On November 10 we hosted a discussion called How To Be an Antiracist: Schools and Syllabus with Dr. June Francis from Simon Fraser University and Dr. Moussa Magassa from the University of Victoria, facilitated by Olaolu Adeleye from BCcampus.
The discussion focused on the significance of anti-racism in our classrooms, curricula, and communities while addressing challenges and opportunities for students, instructors, and staff at B.C. post-secondary institutions.
All are invited to a call to action to begin the work of anti-racism. Audit your curriculum to reflect on how and if your current approach is anti-racist, and consider some areas you can enhance your learning approach to be more inclusive.
View the recording of this discussion.
Notable Quotes:
“An anti-racist university will benefit us all and the generations to come.”
— Dr. Moussa Magassa, University of Victoria
“Anti-racism is our kindness to the world.”
– Dr. Moussa Magassa, University of Victoria
“As we think about our privilege and as we think about ourselves as professors, as teachers and administrators, as we think about ourselves, no matter where we are in the educational system, the responsibility weighs heavy on us if we do not do the work it takes to disrupt the ways in which we are perpetuating ideas and ignoring other ideas.”
– Dr. June Francis, Simon Fraser University
“This moment is the moment of truth… This is about us, all of us … to create the kind of society we all are looking for.”
— Dr. June Francis, Simon Fraser University
June Francis, MBA, LLB, PhD, is a special advisor to Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) president on anti-racism, director of the Institute for Diaspora Research and Engagement at SFU, associate professor at Beedie School of Business, and the co-founder of the Co-Laboratorio Project.
Moussa Magassa, PhD, IDI.QA, is the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Principal Strategist in Community Engagement, Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Education. Moussa is also an associate faculty in the UVic Social Justice Diploma program and the M.A in Global Leadership program at Royal Roads University, as well as an instructor in the UVic diploma program in intercultural studies and practice and the University of British Columbia Centre for Intercultural Communication.
Resources:
- BCcampus Book Club Hub: How to Be an Antiracist Facilitator’s Guide
- SFU Senate Motion to Hire More Black Faculty
- CBC: Simon Fraser University Moves to Significantly Increase Black Representation Among Faculty
- University of Toronto Scarborough Charter
Emily Carr University of Art + Design: Creating a National Charter on Anti-Black Racism in Higher Education
The featured image for this post (viewable in the BCcampus News section at the bottom of our homepage) is by fauxels from Pexels
