06/21: Let's Stand Together— acknowledging the anniversary of the Hagey Hall attack

To: Graduate students at the University of Waterloo

From: Dr. Sheila Ager, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Date: June 21, 2024

Subject: Let's Stand Together— acknowledging the anniversary of the Hagey Hall attack

It has been one year since our community was impacted by hate-motivated violence related to gender expression and gender identity. In marking the anniversary of this terrible attack, we invite you to join us to stand together against gender-based violence and all forms of hatred and bigotry.  

This is an important moment for us to come together to affirm our support for freedom of gender expression and identity. The alarming increase in hate towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, especially targeting Two-Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming (2STNBGNC+) is troubling. This event reflects our collective commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.

Event details 

Date: Friday, June 28, 2024 

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Location: Hagey Hall Hub (Founders Hall)   

The event will include remarks from members of the University community. We must stand in solidarity for our academic mission and in support of everyone who experienced trauma that day or who experienced trauma related to their expression of gender. 

We acknowledge that as the anniversary of the attack approaches, it can be an emotional and traumatic time for many people on campus. We encourage all members of the UWaterloo community to utilize the various resources and supports available to them or register for a Trauma-Informed Lunch and Learn: Supporting the campus communities on the 1-year Anniversary of June 28. 

We continue to advance safety-related initiatives – including enhancements to campus helplines and building access controls – and we will provide ongoing updates as this work progresses. 

We look forward to standing together in support of those impacted by last year’s hate-moti