Newsletter Archives — December 2016

What’s New for December 2016

 

Call for Nominations – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) Recognition Award

The IDERD Recognition Award recognizes students, staff and faculty who have contributed outstanding work and initiatives in an effort to eliminate racial discrimination and advance anti-racism throughout the U of T community in support of our overall commitment to diversity, equity and excellence, and in keeping with the University’s mission. The IDERD Recognition Award is presented during the annual U of T IDERD Campaign usually held the week of March 21st.

Projects, activities or initiatives that are eligible for the IDERD Recognition Award must, among other criteria:

  • Demonstrate an explicit focus on addressing barriers to racial equity and advancing antiracism, whether as a first time endeavor in antiracism practice or as an advanced initiative.
  • Feature antiracism as the primary focus of the initiative or as a demonstrable component in a broader initiative.
  • Demonstrate an on-going commitment to advancing antiracism and eliminating barriers within the University community and/or in contribution to the University’s profile in the broader community.
  • Demonstrate leadership.
  • Contribute to enhancing student/staff/faculty experience within the academic, co-curricular, and/or workplace contexts.

Nomination Deadline: January 16, 2017
IDERD Campaign and Recognition Event: March 21, 2017

Further information on the Call for Nominations, can be found on the ARCDO website

ARCDO – Now on Twitter

The Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) is now on Twitter. Follow us on twitter @UofT_ARCDO.

Preserving the Past to Build a Better Tomorrow – December 4, 2016

Join international scholars Dr. Monica Hanna and Dr. Anne Porter investigate the positive work currently being undertaken in the Middle East to protect local antiquities and sites, and the changing levels of engagement of archaeologists with local communities. Hanna and Porter will shine a light onto the current state of archaeology and heritage preservation, but also address what local Canadian communities can do to participate in global solutions.

Faculty and students at the University of Toronto’s Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations and the Royal Ontario Museum have been working actively to promote a better understanding of the long and coloured histories within countries such as Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Afghanistan.

December 4, 2016
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Royal Ontario Museum
Signy and Cléophée Eaton Theatre, Level 1B

Free with Museum Admission. RSVP required.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women – December 6, 2016

(Image Source: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/vaw-vff/remembrance-commemoration-en.html)

Following the murder of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal, whose lives were cut short in 1989 simply because they were women, Canada’s Parliament declared December 6th the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

On this day, the University of Toronto commemorates the many ways in which all women experience gender-based violence – from missing and murdered Aboriginal women, transgender women, and the broad spectrum of women from vulnerable populations.

Flags on campus will be lowered to half-mast.

Students, staff and faculty are invited to join campus commemorations on December 6th:

St. George Campus: 
11:45 am – 2:00 pm
Great Hall, Hart House,
7 Hart House Circle

Scarborough Campus:
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Meeting Place (Science Wing)
1265 Military Trail

Connections and Conversations

Connections and Conversations is an affinity group for racialized staff at the University of Toronto and their supporters. The staff-driven initiative offers discussions and a support network for racialized staff to flourish at U of T. The focus is to create an open and empowering environment for racialized staff to celebrate their accomplishments and contribute their unique ideas and talents to the University through networking, mentoring and other activities. Local chapters were created on all three campuses – earlier this year.

LOCAL CHAPTER MEETING(S)

St. George Campus:

The next local chapter meeting is scheduled on December 7, 2016 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm at OISE, 252 Bloor Street W., in Room 2212.

BYOL (Bring your own lunch).

RSVP by noon on Monday December 5th to e-mail: connectionsandconversations@utoronto.ca.

More Events

(If you wish to request that your event be included in our monthly newsletter, please submit requests to antiracism@utoronto.ca at least one week prior to the beginning of the new month.)

December 1, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm, 21 Sussex Avenue, Room 421 (lounge): Q21: A Conversation Café. Q21 is a weekly conversation café that takes place on Thursday’s and will give you an opportunity to connect with students and guest facilitators about the topics on your minds. This week: Mental Health and Well-Being. What does mental health and well-being look like for you? How are mental health, trauma and oppression connected? How can we take care of our mental health individually and as a community? Rahim Thawer will join for this week’s conversation. Rahim is a registered social worker who provides mental health counseling in LGBTQ communities around issues of anxiety, depression, trauma, body image and problem substance use. He is also a queer Muslim organizer with Salaam.

December 1, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle, Debates Room: From Their Lips. This play explores social justice issues for black communities – based on the Intergeneracial Project which interviewed black elders and youth to explore their experiences, Playwright Fiona Clarke has shaped their intersecting stories. This will be following by a talk-back with the artists involved, facilitated by the Hart House Social Justice Committee and Hart House Senior Members Committee. Registration required.

December 2, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle, East Common Room: The Human Library Project. The Human Library Project will explore notions of home – coming home, leaving home, finding home, and losing home as it relates to identity and our place(s) in the world. Each participant in the human library can be checked out, like a book, for 25 minutes of one-on-one time. Hear a story, share an insight and gain perspective. This event is open to students, staff and community members. Registration encouraged.

December 2, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, 21 Sussex Avenue, Room 421 (lounge): Gender Talk. Gender Talk is a monthly discussion group for trans+ members at U of T. All members of U of T who identify as trans, transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, non-binary, or who are questioning their gender identity are welcome to come together to talk about topics that matter to you.

December 6, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Centre for Women and Trans People, North Borden Building, 563 Spadina Avenue, Room 100: Resisting Oppression and Reclaiming Spirituality. ROARS is a student-led peer support group that provides a safe(r) space for self-identified women, trans, two-spirited, and gender non-binary/non-conforming people to discuss, critically analyze, and take action on issues of sexism, misogyny, racism, transphobia, homophobia, biphobia, xenophobia, ageism, ableism, classism, White supremacy, colonialism, and settler colonialism, in relation to our lived experiences within religious institutions and spiritual journeys. This is a space to examine the impact of oppressive -isms and reclaim your own spirituality. ROARS is a collaborative initiative between the Multi-Faith Centre for Spiritual Study & Practice and the Centre for Women & Trans People at the University of Toronto.

December 11, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle, East Common Room: Family Sundays at Hart House: Cookie Decorating. Bring your family to Hart House one Sunday a month for fun, interactive and educational family events that explore cultural diversity through storytelling, music, food, arts and crafts. Cookie decorating: colourful and creative; learn to decorate delicious holiday cookies. Cookies and decorative materials provided. Registration required. Due to space restrictions, there is a maximum of 2 adults per family.

Disclaimer: This newsletter may contain links to non– Anti–Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) websites. These links are provided solely as convenience to you. The ARCDO is not responsible for the content of any non–ARCDO websites and does not endorse the information contained therein.