February 2022: Black History Month
February was Black History Month and it is important to recognize anti-Black racism remains a reality in our society.
Memorial University took an important step forward last November when we signed the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion, the first national action plan to address anti-Black racism and foster Black inclusion in higher education in Canada. It reflects our shared recognition of the realities of anti-Black racism and provides a concrete path forward to address these and create a more inclusive future.
The Black Student Association organized a number of events to mark Black History Month and have posted a number of thought provoking videos.
I am attending one of their events in early March and am looking forwarding to meeting and listening to members. I am grateful for their leadership and I’m mindful of the work that we all need to do to advance institutional goals on equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism.
In November, under the leadership of Dr. Delores Mullings, our vice-provost (equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism), we put out a call inviting students, staff, faculty and alumni to consider participating as members of our EDI-AR strategic planning team. This group will help shape our first EDI-AR strategy. Consultations will be a part of this process and I encourage as many people to participate as possible.
Memorial University is home to more than 19,000 students from over 115 countries, and so we serve a diverse student population. Our strategic plan references our organizational culture as being one that embodies inclusion and equity. We have work to do and I’m appreciative of the work that we’ve started.