Dear Humber community,

As I prepare to transition into other roles outside of Humber College, I am taking this moment to thank you for your support, care and kindness over the years. I am honoured and grateful for the opportunities I have had to serve many talented colleagues, students and community members. It truly is the people—especially students, faculty, support and administration staff, alumni and community members—who have made this work challenging and yet deeply fulfilling and rewarding. I would be remiss to not specifically thank the many people who work in facilities to ensure that we have the cleanest college in the world. Many of these individuals who work in this capacity never fail to seek me out on the fifth floor - LRC to check that I am okay. For your gentle kindness, I am grateful, and it is your care that fueled me each day to work towards building dignity and respect for all.

Since joining Humber College on July 8, 2008, and with the input of several equity and human rights practitioners who I have been privileged to call “my team”, Humber has secured a place in the global equity and inclusion arena. This accomplishment is not a result of any one person—it took all of us. I continue to smile when I think of “my” Humber. You all must continue to pursue those uncomfortable conversations that are instrumental to dismantling systemic discrimination in all its interlocking forms.

Remember, you cannot dismantle one form—all of these isms (e.g., racism, ageism, sexism, heterosexism and transphobia) are woven together and reinforce each other—without tackling every form sincerely and simultaneously. I am confident you will keep working at fostering equity, inclusion and antiracism in your personal, institutional and societal areas of influence.

It is difficult to predict what the future will hold. What I can confidently state is that each and every one of you that I have worked alongside will continue to exhibit the same courageous, equitable, and antiracist mindset that propels transformational actions so that Humber can continue to excel at serving its diverse students. You are all well positioned to continue the EDI and antiracism momentum required for the revolution and to respond to all challenges you will encounter.

Thanks for all that you do to advance equity, inclusion and antiracism at Humber.

Ubuntu,

Nancy Simms