Humber College and the University of Guelph-Humber are committed to the principles of human rights, equity and inclusion. Monday, October 31 is Halloween, a day filled with scary and creative fun. If you choose to participate in Halloween festivities over the coming days, we encourage you to think about your costumes or party themes.

Some costume choices can reinforce stereotypes of peoples’ identities or demean and devalue the significance of aspects of cultures and religions, particularly those of people from equity-deserving groups. The impact of your choices can be significant, harmful, and negative, regardless of your individual intent. 

For more information on cultural appropriation and Halloween please view the following videos:

• PBS Video – What is Cultural Appropriation
• Teen Vogue – My Culture is not a Costume

What can you do to address cultural appropriation?

1. Education, Reflection, and Self-Work
   • Research cultural appropriation and the impact of cultural appropriation to better your understanding of the issue and how you might address it in your life.
   • Consider your plans for Halloween or other festivities and reflect on whether you are participating in ways that might cause harm to others.
   • Change your plans.
   • Consider taking action with your family and friends to encourage a more inclusive celebration.
2. Dialogue and Advocacy
   • Talk to others about what you’ve learned and how other peoples’ cultures and identities are not appropriate costumes or something to be made light of.
   • Speak up if you see someone wearing something that could cause harm. You could start a conversation, ask a question, and encourage them to learn more.

Remember culture is NOT a costume. At Humber, we DO NOT mimic equity-deserving groups.

On behalf of the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion and Student Success & Engagement, we wish you a happy and safe Halloween.

Humber Galleries is pleased to announce the opening of their exhibition Wagari: Dabiyil, Biram – Vessel: water and sky, on Monday, October 31, 2022. This collaborative large-scale cyanotype textile was created by artists Sonja, Elisa Jane, and Freja Carmichael, and features imagery of handwoven forms, string, and found objects.  

As a family of Quandamooka women, weaving has become their intergenerational expression of saltwater identity and culture. This work represents woven forms that continue knowledge of past generations and the stories and experiences of today. The woven forms include the use of discarded netting and materials that wash ashore on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island, Australia) after drifting in the ocean. Collecting and weaving with this marine debris helps protect dabiyil as an act of caring for saltwater Country and kin. The collection of woven forms and objects are used to create the cyanotype.  

Their cyanotype process records the shape of woven elements and materials. First, they are placed on a textile surface, then exposed to UV light, and finally washed in water and oxidized. This result creates deep blue imagery with the memory and impression of the objects. The blue cyanotype pigment reflects the rich colour of the Quandamooka seas. The layering of woven forms and found objects onto the cyanotype is thus a metaphoric expression of the stories, experiences, and histories that are embedded within sands, land, water, and sky of Quandamooka country, and are carried in the vessels of Quandamooka weaving.  

The artwork was commissioned as part of Nuit Blanche 2022 with the support of exhibition sponsor, Humber College.

Dear Humber Team,

I am writing to inform you all that Kim Pavan has resigned from Humber College, effective October 26, 2022.

Kim started at Humber in 2008 as the Manager of the International Program in the Business School, then moved on to Manager of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2011, Kim became the Director of Continuing Education within the then School of Social and Community Services. In 2021, Kim took on her most recent role as Associate Dean of Continuous & Professional Learning within the Faculty of Social and Community Services.

We thank Kim for her contributions to the FSCS and Continuous Professional Learning portfolios over the last 14 years and wish her well in the next chapter.

Please continue to direct all CPL-related communications to Nora Simpson (nora.simpson@humber.ca).

June MacDonald-Jenkins (she/her)
Senior Dean - Faculty of Social and Community Services
Principal, Lakeshore Campus

Humber’s Office of Research & Innovation is continuously working with industry as well as community partners to address challenges–ranging from IoT to social innovation. We recently met the team at Murmr and their mission immediately resonated with us. 

Murmr’s latest initiative is about addressing the job search challenges of international newcomer students. If you or someone in your network has faced employment struggles, contribute to understanding and solving this challenge with the five-minute survey.

The survey results will serve as a foundational guide to understanding underemployment in Canada. The survey will also serve as a guide to key areas of preparedness for students. Plus, when newcomers join the Murmr community to take the survey, they will hear about the survey findings and can engage in community discussion and Murmr will help them navigate key resources to support their employment journeys. It’s a win-win all around!

About Murmr

Murmr is a community platform that seeks to support newcomers in important ‘Circles of Interest’ like finding a job, figuring out local services and exploring plus building a community.

Murmr is working with community partners like ACCES Employment (a leader in connecting employers with qualified employees from diverse backgrounds), CEWIL (the lead organization for work-integrated learning in Canada), Humber College (#2 research college in Canada, #1 in Ontario) and Queen’s MBA student, Ryan Dai.

Take the 5-minute survey today and help support the journey of international newcomer students and recent grads in Canada.