"The vitality of our Peace and Conflict Studies program at Grebel depends on enrolling students with diverse experiences,” announced Conrad Grebel University College President Marcus Shantz. "We are humbled and grateful that our friend Majid Mirza and several other donors chose to establish a scholarship at Grebel, named for Malcolm X, to support Black and Indigenous students in our Master of Peace and Conflict Studies program."
This new scholarship is the culmination of the vision and perseverance of Mirza who connected with Paul Heidebrecht at Grebel’s Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement (CPA). After hearing a speaker from the Yaqeen Institute speak about Malcolm X, Mirza was inspired to carry forward the legacy. “This rekindled my admiration for the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program and it made me think that it would be wonderful to have PACS as a vessel and platform for continuing the legacy of Malcolm X through a scholarship."
“This endowed scholarship bearing the name of Malcolm X, and dedicated to the advancement of racial justice as well as interfaith harmony, will serve as a constant reminder of the kind of community we strive to be,” noted Professor Nathan Funk, outgoing Chair of the PACS program. “Grappling with peace and justice issues means that we cannot afford to have crucial voices absent from the room, and we need to honour the contributions and experiences of Black and Indigenous students.”
“One of the things that consistently impresses and amazes me about Majid is the way he prioritizes deep peace and justice issues and brings his whole self to the CPA, including his Muslim faith and racial identity,” observed Heidebrecht, CPA Director. As another way of living out his convictions, Mirza launched a peace start-up called ESG Tree in the CPA’s Peace Incubator, that provides Environmental, Social, and Governance screens to private equity companies.
“I believe Brother Malcolm is the embodiment of speaking truth to power,” said Mirza. “In addition, he was the voice of the voiceless.” As a result, Malcolm X or Malik Shabazz as he was known in the last chapter of his life, was a controversial figure. Mirza observed “that he only changed his opinion frequently because he was constantly striving for truth, and this is an infinite journey.” Mirza has been in correspondence with Ilyasah Shabazz, a daughter of Malcolm X, who endorsed the establishment of this named scholarship.
“It is exciting to see a variety of supporters from the Muslim faith community step forward to augment this award with generous donations,” noted Fred W Martin, Director of Advancement at Grebel. “This support illustrates that the path to peace involves many voices, and welcoming these influences in our peace programs at Grebel is critical to growth and understanding.” In celebration of the creation of the Malcolm X PACS Scholarship, students and donors, including Shabazz and Mirza, met virtually to make connections and to share stories of resilience and inspiration.
This endowed award is part of a suite of student support for MPACS students at the University of Waterloo. A first recipient will be chosen for the fall term of 2021. Donors who want to join the efforts may make contributions online or contact Fred W Martin at fwmartin@uwaterloo.ca.
Malcolm X in a mosque in Cairo, Egypt returning from his 1964 pilgrimage to Mecca.