We’re here to work with students, faculty and staff to advance anti-racism and equity through evidence-based policies, practices and programs.
News, initiatives, and upcoming events
News
Waterloo Launches PAIR: Black-Led, Inclusive, and Globally Engaged
The University of Waterloo launches the Pan African Initiative for Research (PAIR), a new interdisciplinary research initiative designed to advance collaborative, community rooted, and globally engaged scholarship across Pan African contexts, including Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Afro diasporic communities worldwide.
PCOS & Endometriosis: Separating Fact from Fiction
Fostering belonging and inclusion in Ramadan
Ramadan will begin on February 18 or 19 in 2026, depending on the sighting of the moon. Many members of the University of Waterloo Muslim community are observing this month of fasting and prayers.
What is Ramadan/ Ramzan about?
Ramadan/ Ramzan is a sacred month for the Muslim faith, where those observing it refrain from any food and water from dawn to sunset. This would translate to 11.5-to-13.5-hour long fasts (accounting for the varying sunrise and sunset times through the course of this month). Muslims dedicate the month (which can be 29 or 30 days long) to fasting, charity, spiritual reflection, seeking forgiveness and bonding with community. They often engage in long late-night prayers. Most people understand that Muslims may be a little low on energy during the day, but most don’t know that they also might be sleep-deprived.
Fostering belonging and inclusion for the Muslim community on campus
In keeping with University of Waterloo’s values of inclusivity and working together, here are some practices that foster the feeling of belonging within the Muslim community on campus.
Events
Understanding PCOS and Endometriosis
Dr. Sarah Connors (she/her), Indigenous Naturopathic Doctor & Birth Doula, will dive into all things menstruation and hormones in relation to PCOS and Endometriosis. We will look at how PCOS and Endometriosis can impact your experience of the menstrual cycle, dispel some of the common myths about these conditions, and chat about strategies to support you in living with these conditions. There will be time for a Q&A to ensure all your burning questions are answered!
Afrofuturism Film Screening
In this edition of Fridays After 5, a recurring series created by the Lanterna Black Innovation Hub (LBIH) in partnership with the Office of EDI-R, we will gather for conversation, music, and joy shared over delicious food, followed by a film screening of the first episodes of the acclaimed series I'm A Virgo--including an introduction to Afrofuturism in celebration of Black History Month and a short post-film roundtable and open discussion with the audience. We would love to experience this joyful event with all members of our community.
Photo credit: imdb.com
Black Intellectual Life in the Post-EDI University
Wilfrid Laurier's Office of the Associate Vice-President: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is pleased to invite you to "Black Intellectual Life in the Post-EDI University," our second instalment of the Lamine Diallo EDI Speaker Series for 2025-2026, featuring a panel organized in collaboration with the University of Waterloo's Pan African Initiative for Research and its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, and the Black Researchers of Southwestern Ontario (BRSO).
LBIH Event: Fridays After 5
Join us for Fridays After 5, a recurring series created by the Laterna Black Innovation Hub (LBIH)in partnership with the Office of EDI-R. These gatherings are designed as aspace tounwind, build community, and celebrate Blackness in all its forms.