Background
The Implementation Team developed, executed, and evaluated monthly activities to promote education, awareness and a deeper understanding of race, culture, and ethnicity across campus.
Results
The Implementation Team adhered to the following principles in guiding its activities:
- Amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other racialized persons
- Promote a diversity of perspectives
- Explore a breadth of topics
- Encourage collaboration across campus
PART Events
Beginning in February 2021, the Implementation Team organized and hosted campus-wide events that often centered around commemorative events or days of observances (e.g., Black history month, Asian heritage month, and mental health day). Some of these events were conducted in collaboration with other areas on campus (e.g., the Office of Research, Thrive). PART also supported the Office of Indigenous Relations in its Indigenous history month keynote speaker event. All invited keynote speakers, panelists and moderators were members of the Black, Indigenous, or other racialized communities, and included University of Waterloo students, staff, faculty, and alumni as well as external guests from government, private sector, public sector, and non-profit.
Anti-racism Book Club
In summer 2021, the Implementation Team released a carefully curated list of 12 books that it recommended as a resource to support individual learning. An Anti-Racism Book Club series was also launched in July 2021. Each month, on the third Tuesday at noon, a book is selected from the curated list for a review and discussion.
Promotional Activities
University Relations and other units have supported promotional activities for these events. Channels that have been used for these promotions include, but are not limited to, email distribution lists, social media, the University website, the daily bulletin, the Catalyst (an anti-racism newsletter initiated in 2021), anti-racism forums, and by word-of-mouth.
Success of Events
Attendance, engagement and post-event surveys indicate that these events have helped the Implementation Team meet its mandate (see Appendix I). For example, results of the surveys that were administered following each of the Book Club sessions were quite positive. The comments praised the facilitators and their insights, expertise, and personal stories; enjoyed the subject matter and its relevant applications to practice; liked the structure of the sessions and its engaging nature; and appreciated the openness to different viewpoints and opinions. However, many respondents wished the Book Club sessions were longer.
