Alumni

Monday, November 24, 2025 11:30 am - 2:30 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Together In Community: A Collaborative Mural Project

"Each tile represents a heartbeat of our shared community."

Join us at our next Together in Community mural-painting session! Students, staff, and faculty are invited to help co-create a vibrant community mural that will be installed at the DC Library. Each bold brushstroke contributes to the evolving story of our shared campus experience.

The Office of EDI-R and Waterloo Libraries, in collaboration with Waterloo Architecture, are hosting a painting session at the Cambridge Campus on Monday, November 24, 2025 from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Come contribute to a living symbol of unity and belonging. No experience required—just bring your imagination and community spirit.

See you there!

Thursday, December 4, 2025 9:30 am - 4:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Together In Community: A Collaborative Mural Project

"Each tile represents a heartbeat of our shared community."

Our first Together in Community mural painting session was a vibrant success; students, staff, and faculty united to fill the DC Fishbowl with a myriad of thoughtful designs that reflected their values. Each bold brushstroke contributed to a unique story that will ultimately form our growing campus mural.

Now, we're keeping this creative energy alive! Join the EDI-R office and Davis Centre Library for our second painting session on Thursday, December 4th, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, as we continue transforming the mural into a living symbol of unity and belonging. No experience needed, just bring your creativity and community spirit.

See you there!

As of June 2, 2025, University of Waterloo students and employees have the option to set or add pronouns (i.e., words we use to replace someone’s name in a sentence, such as “he”, “she”, or “they”) to their Microsoft 365 profile card (the card with your picture or initials in the circle). It may take up to 24 hours before this feature is visible on your Microsoft 365 profile card.

In Canada, we celebrate Asian Heritage Month during the month of May, an initiative introduced in the 1990s and made official by Senator Vivienne Poy in 2001. The Asian population of Canada has established itself over the past two centuries, adding to Canada’s rich diversity across the provinces.  

The Government of Canada’s theme for Asian Heritage Month 2025 is: “Unity in Diversity: The Impact of Asian Communities in Shaping Canadian Identity”. This theme recognizes the profound and enduring ways in which Asian communities have helped shape Canada’s social fabric. From the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway by Chinese labourers in the1880s, to the election of Douglas Jung as the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament in 1957, to trailblazing figures like Adrienne Clarkson, the first Asian Canadian Governor General.

Friday, February 13, 2026

Fostering belonging and inclusion in Ramadan

by Mifrah Abid, Anti-Racism Specialist

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.

Today marks International Pronouns Day, an annual event that raises awareness on the importance of respecting and using individuals' chosen pronouns. Observed on the third Wednesday of October each year since its inception in 2018, the day encourages the proper use of pronouns and their role in affirming identities to create an inclusive society. 

To learn more about pronouns and how to use them respectfully, visit the Pronouns FAQ on the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism website 

Tuesday, October 15, 2024 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Pride at WORK event: Free Documentary Screening: Pride vs. Prejudice

Join Pride at Work Canada and the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management for a special screening of Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story. This powerful documentary chronicles the journey of Delwin Vriend, a man who was dismissed from a Christian university in Edmonton for being gay.

His fight against this discrimination led to a landmark Supreme Court case, Vriend v Alberta, which played a crucial role in advancing 2SLGBTQI+ rights in Canada. This documentary was produced by the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Edmonton Queer History Project and premiered in Spring 2024.

Enjoy complimentary refreshments and mingle with fellow movie enthusiasts before the show. Following the screening, we will have a fireside chat between Special Guest Douglas R. Stollery and moderator Jade Pichette (Pride at Work Canada).

We are honoured to welcome Douglas R. Stollery, an esteemed construction lawyer, human rights advocate, President of the Stollery Charitable Foundation and former Chancellor of the University of Alberta. Stollery played a central role in the Vriend v Alberta case and has received many awards including the Order of Canada for his contributions to advancing 2SLGBTQI+ rights and other charitable initiatives.

Friday, October 25, 2024 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

NEURODIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: A PANEL DISCUSSION

HOSTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION AND THE ANTI-OPPRESSION KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATORS

Friday October 25, 2024

2:30 - 4 PM, EV2 2002, University of Waterloo