Diversity and Inclusion

The ��Ƶ is bringing together perspectives from across the tri-campus community to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD).

Established by the United Nations, IDERD is observed on March 21, the day that in 1960, police opened fire on a group of peaceful protesters in Sharpeville, South Africa, killing 69 people.

U of T recognizes IDERD annually as part of its ongoing commitment to eliminating racial discrimination and racism across the university while promoting a more inclusive learning and working environment.

Presented by the Institutional Equity Office and the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office in collaboration with the Rotman School of Management’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, this year’s event – Faith, Hope and Dialogue: Strengthening Anti-Racism Tools and Strategies for the Path Ahead – will be held in Rotman’s Desautels Hall and broadcast via livestream.

Nythalah Baker, director of U of T Mississauga’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, and Natasha Prashad, adviser in the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office, will emcee the proceedings, which are set to open with remarks from Jodie Glean-Mitchell, executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion in U of T’s Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture.

Glean-Mitchell is also scheduled to speak on a panel about the challenges and opportunities of navigating EDI work alongside Allison Burgess, director of U of T’s Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, Bharat Saini, director, equity, diversity and inclusion in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and Angela Treglia, executive director, sexual violence strategy, prevention and support at the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre. The discussion will be moderated by Alexie Tcheuyap, associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience.

Later, Cherilyn Scobie Edwards, senior director of U of T Scarborough’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, will moderate a discussion featuring the perspectives and reflections of Black women in leadership. Panellists include Catherine Chandler-Crichlow, dean of the School of Continuing Studies, Sharon Grandison, director of human resources in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Janelle Joseph, assistant professor of critical studies of race and Indigeneity at KPE, and Lesa Williams-George, director of equity, inclusion and transformative practices at Victoria College.

There will also be a panel on enhancing community strategies to address anti-Asian racism on campus moderated by Loretta Ho, program and faculty development consultant in the Division of the Vice-President and Vice-Provost. The panellists include Vikram Chadalawada, director, IT strategy, innovations and digital transformation at Student Life, Joyce Hahn, chief administrative officer in the Division of the Vice-President & Provost, David Kim, warden at Hart House, and Afsana Miah, vice-president, academics and student affairs in the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union at U of T Scarborough.

Art therapist and psychotherapist Phuong Nguyen will close out the proceedings with art-centred activities that centre hope, restoration and care.

With a focus on diversity and inclusion, U of T gears up for annual Giving Day event

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 20:15:30 +0000

With a focus on diversity and inclusion, U of T gears up for annual Giving Day event

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 03/11/2024 - 16:15

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(photo by Moussa Faddoul)

Advancement Staff

Topic

Our Community

Diversity and Inclusion

Alumni

Division of University Advancement

Faculty of Music

Subheadline

Inaugural 2023 event raised more than $1.2 million, including funds for new student scholarships and awards, infrastructure, student experience programs and research

Darren Hamilton, an assistant professor in the ��Ƶ’s Faculty of Music, is on a mission to ensure students from different backgrounds see themselves represented in the curriculum, teaching faculty and university community more broadly.

That’s among the reasons he founded the U of T Faculty of Music Gospel Choir.

The undergraduate credit course explores various forms of gospel music, teaching aural musicianship skills and performance practices – all while providing insights into an element of African American history and culture.

“Equity, diversity and inclusion have always been central to my work as a music educator and researcher,” says Hamilton, who recently completed a PhD in music education at U of T and spent more than 15 years as a music educator in secondary schools.

His work is part of a broader effort by the U of T community to foster a diverse and inclusive environment where students, staff, faculty and librarians of all backgrounds can thrive – including through such supports as the Black and Indigenous Musical Excellence Scholarship.

“[The university] has created space for myself and my colleagues to do [the] practical work required to embrace diversity and foster sustainable change for the future of music curricula,” Hamilton says.

Hamilton is one of several U of T community members who are acting as ambassadors for the university’s upcoming Giving Day event on March 26. First launched last year, the event encourages the global U of T community to come together to support over 90 funds for equity, diversity and inclusive excellence at university – with U of T matching donations made between Feb. 26 and March 26, up to $1,000, dollar-for-dollar, while matching funds last.

Last year’s inaugural event raised more than $1.2 million, including funds for new student scholarships and awards, infrastructure, student experience programs and research.

Other 2024 Giving Day ambassadors include: Andrew Wiebe, a queer Michif scholar, who is researching how to incorporate Indigenous and queer data into digital humanities projects ethically; Safiya Nur, vice-president of the U of T chapter of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance, who is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion; and Jemy Joseph, a physician, speaker and consultant who has advocated for equity, diversity and education.

Darren Hamilton, an assistant professor in U of T’s Faculty of Music, leads the gospel choir (photo by Mike Hwang)

Hamilton says creating pathways for more students to access higher education has a ripple effect throughout the community.

“By supporting funding initiatives that create opportunities for more racialized and marginalized students to become members of the university community, the community benefits from the cultural diversity, and students [can] maintain a sense of belonging while pursuing their academic endeavors.”

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Giving Day

Aspiring pharmacist hopes to use inclusive excellence award to share knowledge, build bridges

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:52:54 +0000

Aspiring pharmacist hopes to use inclusive excellence award to share knowledge, build bridges

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 01/15/2024 - 15:52

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U of T Scarborough student Ifedinma Agbatekwe is the inaugural winner of the Inclusive Excellence Award in Biological Sciences (all photos by Don Campbell)

Alexa Battler

Topic

Our Community

Department of Biological Sciences

Diversity and Inclusion

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

'Seeing someone who looks like you in the space you want to go in – sometimes that can be all the encouragement you need'

It was the height of the pandemic when Ifedinma Agbatekwe walked up to the owner of a Shopper’s Drug Mart and asked to work in the pharmacy.

Then 17 years old, Agbatekwe was trying to decide on a career path. She had been encouraged to explore three options if she wanted to be successful: doctor, lawyer or engineer. None were the right fit, but a career in health care did seem appealing, so Agbatekwe resolved to find her own way into the field.

She landed a co-op placement in the pharmacy and, as wave after wave of COVID-19 hit, worked her way up to overseeing all asymptomatic testing. It was chaotic, she says, and she loved every minute of it.

“I really saw the impact a pharmacist can have, and I thought, ‘This is something I can see myself doing for a long time.'"

Agbatekwe, who is now in her second year at the ��Ƶ Scarborough, where she's pursuing a double major in molecular biology, immunology and disease and psychology, is the inaugural winner of the Inclusive Excellence Award in Biological Sciences. Launched by U of T Scarborough’s department of biological sciences, the award includes a $1,000 cash prize, a year-long meal plan, a paid research opportunity and one-on-one mentorship.

Agbatekwe is being mentored by Professor Maydianne Andrade, a world-renowned evolutionary ecologist whose lab investigates mating habits of black widows. While she was willing to give spider research a try, Andrade helped her find a placement with a stronger connection to her goals – she’s now working in the immunology research lab of Professor Bebhinn Treanor, where she helps take care of the lab space, attends daily meetings and is learning fundamental lab techniques.

She has embraced the chance to learn from graduate students at the lab – they’ve recommended courses, discussed the pros and cons of graduate studies, recounted how they got into research and offered insights into their lived experiences as people of colour in academia.

Agbatekwe has brought that knowledge to bear on her work as a member of the campus’s Biology Students’ Association (BioSA) and the Bio Sci EDI Committee. She laughingly says she wants to “be like Oprah” for people of colour in science – someone who advocates, acts as a bridge for individuals and information, and widely distributes the tools needed to thrive.

“As Black individuals, one thing we lack is information about how to navigate our different options, because we don’t have a lot of people in this specific field,” she says. “If we know how to better navigate the spaces we’re in, we can succeed faster and we can succeed more.”

Ivana Stehlik, a professor in the department of biological sciences and chair of the EDI BioSci committee, says Black and Indigenous students have been underrepresented in the program due to systemic racism and limited access to financial resources and networking opportunities. “This award was made to remove barriers Black and Indigenous students face, and help them feel heard, worry a little less financially and to – very critically – benefit from networking with a research faculty as a member of their research lab,” Stehlik said.

Agbatekwe has contributed as a mentor herself. After immigrating to Oakville, Ont. from Nigeria at age 13, she spent her high school years volunteering with the Big Brother, Big Sister program, which had her support elementary school students with their academics and personal lives. She then joined the non-profit’s cultural mentorship program and worked specifically with Black students, before getting involved with the Imani Black Academic Mentorship Program at U of T Scarborough. Agbatekwe has since guided Black girls at a local high school, and became an assistant with the program.

“After George Floyd, I felt like I needed to focus more on Black students and helping them navigate the Black life, because it’s challenging,” she says. “Seeing someone who looks like you in the space you want to go in – sometimes that can be all the encouragement you need.”

Agbatekwe is now applying for the doctor of pharmacy program at U of T's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, though she has no plans set in stone — just an overarching goal.

“When I do leave U of T Scarborough, I want to be able to say I made an impact, and see my impact,” she says.

U of T marks National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 19:44:20 +0000

U of T marks National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 12/06/2023 - 14:44

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U of T students, faculty, staff, librarians and alumni marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women at a memorial led by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre

Diversity and Inclusion

Alumni

Equity

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Graduate Students

Hart House

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

‘We mourn, then we work for change’

The ��Ƶ community came together to honour the memories of the 14 women who were killed in the École Polytechnique massacre in 1989 and to acknowledge the ongoing struggle against gender-based violence.

In-person and online, students, faculty, staff, librarians and alumni across the three campuses marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with a memorial, led by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, that was held at Hart House on Wednesday – the 34th anniversary of the anti-feminist attack that claimed the lives of 14 women and left another 10 women and four men injured.

Students walked across the stage to say the name of each woman killed – Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte – followed by a moment of silence.

Separately, a group of women in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering prepared to unveil a student-led monument outside the Galbraith Building. The installation, led by Rebecca Ing, Kaija Mikes, Natalia Espinosa-Merlano and Erika Narimatsu with the support of more than a dozen volunteers, features 14 figures in a circle with a plaque that explains its meaning.

A student-led monument created by women in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering was unveiled on Wednesday evening (photo by Shawn Ahmed)

Ing said the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is of particular importance to her, as a woman in engineering.

“I see myself reflected in the women we are remembering, as I attend classes that they once learned from,” Ing said. “To remember them and the gender-based violence that took their lives is not an option: it is our responsibility as students to encourage action and awareness to improve inclusion.”

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow encouraged attendees to work for change (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Back at the Hart House event, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appealed to the U of T community to heed the call she recalled seeing on a sign during a Dec. 6, 1989 vigil outside of Emmanuel College: “We mourn, then we work for change.”

“Every one of you are change-makers and change leaders, because you’re here at the ��Ƶ,” Chow said. “You get the best education. You have the confidence – you have the skills – to know what needs to be done. So today, I urge you to make a commitment to put your passion and your intellect into it.”

Marisa Sterling, assistant dean and director, diversity, inclusion and professionalism in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, said women in engineering continue to face discrimination, violence and harassment (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Marisa Sterling, assistant dean and director, diversity, inclusion and professionalism in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, said that while positive change has been made in the decades since the tragedy, women in engineering continue to face gender-based violence and harassment, along with other forms of discrimination.

“Until violence against women has been eradicated, we will remember these 14 women and their families and bring awareness for the need for further actions every year,” Sterling said. “The eradication of gender-based violence and all forms of oppression is collective work.”

Author, performer and somatic sex educator Kai Cheng Thom delivered a keynote speech at the event (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

The event featured a keynote speech by author, performer and somatic sex educator Kai Cheng Thom – titled “Care, Healing, and Justice: Addressing Transmisogyny and Ending Gender-Based Violence for All” – and a musical performance.

Thom urged attendees to hold fast to the ideals of empathy and solidarity amid the rising threat of violence.

“The valley of fear threatens to swallow us whole, but the light of love moves within and between us – if only we let it," Thom said. “The moment we begin to act as though a better world is possible is the moment that starts to be true.”

Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students, announced this year’s winners of the Award for Scholarly Achievement in the Area of Gender-Based Violence, which recognizes U of T students for their exceptional commitment to issues of violence against women, girls, transgender and non-binary people.

Third-year student Gabrielle Tavazzani was recognized for her work providing pro-bono dental care to survivors of gender-based violence (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

The undergraduate recipient was Gabrielle Tavazzani, a third-year student specializing in bioethics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, who was recognized for her work and research efforts on providing pro-bono dental care to survivors of gender-based violence.

The graduate winner was Nil Basduraka, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Music. She was honoured for her interdisciplinary research examining media surrounding violence against women in Türkiye.

Faculty of Music PhD candidate Nil Basduraka was recognized for examining media surrounding violence against women in Türkiye (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Wednesday’s hybrid event at Hart House was co-hosted by the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office; the Community Safety Office; the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office at U of T Mississauga; the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office at U of T Scarborough; the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering; Hart House; the Division of People Strategy, Equity, & Culture; the Institutional Equity Office; the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office; and the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre.

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president, people strategy, equity and culture, underscored the importance of providing opportunities for the community to engage with issues of gender-based violence and how it intersects with prejudices including transphobia and misogyny.

“Ending gender-based violence is possible through widespread, consistent, and ongoing action,” Hannah-Moffat said in a statement. “We can realize this possibility at the ��Ƶ, one action at a time.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:04:13 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/29/2023 - 11:04

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Diversity and Inclusion

Subheadline

In a new season of the award-winning series, host Joseph Wong and guests take the conversation beyond the court as they discuss topics ranging from sustainability to inclusion

For Joseph Wong, basketball is more than a hobby or a passion – it’s a platform to foster meaningful conversations about community, sustainability, diversity and equity, and reconciliation.

As host of the award-winning series Joe's Basketball Diaries, Wong explores these and other themes with guests from inside and outside the ��Ƶ in a new season that begins today.

“The show puts front and centre a lot of key issues we’re grappling with as a society,” says Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“These are all big issues that are not exclusive to the world of sport or basketball, but it provides an opportunity for a discussion.”

Season Two begins by following up on a topic explored in the first season – community – and opens with a discussion about the Scarborough Shooting Stars, a local basketball team that won its first championship in the Canadian Elite Basketball League this past summer.

Sam Ibrahim, a business leader, philanthropist and co-founder of the Stars, says during the episode that it was important to name the team after Scarborough to keep its roots authentic.

“Scarborough is not a city anymore, it’s more of a historical region,” says Ibrahim, who is a major supporter of U of T Scarborough. “For us to preserve Scarborough and what it means to us – it was important regardless of what it meant to the Greater Toronto Area.”

Will Lou, writer and co-host of the Raptors Show podcast, adds that locals understand the social and cultural of importance of Scarborough.

“People always make jokes, but at the end of the day a lot of Toronto’s culture comes from Scarborough,” he says.

Aleer Leek, a player on the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team who grew up in Scarborough, says he saw first-hand how excited the community was about local sporting events, while Fabienne Blizzard, co-founder of the Capital Courts Academy and the Cadette National Team coach, speaks about how sports brought her community together growing up.

Airing biweekly on U of T’s YouTube channel, future episodes of Joe’s Basketball Diaries will delve into the intersection of sports and reconciliation, the significance of sustainability in sports and the complexities that surround transgender athletes. For instance, while much of the mainstream debate on issues of transgender inclusion and sport focuses on elite athletes, Wong says the show is deliberately steering the conversation towards the underlying issues – from the science of sports performance to the sociology of gender and the need for inclusion.

On the topic of sustainability, Wong notes that few sports fans stop to consider the volume of greenhouse gases that are emitted when tens of thousands of people travel to a stadium to watch a big game.

“Sports attract a lot of people – and all the work that goes into putting on a sporting event comes with a carbon price,” he says.

Wong says he puts a lot of thought into his hosting the series, often reading hundreds of pages in preparation for an episode, in an effort to go “beyond the headlines.”

Even so, the series’ success – the first season received more than 1.3 million views on YouTube and won several awards – has surprised Wong. “It’s talked about in the extended Toronto community,” he says.

Guests of the show have included three-time Olympian Miranda Ayim and former Toronto Raptors basketball coach Nick Nurse. In addition, the MLSE Foundation, NBA Canada, Sinai Health Foundation, Raptors for Research, and Canada Basketball have all shared interests in connecting with U of T and potentially engaging in future partnerships, Wong says.

He adds that he’s confident viewers will find the second season of Joe’s Basketball Diaries as compelling as the first – and encourages new viewers to explore older episodes.

“They’re timely, but they’re also timeless.”

U of T researcher explores reparations for forgotten victims of Uganda’s war

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:08:38 +0000

U of T researcher explores reparations for forgotten victims of Uganda’s war

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 10/31/2023 - 10:08

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Ketty Anyeko’s research is focused on children born of wartime sexual violence in northern Uganda (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Diversity and Inclusion

Black

Cheryl Regehr

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Indigenous

Research & Innovation

Subheadline

Ketty Anyeko is undertaking her research with the support of U of T’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Ketty Anyeko experienced first-hand the turmoil of the war in northern Uganda between the government and Lord’s Resistance Army rebels – and is now dedicating her scholarly efforts to supporting post-conflict resolution and pursuing justice for victims.

A postdoctoral researcher at the ��Ƶ, Anyeko is examining how children born of wartime sexual violence view the legal prosecutions of their fathers – often former rebel commanders – for sexual- and gender-based crimes.

These children, now in their late teens and early 20s, often face stigma and blame for the conflict.

“They're rejected, they struggle to make ends meet,” says Anyeko, who was born and raised in northern Uganda and adds that she feels a personal connection to her research work.

“I want to contribute knowledge about this specific category of victims who are often overlooked when it comes to post-conflict justice and reparation programs.”

Anyeko’s research is supported by U of T’s Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program, which provides funding to hire postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented groups – specifically Black and Indigenous researchers. The program – introduced in 2018 – helps researchers grow their scholarly profiles, undertake critical academic work and strengthen the research environment at the university by bringing diverse perspectives.

Every year, seven Black or Indigenous researchers are selected for the two-year fellowship.

Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, says the program helps U of T attract top researchers and scholars across a wide range of fields.

“This program is one of the many ways in which the ��Ƶ is supporting underrepresented researchers – in particular, Black and Indigenous researchers – across the three campuses so that they can grow their careers and focus on their important work,” Regehr says. “It also underscores the university’s longstanding recognition that diversity and representation are core elements of world-class scholarship, research and teaching.”

In Anyeko’s case, she began her fellowship at U of T in January 2023 under the guidance of supervisor Kamari Clarke, a distinguished professor of transnational justice and sociolegal studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Having previously researched the experiences of women who survived wartime sexual violence and forced marriages, Anyeko is now turning her attention to the children born out of forced pregnancies. That includes a focus on the role of former rebel commander Dominic Ongwen, who, in 2021, was found guilty by the International Criminal Court of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity that were committed in northern Uganda between 2002 and 2005.

Anyeko says her work has helped her forge a bond with women in her hometown.

“They trust me. They call me their sister,” she says. “In some of the storytelling sessions, they tell me things they have never told anyone.

“It’s a privilege to have that trust within the community.”

To date, a total of 36 researchers have been admitted to the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program – more than 80 per cent of whom had not previously held a postdoctoral research position.

Many have gone on to work in faculty positions at U of T and at institutions across North America.

Nadège Compaoré (supplied image)

They include Nadège Compaoré, who is now an assistant professor in the political science department at U of T Mississauga. A provost’s postdoctoral fellow in 2019, Compaoré’s work focuses on international relations, African politics, global resource and environmental politics, as well as gender and race in global politics.

She says the fellowship provided her with an opportunity to strengthen her research portfolio, receive mentorship and develop an academic network in Canada and beyond. She also had the opportunity to travel and present her work at various conferences in North America, Africa and Europe.

“When I talk about the time and resources offered through the fellowship, I don’t just mean the time actually spent diving into various scholarship, reading and writing – which is key of course,” she says. “But I also mean the time and funding to really test out important aspects of my work and bounce ideas off folks that I wouldn’t necessarily have come across otherwise.”

Compaoré says the program helped her frame her first book project – which focuses on natural resources and African sovereignty claims – and has given her the freedom to develop a second major research project on the links between pan-Africanism, Black female internationalism and American foreign policy.

“I am thankful for the people, spaces, networks and opportunities that have nurtured my time as a fellow, and which continue to be part of my growth as an academic.”

Joshua Barker, vice-provost, graduate research and education and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, says the contributions made by current and former Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship researchers, including Compaoré, are invaluable.

“We are dedicated to the ongoing success and expansion of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program, which has contributed to a more inclusive and innovative research environment at the university,” he says.

As for Anyeko, she plans to collaborate with two-community based organizations to organise consultative workshops with northern Ugandan children who were born of sexual violence during the war – ultimately translating her research into policy recommendations for the programs and initiatives meant to support them.

Twin activists and filmmakers – soon to be U of T grads – champion education for girls

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 30 May 2023 17:07:53 +0000

Twin activists and filmmakers – soon to be U of T grads – champion education for girls

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 05/30/2023 - 13:07

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Nivaal, left, and Maryam Rehman, right, speak at the U of T Sustainability Film Festival, which they organized (photo by Nicole In)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2023

Diversity and Inclusion

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

New College

Sustainability

Women and Gender Studies

Subheadline

Nivaal and Maryam Rehman founded a non-profit dedicated to gender equality, climate justice and inclusivity

Nivaal and Maryam Rehman were just eight years old when they began spreading awareness about the importance of education to girls in their home village near Lahore, Pakistan.

“We were speaking to them about their dreams and aspirations, and we found out that they were going to quit school when they reached Grade 5,” says Nivaal.

“That’s when our activism journey began.”

That journey included founding the MNR Foundation in 2016 – a non-profit dedicated to gender equality, climate justice and inclusivity through storytelling and advocacy – and conducting workshops on gender-based violence prevention and environmental stewardship and sustainability.

The twins have also worked with global advocacy organizations, interviewed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, and have directed and produced for Dream Big, Princess, a collaboration between Disney and the UN Girl Up Campaign.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maryam & Nivaal • Activism | Storytelling | Travel 🇵🇰🇨🇦 (@theworldwithmnr)

Now, the Rehmans are both set to graduate from the ��Ƶ – with the same degree: a double major in peace, conflict and justice and international relations and a minor in women and gender studies from the Faculty of Arts & Science.

After they cross the stage at Convocation Hall on June 15, with their parents in the crowd, the sisters will start preparing for a move to England, where they are both set to attend Oxford University for a master’s degree in historical studies.

“We came into university thinking we’d be done school after four years, but I want to continue learning,” says Maryam. “If anything, we’ve been taught is that there’s so much more to learn. So, it’s really encouraged us to keep going.”

They say their time at U of T has strengthened their knowledge of global issues and that their education has informed their advocacy work.

One course stood out.

“It was through critical equity and solidarity studies that we not only were able to critique what we were learning in our program, but also our own knowledge about the world,” says Nivaal.

They credit Assistant Professor Stanley Doyle Wood, who teaches critical studies in equity and solidarity at New College, for facilitating a supportive and fun learning environment.

“He’s super inspiring to us,” says Nivaal. “[The class] helped us enhance our activism so we weren’t reinforcing systems of oppression.”

Maryam, left, and Nivaal, right, run a workshop for school children in their home village in Pakistan (supplied)

Growing up, Maryam and Nivaal say their parents were honest with them about the problems they’d see in the world. When they’d ask about homelessness or poverty in their village, their parents wouldn’t try to hide what was going on.

“We were given the opportunity to learn about issues,” says Maryam. “Our parents encouraged us and said, ‘If girls’ education is something you’re concerned about, what are you going to do about it?’”

After moving to Canada at age five, the sisters would travel home regularly to see their extended family. On their first trip back, they learned about a school which had been built on land donated by their grandmother.

“There was a school for boys, but she wanted to have the same opportunities given to the girls there,” says Nivaal. “We were so inspired by her work and wanted to ensure that those girls continue their education.”

That’s when they discovered that girls in the village often quit school in fifth grade so they could work to support their families. In an effort to break the cycle, Maryam and Nivaal began to host workshops and seminars in their family home to inform the girls about the value of education. They worked alongside teachers to advocate waiving of school fees on behalf of families who could not afford to pay. They collected stationery and books to donate to the school.

Nivaal, left, and Maryam, right, speak about education access at the UN General Assembly (supplied)

“We were kids at the time, too, so we were just trying to find different ways to support [these girls],” says Nivaal. “Very simply, we wanted them to continue schooling beyond Grade 5.”

They say some of the girls they’ve helped have gone on to study in high school – and that the school’s teaching staff grew to four teachers, from one previously, as more students stayed on.

“We pushed for an understanding that [education] is what’s going to break the cycle of poverty,” Maryam says.

“It makes people aware about how they can make their personal circumstances better and how they can make things better for their communities.

“It’s a solution to so many other problems.”

Watch an interview with Nivaal and Maryam Rehman on CTV

Mindfest 2023: Psychiatrist Saadia Sediqzadah offers tips on how to find the right psychotherapist

siddiq22 — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 20:08:09 +0000

Mindfest 2023: Psychiatrist Saadia Sediqzadah offers tips on how to find the right psychotherapist

siddiq22 Wed, 04/26/2023 - 16:08

Cutline

Psychiatrist and lecturer Saadia Sediqzadah will speak at U of T's Mindfest mental health fair on May 5 about cultural competence in psychotherapy (supplied image)

Ben Gane

Topic

Our Community

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Unity Health

Diversity and Inclusion

In her work as a psychiatrist, Saadia Sediqzadah focuses on mental illness in youth and marginalized populations.

The daughter of Afghan refugees, Sediqzadah is a clinician-investigator at Unity Health Toronto and lecturer in the ��Ƶ's department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine who specializes in early psychosis intervention and supporting marginalized adolescents.

Her clinical practice is primarily outreach-oriented, providing psychiatric care to patients who are homeless, in the shelter system or in Toronto Community Housing. She is also the psychiatrist lead for the Starting Treatment Early in Psychosis Service (STEPS) program, which serves transitional-aged youth with psychotic illnesses, and she provides psychiatric care to youth shelters in Toronto via Inner City Health Associates.

Sediqzadah is one of several speakers scheduled for U of T’s Mindfest event – a community fair for conversations on mental health – on May 5 at Hart House. She will talk about finding a psychotherapist who is a good match in terms of clinical approach but also cultural competence and affordability.

In advance of Mindfest, Sediqzadah spoke with writer Ben Gane from U of T's department of psychiatry about how those considering therapy can find a psychotherapist who is the right fit.

Why is finding a therapist who is a good match important?

Studies have shown that the success of psychotherapy has more to do with the therapeutic relationship between you and your psychotherapist than the type of psychotherapy you pursue. That’s the key and compelling reason.

What should you consider before starting your search for a therapist?

Ask yourself what brings you to psychotherapy: Are you seeking help for specific mental health symptoms such as anxiety or depressed mood, or for a specific mental health diagnosis? Are you seeking help for a situation in your life or life event (e.g., school or work-related stress, relationship issues, death of a loved one)? Do you want to explore the past or process past traumas? Or are you simply looking for an empathic listener (as you are lacking that in your life)?

Once you know what your needs or goals are, how can you decide if a potential therapist is equipped to help with them?

If you are searching for a registered psychotherapist, social worker, or a psychologist, they will often have a website or an online profile in a registry that can give you a feel of who they are, the type of psychotherapy they offer, what they might specialize in and elements of their background or identity that might resonate with you.

What if the first therapist you meet isn’t a good match?

Sometimes finding a therapist you feel safe and comfortable with requires meeting with a few therapists till you find the right fit.

Many private psychotherapists offer a free or discounted introductory session where you can get to know each other – you can ask them questions and discuss logistics including prices, scheduling, and location. “Shopping around” is not so easy if you need a medical doctor like a psychiatrist, as waitlists can be long.

What is “cultural competence,” and what role does it play in finding a therapist who’s a good match for you?

Cultural competence starts with challenging the assumption that our own cultural values are normal and anything outside of them is “other.” It’s important for us to recognize and check that assumption before we try to become competent in another person’s culture.

I consider cultural competence to be an interest and willingness to learn about another person’s cultural practices and worldview. It is openness, curiosity and a genuine wish to understand another culture to be better equipped to help others.

Cultural competence may or may not be important to you as you begin your search for a therapist. It is important to remember that while things are changing, psychotherapy continues to be a predominantly white, cis-heteronormative space in Toronto and North America. If you are a member of cultural, ethnic, racial and/or sexual minority, it may be difficult to find a therapist of a similar background – if that is important to you.

Are there tools to help find a therapist psychotherapist who shares your cultural identity?

I recommend searching registries for psychotherapists who self-identify as such or indicate experience or an interest in working with populations that you identify with. In Canada, I highly recommend Healing in Colour, a nationwide registry of psychotherapists who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or other people of colour (BIPOC) who support BIPOC populations and any of their intersecting identities including LGBTQIA2S+ and religion.

What are some barriers to accessing effective psychotherapy in Ontario that people may encounter?

Cost is probably the top barrier to accessing psychotherapy. In Ontario most psychotherapy providers are private, and depending on the client’s situation, paid for by private medical insurance or out of pocket. Only those with a medical degree (psychiatrists and family doctors who provide psychotherapy) are covered by OHIP. Unfortunately, almost anything in health care that is covered by OHIP will have a waitlist.

There are psychotherapists from a variety of different backgrounds who work at certain allied health organizations or not-for-profits that offer free psychotherapy. You can check out a list here. Once again, these will have long waitlists and are mostly time-limited.

Any other advice for those looking for a psychotherapist?

I’m glad they're prioritizing your mental health and seeking help from a professional – everyone can benefit from psychotherapy.

Visitors attend the 2022 Mindfest fair at Hart House (photo by Felix Chan)

Have the Oscars encouraged more diverse hiring practices in film? A U of T researcher breaks down the data

siddiq22 — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 18:38:00 +0000

Have the Oscars encouraged more diverse hiring practices in film? A U of T researcher breaks down the data

siddiq22 Fri, 03/10/2023 - 13:38

Cutline

Actors Riz Ahmed, left, and Allison Williams announce the nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards, which will be presented on March 12 (photo by Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Topic

City & Culture

Diversity and Inclusion

Rotman School of Management

Outrage gripped the Academy Awards in 2015 when, for the second year in a row, only white actors were nominated in the best acting categories. The #OscarsSoWhite hashtag quickly took over social media as the public and celebrities alike demanded change.

In response, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – the voting body that determines the Oscar nominees and winners – committed to diversifying itself. Six years later, six actors – or roughly 30 per cent of the acting nominees in 2023 – identify as part of a racial minority.

“I think this is a very positive signal,” says Daphne Baldassari, a Ph.D candidate in strategic management in the ��Ƶ's Rotman School of Management and a research fellow at the Institute of Gender and the Economy.

She notes that in recent years, many industries have reckoned with racial discrimination and made efforts to diversify their workforces. But few have dealt with the issue as publicly as the film and television sector.

Following the 2015 backlash, the academy added 683 new members to its 5,700-plus voting body, 46 per cent of whom were women and 41 per cent of whom were from underrepresented racial groups. (The academy was previously 94 per cent white and 77 per cent male, according to the Los Angeles Times.)

The impact of this diversification goes beyond a more diverse nominee group, according to a chapter of Baldassari’s dissertation, “Oscars So White? Hiring Effects of an Evaluator’s Diversity Intervention.”

Many film companies seek the reputational bump from the academy, and after its membership changed to be more inclusive, studios looking to score an Oscar were more likely adjust their hiring practices to ensure more diverse representation, Baldassari found.

The 2022 hit film Everything Everywhere All at Once is nominated in 11 categories at this year's Oscars, including Best Picture (photo courtesy of A24 Films)

Working with Luminate Film & TV – the global entertainment data company formerly known as MRC Data and Nielsen Music – Baldassari analyzed the hiring data of 6,999 feature-length films released in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021. Overall, she examined more than 193,000 staffing choices in the industry.

She approached the research with three hypotheses. First, Baldassari posited that following the decision to create a more diverse judging committee for the Oscars, award-seeking companies would be more likely to do the same. Second, she believed that the positive hiring effect would be most prominent in visible roles – the top-billed or above-the-line positions such as producers, actors and directors. (These are in comparison to “below-the-line” roles, such cinematographers and costume designers.) And third, she surmised that people already affiliated with an award body – such as existing members and nominees – were most likely to see the benefits than those who were not.

Overall, her theories proved accurate. Following the academy's 2016 diversification efforts, there was an increase in racial diversity of the makeup of film crews – with some caveats. Across the board, women and racial minorities were about five per cent more likely to be hired to work on a film.

However, those in above-the-line roles saw their chance of getting hired increase by 3.3 percentage points, while those in below-the-line positions saw no statistical change to their chances of being hired.

“Change here is not necessarily driven by an intrinsic motivation of driving diversity,” Baldassari says. “Award-seeking films seek to appeal to the academy, so positive hiring effects stay in the most visible occupations.”

Women and racial minorities who had previously worked on award-seeking films saw a 1.6 per cent increase in the chance that they’d be re-hired, while those who had not worked on an award-seeking film saw no change.

Regardless of how small the changes were, they made a difference to what audiences see on screen and which movies get recognition.

“Recently we’ve been seeing new depictions of lots of people on screen, such as Asian Americans with movies like Minari and Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Baldassari says. “These movies are totally different from what we would have seen 20 years ago, and we’re moving away from the stereotypes.”

Baldassari believes her findings can be applied to other industries that have existing third-party evaluators or awards bodies. It is especially relevant for subjective work, she says, pointing to the culinary and literary sectors, which respectively have the James Beard Award and Pulitzer Prize to recognize their efforts.

As a first step, organizations should consider how their evaluation may sustain existing racial and gender inequalities, Baldassari suggests. Then, they should consider potential changes – such as diversifying evaluation bodies or adding new qualification requirements – and measure the impact.

“By changing the committees, you are opening up to more preferences and changing the standards – especially for companies that are driven by earning these awards.”

U of T alumna Tina Singh drew on her graduate studies to create helmet for Sikh kids

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:00:38 +0000

U of T alumna Tina Singh drew on her graduate studies to create helmet for Sikh kids

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 02/06/2023 - 12:00

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Frustrated by her inability to find a properly fitted helmet for her sons, U of T alumna Tina Singh drew on her background in occupational therapy to design one for Sikh children (photos courtesy of Tina Singh)

Tabassum Siddiqui

Topic

Our Community

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Diversity and Inclusion

Alumni

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Occupational Therapy

For years, occupational therapist Tina Singh felt frustrated when trying to find helmets that would fit her three active young sons – they wear a patka, or cloth head covering, that is smaller than a turban but still covers their long hair – as they began to ride bicycles and play team sports such as hockey.

“As an occupational therapist, of course it was important that my kids had to have a helmet,” Singh says. “But when I tried to put helmets on them and they didn’t fit, my husband and I tried to tie their hair a different way – we tried a bunch of things and still nothing quite fit right.

Tina Singh

“I wanted an option for Sikh kids and other children who needed a properly fitted helmet, and I decided that it was going to be a real goal to get it designed.”

A therapist whose work focused on patients with acquired brain injuries, Singh dove into the process of designing a proper helmet that includes a small domed section on the top to accommodate a child’s hair – and found herself thinking back to her master’s studies at the ��Ƶ.

Singh graduated in 2007 from the occupational science and occupational therapy program in what is now the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She says the program’s holistic, comprehensive approach made her realize she could use her skills in many different ways.

“I felt there was a lot of practical application in everything we were studying,” Singh says from her home in Brampton, Ont. “Occupational therapy is such a broad area and we got a little taste of everything in the program. I knew that I would always have the opportunity to do different things within the field, such as universal design, product development and business – all of which I ended up doing for my current project.”

Singh's unique helmet design

After having an engineer produce renderings of her design, Singh found a manufacturer to produce a prototype that could be tested. A few iterations later, the helmet – which is designed for kids aged five and up and can be used for skateboarding, kick-scootering or rollerblading – passed the required safety testing and is now available for preorders in Canada

Singh, who worked as a rehab coach during her undergraduate years, says she chose to do a master’s degree at U of T after deciding to become an occupational therapist.

“The program really felt like the ideal fit. It’s the foundational skills I still find useful to this day, such as looking at the whole person and how we look at everyday life. That way of thinking just sticks with you – and it doesn’t just apply to your work, but to everything around you,” she says.

The teachings and encouragement of one professor in particular has stayed with Singh many years after graduation.

“Andrea Duncan really helped guide me and it felt like I always had someone to look to when I needed advice on how to move forward. I feel like even if I saw her today, I could have those same open conversations with her about my career.”

Duncan, an assistant professor in the department of occupational science and occupational therapy, says she’s delighted to have made an impact on one of her former students – and to hear how Singh used her learnings in the program to innovate.

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A post shared by Tina Singh (@thetinasingh)

“Tina took my professional practice course, which is dedicated to developing systems thinking and business skills for occupational therapy students. Tina definitely stood out amongst her peers, and I am not surprised that she has gone on to become an ‘OTpreneur,’” Duncan says. “We are very proud of her and all her endeavours.”

Singh’s helmet design has attracted attention from media all around the world, including in some of India’s top publications – which has been gratifying but also challenging.

“I’m so glad it had such a big reach, but when something gains so much traction, along with the positive also comes critiques,” Singh says, adding that she ended up changing the original name of her helmet company from “Sikh Helmets” to “Bold Helmets” after pushback from some in the Sikh community.

“I fully acknowledge that not every parent is going to want this for their child. Some people feel very strongly that they don’t want anything covering up the patka or a turban,” Singh says. “But my main message is that for those already using helmets, let’s give them one that works better for them.”

For Singh, seeing her own kids wear the helmet for the first time underscored why she had set out to create it in the first place.

“I honestly didn’t even want to admit how good it felt because I was worried that something was going to go wrong,” she says. “But to see them put it on was amazing – it was a really overwhelming experience.

“I’ve heard from so many parents that are faced with a choice between their faith or culture and trying to participate in sports and other activities. We should be making options for kids so that they never have to choose – they shouldn’t have to think twice about it.”

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Watch an interview with Nivaal and Maryam Rehman on CTV

Mindfest 2023: Psychiatrist Saadia Sediqzadah offers tips on how to find the right psychotherapist

Have the Oscars encouraged more diverse hiring practices in film? A U of T researcher breaks down the data

U of T alumna Tina Singh drew on her graduate studies to create helmet for Sikh kids

Read more about Tina Singh at CBC

Watch an interview with Tina Singh at India Today