International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8th to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of all women (UN Women, 2021).
In British Columbia, Canada, Women have made significant strides in the medical field. However, disparities still exist in terms of salary, promotion, and leadership opportunities. While women make up a large proportion of the healthcare workforce, they are underrepresented in top leadership positions (Doctors of BC, 2021)
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of women and to raise awareness about the challenges they still face, including in the medical field. While there has been progress made, there is still much work to be done. It is important to continue to advocate for equal opportunities and support for women in all fields, including medicine.
Office of Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
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February 2023 Newsletter | Office of Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
REDI February newsletter
The Office of Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI) shares upcoming events, stories, and links to recordings from previous speakers.
Events
You Are On Indian Land: Crossing the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress
Join us on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 from 12–1:30 pm for the next session of the Indigenous Speaker Series. We will have a conversation with Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell, Knowledge Keeper, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and director of You Are On Indian Land (1969). The film underlines many of the outstanding issues we see today in our First Nations communities. It is powerful and unapologetic in showing the white man’s indifference against Indians. It represents the long-standing tension between those who are from here and those who have arrived here as colonial and new settlers. In this session we will learn more about the broader reach of truth, reconciliation and redress.
IBPOC Voices: A Conversation with Dr. Kishore Mulpuri
Join us virtually on Friday, March 17, 2023 from 12–1 pm for a conversation with Dr. Kishore Mulpuri. Dr. Mulpuri is Head of the Department of Orthopaedics, as well as a Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at BC Children’s Hospital.
The IBPOC Voices series centers IBPOC experiences and knowledge, and highlights how they navigate the different challenges and how they engage with equity, diversity and inclusion. It is also a space where guests talk about their vision of an equitable and just environment.
Black Lives, Black Voices & Black Identities in the Faculty of Medicine
To commemorate Black History Month and as part of REDI’s commitment to amplify IBPOC voices, we invite you to join our panel on Friday, February 17, 2023 from 12–1:30 pm. This panel will provide a space for an important conversation about the experiences of Black members of the Faculty and the challenges they face to find belonging. Panelists will be invited to reflect on their Black identity and how it has shaped their personal narrative — their education journey, work experiences and sense of belonging. Our discussion recognizes that there is no single 'Black Experience' that can explain identity development for all Black men and women.
Faculty and staff are invited to join the Vice-President Finance and Operations Portfolio (VPFO) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee in celebrating Pink Shirt Day on February 22, 2023 at 2 pm, virtually or on Vancouver campus at the Life Sciences West Atrium.
Pink Shirt Day is an annual event that raises awareness about the negative impacts caused by bullying, and the importance of fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment. Through the simple act of wearing a pink shirt, people around the world unite, show their solidarity, and celebrate diversity, inclusion and tolerance.
International Women's Day takes place annually on March 8 to recognize and celebrate women's achievements, challenge biases, and reflect on and advance efforts towards greater gender equality.
My Privilege, My Responsibility: A Higher Calling To Do Better in an Era of Truth, Reconciliation & Redress with Sheila North
Watch the recording of our conversation with Sheila North, the creator of the hashtag #MMIW, a movement that advocates for the end of violence against First Nations/Indigenous women and girls. This session of the Indigenous Speaker Series was held in commemoration of February 14, a the national day of action to bring justice to murdered and missing Indigenous women.
Roadmap for Change: Implementing anti-racism commitments at UBC
Watch the recording for this UBC-wide forum to learn about next steps for implementing the recommendations from the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force Final Report, and how you can build a more equitable and anti-racist UBC.
Welcome to our EDI Champions and Allies blog series!
Read the stories of our FoM EDI Champions & Allies, and be inspired by their experiences and journeys. Our goal at the REDI Office is to highlight the diverse voices of those who are leading projects and research with the aim of fostering safe and respectful environments in our community and beyond.
At REDI, we are aware that there are countless EDI champions in our faculty. They are relentlessly working to create healthy environments for learners, staff, faculty and the wider community. This blog is a space where they share with us their stories, aspirations and learnings; and thus, inspire us to join the efforts of cultural transformation at the FoM.
We invite you to take a few moments and meet our FoM EDI Champions & Allies.
In this edition of the EDI champions and Allies, meet Dr. Rideout, Associate Professor and Co-chair of the EDI Committee, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences.
In this edition of the EDI champions and Allies, meet Dr. Tal Jarus, Chair of the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Department’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (JEDI)
In this edition of the EDI champions and Allies series, meet Dr. Oyèdélé Co-chair of the EDI Committee, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences
The EDI Champions and Allies blog series is an extension of the Community Voices Series. Learn more about the Community Voices Series or read previous posts below.
Watch the recording of “You Are On Indian Land: Crossing the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress.” In this Indigenous Speaker Series session, we had a conversation with Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell of the Mohawks of Akwesasne, and director of You Are On Indian Land and we learnt more about the broader reach of truth, reconciliation and redress.
Join us virtually on Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (PST), for “You Are On Indian Land: Crossing the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress” This virtual event is presented by the Indigenous Speakers Series.
Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell Knowledge Keeper, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (Bio)
Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell is one of the most respected First Nations leaders in Canada. Born in Akwesasne and raised by a traditional family, Kanentakeron had the benefit of a strong cultural and spiritual upbringing. Fluent in the Mohawk language, Kanentakeron has successfully applied traditional diplomatic skills in solving today’s challenges to First Nations on local, regional and national levels in all areas of development and renewal. For three decades, Kanentakeron served his people in a political capacity as Chief and Grand Chief in one of the most volatile, yet progressive First Nations communities in Canada. His vision to help restore the independence of the Mohawk people of Akwesasne is based on applying the best of both Hotinonshonni philosophy and modern democratic government systems.
Moderator
Derek K Thompson – Thlaapkiituup, Indigenous Advisor
Description
You Are On Indian Land is a documentary film that was made in 1969 and it underlines many of the outstanding issues we see today in our First Nations communities. The film is powerful and unapologetic in showing the white man’s indifference against Indians. The film’s message remains true today in exposing the attitudes from those colonial and new settlers who don’t want to see First Nations assert their legitimate place in Canada. You Are On Indian Land represents the long-standing tension between those who are from here and those who have arrived here as colonial and new settlers. This important film can better inform how we think about today’s common practice of land and territorial acknowledgments, and how we think about the broader reach of truth, reconciliation and redress.
I was a kid when I first watched the film You Are On Indian Land, and it was right after watching another film called The Land Is Our Culture. The latter was produced by the Union of BC Indian Chiefs in collaboration with the National Film Board, and it was about our continuing struggle to legitimize our rights and title in this province. Even as a kid, I was moved, and I didn’t know why but what I felt was a sense of dignity and strength. From that moment on my purpose in life was created, whether I knew it or not. It’s been one of my personal missions to meet and shake the hand of Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell for all that he has done, and continues to do, for his people and for First Nations across this country. In 2011, I met and shook the hand of Grand Chief Kanentakeron and he toured me around his community of Akwesasne and introduced me to members of his community, and nearly the entire time I felt like I did when I was a kid – transported to a time in which I felt a strong sense of dignity and strength.
Indigenous peoples are the only segment of Canadian society that are simultaneously trying to come to terms with the past and to try and find a good way forward. Grand Chief Mike Kanentakeron Mitchell of the Mohawks of Akwesasne said that, “Our leaders of the past talked about the importance of dignity – that a leader should not only know his own worth but also to be worthy to the community. Our elders talked about the importance of language – that a leader should know the value of teaching our languages to our children in every aspect of today’s education system. The great leaders of the past talked about the urgency for all of us as First Nations and Indigenous peoples to decolonize – that to be truly independent is to rid ourselves of the continuing legacy of oppression and to assimilate ourselves in our own culture, ceremonies and languages. There is a need for today’s leaders to return back to the ways of our Ancestors – that in this era there was an absence of arrogance and a strong foundation of humility that put the wellness of the community first. The leaders in our communities must focus on working with the people – that this work must reflect the true worth of a sense of belonging, strength of culture and the values of independence.”
So, to those who are Indigenous – First Nations, you also have an important role and you are worth every effort of purpose and determination to be happy and content in the world and free from the bounds of redress, telling the truth and reconciling for the future. Your job is to learn to be resilient and to make every effort to earn your place in the world for those that sacrificed their lives having been caught up in the trappings of colonialism, racism, oppression, and assimilation. And, to those who are colonial and new settler Canadians, you have an equally important role to learn, figure out and find ways to support the processes that we’ve committed to called Truth, Reconciliation and Redress.
Topic: You Are On Indian Land: Crossing the Borders of Truth, Reconciliation and Redress
Date: Wednesday, March 15th, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm PST
What Will I Learn?
You will learn about the unique perspectives of how to best approach the work in relation to the processes of Truth and Reconciliation.
Continue Learning
“The time to make things happen is now. The time to seek out our individual and shared power is now.”
Learn more about REDI’s Indigenous Initiatives here
Discover more about REDI’s Indigenous Initiatives Speakers Series here
Join us virtually on Friday, March 17th, 2023 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (PST), for “IBPOC Voices: A Conversation with Dr. Kishore Mulpuri”. Dr. Kishore Mulpuri is the Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia, as well as a Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at BC Children’s Hospital.
This virtual event is part of the IBPOC Voices, a monthly series led by Dr. Neila Miled the anti-racism Advisor.
IBPOC Voices is an opportunity to meet and have a conversation with guests who identify as Indigenous, Black and people of color. This series centers IBPOC experiences and knowledge, and highlights how they navigate the different challenges and how they engage with equity, diversity and inclusion. It is also a space where guests talk about their vision of an equitable and just environment. This series is an opportunity to open spaces where we know each other more and create a sense of community because “We are fully dependent on each other for the possibility of being understood and without this understanding we are not intelligible, we do not make sense, we are not solid, visible, integrated; we are lacking. So, travelling to each other’s “worlds” would enable us to be through loving each other” (Maria Lugones)
Dr. Kishore Mulpuri is the Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia, as well as a Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at BC Children’s Hospital. He completed his medical and orthopaedic training at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India, prior to pursuing orthopaedic fellowships at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, the Melbourne Orthopedic Group, and Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Mulpuri also completed a clinical research fellowship in orthopaedics at BC Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Mulpuri’s clinical practice and research interests focus on the pediatric hip and cerebral palsy. He regularly treats patients with a wide range of conditions, including developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), cerebral palsy (CP), Legg-Calvé-Perthes (Perthes) disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), and trauma.
Moderator
Dr. Neila Miled – Anti-Racism Advisor
Topic: IBPOC Voices: A Conversation with Dr. Kishore Mulpuri
Date: Friday, March 17th, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm PST
What Will I Learn?
You will learn more about IBPOC experiences and knowledge, and how IBPOC navigate the different challenges and engage with equity, diversity and inclusion.
To commemorate Black History Month and as part of REDI’s commitment to amplifying IBPOC voices, we invite you to join our panel “Black lives, Black voices and Black identities in the Faculty of Medicine” on Friday, February 17th, 2023, from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (PST).
This virtual event is part of the IBPOC Voices, a new monthly series led by Dr. Neila Miled the anti-racism Advisor.
IBPOC Voices is an opportunity to meet and have a conversation with guests who identify as Indigenous, Black and people of color. This series centers IBPOC experiences and knowledge, and highlights how they navigate the different challenges and how they engage with equity, diversity and inclusion. It is also a space where guests talk about their vision of an equitable and just environment. This series is an opportunity to open spaces where we know each other more and create a sense of community because “We are fully dependent on each other for the possibility of being understood and without this understanding we are not intelligible, we do not make sense, we are not solid, visible, integrated; we are lacking. So, travelling to each other’s “worlds” would enable us to be through loving each other” (Maria Lugones)
Panelists’ Bios
Donneil McNab, Black Student Initiatives Manager, MD Undergraduate Program and Admissions
Donneil McNab (she/her) is a Black settler from Jamaica who is currently the Black Student Initiatives Manager in the MD Undergraduate Program. She is passionate about providing specialized support for racialized students at the postsecondary level and was drawn to working in the equity, diversity, and inclusion sphere based on her own experiences with discrimination as well as those of her peers, family members and the students she supports. Donneil has been collaborating with relevant stakeholders to address systemic barriers that impede development and access in education and other sectors. Her focus has also been to build communities among equity-deserving groups by creating and sustaining safe and inclusive platforms for intersectional storytelling.
Dr. Tatiana Sotindjo, Adolescent Medicine Specialist BCCH and Hudson Equity Diversity and Inclusion Scholar in the Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Tatiana Sotindjo is currently part of the pediatric care team at the Provincial HIV care program and consultant Adolescent Medicine Specialist at BC Children’s Youth Health Clinic. She was appointed as inaugural Hudson Scholar for Equity Diversity and Inclusion for the UBC Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Tatiana Sotindjo is an exemplary leader in equity, diversity and inclusion, and in her clinical work in pediatric HIV care and addictions care. As the Hudson, ‘Scholar for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion she has been a leader, a mentor and an inspiration to residents and fellows from pediatrics, infectious diseases, medical microbiology and adolescent medicine. She advocates tirelessly for patients and staff facing racism and discrimination; she constantly challenges us to do better and never accepted the status quo as sufficient – as such, those around her have all been raised to a higher bar because of her impact and influence.
Dr. Felix Durity, Professor Emeritus and past Head of the Division of Neurosurgery
Dr. Felix Durity, Professor Emeritus, UBC Department of Surgery and Head Emeritus, UBC Division of Neurosurgery, 1990 – 2002
Honorary Doctorate (D. LItt), Corpus Christi and St. Mark’s College, UBC Campus.
Born in Trinidad, West Indies, he came to UBC in 1956 and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1958 on the Dean’s Honor list of the 5 top graduates. Graduated at UBC MD class of 1963 and in 1966 became the first neurosurgical trainee at UBC and in Western Canada. Qualified as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgery, Canada (FRCSC) in Neurosurgery in 1969. Joined the full-time UBC Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery, academic staff in 1974 and became Professor and Head of Neurosurgery, UBC 1990 – 2002. He was a founding member of the Trauma Association of Canada, dedicated to improving trauma to head and spine. He established Centers of Excellence in BC Neurosurgery and initiated fundamental critical aspects of head injury in Canada. He helped a Neurosurgical Centre in Ghana, West Africa. For these efforts, local and abroad, he was awarded the Order of BC, the province’s highest civilian award.
Retired from neurosurgical practice in 2005, he has remained very active in several Social Justice causes in Africa and BC and elsewhere and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate for his work.
Now also a proud member of the Black Physicians of BC and working with the Faculty’s Development Office in its EDI goals of addressing under-representation in the Faculty at all levels of the IBPOC group but with an emphasis on the Black Community
Dr. Michael Schwandt, Medical Health Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health, Assistant Clinical Professor School of Population and Public Health
Dr. Michael Schwandt is a specialist physician in Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He practices as a Medical Health Officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Schwandt works with health system and government partners, NGOs and community members to control communicable diseases, protect communities from environmental hazards, and promote health at the population level. Through his practice, teaching and research, he aims to promote action for antiracism and equity in public health. Dr. Schwandt is a proud descendant of emancipated Trinidadian and Barbadian people.
Gbolahan Olarewaju, MD Candidate 2023
Gbolahan is a 4th year medical student at the University of British Columbia and was inaugural Chair of the Black Medical Students Association of Canada (BMSAC). He hails from Nigeria and immigrated to Canada for university. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate education at the University of Guelph in Biomedical Science (BSc) and Human Health and Nutritional Science (MSc). As a queer Black immigrant, he has a keen interest in health access and equity for marginalized people including youth, immigrants, queer, Black, Indigenous and other people of color. Prior to medical school, this interest was cultivated into interdisciplinary advocacy and research work as the Coordinator of International, Multi-Faith and Refugee programs at the University of Guelph, and as the Vancouver coordinator for the national gay, bisexual and queer men’s health study Engage. While completing his medical education, he continues his advocacy work on various EDI advisory groups for the Faculty of Medicine, as chair of the BMSAC Research Committee and as the undergraduate rep for the Black Physicians of BC.
Moderator
Dr. Neila Miled – Anti-Racism Advisor
Description
Black History Month 2023: Experience and Identity
Since 1995 Canada has celebrated Black History month to focus on recognizing the daily contributions of Black Canadians in shaping Canada’s identity. An interesting question to consider is how being Black has shaped the identity and experience of Black people in our Faculty as they strive for meaningful engagement and belonging.
This year on February 17th, the Faculty of Medicine is honoured to host a panel discussion that will provide a space for an important conversation about the experiences of Black members of the Faculty and the challenges they face to find belonging. Our discussion recognizes that there is no single “Black Experience” that can explain identity development for all Black men and women.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Neila Miled, Anti-racism Advisor in the office Respectful Environments, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. This event is part of REDI’s monthly series, IBPOC Voices, hosted by Dr. Miled and broadcast across the Faculty. This series features conversations with IBPOC members of the Faculty to both highlight and promote diversity in our community.
Dr. Miled will invite panelists to reflect on their Black identity and how this has shaped their personal narrative – their education journey, work experiences and sense of belonging. A question and answer period will provide an opportunity to explore the ways non-Black members of our community can work in solidarity and allyship to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable environment for everyone working and learning in our community.
Topic: Black lives, Black voices and Black identities in the Faculty of Medicine
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm PST
What Will I Learn?
You will learn more about IBPOC experiences and knowledge, and how IBPOC navigate the different challenges and engage with equity, diversity and inclusion.
