The International Student Advisor’s Office and the Human Rights & Positive Environment Office at UNB are working together to develop a series of resources on anti-racism and allyship.
The project is still very much in its infancy but the organizations are hoping to network with UNB campuses in Saint John and Fredericton as well as STU.
They are hoping to create resources that will help build knowledge around anti-racist discourse and allyship. They see this as, “an opportunity for BIPOC staff, researchers, teachers, and educators to establish a professional network where [they] can share experiences, ideas, publications, and work opportunities.”
Emmanuella Idemudia, a third-year Criminology and Human Rights double major, said she is excited for the initiative to take shape.
“I definitely feel like it’s a wonderful initiative and is very needed especially for educational purposes,” she said. “I’ve never really seen anything like it so I believe it is a step in the right direction.”
They are welcoming everyone to participate, but to be mindful of their intention for the module to be led by BIPOC community members.
“We intentionally invite BIPOC community members and educators to join this working group, and to join us in leading this work. Though we welcome everyone, we respectfully request that any non-racialized or non-Indigenous peoples join us as listeners only.”
The plan at the beginning is to meet virtually by either Microsoft Teams or Zoom in order to come together and establish a relationship. It will give collaborators a chance to ask questions and get a better sense of what directions the module can take. It will also allow the opportunity to compile a list of resources to work from and navigate educational needs at the campuses.
Earlier this year, UNB developed an unconscious bias module but the organizations are keen to explore how racism and anti-racism education might look from other approaches including what decolonizing looks like and means to anti-racism.For more information, inquiries, or to participate in this exciting collaboration, contact Hillary Nguyen at hillary.nguyen@unb.ca or Hayden Richardson at hayden.richardson@unb.ca.