International Transgender Day of Visibility is observed on March 31 for celebrating Trans people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by them worldwide.

At RRC Polytech, we observed this day on Wednesday, March 27 by inviting Elder Albert McLeod for a talk centered on perspectives on understanding Transgender identities, challenges faced by the Transgender community, Two Spirit advocacy within the Winnipeg Trans community, and the importance of visibility and allyship. You can watch the recording of the talk here – Trans Day of Visibility with Elder Albert.

We invite you to celebrate this day by signing a heart to show your support in the Spectrum (FM66, Notre Dame Campus) or by adding a supportive message on this Kudoboard.

One way we can support in creating an inclusive work and learning environment is by using gender-inclusive language and preferred pronouns. Library and Academic Services team has created this Inclusive Language Guide to help us in this journey.

If you have any questions or need more information, contact diversity@rrc.ca. 

Image via United Nations

Today, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21 – the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.

Since then, some racist systems have been dismantled but, in many regions, too many individuals, communities, and societies suffer from the injustice and stigma that racism brings. We can use this day to reflect on the fact that Indigenous peoples and racialized communities continue to experience racism and discrimination in Canada every day. We can re-commit to take action against racial discrimination in all forms to ensure a world where everyone has equitable access to all aspects of society.

Learn more about the United Nation’s theme for 2024: “A Decade of Recognition, Justice, and Development: Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent”.

Film Screening: The Skin We’re In

Today, the Social Justice Engagement Club is an initiative put on by the Anti-Racism Action Committee to create a space for students, faculty and staff to foster a learning community that advances Truth and Reconciliation, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

In recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, join the Social Justice Engagement Club for a film screening and guided conversation for faculty, staff and students. We’ll provide snacks and you could win a book.

We will be screening the CBC documentary, “The Skin We’re In.”

Day: Today, Thursday, March 21, 2024

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00pm

Locations:

• Notre Dame Campus: Active Learning Classroom (Library, CM27)
• Exchange District Campus: Roundhouse Auditorium

Read more about the event and register on the diversity blog.

Register now.

Anti-Racism Training:

As a College community we have a responsibility to commit to standing up, speaking out, and pushing back against racism in all its forms.

We know diversity is one of our greatest strengths and the College is home to thousands of employees and students from all different backgrounds. Every one of us brings a unique perspective, experience, and connection to our workplace and classrooms.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to complete your Anti-Racism Training for Employees, please make time to complete this training and learn more about privilege, unconscious bias and decision-making, the difference between anti-racism and systemic racism, why microagressions are called “death by a thousand cuts” and why silence makes things worse. Through Anti-Racism: A Journey to Allyship training, you will leave with concrete actions you can take towards racial equity and tackling discrimination that make a difference.

Complete your training here.

^{PHOTO:UN/ Martine Perret}

Red River College Polytechnic strives to make campus a safe and inclusive space for all. Stand with us against fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims, and all forms of racism, religious discrimination, and harassment.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has recognized March 15 as an International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The UN defines Islamophobia as “a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility, and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political, and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it targets the symbols and markers of being a Muslim.” This designation by the UN is a response to the increasing incidents of Islamophobia. According to the National Council of Canadian Muslims, in the last year there has been 1300% increase in cases of Islamophobia as a result of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The significance of March 15 lies in its marking of the anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shootings, a tragic event where 51 individuals who identify as Muslims, were killed.

Reflecting on a similar tragedy closer to home, on January 29, 2017, six lives were tragically lost, and 19 others were severely injured in an attack at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec in Sainte-Foy. To commemorate the victims of this attack—one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history—January 29 has been proclaimed as National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque attack and Action against Islamophobia.

With over 2 billion followers, Islam is the world’s second-largest religion accounting for 24.9% of the global population.

Resources:

• Allyship means taking concrete actions against individual and systemic discrimination. Ally is a verb, not an identity. There are many ways you can be an ally to Muslims.
• 25 Interesting Facts About Muslims: A fact sheet from the Islamic Heritage Month Resource Guidebook (Toronto District School Board)
• Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities: A report on the trade union perspectives on Islamophobia (Canadian Labour Congress)
• Islamophobia is… more than hate crimes: A short video created by Islamophobia-Is.com (YouTube)
• Vancouver Public Library: Reading List

For Educators:

• Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims
• Accommodating Muslim Students During Ramadan: Yes, I’m Hot In This: A free poster to help educators create safe and inclusive spaces for Muslim students during the month of Ramadan
• Know Your Rights Guide for Muslim Postsecondary Students: A guide for Canadian post-secondary students about discrimination and harassment (National Council of Canadian Muslims)
• D.A.R.E.: The Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) Project is the Canadian Council of Muslim Women’s national program to raise awareness of online hate and Islamophobia (Canadian Council of Muslim Women)
• National Film Board of Canada: The Faith Project: The Faith Project is an interactive tablet documentary featuring short films about prayer in the modern world. (National Film Board of Canada)

International Trans Day of Visibility is an annual event dedicated to celebrating Trans people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by Transgender people worldwide. Join Elder Albert McLeod on Trans Day of Visibility for a talk centered on perspectives on understanding Transgender identities, challenges faced by the Transgender community, Two Spirit advocacy within the Winnipeg Trans community, and the importance of visibility and allyship.

Date: Wednesday, March 27

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Location:

In person: Connected Classroom, G139 (second floor) Emerging Media and Production, NDC. Drop in, no registration is required.

Online on Teams: The event will also be livestreamed. If you would like to join the event online, please register here.

About the Presenter:

Albert McLeod is a Status Indian with ancestry from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and the Métis community of Norway House in northern Manitoba. He has over thirty years of experience as a human rights activist and is one of the directors of the Two-Spirited People of Manitoba.

Albert began his Two-Spirit advocacy in Winnipeg in 1986 and became an HIV/AIDS activist in 1987. He was the director of the Manitoba Aboriginal AIDS Task Force from 1991 to 2001. In 2018, Albert received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Winnipeg.

Albert lives in Winnipeg, where he works as a consultant specializing in Indigenous peoples, cultural reclamation, and cross-cultural training.

March 20 is Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day. In recognition of this day, RRC Polytech is holding a Two Spirit Film Festival, screening films from The National Film Board of Canada to celebrate the radiance and diversity of Two-Spirit identities, expression and experience.

Locations & Time:

• The Spectrum, Notre Dame Campus, from 12:00 to 1 :00 p.m.
• Room E155, Manitou a bi Bii Daziigae, Exchange District Campus, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Films range from six to 22 minutes. Drop in for one or stay and view all three over the hour!

• First Stories,Two Spirited – This short documentary presents the empowering story of Rodney “Geeyo” Poucette’s struggle against prejudice in the Indigenous community as a Two Spirited Jingle Dancer.
• Second Stories, Deb-we-win Ge-ken-am-aan, Our Place in the Circle – Lorne Olson’s short documentary presents a vision he had of Two Spirited people dancing, laughing, and smiling. His vision spurs him to rediscover the strength of the past to better face the challenges of today.
• Woman Dress – Pre-contact, a Two Spirit person named Woman Dress travels the Plains, gathering and sharing stories. Featuring archival images and dramatized re-enactments, this film shares a Cuthand family oral story, honouring and respecting Woman Dress without imposing colonial binaries on them.

February 26 to March 1 marked RRC Polytech’s second annual Inclusion Week, an opportunity for students and staff to live our shared commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in everything we do, through a mix of in-person and virtual sessions.

Thank you to the planning committee, volunteers, presenters and special guests for another fantastic week full of programming and learning. And of course, thank you to everyone who participated in sessions throughout the week!

Resources for Beyond Inclusion Week

Missed out on attending a session, or looking for some self-guided learning opportunities? The journey to embodying EDI and creating more inclusive spaces doesn’t stop when Inclusion Week is over!

Recordings of Inclusion Week Keynote and Featured Sessions

Keynote Session – Dr. Robert Mizzi: Queer Voices Inclusive Choices Transforming Academic Spaces

Featured Session – Isha Khan: Finding Your Voice and Advocating for Change

Featured Session – Tanya Marinelli-Clarke: Lateral Violence to Lateral Kindness

Access the full list of self-guided resources at the bottom of this post.

Creating Inclusive Online Classrooms and Meetings

Watch the presentation from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and Students Accessibility Services team members on how you can create more inclusive learning and collaboration in online spaces.

Upcoming Events

Join the College community for events this month in recognition of Two Spirit Day, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Trans Day of Visibility.

In recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, join the Social Justice Engagement Club for a film screening and guided conversation for faculty, staff and students.

We will be screening the CBC documentary, “The Skin We’re In”.

The Skin We’re In marks a distinctly Canadian contribution to the “Black Lives Matter” movement which originated in the US, but which describes a set of systemic injustices and disadvantages faced by all black people living in white-dominated societies. Cole asserts that anti-black racism is so all-encompassing in Canada that black people and their allies, far from congratulating themselves that they do not live in America, should be following the American example and dismantling the structures that continue to hold them back.

The Skin We’re In invites viewers into the mind of an emerging intellectual and firebrand. Boasting intimate access to one of Canada’s most intriguing voices, it profiles Desmond Cole as his most exciting chapter unfolds.

This is his journey from journalist to activist, unfolding in real time. We follow Cole as he travels across Canada in pursuit of stories, examples, and knowledge about black identities and experiences.

The Social Justice Engagement Club is an initiative put on by the Anti-Racism Action Committee to create a space for students, faculty and staff to foster a learning community that advances Truth & Reconciliation, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Event Details:
Day: Thursday, March 21, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00pm
Locations:

• Notre Dame Campus: Active Learning Classroom (Library, CM27)
• Exchange District Campus: Roundhouse Auditorium

Registration: Click on this link and submit the form to register for the event.

RRC Polytech is recognizing Pink Shirt Day on February 28, 2024. The annual anti-bullying event began in 2007 in Nova Scotia when a grade 9 boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.

Two of his classmates organized a schoolwide protest, asking all students, teachers and staff to wear pink in solidarity and to demonstrate there is no place for bullying.

Pink Shirt Day’s mission is to create a more kind, inclusive world by raising awareness and funds for anti-bullying initiatives.

The Campus Store has purchased shirts where proceeds support Indigenous community programs, kindness promotion and bullying-prevention programs in schools across Canada, and program subsidies to Indigenous Schools. Oromocto First Nation student artist Brooke Gillam designs this year’s artwork:

Artist Statement:

“I chose a sacred feather because it symbolizes and represents a high honour, wisdom, power, and freedom. The three hearts inside represent kindness, friendship, and love. When I tied the two together, it felt right because my heart told me it felt like it was meant to be.” -Artist Brooke Gillam Oromocto First Nation

Stand for kindness and wear pink on Pink Shirt Day to show your support for safe and inclusive campuses, workplaces and communities.

Please note the Campus Store will be closed February 27-29.

Respectful College – Online Training

RRC Polytech has developed a course called Respectful College to support our commitment to a safe and inclusive working and learning environment where everyone is entitled to be free from bullying, harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence.

The Respectful College course is available to all staff and students and takes about two hours to complete. Staff and students who complete the full training, including learning activities, will be eligible to print a Certificate of Completion. Login to LEARN to complete the course.

The Anti-Racism Action Committee is excited to launch the third iteration of the Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice (TRCP) this Winter.  

The TRCP is an RRC Polytech learning community that creates opportunities for staff and faculty to extend and apply their learning, and to take action to advance Truth and Reconciliation and anti-racism. Joanna White, Indigenous Education Developer on the Indigenous Strategy, Research and Business Development team, will be facilitating this series.

Participation in the TRCP will involve a commitment of 10-12 hours throughout Winter 2024. This includes both group discussion, facilitated in circle, and small group or partner discussions, around guided questions that relate to both Truth and Reconciliation and anti-racism. These discussions will guide participants on a journey through the Medicine Wheel and will provide experiential learning around Indigenous teachings. Participation in the TRCP will culminate in a group feast, to celebrate the truth learned and actions taken over the course of the term, as well as to plan next steps.

Outcomes: 

Outcomes of participation in the TRCP include:  

• Demonstrating a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and the pursuit of EDI.  
• Experiencing and understanding Indigenous teachings, such as circle teaching and the Medicine Wheel.  
• Identifying meaningful opportunities for individual action and engagement relating to reconciliation, and the enhancement of inclusion at RRC Polytech.

Key Dates:  

Participation in the TRCP involves the following dates: 

• Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice Circle: March 6, 2:00 – 4:00 (F205, NDC) 
• Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice Circle: March 20, 2:00 – 4:00 (F205, NDC) 
• Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice Circle: April 10, 2:00 – 4:00 (F205, NDC) 
• Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice Group Wrap up & Feast: April 24, 2:00 – 4:00 (F205, NDC) 
• 4 x 1 hour meetings with small group/learning partner for discussion and reflection (self-directed, in-person or remote) 

Learn more and apply now: 

If you have any questions about the Truth and Reconciliation Community of Practice, please let us know.

Currently, the TRCP is only open to college staff and faculty.

Apply to this iteration of this program here.

February is Black History Month, an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities, who have been a part of shaping Canada’s heritage and identity. The theme for Black History Month 2024 is Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build. You can learn more about Black history in Canada on the Government of Canada website.

Black History Month at RRC Polytech

RRC Polytech is committed to pursuing equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. During Black History Month the College community is encouraged to heighten their awareness of the Black Canadians in our lives who impact us daily – celebrate their successes and contributions and spend time learning about the many ways cultural diversity enriches our lives.       

Library & Academic Services has created the Anti-Black Racism Learning Toolkit to help everyone better understand racism and how to take action against it. An additional list of resources will be shared below.

New members of the College’s Anti-Racism Action Committee are always welcome to join a working group of motivated staff and students dedicated to making a difference across our campuses. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please reach out to Co-Chair Rebecca Molly Hiebert.   

RRC Polytech is sponsoring a community event entitled Supporting the Winnipeg Black Collective: Action Vision & Change on February 16^th at Fort Richmond Collegiate. All members of the College community are invited to show their support by attending the dinner and symposium featuring a keynote address by Canada’s award-winning Black Justice Strategy Co-author, Zilla Jones, BMA, JD.

The evening’s festivities will celebrate Afro-Caribbean Black Canadian communities’ by paying homage to its rich history and celebrating Afro-Caribbean Black (ACB) people’s great accomplishments in our present times. The evening’s social gathering will encourage audience members to dance, sing and contribute to a thought-provoking panel discussion on the Black experiences in Winnipeg, empowering ACB community members, and supporting local Black Businesses and Initiatives.

The third annual event is organized by the Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program (ACMP) and the University of Manitoba Black Alliance (UMBA). RSVP is required as space is limited.

Click for more details and to register

As part of the event sponsorship, one RRC Polytech student of African/Black descent (including international students) will be awarded a Book Bursary of $400, providing they submit their application before the deadline of February 10^th.  Please encourage any students or classmates who might qualify to fill out the brief online form to apply.   

Click to apply

Black staff, alumni and students have previously shared some personal stories to help others better understand the significance of Black History Month and we recommend you revisit them through the following links:      

Sharing Stories – Tanya Hansen Pratt

Sharing Stories – Gbolahan Olutayo Oduntan

Sharing Stories – Phyllis Reid-Jarvis

Stay tuned to the Diversity blog and RRC Polytech’s social media channels for additional events and stories throughout February, as the celebration of Black History Month continues.

Staff are also encouraged to complete the Anti-Racism training on LEARN this month, if you haven’t already. The course speaks to unconscious bias, microaggressions, systemic racism, and privilege and purposefully challenges our staff to act when confronted with racism or discrimination, to create safe learning and working environments for all.

As we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians, we also recognize the importance of equity and inclusion beyond the month of February. At RRC Polytech, we are committed to pursuing equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do, year-round.

Additional Resources:

• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) Resources has created a commemoration guide for Black History Month that RRC Polytech employees can use to celebrate and recognize the diverse experiences of Black Canadians: Commemoration Guide (PDF).
• CCDI is also hosting a free, live webinar for its employee partners on February 9, Celebrating Black History Through Story (Staff only; login required)
• CCDI past recording (no login required) Addressing Anti-Black Racism in the Workplace
• CCDI past recording (no login required) History of race and racism in Canada
• CCDI Educational resources on racism and anti-Black racism
• Winnipeg Public Library: Black History Month
• Black History Manitoba: Events Calendar
• CBC’s Black on the Prairies and Being Black in Canada
• National Film Board of Canada: Black Communities in Canada
• Government of Canada: Noteworthy Historical Figures  
• CBC’s “The Secret Life of Canada” podcast: Crash Course on Black Nurses
• Black Chamber of Commerce
• Canadian Human Rights Museum: Black History and Human Rights (Sundays are free)
• Beyond anti-racism, anti-discrimination statements and charters (Scarborough Charter discussions) | Feb. 8 at 3:30 – 6:00pm
• The Mental Health Effects of Anti-Black Racism (Panel discussion on Feb. 6 at 6:00 – 8:30pm)

If you have any questions, please contact us at diversity@rrc.ca.