Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Week 2024

A resource listing to provide our diverse UCalgary and local Calgary community with a comprehensive list of resources for well-being and quality of life.

Created and managed by the Campus Mental Health Strategy team, this resource matrix was guided by the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with feedback and direction from the EDI Network.

This session is presented by the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre (ACLRC).

Understanding Truth and Reconciliation" explains the basic concepts of Truth and Reconciliation from the arrival of colonial settlers to today's efforts to make amends for human rights injustices against Canada's Indigenous people. The purpose of the video is to educate and inform Canadians about Truth and Reconciliation and explore ways to create a better future for Canada's Indigenous people.

Monday, March 4, 2024
12 - 1 p.m. MT
 

This event is cancelled due to measures beyond our control.  Thank you for understanding.

A Blackfoot social worker’s lived experience with pan-indigenism in social work practice

This session is presented by Kiipitakyoyis, Faculty of Social Work.

Shawn Singer is Blackfoot from the Kanai Nation, BSW, MEd, with a long career in social work on and off reserve. He holds the EDI portfolio as an Indigenous Relations Consultant at the Indigenous Relations Office, City of Calgary.  Kiipitakyoyis at the Faculty of Social Work has invited Shawn to speak about pan-indigenism in the practice of social work. The 1.5-hour event will take place at the Kiipitakyoyis Lodge, where Shawn will sit in a circle with 30 social work students and faculty members, share his lived experience with pan-indigenism in social work practice and have a conversation with attendees about the challenges and assumptions made about Indigenous people. 

This hybrid event will include a webinar format, allowing students and faculty members from the Faculty of Social Work Edmonton and Lethbridge campuses to participate through a screen assembled at the Kiipitakyoyis Lodge. There will be registration for in-person attendance at the Calgary campus and online attendance at the Edmonton and Lethbridge campuses. Given that many social work graduates will likely work with Indigenous people due to the social problems caused by the legacy of colonization in Indigenous communities, it will be important for students to learn about the diversity of Indigenous people so that they don’t continue pan-indigenism in their social work practice. 

This session is open to anyone in the university community. 

Monday, March 4, 2024
1 - 2.30 p.m. MT
Hybrid - 3rd floor MacKimmie Tower, UCalgary Campus (Kiipitakyoyis)

This session is co-presented and co-facilitated by Research Services Office staff members from the External Grants Team and the Institutional Programs Division.

Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility are increasingly recognized as central to research excellence. Each of the tri-council funding agencies now requires researchers to present EDI action plans for some – if not all – funding opportunities. Careful consideration of each concept can augment the sophistication of research design, inform elevated practices in mentorship and governance, and contribute to institutional and broader efforts to increase the representation and advancement of members of equity-deserving groups in the research ecosystem. This session is a compact primer, providing researchers from all disciplines and career stages with research and practice-informed tips to approach the design, implementation, and articulation of EDI actions in the context of research funding.

Learning Outcomes

Participants in this session will gain:

1. An understanding of how EDI is tied to research excellence
2. Initial and essential learning required to develop an authentic, high-impact EDI plan in their own research program/team
3. Skills to address EDI-related requirements and avoid common issues in tri-council funding applications.
    

Monday, March 4, 2024
1.30 - 3 p.m. MT
Virtual

Presented by the Cumming School of Medicine; Office of Faculty Development and Performance 

As members of the CSM community, we should all be aware of implicit biases, especially as they pertain to our context(s) or role(s) here at the school and how it affects our work and learning: how to recognize implicit bias, reflect on your own biases, and identify strategies to mitigate bias.

At the end of this workshop, participants will have learned to:

1. Describe types of implicit bias and their impact
2. Identify personal implicit biases
3. Develop strategies to mitigate implicit biases

Monday, March 4, 2024
1 - 3 p.m. MT
Virtual

This session is presented by the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning  

Assessments are a critical component of the students’ learning experience but rarely looked at through a lens of EDI. There is clear research that show that test formats and restrictions impact marginalized and underrepresented student groups resulting in lower academic performance (Tai et al, 2022).

In this workshop, participants will be challenged to consider the ability biases associated with exam and test designs. They will consider how exam designs may negatively impact students based on gender, race, country of origin, mental health, or disability.  UDL-inspired exam practices will be presented as well as alternative assessment practices.

Monday, March 4, 2024
2 - 3 p.m. MT
Virtual

This session will be supported by the Q Centre. 

Join us for an information session on navigating your queer identity/creating safe spaces as an ally while travelling and studying abroad! This session will take a look at safety and resources abroad, allyship and creating queer-friendly spaces, navigating mental health as a queer person abroad, intersectionality, and UCalgary resources. 

Monday, March 4, 2024 
3 - 4 p.m. MT 
In-person - The location will be updated shortly

​This is part of the Neurodiversity Immersive Campus Experience (NICE), Student Success Centre. A Quality Money project brought to you by your Students’ Union. 

Join Faith, a NICE Student Mentor, who will provide a Neurodivergent student perspective for faculty & staff. This online session is 75 minutes and will provide an overview of what sensory processing means and provide examples of students’ sensory experiences, alongside suggestions for how to create a sensory-friendly environment!

Monday, March 4, 2024
3 - 4.15 p.m. MT
Virtual

This session is presented by the Business Pride Club (BPC) and the Haskayne School of Business.

The Business Pride Club (BPC), in collaboration with the Haskayne School of Business, is hosting an EDI panel discussion in celebration of EDI week at the University of Calgary. Join us and our panelists as we discuss topics surrounding navigating your queer (or 2SLGBTQA+) identity in the workplace, how workplaces can implement/improve EDI programs from a 2SLGBTQA+ lens, and the future of EDI in the corporate world!

Pizza will be provided during the event.

March 4th, 2024
4 - 5:30 p.m. MT
In-person - The Forum, 3rd floor Scurfield Hall, University of Calgary

Presented by the Institutes for Transdisciplinary Scholarship.

Learn about the value of EDI principles and practices in transdisciplinary scholarship. Discover how to engage minority experiences and promote inclusive experiences in transdisciplinary scholarship to cooperatively acquire and produce new knowledge and build community relationships. ​

Kick off your morning with UCalgary scholars working with EDI and transdisciplinary scholarship. Dr Pallavi Banerjee (Professor of Sociology), Dr. Yahya El-Lahib (Professor of Social Work), and Dr. Laleh Behjat (NSERC Prairie Chair for WISE) will discuss how to integrate diverse perspectives and foster inclusive environments in transdisciplinary scholarship activities. You will also have the opportunity to participate in an online Q & A session with the Institutes for Transdisciplinary Scholarship. 

​Topics covered in this webinar include: ​

• Ways to bring all voices and perspectives to the table
• How to integrate EDI practices to help build strong community relationships 
• ​UCalgary’s dedication to engaging underrepresented groups, alumni, local organizations, students, and other partners in transdisciplinary scholarship ​

We are excited to have you join us to delve into the essence of EDI practice and its transformative potential in fostering equitable and inclusive relationships in transdisciplinary scholarship.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
9 - 10.30 a.m. MT
Virtual

This session is presented by the Knowledge Engagement team in the Research Services Office.

Assessments shape research careers, institutional decisions, and academic cultures. How and what we assess makes a difference. The Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) is a global initiative to encourage the development and promotion of best practices in the evaluation of researchers and the outputs of scholarly research. The University of Calgary signed DORA in January 2021, joining thousands of institutions and individuals globally. Major Canadian funders such as NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, Canadian Foundation for Innovation and Genome Canada have also signed DORA.

This session will introduce the limitations of traditional research assessment practices, DORA’s recommendations on research assessment, and steps the University of Calgary and others are taking toward more responsible, balanced, and transparent assessment practices.

Speakers:

• Stephanie Warner (she/her), Manager, Knowledge Engagement
• Fei Shu (he/him), Consultant, Research Assessment
• Rachel Ratz Lubashevsky (she/her), Specialist, Research Assessment

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
9.30 - 10.30 a.m. MT
Virtual
 

Presented by the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

This session explores Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility through a 3-tier—Macro, Meso, and Micro—dynamic and critically oriented framework for higher education. The 3M framework offers concrete actions and resources at each level, building upon a research-informed, situated, relational, and community-oriented approach to EDIA. 

Participants will gain insights into developing critical self-reflexivity and community partnerships when engaging in curricular and pedagogical practices, articulating EDIA as an ethically grounded co-intentional endeavour. By exploring the Macro, Meso, and Micro levels of the EDIA Roadmap, participants and educators may embed equitable and inclusive practices and also identify and reduce inequity gaps within their fields and institutional culture. 

The session encourages participants to join in the ongoing creative and courageous work of fostering social justice through transformative partnerships in teaching and learning. Learning Outcomes: (1) Gain an understanding of program development from an EDIA lens (2) Explore advancing EDIA using the 3M framework (3) Engage in critical reflection.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
10.30 - 11.45 a.m. MT
Virtual

Black in this City Series – Investigating Black Resilience Through a Transdisciplinary Lens is presented in partnership with the UCalgary Alumni, the Black Alumni Network and presented by Innovate Calgary | Social Innovation Hub, UCalgary.

Join us at the Social Innovation Hub to deep dive into Fostering Systems Change with Irvine Carvery & Liza Arnason. Together, we’ll delve into the journeys of Irvine Carvery, President of the Africville Genealogy Society, and Liza Arnason, CEO of Arnason Consulting.

In partnership with the UCalgary Alumni and the Black Alumni Network, and moderated by Jerome Morgan, Associate Director of the Social Innovation Hub, the discussion will focus on their impactful contributions to systems innovation. Irvine’s role in reclaiming Africville’s land and Liza’s dedication to equity in education and disability promise an enlightening conversation.

Gain insights into community-driven innovation from these distinguished speakers.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
11 - 1.30 p.m. MT
Social Innovation Hub - Unit #290, 3553 31 St NW Calgary, AB T2L 2K7

This session is presented and facilitated by Keeta Gladue, Manager, Indigenous Research Support Team | Research Services

Join us for a captivating journey into the heart of Indigenous 101: Past, Present, and Indigenous Futurism, an event tailored for adult learners seeking a more profound understanding of Indigenous and Canadian history. Delve into the intricate tapestry of relationships between Indigenous and Canadian peoples, unravel the threads that weave through the land we inhabit, and explore essential considerations when engaging with Indigenous Peoples and communities.

We invite you to re-examine the narratives that shape our perceptions of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Where do these stories originate, and what enduring impact do they have on the way we perceive the world around us Through a dynamic blend of historical context, contemporary challenges, and a visionary gaze into Indigenous Futurism, this event aims to foster a deeper connection with the rich tapestry of Indigenous cultures. Gain insights into the resilience of Indigenous communities, confront the complexities of historical intersections, and envision a future that embraces the diversity and strength inherent in Indigenous worldviews.

Whether you are a student, educator, or community member, this session promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking experience. Join us as we embark on a journey of learning, reflection, and dialogue, fostering a more inclusive and informed perspective on Indigenous-Canadian relations. Together, let's challenge assumptions, honour diverse perspectives, and contribute to the collective understanding of our shared history and future.
 
If you have ever wanted to learn more about Indigenous history, the relationships between Indigenous and Canadian peoples, more about the land we live on or considerations when working with Indigenous peoples on campus, this presentation is for you!

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
1 - 3 p.m. MT
Virtual

Presented by the Graduate Students' Association, UCalgary.

The 2024 Intersectionality Symposium is set to showcase three speaker panels aimed at raising awareness about underrepresented groups and bringing attention to less-discussed subjects on our UCalgary campus. Panel topics selected for the second Intersectionality Symposium include Sexual Violence, Mental Health Resources and Accessibility. 

Graduate attendees will be eligible to receive an EDI certificate through MyGradSkills. Additionally, all attendees stand a chance to receive door prizes. 

Coffee and snacks will be provided.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
1 - 5 p.m. MT
Hybrid - BI (Biological Science Building) 587

This session is presented by the Schulich School of Engineering.

This workshop will define the actions needed for systemic policy change, identify practical tools to advocate for and support more equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI) policies and provide participants with the opportunity to use these tools in an interactive group setting. Specifically, workshop participants will brainstorm, evaluate, and propose inclusive and equitable practices in organizational systems and culture to acknowledge and value unrecognized leaders and equitably distribute Invisible Work. 

This often-unvalued work, which includes tasks such as scheduling meetings, taking meeting notes, onboarding new team members, document organization, and report writing, is critical to an organization’s function and its capacity to develop and retain technical talent. Thus, recognition and more equitable distribution of this Invisible Work is essential to organizational performance and their retention of technical talent, particularly women, who often do a disproportionate amount of this work.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
2 - 3 p.m. MT
ENG 207

Dealing with the persistent pollution of systemic racial bias that hampers us on the road to sustainable development

This session is presented by the Haskayne School of Business.

The impact of climate change and the natural disasters and destruction of resources that come with it are well documented. In recent times, societies have begun to appreciate just how much such degradations impact not only valuable ecosystems but the economic livelihood of many nations and cities in the medium and long term. One dimension that is often overlooked is the impact of systemic inequalities, which often lead to exacerbation of the devastation to these groups when the destruction comes. The prejudice that comes with anti-black racism looms large at the foundation of many of the decisions made at personal, institutional and international levels. This discrimination leads to even more marked injustices to racially marginalized groups, and that, when carried forward, has a profound impact on societies overall, which need the contribution and full participation of people of all ethnic groups if the ‘inclusion’ goal of sustainability is to be achieved. 

As important in the goal of sustainability and addressing climate change issues is innovation. It is clear that older, more traditional systems of resource extraction and energy production will be inadequate for the types of radical changes needed to reduce carbon emissions to the extent that is needed. In our economic system, entrepreneurship fosters innovation in areas such as renewable energy development.

When racial bias becomes embedded in businesses that are geared towards climate change, it restricts the level of innovation that can be achieved through both technology and organizational structures, as racialized communities become systematically under-represented in the entrepreneurial community. 

In this presentation, we look at racial bias at all levels and how it can feed into a system of injustice at the levels of the economy and the environment and explore how addressing these prejudices at all the stages identified can lead to significant and impactful change in all aspects of global sustainability.

Anti-racism is not only a moral imperative but a critical part of our survival as a species. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
2 - 3.30 p.m. MT
In-person - Circle for Dialogue, Mathison Hall (3rd Floor)

This session is presented by the Faculty of Nursing.

Join Alumni Nursing undergraduate students Brendan Verbeek, Jessie Elliott and Amylea Palmer for this virtual presentation based on undergraduate coursework.  Join for an insightful workshop delving into the unique experiences of pregnant transgender males within hospital settings. With a comprehensive overview that spans the historical contexts of LGBTQ2S+ communities in healthcare, we'll explore the evolution of gender-affirming care within the healthcare system.

From past struggles to current challenges and promising developments, this presentation offers a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding transgender individuals' healthcare journeys. Gain valuable insights, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and explore pathways toward more inclusive and supportive healthcare practices.

Don't miss this opportunity to broaden your perspective and contribute to creating a more affirming healthcare environment for all.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024 
4-5 p.m. MT 
Virtual

This session is hosted by Diversity in Sustainability, Office of Sustainability 

Join us for a thought-provoking event hosted by Diversity in Sustainability, where we explore the vital intersection of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the sector of sustainability. Our mission is to foster a more inclusive and equitable future for the sustainability field, and we will discuss resources to help students and higher education professionals achieve this goal.

Attendees can expect to learn more about our demographics survey, hear takeaways from our Inclusion Blueprint Dialogues sessions centred on youth and higher education, and will have the opportunity to ask questions!

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
4.30 - 6 p.m. MT
Sustainability Hive - MacKimmie Tower, MT 116

This program was developed by the Office of Faculty Development and Performance (OFDP), Cumming School of Medicine and co-developed with the Office of Professionalism, Equity, and Diversity Office, Cumming School of Medicine and was planned to achieve scientific integrity, objectivity and balance.

For EDI champions looking to introduce EDI learning to their departments, divisions, and units. This virtual course prepares you to run your own short but longitudinal EDI Moments program for colleagues. 

Facilitators will learn to:

1. Develop foundational literacy for EDI topics.
2. Describe the components of an EDI Moment.
3. Lead discussions about EDI among a group of physicians with varying expertise in EDI.
4. Anticipate and address opposition or conflict related to EDI during discussion.
5. Identify strategies to mitigate personal trauma or discomfort that arises. 

Participants will be asked to develop and undertake a self-directed learning project to develop their foundational literacy in EDI topics. Other asynchronous training pieces will be required to prepare to run the EDI Moments program. We can provide suggested resources, but participants may adapt this list based on their own interests and skills. 

Facilitators; 

• Dr. Kannin Osei-Tutu, Senior Associate Dean, Health Equity and Systems Transformation
• Dr. Shannon Ruzycki, Assistant Professor, Cumming School of Medicine 

Wednesday, March 6, 2024
9 - 12 p.m. MT
Virtual

Join us for a "Listen and Learn" brainstorming session around EDIA topics at the Schulich School of Engineering, then stay for lunch as we stream the EDI Awards Ceremony!

Awards will be livestreamed from ENG 207, and lunch will be provided.

This session is presented by International Student Services.

Are you interested in learning more about the relationship between culture and mental health? Join International Student Services and panellists from the UCalgary community for a discussion on the connection between culture, cultural identity, and experiences with mental health. This event will include a live Q&A session with the panellists. 

Registrants may pre-submit questions to the panellists using the form in the confirmation email. 

Wednesday, March 6. 2024 
12 - 1.30 p.m. MT 
In-person - Gallery Hall, TFDL

This session is presented by the Faculty of Nursing. 

Theatre of the oppressed: An anti-racist participatory session. Join us to learn about the Theatre of Oppressed (TO), our TO practice in the nursing faculty, and participate in an abridged workshop. 

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 
2 - 4 p.m. MT
In-person - Nursing Faculty PF2285

This session is presented by the Faculty of Social Work.

It can be very difficult to be a young Muslim in Canada today. Societal perceptions, inflamed by damaging media portrayals and conflation of religion with sociopolitical events, have cast long shadows over young Muslim’s lives amid a surging tide of Islamophobia.

In this compelling webinar, UCalgary social work professor Dr. Aamir Jamal and two young Canadian Muslims invite you on an enlightening journey into the hearts and minds of young Muslims to explore what it means to be a young Muslim in Canada.

The online presentation and discussion will reflect on the findings from the 2023 nationwide study by Dr. Jamal’s team outlining the intricate dance Canadian Muslim youth face in forging hybrid identities. Anchored by religious and spiritual identity, they seek inclusion and belonging in a world marred by anti-Muslim racism and buffeted by media-fueled stereotypes.

This special presentation elevates the voices of Canadian Muslim youth and provides a beacon of hope rooted in actions that policymakers, practitioners, communities, and, ultimately, all of us can take to support Muslim youth. This presentation acts as a first step to ultimately chart a course toward a more just, equitable and peaceful society.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024
7 p.m. MT
Virtual

This session is presented and facilitated by Keeta Gladue, Manager, Indigenous Research Support Team | Research Services

Join us as we dive deep into the intersection of personal struggles and societal challenges. "It's Not Just You: Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, and Racial Gaslighting from a BIPOC Perspective," is where we unravel the layers of perfectionism and imposter syndrome, questioning their roots and understanding how they shape our dreams and aspirations, limit our success, and affect us intersectionally. In this crucial conversation, we'll dissect the ways in which challenges like racism and ableism intertwine with perfectionism and imposter syndrome, shaping our paths in unexpected ways.

It's not just a discussion; it's an opportunity to foster understanding, resilience, and solidarity with and within the BIPoC community. We confront these issues head-on, forging connections and insights that will empower you on your journey. Let's talk perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and gaslighting – because your narrative deserves to be heard, and you are not alone.

Thursday, March 7, 2024
10.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. MT
In person (location to be updated soon)

Presented by the Precision Equity and Social Justice Office, Cumming School of Medicine

Afraid that you might have unintentionally said the wrong thing?
And then you..Offended someone? Caused harm? Don't know why it matters? Got called out for it? Became afraid to say something wrong again?

If you’ve been in this situation, this workshop is for you!  Open to all staff, faculty, and learners.

In this session, we will understand how language shapes our individual and collective experiences, perspectives, and thinking. We will explore the power of words and learn skills that you can use to cultivate an improved sense of inclusion through language.

Learning objectives:

• Understand how language shapes our thinking, culture, and perspectives
• Define inclusive language
• Identify at least three ways to cultivate and demonstrate inclusive language into your interactions

Thursday, March 7, 2024
12 - 1 p.m. MT
Virtual

This session is presented by Faculty of Law.

Panelists include:  

Cori Ghitter, KC, Deputy Executive Director and Director, Policy and Education, Law Society of Alberta
Cori will discuss the role of the Law Society of Alberta in setting standards for the inclusion of an EDI lens in education and practice.  This will include highlighting efforts to gather data on harassment and discrimination in the legal profession as well as a discussion of Law Society of Alberta initiatives to address EDI issues through education and other programs.

Stephanie Chipeur, Azrieli Accelerator Professorship in Law & Disability Policy, Assistant Professor, UCalgary Law 
Stephanie will speak about law schools and disability - both the importance of including students with disabilities in law schools across Canada and the importance of disability in the curriculum. If we address the privilege of ableism in legal education, we can make a start at ensuring the legal profession represents the diversity of Canadian society.

Alissar Laham, second-year student, VP, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Society of Law Students 
Alissar’s talk will focus on EDI through an intersectional lens, with a strong emphasis on invisible disability, both in law school and in practice. Alissar will discuss the need for destigmatization, respect for the experiences of others, and radical empathy as it will help the law progress and evolve in a way that will thrive in our multicultural society.

A light lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thursday, March 7, 2024 
12 - 2 p.m. MT
In-person - Bennett Jones Lecture Theatre Murray Fraser Hall 3330

This session is presented by the Schulich School of Engineering.

In this presentation, participants will learn how the intersectionality of women in STEM and working parents is critical to maintaining a healthy STEM professional pipeline. The STEM Moms Project, a year-long focus group on this novel topic, examined how motherhood contributes to the loss of mid-career women in STEM. This loss has broad implications as research shows that more gender-diverse teams have more high-impact scientific discoveries, and organizations with more women in management and leadership roles yield greater productivity and more successful business performance. 

The STEM Moms Project recommends the following actions: 

1. Increased Support Programs Specific for STEM Mothers;
2. Solutions for Allyship, Advocacy & Action, which include Safe Environment, Leadership, and Mentorship supports, and Workplace Guidelines;
3. Transformational Changes for Society, including continuous career assessment and work-life integration and increased focus on unrecognized leaders and dual career families. 

Establishing Canadian policies that promote the retention of STEM mothers, and, by extension, women in STEM and working parents and advance transformational systemic change to achieve gender equity could significantly increase the impact of Canadian STEM research, innovation and business on a global scale. 

Thursday. March 7, 2024
2 - 3 p.m. MT
ENG 207

Presented by the Women's Resource Centre and Nickel Galleries.

What can collections tell us about the lives of women? About how they lived? Their priorities and choices? Nickle Galleries has a rich collection of historic carpets and textiles from Asia, specifically West and Central Asia. A careful study of this material suggests how the makers (typically women) exploited local resources to care for families to instill beauty and identity while negotiating change. From war and colonization to the introduction of new markets and technologies, the textiles of Asia can be viewed as ongoing attempts by women to navigate the future. 

Nickle Galleries curator Michele Hardy will lead this intimate, behind-the-scenes tour of the textile vault, sharing evocative textiles from the collection. Hardy is a curator, anthropologist and textile specialist who has worked with the collection for almost two decades. 

Her current exhibition, Kyrgyz Textiles: Introducing the John L. Sommer Collection, is on view at Nickle Galleries.

Thursday, March 7, 2024
2 - 3 p.m. MT
Nickle Galleries (TFDL 100)

This session is presented by the Werklund School of Education, Werklund International Lecture, featuring Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, PhD.

The Dark Fantastic is an engaging and provocative exploration of race in popular youth and young adult speculative fiction. Grounded in her experiences as YA novelist, fanfiction writer, and scholar of education, Thomas traces the journeys of four black girl protagonists from some of the most popular stories of the early 21st century: Bonnie Bennett from the CW’s The Vampire Diaries, Rue from Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, Gwen from the BBC’s Merlin, and Angelina Johnson from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Analyzing their narratives and audience reactions to them reveals how these characters mirror the violence against minoritized peoples in our own world.

In response, Thomas uncovers and builds upon a tradition of fantasy and radical imagination in Black feminism and Afrofuturism to reveal new possibilities. Through fanfiction and other modes of counter-storytelling, young people all over the world have reinvisioned fantastic worlds that reflect their own experiences, their own lives. In doing so, they have closed the imagination gap, reading and writing themselves into existence -- and changing the entire world so that the most powerful people in the world have taken note. The implications for schools, societies, and the future could not be more profound.

Thursday, March 7, 2024
7 - 9 p.m. MT
 

Due to events beyond our control, this event will be postponed.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thomas, Ebony Elizabeth 
NYU Press, 2019

The Canadian History of Sleeping Car Porters has been amplified recently, including as the subject of the Giller-Prize winning novel The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr. Yet the local history of Porters in Calgary and across the prairies, and the links between their unionization efforts and the development of anti-discrimination organizations in Alberta is not widely known. Join us at The GRAND on March 7, 2024 for an evening of memory and music to celebrate Alberta porters within local, national, and international history.

A pre-event reception will take place in The GRAND Lobby at 6:30pm. The evening will feature presentations by Cheryl Foggo, Saje Mathieu, and Suzette Mayr. There will be musical performances by Miranda Martini and Dallas Hayes-Sparks, and a special guest appearance from Judy Williams Graham, a porter descendant.

This event is sponsored by the Calgary District Labour Council, the Canadian Committee on Labour History, Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary, the Calgary Institute of the Humanities, and The GRAND.

This event is FREE to attend!

Thursday, March 7, 2024 
7.30 - 9.30 p.m. MT 
THE GRAND.
608 1 St SW, Calgary

Presented by the Calgary Centre of Sexuality and hosted by the Cumming School of Medicine, Precision Equity and Social Justice Office.

In this workshop, participants will learn about sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. Participants will discuss what gender-affirming care is and how to support patients who are transgender or gender diverse, including navigating elements of social, legal, and medical transitioning. 

Learn to recognize and support gender-affirming practices and gear, while understanding when to refer to specialists. By delving into topics such as the DSM and appropriate referral criteria, participants will leave equipped with the knowledge and sensitivity needed to offer informed care within diverse healthcare settings. 

Upon completing this workshop, participants will report increased:

• Knowledge of sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. 
• Awareness of gender-affirming practices for transgender individuals socially, legally, and medically. 
• Identify gender-affirming practices and gear, and recognize their significance in supporting transitioning individuals. 
• Determine appropriate circumstances for referral to specialists in gender transition healthcare, ensuring timely and effective care.

Friday, March 8, 2024
12.30 - 2 p.m. MT
Virtual