Equity, Racial Justice, Decolonization & Inclusive Excellence
Our Commitment to Equity, Decolonization, and Anti-Racism
Objectives
Annual Growth
2024 New BSW core course in Africentric social work
2024 Global Engagement Strategy approved
2024 Barriers to applying to the faculty addressec
2023 Research supports City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategy
2023 Canadian Muslim Youth national research project
2022 Queer and Trans Action Committee formed
2022 New scholarships for Black students created
2020 Anti-Black Racism Committee formed
Faculty Key Actions 2023-24
Advancing equity, racial justice, decolonization, and inclusive excellence
Our faculty’s academic leadership focused on removing barriers that could prevent worthy students from applying and ensuring that our commitment to equity was visible to prospective students. New scholarships were also created to ease economic barriers for equity-deserving students.
Our commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization (EDID) commitments were incorporated into our undergraduate and graduate committees’ terms of reference. The committees also ensured a diverse mix of students, faculty and staff were involved, including the admissions process for all programs.
New curriculum and courses were introduced that address racism, decolonization, oppression, and injustice. And we continue to enrich learning through talented sessional instructors who bring diverse lived experiences to the classroom.
Key growth under this priority also includes the ongoing development of our Equity Action Plan and the continued growth of our innovative Reciprocity Project, fostering new partnerships with the communities we serve.
Addressing barriers to social work education
One of our key priorities is creating diverse, inclusive pathways for equity-deserving groups by removing barriers in the application process. In the past year, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Committee, led by Dr. Gail Zuk, PhD, consulted with diverse students to draft new application questions that allow equity-deserving applicants to address EDID issues. The admissions team was restructured to reflect faculty diversity and EDID knowledge, and additional factors, beyond GPA, were given more weight in the selection process. Dr. Zuk also held regular “ask the associate dean” sessions to support prospective students. Similarly, the Master of Social Work (MSW) Committee, led by Dr. Dorothy Badry, PhD, updated their terms of reference to strengthen the faculty’s EDID commitment.
Student Spotlight:
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Scholarships support Black students in pursuing social work education
The increasing cost of education is a barrier for many students, including those from equity-seeking groups. One of the priorities of our Anti-Black Racism Taskforce has been the creation of several new undergraduate and graduate scholarships earmarked for exceptional Black future students.
Faculty scholarship winners
Emerging Black Voices Scholarship
2023 Damaris Bukwelakeh
David Este Excellence Graduate Scholarship
2023 Chika Ikeorji
2022 Musah Mohammed
Black recipients of other scholarships and awards since 2021
2024
Mafani Malange (Randy McKay Scholarship)
Chinecherem Ikenna Madueke (Elizabeth Wright McCullough Scholarship)
2023
Aadra Aubkar
Chinoyerem Nwachukwu (James Gripton Doctoral Scholarship)
2022
Victoria Ige (Clarice Chodak Recognition of Excellence in Social Action)
Hibaq Abdi (Ian Cullen Ramsay Personal Achievement)
Deqa Mohamed (Ruth Hillard Scholarship)
2021
Asante Benedicta (Lorne & Pat Gordan YMCA
Nafisa Moallim (M. Lillian Dick Scholarship)
Award-Winner
Dr. Patrina Duhaney, PhD, an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work, was recognized with the Calgary Black Achievement Award for Education at the 2024 edition of the awards. The award recognizes Dr. Duhaney’s research, teaching, advocacy and ongoing work to dismantle anti-Black racism.
Illustration: Ginette Crichlow
Illustration: Ginette Crichlow
Illustration: Ginette Crichlow
Illustration: Ginette Crichlow
Black History Month 2024
As part of Black History Month in February, our faculty’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force continued its leadership in promoting Black excellence with events and a continuation of its popular Changemaker series, highlighting Black Canadians who had a tremendous impact on Canadian history. This year, the stunning photo illustrations — shared multiple times on Instagram and Facebook — were created by the faculty’s digital communications specialist, Ginette Crichlow.
UCalgary Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Events
In March 2024, UCalgary’s EDI Week programming featured an amazing wealth of activities, panel discussions and talks. Our faculty was an active participant who provided a variety of engaging events.
“Black to School” A Virtual Café
In September 2023, the faculty’s Anti-Black Racism Task Force presented “Black to School” an online forum for Black Students to celebrate and plan for success and excellence as they started the new semester. The popular event brought together BIack students, faculty, staff and other professionals in a welcoming and supportive environment that allowed students to express themselves and to discuss issues that mattered to them unapologetically.