Learn and celebrate with us during this Pride season Continue reading “Pride 2022”
Effective Mentorship of Racialized Graduate Students forum
On June 24, attend a day-long forum on effective mentorship of racialized graduate students.
Hear from students and mentors on the value of diversity in graduate education, and discuss how we can all contribute toward a safe, respectful, and more equitable learning sphere for racialized students at UBC.
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This project is funded by the UBC Anti-Racism Initiatives Fund and Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS).
Open to all interested faculty, staff and students.
Out and Proud: Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Clinical Spaces
Join us on virtually on Tuesday, June 14 from 5-7 PM for Out Loud and Proud: Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Clinical Spaces
Continue reading “Out and Proud: Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Clinical Spaces”
Engaging in Difficult Conversations & Exploring Conflict Engagement
Join us for the June 9 REDI Lunch & Learn session Continue reading “Engaging in Difficult Conversations & Exploring Conflict Engagement”
Race Ideology: Historical Perspectives,Current Realities and Re-imagining the Future
Watch our inaugural virtual symposium on anti-racism
Niw_Hk_M_Kanak | All My Relations
Seeking Inspiration in Our Own Histories and Stories with Paul LAH Chartrand Continue reading “Niw_Hk_M_Kanak | All My Relations”
Asian Heritage Month (May 1 – May 31, 2022)
Asian Heritage Month in Canada has since 2002 been a time to reflect on and recognize the many contributions that Canadians of Asian Heritage have made and continue to make to Canada. The theme for Asian Heritage Month 2022 is, “Continuing a legacy of greatness” and encourages all Canadians to take this opportunity to learn more about the history of Canadians of Asian heritage, who hail from more than 40 countries in the continent of Asia, and to celebrate their contributions to the growth and prosperity of Canada.
The Government of Canada website notes that the month is “a reminder for all Canadians to come together to combat anti-Asian racism and discrimination in all its forms”. This is an opportunity to act against anti-Asian racism which sadly is on the rise in Canada where there has been a 121% rise in racism reports from Southeast Asians. Notwithstanding this increase It is significant that only 1 to 5% of hate incidents are reported and approximately 2/3 of Canadians do not report them: Canadian Anti-Hate network.
Over 50% of the student population at UBC is Asian and we know that these students are deprived of the sense of belonging they should have in our community because of their experiences of racism in the form of micro assaults, microinsults and microinvalidation. These microaggressions are more than just insults or insensitive comments. They are not harmless. They are remarks, questions or actions that are painful because they are based on a person’s membership in a group that is subject to stereotypes, prejudice and exclusion.
Microaggressions communicate that someone “does not belong” and are closely tied to implicit biases. These are the attitudes, stereotypes and assumptions of which we are not even aware – “the thoughts about people you didn’t know you had”.
One way we can manage our implicit biases is to raise our awareness not only about the existence of the bias but about the targets of our biases. If we make the effort to learn about others in our community, to celebrate their diversity, to welcome and value their perspectives and their lived experiences we will move closer to creating a welcoming and inclusive community that is a safe and supportive space in which human rights are recognized and each of us can fully participate.
During Asian Heritage Month learn the history and explore the contributions of Asian Canadians. Educate yourself and really listen to what Asians in our community are telling us- about themselves and about our communities.
Learn more about the importance of recognizing the experiences of and contributions of Asian Canadians in Canada in this conversation with President Santa Ono: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va3_TARG6i8
REDI Symposium Speaker: Dr. Saroo Sharda
Join us on May 25th for our first virtual symposium – Race Ideology: Historical Perspectives, Current Realities and Re-imagining the Future Symposium
Dr Saroo Sharda MBChB, MMEd, FRCPC is an anesthesiologist, medical educator, writer and trained creative writing coach. She identifies as a woman of colour of North Indian descent, who has the privilege of being cis-gender, straight, able-bodied and economically privileged.
She is an advocate for physician wellness, equity and anti-racism, and has written and spoken widely about these topics, including publications in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, British Medical Journal, The Globe and Mail and Today’s Parent.
Dr Sharda is the inaugural Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, where she works as a Medical Advisor.
She has presented and taught on EDI in the context of healthcare at a variety of national and international organisations and conferences. She has been described as a “gifted”, “insightful” and “excellent” facilitator, and is able to guide groups through challenging and brave conversations.
Dr Sharda holds a Masters and Fellowship in Medical Education, is the Chair of the Physician Wellness Committee at the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society and a Faculty Member in the Department of Anesthesia at McMaster University.
When not writing or working she works hard to avoid stepping on lego pieces strewn around the house by her 5 year-old and 8 year-old sons.
REDI Symposium Speaker: Dr. Handel Wright
Join us on May 25th for our first virtual symposium – Race Ideology: Historical Perspectives, Current Realities and Re-imagining the Future Symposium
Handel Kashope Wright is the inaugural Senior Advisor to the President on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence, Director of the Centre for Culture, Identity and Education and Professor of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia.
He is co-editor of the book series African and Diasporic Cultural Studies (University of Toronto Press), Associate Editor of the journal Critical Arts and serves on editorial boards of several cultural studies and education book series and journals. He has published extensively on Black and African cultural studies, qualitative research, cultural studies of education, critical multiculturalism, anti-racism and decolonialism. His most recent publications include the co-edited book Nuances of Blackness in the Canadian Academy (2022, University of Toronto Press).
REDI Symposium Speaker: Dr Amy Tan
Join us on May 25th for our first virtual symposium – Race Ideology: Historical Perspectives, Current Realities and Re-imagining the Future Symposium
Dr Amy Tan, MD MSc (Pall Med) CCFP(PC) FCFP, is a woman of Cantonese Chinese descent, daughter of immigrants and first-generation university and medical school graduate who lives & works with disabilities. She is a palliative care & family physician, educator, researcher, anti-racism consultant, writer and health equity advocate.
Dr. Tan is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Palliative Care and Department of Family Practice at the UBC Faculty of Medicine, and has been in practice since 2005, now based in Victoria, BC. She is the Director of Teacher Assessment and Support in UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Faculty Development Office, and an Anti-Racism Support Program Faculty Mentor for UBC’s Family Medicine Residency Program.
Her scholarly work focusses on culturally-safe communication with patients, ethical shared decision-making, an anti-racist approach to care, primary palliative care, and advance care planning. She completed her medical school at the University of Calgary, and her family medicine residency at the University of Alberta and obtained a Masters of Science in Palliative Medicine at Cardiff University in 2011. She has been a faculty member and held various medical school leadership positions previously at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.
Dr. Tan is Section Editor for Racism & Health for PLOS Global Health Journal that addresses deeply entrenched global inequities in public health and amplifies the voices of underrepresented and historically excluded communities.
Dr. Tan has been speaking out about the intersection of systemic racism and COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and is committed to ongoing work towards solutions for the structural inequities that the pandemic is laying bare in Canada.