisar Yusuf, a master’s student in educational leadership and policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and two-term president of the Black Graduate Students Association, received the student leadership award (individual) in recognition of her work founding and leading the Black Graduate Students Association and her thesis research on Black graduate students navigating higher education.

“Anti-racism in action is building awareness and changing attitudes to provide universal equitable access,” Yusuf said.

Sania Hameed, career educator in �鶹��Ƶ’s division of Student Life, received the administration leadership award. She has served on equity committees and groups at �鶹��Ƶ and national organizations, including a term as executive member of the St. George chapter of the Connections and Conversations, an affinity group for racialized �鶹��Ƶ staff and their supporters.

Workshops in Zoom break-out rooms focused on topics ranging from intersectional approaches to decolonizing anti-racism efforts within a post-secondary environment to engaging students as anti-racist leaders.

In a session focused on developing an anti-racism action plan, �鶹��Ƶ alumnus Kofi Hope spoke of the difficulty of undertaking anti-racist work and saluted the efforts of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, among others. A Rhodes Scholar, community activist and adjunct professor in the department of geography and planning in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Hope said it was essential for leaders to listen, demonstrate empathy and facilitate open and transparent conversations that directly engage racialized people.

Natasha Prashad, a program co-ordinator at the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, said the office plans to launch an online resource hub in the coming weeks. Developed by community members within and outside �鶹��Ƶ, the hub will address issues such as privilege, allyship and dismantling anti-Black racism and power, Prashad said.

Randell Adjei, the executive and creative director of RISE (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere) Edutainment, read spoken word poetry – some of which was inspired by his upbringing in Scarborough.

“Be mindful of the words and intentions that leave the sacredness of your tongues. We are powerful vessels,” he said. “Leave a legacy that will continue.”

To close out the event, Karima Hashmani, �鶹��Ƶ’s executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion, acknowledged the difficulty of anti-racism work but stressed its ongoing importance.

“The reasons we need to keep going are factual,” she said. “We are in a time and a place that requires us to act now. The death of George Floyd and so many more, and now the recent shooting of eight people, including six Asian-American women, that took place in Atlanta, Ga., reminds us of the realities of racism, discrimination and hate and how they permeate our society.

“We know that this work is emotional and can be draining, but it must continue.”

Here is the full list of 2020 IDERD Award winners:

Student Leadership Award

(Individual) Entisar Yusuf, master’s student in educational leadership and policy, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(Group) Uncovering Racism in Rehabilitation Authorship Team (members: PhD candidate Llana James; master’s student Sally Abudiab; and PhD candidate Samira Omar – all of the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine)

Administration Leadership Award

Sania Hameed, career educator, career exploration and education, �鶹��Ƶ Student Life

Academic & Research Award

Beverly Bain, professor, department of historical studies, �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga

Strategic Innovation Initiatives Award

(Individual) Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, assistant professor, department of sociology at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga
(Group) Enhancing Access Through Youth Community Partnerships (team lead: Danielle Dinunzio, program co-ordinator, integrated learning and community engagement, Hart House)

Faith, Anti-racism & Change Award

Sofia Freudenstein, third-year student, Faculty of Arts & Science

A community comes together: �鶹��Ƶ marks one year of COVID-19

geoff.vendeville — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:20:27 +0000

A community comes together: �鶹��Ƶ marks one year of COVID-19

geoff.vendeville Thu, 03/18/2021 - 12:20

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Sunnybrook Health Sciences

UTogether

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Global

It was one year ago this week that COVID-19 prompted the University of Toronto to shift to virtual operations.

Looking back over the past 12 months, what’s striking are the myriad ways the �鶹��Ƶ community responded to the pandemic. Time and time again, students, faculty, staff and librarians demonstrated their resilience, innovativeness and eagerness to support one another and the broader community.

From working on COVID-19 tests and treatments to educating the world on the importance of physical distancing and other emergency measures, �鶹��Ƶ researchers quickly established themselves as key players in the global pandemic response. At the same time, �鶹��Ƶ students and professors showed their flexibility and ingenuity as COVID-19 led to virtual classes and the first off-campus convocations in the university’s history. Many also found ways to support each other and the broader community, including front-line health workers.

The �鶹��Ƶ community also stood up against anti-Black and other types of systemic racism as the virus took a disproportionate toll on members of racialized and marginalized communities in North America.

Now that vaccines for COVID-19 have arrived, �鶹��Ƶ is once again mobilizing its resources to support a historic immunization drive by preparing to host vaccination clinics on all three campuses.

Here is a brief snapshot of 12 unprecedented months in �鶹��Ƶ’s 194-year history:

�鶹��Ƶ researchers race to understand a new global threat

Robert Kozak and Samira Mubareka, both in �鶹��Ƶ's department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology and at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, cultured the novel coronavirus behind COVID-19 from clinical specimens (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Samira Mubareka and Robert Kozak – both of �鶹��Ƶ’s department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, as well as Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre – wasted no time in investigating the mysterious new illness that emerged in Canada after spreading around the world.

In March of 2020, the pair, along McMaster’s Arinjay Banerjee, successfully isolated the virus causing COVID-19 and reproduced it in a lab. The research was critical to understand the virus and, importantly, help develop treatments and vaccines.

They were just two of scores of researchers at �鶹��Ƶ and its partner hospitals whose work shed light on the mysterious illness. Some worked on new treatments, vaccines and developed models of the outbreak that helped guide authorities. Others turned their attention to developing better tests and medical equipment. Still others focused their attention on understanding the potential impact of COVID-19 on society – including racialized and marginalized groups – as well as the broader economy, and are now helping to plot a path to recovery.

At a time of great uncertainty, �鶹��Ƶ faculty and alumni share their expertise with decision-makers and the public

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Over 34 podcast episodes, Vivek Goel – a former vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives and �鶹��Ƶ’s first special adviser to the president and provost on COVID-19 – shared the latest public-health advice and weighed in on issues that were top of mind for many listeners, like how to gather safely, how the virus originated and the progress made toward developing vaccines.

Goel was one of a large group of �鶹��Ƶ experts who became a trusted source of information for the public during the pandemic, with many appearing regularly on TV and radio broadcasts, and in print media.

Many �鶹��Ƶ experts were also tapped to directly advise policy-makers on their COVID-19 response at all levels of government. That included leading task forces that looked at everything from immunity levels to overcoming vaccine hesitancy among members of Toronto’s Black community.

�鶹��Ƶ students band together to help front-line workers and at-risk people

Medical students Daniel Lee, Orly Bogler (appearing via video conference), Jordynn Klein and Tingting Yan organized volunteers from their class and other programs to help front-line health-care workers during the COVID-19 crisis (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Even before the WHO declared a global pandemic, �鶹��Ƶ medical students were organizing to take some of the load off front-line workers by helping them with domestic chores. Students Jordynn Klein, Daniel Lee, Tingting Yan and Orly Bogler recruited hundreds of student volunteers to babysit, fetch groceries and run errands for health-care workers and other front-line staff.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg. With reports of a personal protective equipment shortage, �鶹��Ƶ students took it upon themselves to collect safety gear for donation at hospitals, clinics and long-term care homes and organize volunteer sewing drives to produce thousands of badly needed masks.

�鶹��Ƶ students demonstrate resilience and compassion

Ashley Mutasa, a Lester B. Pearson scholar and �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga student, completed the 2020 winter semester from Winnipeg, where she was staying with her older sister (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When COVID-19 first struck last March, many �鶹��Ƶ students – particularly international students – were faced with a particularly difficult choice: Go home amid rapidly changing travel restrictions or stay in Toronto not knowing when they would see their families next.

Yet, even amidst the chaos and uncertainty, students managed to support one another. Ashley Mutasa, a Lester B. Pearson scholar from Zimbabwe studying at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga, shared advice for fellow students in a personal essay she wrote while staying with relatives in Winnipeg.

“My message to other students who are going through a tough time right now is: reach out to someone. The biggest resource we have is each other,” she said.

And reach out they did. Over the following 12 months, �鶹��Ƶ students repeatedly demonstrated the depth of their support for another by finding new ways to celebrate convocation, offer virtual orientation activities to incoming students – even spearheading the development of a mental health peer support network at the university.

Students, faculty and staff step up to combat anti-Black racism

Pictured here in her Riverdale hair salon, wellness activator Allison Hill helped create a series of virtual workshops for �鶹��Ƶ community members that address the impact of racism through restorative activities (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and other Black people by police last year ignited a global movement for social justice and racial equality.

In addition to launching a task force on anti-Black racism at the university, �鶹��Ƶ worked with other post-secondary institutions to launch the National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities.

To address the impacts of racism and anti-Black racism on �鶹��Ƶ community members, the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office launched a series of virtual discussions and workshops, including sessions in partnership with Toronto-based wellness activator Allison Hill.

“The impact of trauma is felt by the �鶹��Ƶ community,” said Karima Hashmani, �鶹��Ƶ’s executive director of equity, diversity and inclusion.

“This space helps legitimize and affirm the experiences Black and racialized people face collectively. We are dedicated to creating culturally relevant spaces that take into account intersectional identities and provide community healing.”

As the ground shifts underfoot, faculty find innovate ways to support students

�鶹��Ƶ Assistant Professor Fabian Parsch, who sings in a barbershop quartet, re-created the warmth of his classroom environment by saying goodbye to students at the end of term to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” in a video performance (image via YouTube)

From the outset of the crisis, �鶹��Ƶ faculty showed compassion for students undergoing increased stress and difficulties borne out of the pandemic. Fabian Parsch, an assistant professor in the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, put his a cappella skills to work to wish his students and teaching assistants in MAT187 a nice summer to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

In online office hours, he listened to students who were facing family or travel issues related to the pandemic, granting them extensions on assignments if necessary.

Elsewhere at �鶹��Ƶ, professors similarly worked hard to support students and make their virtual classrooms as engaging and innovative as possible. That included everything from reaching out on social media to using virtual reality to beam labs into students homes and spending days making 3D-printed skulls that could be dropped off on their doorsteps.

Staff and librarians rise to the occasion

Friends and fellow Trinity College students Piya Sial (left) and Shashwat Aggarwal (right) completed their respective two-week quarantines – one floor apart – after returning to Toronto from India for the 2020 fall semester (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Throughout the past year, �鶹��Ƶ staff rose to the challenge represented by the pandemic by carrying out more frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, upgrading building ventilation systems and installing other safety measures, and shepherding hundreds of students through self-isolation as part of the university’s quarantine program.

Piya Sial, a student at Trinity College, was one of many international students whose 14-day quarantine was facilitated by �鶹��Ƶ and included a ride from the airport, a room at a downtown hotel, regular meals and a daily check-up call from university health and wellness staff.

“It was amazing,” she told �鶹��Ƶ News. “I don’t think they could have done anything more.”

It was a similar story across the three campuses as staff found innovative ways to adapt essential services previously held in person for a year of physical distancing. They moved staple services like fitness classes and counselling sessions online, while launching new initiatives to help students study at home or manage stress.

�鶹��Ƶ provides space, people and resources to aid Canada’s historic immunization drive

By the end of March, up to 2,000 doses a day of Health Canada-approved vaccine is expected to be delivered at a clinic located at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga that's run by Trillium Health Partners and overseen by Peel Public Health (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

In the weeks coinciding with the anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic, �鶹��Ƶ partnered with its affiliated hospitals and public health authorities to set up vaccine clinics at key locations on campus to support a historic immunization campaign.

A mass vaccination site at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga opened the first week of March with an initial capacity to deliver up to 2,000 doses per day. A few weeks later, the University Health Network worked with �鶹��Ƶ and Toronto Public Health launched a second site inside the university’s Exam Centre on the St. George campus, boosting vaccination capacity in the heart of the city and drawing more than thousand student volunteers.

Another vaccination site is planned at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough.

From hack-a-thons to Wakanda, �鶹��Ƶ celebrates Black History Month with virtual events

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 21:38:38 +0000

From hack-a-thons to Wakanda, �鶹��Ƶ celebrates Black History Month with virtual events

geoff.vendeville Fri, 01/29/2021 - 16:38

Cutline

Drummer Suzette Vidale performs during last year's Black History Month Luncheon – one of many Black History Month events at �鶹��Ƶ that will be held virtually this year (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Yanan Wang

Topic

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Black History Month

Centre for Ethics

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Let’s Talk Careers in Law

Women and Gender Studies

The pandemic halted in-person events of all kinds, but it isn’t stopping the University of Toronto community from celebrating Black History Month.

February is packed with online events, ranging from a discussion of Afrofuturism and the world-building of Wakanda to �鶹��Ƶ’s marquee Black History Month Luncheon, which is celebrating its 19th year.

Here's a snapshot of what’s taking place virtually across �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses this month.

Jan. 29

Arleen Huggins, partner and head of the employment law group at Koskie Minsky LLP, Danardo Jones, an assistant professor of law at the University of Windsor, and Sue-Lynn Noel, vice-president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Purolator, discuss their personal experiences and triumphs in the law profession, with details on how they found community, mentorship and belonging despite anti-Black racism and discrimination. Presented by Hart House and access and inclusion peer programs. 2 - 3 p.m.

Feb. 1

Black history Wikipedia edit-a-thon kick-off event

�鶹��Ƶ Libraries is planning a month-long series of events intended to improve the quality of Black history pages on Wikipedia. To kick things off, they are hosting a roundtable with �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough’s writer-in-residence El Jones about ameliorating the historical record through public history initiatives and shared open knowledge. 12:30 - 2 p.m.

Feb. 2

Feeling Like an Imposter and Racial Gaslighting

Mairi McKenna Edwards, co-ordinator of equity, diversity and inclusion training at Student Life, and Jasjit Sangha, a learning strategist, lead a session on feelings of self-doubt, or “imposter phenomena,” which are common among those under-represented in academia. The event is open only to �鶹��Ƶ employees who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of colour. 12 p.m.

Feb 2.

She’s Malcolm X!

Part of Hart House’s Black Futures series, this dialogue focuses on Black Muslim women’s historical influence and contribution to social change. The event features speaker, scholar and educator Mustafa Briggs, Rania El Mugammar, an artist, anti-oppression consultant and liberation educator, and Ikran Jama, a Rhodes Scholar and president of �鶹��Ƶ’s Arts & Science Students Union. Habon Ali, a graduate student at McMaster University and former �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga valedictorian, will be moderating. 4 - 6 p.m.

Feb 3.

The Coromantee War: Charting the Course of an Atlantic Slave Revolt

In the inaugural Decanal Lecture, Harvard historian Vincent Brown discusses the Jamaican Coromantee War of 1760-171. Brown, a professor of American history and African and African-American studies, is the author of The Reaper’s Garden: Death and Power in the World of Atlantic Slavery and Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War. Sponsored by the Faculty of Arts & Science. 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Feb. 5

The Black Nowhere: The Social and Cultural Politics of Listening to Black Canada[s] (Race, Ethics + Power: Emerging Scholars)

Ola Mohammed, an assistant professor of Black popular culture at York University, discusses her current project, “The Black Nowhere: The Social and Cultural Politics of Listening to Black Canada(s),” in which she looks at the sonic dimension of Black social life and anti-Blackness in Canada. Presented by �鶹��Ƶ’s Centre for Ethics and streamed on YouTube. 4 p.m.

Feb. 6 and 7

NSBE Hacks

The National Society of Black Engineers, which opened a chapter at �鶹��Ƶ in 1999, hosts its 24-hour student hackathon.

Feb. 8

Black History Symposium: Honouring the Diversity of Black Leaders and Agents of Change

The 2021 Black History Symposium will explore anti-Black racism activism in diverse spaces and the role of post-secondary environments in transforming anti-Black racism advocacy. Dahabo Ahmed Omer, executive director of the Black North Initiative, is the event’s keynote speaker. The symposium also includes remarks by Njoki Wane, a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Dexter Voisin, dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, both of whom are members of the university's anti-Black racism task force. There is also a panel discussion titled, “Pathways and Initiatives – Reinventing Anti-Black Racism Activism.” Hosted by �鶹��Ƶ’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Feb 11.

Black Athletes on the Margins: I am More!

Black professional athletes of different sport backgrounds discuss their experience finding acceptance and success, as well as new challenges brought on by COVID-19. The webinar also features spoken-word artists and a live raffle with prizes from Black-owned businesses. Presented by �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office; International Education Centre and department of recreation, athletics and wellness. 12 - 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 11

The Worldbuilding of Wakanda: Black Panther and Afrofuturism

Join action-adventure fantasy writer Antoine Bandele, futurist writer Stephanie Chrismon and editor-in-chief of Pressed Magazine Rashid Mohiddin for a talk on how elements of science fiction and fantasy intersect with African representation and the ways in which Black Panther presents its progress themes through its unique setting. Presented by Hart House as part of the Black Futures series 6 - 8 p.m.

Feb. 12

Ninth Floor film screening

More than 50 years later, filmmaker Mina Shum looks at a landmark student uprising in Canadian history: the 14-day sit-in at Sir George Williams University in Montreal (now part of Concordia). More than 200 students peacefully occupied the ninth floor of a campus building to protest the university’s handling of a racism complaint by a group of Black students. The screening of the documentary, presented by the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, will be followed by a question-and-answer session. 12 - 2 p.m.

Feb. 24

A Portal to Change: Connections & Conversations Celebrates Black History Month

How can Black staff harness the current momentum for change to build an architecture of inclusion at the university, while realizing their own aspirations? Dexter Voisin, dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and co-chair of the university's anti-Black racism task force, and Amorell Saunders N'Daw, co-founder of Connections & Conversations and partner, equity, diversity and inclusion lead at KBRS, discuss navigating systemic racism and share insights. 12 - 1 p.m.

Feb. 24

Exploring Black & Indigenous Futurisms 2021

Black and Indigenous writers and artists lead a discussion about grappling with their place, culture and identity now and in the future. The event features Genie-winning filmmaker Lisa Jackson, photographic artist Adeyemi Adegbesan, and futurist writer Stephanie Chrismon. The talk, organized by Hart House, will be moderated by Audrey Hudson, chief of education and programming at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Karyn Recollet, an associate professor at �鶹��Ƶ’s Women and Gender Studies Institute. 4 - 6 p.m.

Feb. 26

Black History Month Luncheon

�鶹��Ƶ’s Black History Month Luncheon, celebrating its 19th year, goes online for the first time, featuring special guests from different walks of life who will talk about their careers as well as Black history and culture. This year, the luncheon will be raising funds to support Black students and scholarship. Check back here to see the guest line-up after it is announced. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

�鶹��Ƶ launches working group to combat anti-Semitism on campus

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 20:52:11 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ launches working group to combat anti-Semitism on campus

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 12/04/2020 - 15:52

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Cheryl Regehr

Rotman School of Management

Faculty of Law

Meric Gertler

The University of Toronto has launched an Anti-Semitism Working Group to examine and address anti-Semitism on campus – and to ensure the university is an inclusive and welcoming place for Jewish members of its community.

The working group, whose contributions will form an integral part of the university’s commitment to addressing systemic forms of racism across its three campuses, including Islamophobia and anti-Black racism, will make recommendations to �鶹��Ƶ President Meric Gertler, Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr and Vice-President, Human Resources and Equity Kelly Hannah-Moffat.

Led by Arthur Ripstein, a University Professor in the Faculty of Law and in the department of philosophy in the Faculty of Arts & Science, the working group will review the processes and practices in place to address anti-Semitism on �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses and develop a framework to support the university’s response to the issue. It will recommend ways to improve education about anti-Semitism and responses to anti-Semitic incidents, as well as propose new programs and initiatives to eliminate anti-Semitism on-campus.

It will also examine best practices at other large, research-intensive universities and consult with students, faculty, librarians and staff about how to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and supports community members who are Jewish.

“Our aim is to see to it that the university not only responds when there are incidents or allegations of anti-Semitism, but is also proactive in creating a culture of inclusion within which various forms of discrimination, including anti-Semitism, are better understood and tackled through education,” Ripstein said.

“Anti-Semitism is like other forms of discrimination in some ways, and different from them in other ways. The point of having working groups that examine multiple types of injustice and discrimination in our university is to come up with strategies for dealing with not just the general problem, but also its particular manifestation.”

“Anti-Semitism is a source of discrimination, harassment and hatred that undermines our values,” Hannah-Moffat said. “�鶹��Ƶ recognizes that we need to be more proactive and responsive to address it on our campuses.

“No form of discrimination is tolerated at the University of Toronto.”

Ripstein said consultations with the �鶹��Ƶ community will be key to the working group’s efforts and that information provided by the community will help shape its recommendations.

“Our main work will be, in the first instance, listening to and seeking input from members of the university community. We want to hear about their concerns and instances of anti-Semitism of which they think we should be made aware,” he said.

“As a university, the way we deal with problems is to study them. And so, our first task is going to be to study the problem and think about ways to manage it within the context of the university’s broader commitment to being a place where difficult questions can be addressed and considered in a respectful and inclusive manner.”

Ripstein invited members of the �鶹��Ƶ community to share their feedback by emailing the Anti-Semitism Working Group at anti.semitism.working.group@utoronto.ca.

In addition to Ripstein, the members of the working group are:

Miriam Borden, PhD student, Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga
Ayelet Kuper, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Faye Mishna, Professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Anna Shternshis, Al and Malka Green Professor of Yiddish and Diaspora Studies, Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures, Faculty of Arts & Science; and Director, Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies
Nouman Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Rotman School of Management
Anita Balakrishna, Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Karima Hashmani, Executive Director, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Division of HR & Equity
Jodie Glean, Director, Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office and Project Manager, Anti-Semitism Working Group

�鶹��Ƶ program to prioritize healing, wellness and support for Black and racialized community members

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 15:35:23 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ program to prioritize healing, wellness and support for Black and racialized community members

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 09/28/2020 - 11:35

Cutline

Tina Adamopoulos

Topic

Anti-Black Racism