Rai Reece wants to talk about difficult things - sexism, racism, privilege, prison - and International Women’s Day is the perfect time for a conversation.
Reece is a professor of Criminology and Ethics in Humber College’s Faculty of Social and Community Services and her research focuses on black women in prison and jail.
“A lot of work has not been done about women in general, and less so on women who are racialized,” she said.
Reece is sitting at a table in an out-of-the-way corner of the Humber College North Campus. She is both engaged and at ease, speaking about her life’s work.
Her research has captured the attention of other academics and the greater public. Reece is regularly booked to speak on topics related to women in prison, race, and feminism.
Reece’s work has received the Humber College Research Excellence Award for a project called “One Seed at a Time,” which provided women in prison with the opportunity to obtain apprenticeship credits in the landscaping trade, followed by industry placements.
She has been working with women incarcerated federally and provincially for 15 years, first as an advocate for prisoners with HIV/AIDS and later through her research, which includes interviews with incarcerated women and women post-release, and examining social issues connected related to these women’s experience.
Equality vs Equity
The International Women’s Day theme for 2020 is “Each for Equal,” meaning that each person can help create a gender-equal world.
Reece is an advocate for women but her focus goes beyond equality and lands on equity.
“Equality obscures some of the very intersectional pieces,” she said, reflecting on this year’s theme. “If we treat everyone equally that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re treating everyone equitably. You’re missing nuances.”
Reece references the intersection of gender and race, especially as it relates to her own daughters, ages 7 and 11. 
“They’re little black girls growing up in a society that disavows their identity and tells them that they’re less than.”
She teaches them about empowerment and gender stereotypes - “you’re a girl, you shouldn’t be doing this, or girls aren’t as strong as boys” - in a way the children can understand.
But education about privilege and equity doesn’t end with childhood.
“International Women’s Day shouldn’t be part of the curriculum for one day. It should be woven into the curriculum.”
She cites business programs as an example and says professors should be looking at how many women work in certain sectors, and then how many racialized women, or gender diverse people.
Reece encourages her students to think about everyday processes that the privileged take for granted - and to educate where they can.
“When things are said in class that are sexist or discriminatory, take that up. Reach into that [...] and [recognize] that knowledge comes from somewhere.”
Get Involved
Various faculties and groups on campus have recognized International Women’s Day by holding IWD 2020 events.
The Insurance Management Program hosted an event March 5, called "Celebrating Women in Insurance", focused on empowering and advancing woment in the industry.
The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Diversity will present the Humber Women’s Day Forum March 7.
Humber College North Campus will host an event in the LRC Concourse March 8.
The Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology plans to hold an event called "Women in Engineering" March 9, and the First Year Experience and Humber Athletics will host a workout with Kenzie Forbes March 11.