A message from our EDI Taskforce Executive Sponsors, Jason Hunter and Lori Diduch
Dear Humber community,
While February is officially recognized by Canada as the month in which the country celebrates and acknowledges the contributions of Black/ African Canadians, Humber acknowledges that this history must be taught to all Canadians 365 days per year and must be infused in our curriculums. The history of the peoples of African Ancestry | Black peoples in Canada is everybody’s history. It is important for us to know that though the history of Black | African peoples in North America may be rooted in slavery, the history of Black | African Peoples goes well beyond slavery.
Over the last few years, Humber has provided several opportunities to educate our students and employees about the experiences of Black | African Canadians. The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion spearheaded numerous educational sessions across the College. These sessions focused on raising the consciousness of the Humber community. Most recently, as a launch to Black History Month 2022, Dr. Wesley Crichlow highlighted how institutions reproduce Anti-Black racism (ABR) and provided some strategies and approaches to combat said reproduction.
Humber has also made several commitments to ensure that Black employees and students feel included. Humber has endorsed the Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada Charter and the BlackNorth Initiative CEO Pledge, that calls for the reflection of Black people in the College’s leadership. We continue to support Humber’s Black | African Employee Resource Group to support Black | African employees.
Humber is committed to moving beyond consciousness raising, and commitments/pledges, to action to ensure that systems and institutional practices that continue to keep Black | Africans from advancing in the academy are eradicated. This work does not rest with a single department or a single faculty, it is the work of all faculties, all departments, all staff, and all students because we all have a vested interest in ensuring that Black staff and students feel, and are, included. We are stronger together when we feel a sense of BELONGING.
Please engage with Black History | Heritage 365 events through the BASE Black Heritage Month 365 - Humber College and through the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion HROE | Equity & Inclusion Dialogues (humber.ca).
| Lori A Diduch Vice President, Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness |
Jason Hunter Vice-President, Students and Institutional Planning |
