As we continue to honour and acknowledge the rich diversity within our community, the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism (EDI-AR) invites you to contribute to our celebration of Heritage Months. These monthly recognitions provide an important opportunity to learn and reflect on the unique contributions, histories, and experiences of different cultural groups and communities, and their impact on health, society, and the world.
Throughout the year, we will be showcasing submissions from our Faculty that highlight the importance of these cultural celebrations on the digital screens throughout the Health buildings. All members of our Faculty, regardless of background, are welcome to submit.
Share your inspirations and reflections
We are seeking submissions commemorating the following months:
| Month | Commemorations |
|---|---|
| January |
Tamil Heritage Month and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month |
| Febuary | Black History Month |
| March | National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and International Women's Day |
| April | Genocide Remembrance Condemnation and Prevention Month and Sikh Heritage Month |
| May | Jewish Heritage Month, Asian Heritage Month and South Asian Heritage Month |
| June | Filipino Heritage Month, National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month |
| September | Mennonite Heritage Month |
| October | Islamic Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Caribbean Heritage Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month |
| November | Lebanese Hertiage Month, Albanian Heritage Month Heritage Month and Hindu Heritage Month |
We encourage you to share something meaningful to you. This could include, but is not limited to:
- A quote or excerpt from an author, activist, scholar, or leader that inspires you.
- A brief reflection on an event, figure, or movement tied to the Heritage/Commemorative Month and its relevance to health and well-being.
- A personal memory or experience related to the Heritage/Commemorative Month.
- A portrait of yourself or an image/artwork. (please ensure you have appropriate permissions for any images submitted).
- A recommendation for a book, film, documentary, or other resource that enhances understanding of the Heritage/Commemorative Month.
Submissions should be no more than 50 words and can be sent electronically to health.edi@uwaterloo.ca by the 10th of each month.
Please include your name and affiliation (student, staff, or faculty member) when submitting your entry. If you wish to remain anonymous, please indicate this in your submission.
We look forward to your contributions as we celebrate the diverse heritages that enrich our Faculty and foster greater understanding across our community.
Sample digital screen slide created from contribution
Image description: Quote by Maya Angelou that reads "Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women." followed by the inspiration it provides: “This quote is a powerful reminder to me that empowering oneself is a form of empowerment for all women. On International Women's Day, we celebrate these acts of courage, and the great achievements all women brought to the world.”
Inspirations and commemorations
Black History Month
Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.
To honour and celebrate Black History Month, I chose a quote from Nelson Mandela because he was one of my heroes. I read his autobiography, ‘A Long Walk To Freedom,’ when I was in graduate school, and I was forever inspired by his courage and his leadership.
A. Russell Tupling, Professor and Chair, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.
Dr. Paul Farmer's powerful words highlight health inequity. During Black History Month, we honour groundbreakers like Gwennyth Barton and Ruth Bailey, who broke barriers in 1948. Their resilience continues to inspire today’s Black healthcare workers.
Charity Oga-Omenka, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health Sciences
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Due to the inequalities and injustices faced by black South Africans, Mr. Mandela encouraged all to pursue an education to impact change. Education is an equalizer and has the power to break barriers.
Rethabile Lechesa, PhD Student, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Suicide represents an important part of Black history, yet is rarely discussed, analyzed or conceptualized, including in health research. Amidst rising suicide rates, especially amongst Black adolescents worldwide, my dissertation will investigate the factors associated with, and accuracy of scales assessing, suicide risk amongst young Black people in the Americas.
This watercolour painting titled "Exist" represents the beauty and the importance of 'existing' fully and unapologetically in the spaces an individual resides in.
Labiqah Iftikhar, Artist, and MSc Student, School of Public Health Sciences
International Women's Day
Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.
This quote is a powerful reminder to me that empowering oneself is a form of empowerment for all women. On International Women's Day, we celebrate these acts of courage, and the great achievements all women brought to the world.
Noor Al-janabi, Indigenous and EDI Project Assistant, Co-op Winter 2025
Every woman's success should be an inspiration to another. We're strongest when we cheer each other on.
In the lead up to International Women’s Day, this quote reminds me of the importance of community and taking time to celebrate the accomplishments of those around us, whether they may seem big or small!
Beth Godkin, Graduate Student, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.
This quote emphasizes my innate resilience. I believe it is the response to the setbacks that defines us. Overcoming setbacks fosters a spirit of perseverance. Let's support each other during difficulties.
Behtarin Jobaida, PhD Student, School of Public Health Sciences
When women work together they are unified, strong, educated and inspiring. This unity changes how the world thinks and acts.
Honouring Noor Inayat Khan - an Indian Muslim woman, writer, and undercover wireless operator. Alone in occupied France, she became the sole lifeline of the resistance and displayed courage that transcended borders.
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
For most of my life, I struggled in school, feeling behind and not living up to expectations. My ADHD diagnosis at 25 made everything click—my challenges weren’t failures but the result of navigating a world not built for neurodivergent minds. Universities should value all minds—accommodations aren’t special treatment; they’re access.
Cope Service dog allows my daughter to thrive with her disabilities and be a strong, independent woman.
A world of opportunities is possible when we work together to remove obstacles.
This empowering quote is a reminder that when joint forces address barriers together, a multitude of possibilities to create a better, more inclusive world are unlocked.
Kimberly Szajbely, BA Student, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies
Asian Heritage Month
Representation matters.
As someone who grew up mixed race, I often struggled with my Chinese heritage and rarely saw my identify reflected in my community. Fast forward to today as my daughter starts exploring the world, I have renewed hope she will find empowering role models who reflect her identity and inspire her to dream big.
Filial Piety
What is the meaning of 'Filial Piety'?
'Filial Piety' is a combination of 'Elder' and 'Child', which symbolizes how an elder is supported by younger persons.
In the Asian culture, filial piety is ingrained in children to respect and care for their parents and grandparents.
Grace Liu, Postdoc, Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
When we choose to wonder about people we don’t know, when we imagine their lives and listen for their stories, we begin to expand the circle of those we see as part of us. We prepare ourselves to love beyond what evolution requires.
Natalie Chow, Centre for Teaching Excellence Faculty Liaison, Health
Filipino Heritage Month
[Filipinos are] mystic wanderers in the land of perpetual departures.
Returning to roots that have been buried by colonialism and the erasure of discrimination and self-discipline is hard, heart-work. Heritage month is a reminder to commit to new community formations, redefine identity, and relearn what it means to be a part of the Filipino/a/x diaspora in so-called Canada.
Dr. Kimberly J. Lopez, Associate Professor, Recreation and Leisure Studies
Hindu Heritage Month
Painting of Lord Shiva, a God in the Hindu Religion
Painted by:
Lirshani Konesapillai, third-year student, School of Public Health Sciences
Vaishnavi Patel, novelist and lawyer
Through her feminist reinterpretation of Hindu mythology, Patel reclaims women’s voices in classical stories, exploring questions of power, agency, and identity through the subversion of traditional portrayals of female figures.