Equity Unit (EDIO) Events
Indigenous Initiatives Unit events can be found on the UTM Indigenous Centre calendar
Queer Resource Fair and Meet-Up
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 @ 11:30 am - 1:30 pm | Davis 3140 - UTM Room
The UTM Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office is pleased to welcome 2SLGBTQ+ communities and supportive allies to attend the Queer Resource Fair and Meet-Up. Registration (RSVP) is strongly encouraged.
The Queer Resource Fair and Meet-Up will be a chance for new and existing 2SLGBTQ+ faculty, librarians, staff, and students, and their allies, to meet one another in a positive, 2SLGBTQ+ centred space and discover resources and programs at UTM, while enjoying delicious food, participating in fun art and craft activities, and building community.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca. Please RSVP at: uoft.me/UTMQOMeetUp
This event is being organizing keeping in mind COVID health and safety protocols.
About Queer Orientation Week at U of T:
Queer Orientation (QO) is an annual week of 2SLGBTQ+ focused programming across all three campuses of the University of Toronto.
For more information about this week of events, including accessbility information, please visit the Queer Orientation Week calendar: https://sgdo.utoronto.ca/events/queer-orientation
Laugh, Cry, Cringe Storytelling Series
The Digital Sisterhood
Thursday, October 6, 2022 @ 12:00 - 1:00 pm (ET) | Hybrid: Davis 3129 or via Zoom
A new storytelling series: Laugh, Cry, Cringe seeks to create braver spaces to engage in conversations that explore personal stories, current events, cultural narratives, while unmasking misconceptions about various groups/communities/people. In this new storytelling format, our intention is to act as an outlet for folks to release tensions, build community, practice wellness, and become inspired to take positive action in their daily lives. With an amazing line-up of storytellers, we invite folks to let go and laugh, cry or cringe while listening to these stories.
On October 6, 2022, the EDI Office and Hart House will launch our storytelling series with members of the The Digital Sisterhood (TDS) team, Cadar Mahmoud as the events interviewer and Safia Hirsi as the facilitator/narrator, along with a special guest as they share stories, experiences, lessons learned. TDS is a platform that aims to unite women of colour and counter the pre-existing narrative of what it means to be a Muslim woman. These stories are embedded with notions of honour, empathy, and advice.
Learn more and register to attend this hybrid event.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Inaugural Inclusion in Action Speaker Series: Examining Whiteness in Higher Education
Monday, December 5, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (ET) | Zoom (virtual)
The Inclusion in Action Speaker Series is a collaboration between the Institutional Equity Office (IEO), UTM Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office (UTM EDIO) and the U of T Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII).
Examining Whiteness in Higher Education with Dr. Sheelah McLean and Dr. Alex Wilson.
The goal of this series it to host local and international experts, academics, and advocates to increase dialogue and understanding of equity, accessibility, and inclusion in postsecondary environments. Through an intersectional lens, the series focuses on systems of discrimination with the aim of dismantling attitudes and processes that uphold ongoing exclusion and marginalization. Faculty, librarians, staff, students, and external community members are invited to attend.
Learn more and register to attend this virtual event.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Tuesday, December 6, 2022 @ 12:00 - 2:00 pm (ET) | Hybrid (Hart House or livestream)
On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, from 12:30-2:30 pm, the University of Toronto will join communities across Canada for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (NDRAVAW) to honour the lives of the 14 women killed in a devastating act of misogyny at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique in 1989.
We welcome all faculty, staff, students, and librarians to join us either in-person or virtually for this tri-campus event.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Positively QUTE Holiday Social
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 @ 4:00 - 6:00 pm (ET) | In-person at UTM
Join 2SLGBTQ+ and allied staff, faculty, and librarians on December 7 for a holiday party!
There will be prizes, food, games, connection at parties across U of T tri-campus (UTM, UTSC, UTSG). Brought to you by QUTE & Positive Space.
Please RSVP by December 2, 2022.
Anti-Asian Racism Working Group: Consultations and Focus Groups
The University of Toronto established an Anti-Asian Racism Working Group (AARWG) to review the practices, processes, policies, and resources available at the University and make recommendations to support the University's response to anti-Asian racism. The Working Group will be conducting consultations and holding focus groups with members of the University community to inform their recommendations about how to create an inclusive environment where Asian community members feel safe, welcome, and respected.
Please visit the Working Group website for full details about consultations and focus group dates and times.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email anti.asian.racism@utoronto.ca.
Laugh, Cry, Cringe Storytelling Series: Latoya Jackson
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (ET) | Davis 3129 or Zoom (virtual)
Latoya Jackson: World Traveller, Storyteller, and E-Learning Developer.
Join the UTM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office and Hart house for a Laugh, Cry, Cringe: Storytelling Series with Latoya Jackson, World Traveller, Storyteller, and E-Learning Developer. Latoya has travelled to 37 countries on 5 continents - mostly solo - and has had stints living and teaching ESL in Tokyo and Montreal. Latoya will share key learning from her journeys as a Black woman, travelling solo. This will include a discussion on her experience teaching ESL in Japan. The aim is to empower people of colour, especially women, to travel. You will leave this session with practical tips and strategies to navigate negative travel experiences.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 @ 12:00 - 1:00 pm | Davis 3140 (UTM Room)
Welcoming UTM employees to gather and celebrate the Lunar New Year! Join UTM Connections & Conversations and the EDI Office for a Lunar New Year lunch on Wednesday, January 25 between 12-1 pm in the UTM Room.
This particular lunar new year (as there are many different lunar calendars in the world) is celebrated by several cultures in East and Southeast Asia, and we are looking forward to participating in celebrations with the UTM community!
Please send an email RSVP with the subject line "Lunar New Year lunch: to c.and.c.utm@utoronto.ca by Friday, January 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm. In the email body, please include any dietary and accessibility requirements.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Community Gathering and Lunch in celebration of Black History Month
Friday, February 24, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm (ET) | Davis 3140
Hosted by the UTM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office, the UTM campus welcomes all its members to join an in-person celebration of Black achievements and excellence. This will be a chance for attendees to build and strengthen connections in community over lunch. It will also be an opportunity to engage in disrupting narratives about what Black history means and recognize the powerful influences of Black individuals and communities across the country and beyond. The event will include a group viewing of the inspiring keynote address by Cameron Bailey at the 21st Annual Black History Month Luncheon.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
Please note that this will be a photographed event. Please let photographers or staff know if you have any questions or would not like your photograph taken.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Laugh, Cry, Cringe Storytelling Series: Catalina (Cata) Alvarez Elias
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (ET) | DV 3129 or Zoom (virtual)
Culture Shock: A Latin American Searching for Community in Canada
We are excited to host our next storytelling series: Laugh, Cry, Cringe with Cata Alvarez Elias about culture shock. Although Cata comes with a wealth of knowledge from studying medicine, pediatrics, and pediatric nephrology, she will focus her storytelling about her identity as a Latin Amercian, and the culture shock that she experienced upon arriving to Canada. The aim is to empower and embrace newcomers as they navigate their journey of settling in a new country.
The purpose of Laugh, Cry, Cringe: Storytelling Series is to create braver spaces to engage in conversations that explore personal stories and cultural narratives, while unmasking misconceptions about various groups/communities/people.
All U of T students, staff, faculty, and librarians are welcome to attend.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
Please note that this will be a photographed event. Please let photographers or staff know if you have any questions or would not like your photograph taken.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Black at UTM Launch
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 between 11:45 am - 2:30 pm (ET) | Student Centre Presentation Room
Welcoming all UTM campus community members to join the UTM Anti-Black Racism Operational Group in celebration of the UTM Anti-Black Racism Dashboard: Black at UTM launch on March 8, 2023.
Drop-in between 11:45 am to 2:30 pm for a sneak peek at UTM's Anti-Black Racism Dashboard. Remarks will begin at 12:00 pm. Come out and:
- Engage in interactive demos and discussion
- Learn more about UTM's efforts to counter anti-Black racism
- Enjoy some delicious cuisine, win some giveaways, and have a good time!
Hosted by the UTM Anti-Black Racism Operational Group which has been supporting the implementation of the U of T Anti-Black Racism Task Force Report recommendations at UTM since February 2022.
Please note that this will be a photographed event. Please let photographers or staff know if you have any questions or would not like your photograph taken.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Pitch with a Twist: International Women's Day Pitch Competition
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm (ET) | UTM, Innovation Complex Rotunda
In support of International Women's Day, we are proud to announce the Pitch with a Twist event is fast approaching.
In addition to start-up finalists competing for cash and in-kind prizes, we are also super excited to have Lesley Hampton - Anishinaabe artist and fashion designer - as this year's keynote speaker! Lesley has been featured in the Globe and Mail, and VOGUE has declared her as having the "#1 Canadian Brand to keep an eye on".
Be ready to enjoy the night by supporting some great ideas, amplifying underrepresented voices, and enjoying some delicious food.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
Please note that this will be a photographed event. Please let photographers or staff know if you have any questions or would not like your photograph taken.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Celebrating Black Excellence: Addressing Wellness & Finance
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm (ET) | Davis 3140 (UTM Room).
Join the UTM EDI Office, Centre for Student Engagement, and Career Centre for a lunchtime gathering: Celebrating Black Excellence.
Asante Haughton and Jamie Sodhi will share their stories and their lived experience to provide critical advice to students. They will share real-life challenges and implications that one faces in the workplace and academia because of one’s skin colour, ethnicity, country of origin, cultural or religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, and accents - offering tools and strategies to navigate those challenges. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to eat, learn and reflect on strategies to manage your wellness and finance.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
Inclusion in Action Speaker Series - Beyond the Binary: Stories Told and Strategies Shared
Monday, April 17, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am (ET) | Zoom (virtual)
The Inclusion in Action Speaker Series is a collaboration between the Institutional Equity Office and the UTM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office (UTM EDIO).
The goal of this series is to host local and international experts, academics, and advocates to increase dialogue and understanding of equity, accessibility, and inclusion in post-secondary environments. Through an intersectional lens, the series focuses on systems of discrimination with the aim of dismantling attitudes and processes that uphold ongoing exclusion and marginalization.
By attending this session with ALOK, participants will:
- Draw links between the sex and gender binaries and whiteness, colonialism, ableism, and class.
- Build skills to identify patterns and processes of gender-based discrimination, transphobia, and gender policing in post-secondary education.
- Self-reflect on how attitudes and actions related to gender binaries are played out individually, interpersonally and systemically.
- Review strategies to challenge binary thinking and work towards systems and practices that foster belonging for all.
- Examine strategies that have been implemented in other sectors that can serve as models for post-secondary spaces to deepen equity and inclusion.
Format: Virtual – Zoom Platform (requires an institutional Zoom account).
Audience: Faculty, librarians, staff, and students at the University of Toronto.
Cost: Free
Please note that the event will not be recorded.
Note: Registration requires an active UTORid.
Learn more and register to attend this event.
Participation:
Participants can submit questions to event organizers throughout the session.
Questions:
If you have any accessibility questions or are looking for further information on how we might support your participation including accommodation requests, please contact s.baig@utoronto.ca, and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements.
Asian Heritage Month - UTM Library Display
May 1-31, 2023 | UTM Library
The UTM Library and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office (EDIO) have worked together to bring awareness to Asian Heritage Month through a Library book display. The display will include a variety of books by Asian authors and illustrators, and non-Asian authors who explore Asian culture, people, economies, and ways of knowing. Community members will be able to engage with the display throughout May. The display is located at Level 2 (ground) of the UTM Library, just to the right of the entrance. For more information and to explore a digital book display, visit the UTM Library website.
All U of T students, staff, faculty, and librarians are welcome to attend.
Positively QUTE Spring Social
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (ET) | Student Centre Pub
Join 2SLGBTQ+ and allied staff, faculty, and librarians on May 10, from 4-6 pm, for a Spring Social!
Learn more and register to attend this event. Registration is appreciated (it helps us plan) but drop-ins are also welcome!
Please note that this will be a photographed event. Please let photographers or staff know if you have any questions or would not like your photograph taken.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at: edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
Pride Month Launch at UTM
Thursday, June 1, 2023 @ 11:45 am - 1:30 pm | Outside UTM Student Centre
All are invited to the Pride Month Launch BBQ and Flag Drop on June 1, 2023 at the Mississauga campus!
Join us to celebrate the courage, diversity, and history of U of T's 2SLGBTQ+ communities with event opening and remarks beginning at 12 pm followed by the flag unfurling and community BBQ.
All U of T students, staff, faculty, and librarians are welcome to attend.
Please contact the UTM EDI Office if you have any questions: edio.utm@utoronto.ca
Supporting partners: UTM Students' Union, UTM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office, UTM Indigenous Centre, UTM Positive Space Committee, and U of T Sexual and Gender Diversity Office.
Beats of Healing: Community through African Drumming
Friday, June 9, 2023 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm (ET) | Maanjiwe nendamowinan (MN), 5th floor terrace
Drumming and drum circles are a part of the musical and cultural landscapes practiced by many communities. The African drum and drumming circles are often used to promote healing and self-expression; the drum is an effective tool in promoting well-being, releasing stress, breaking down barriers and uniting communities. This event is a collaboration between the U of T Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office and the UTM EDI Office.
Facilitated by Negus Medhin, Master African-Caribbean Drummer, Singer & Performer, Holistic Vibrancy.
Learn more and register to attend this event. Please note there are 30 spots for this space.
All U of T students, staff, faculty, and librarians are welcome to attend.
If you have any questions about the event or accessibility accommodation requests, please contact the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office at edio.utm@utoronto.ca.
U of T Pride Pub
Friday, June 9, 2023 @ 4:30 pm - 1:00 am (ET) | Hart House Quad (7 Hart House Circle)
Start YOUR pride celebrations with U of T surrounded by friends and colleagues in the beautiful outdoor Hart House Quad at the U of T Pride Pub. Join the party early for an outdoor event with food and drinks, a Community Fair with local 2SLGBTQ+ organizations, a photobooth from our friends at Alumni Relations, and kid-friendly activities. Or wait until the stars come out to dance the night away with our fabulous DJs.
This event is open to U of T students, staff, faculty, alumni, friends, families, and community members – everyone is welcome to attend!
This is an accessible space with all-gender and accessible washrooms on site, with some grass and uneven concrete walkway space in the quad. If there are any accessibility questions, please contact sgdo@utoronto.ca.
Free before 9:00PM, $5 AFTER 9:00PM
This space is accessible. All-gender and accessible washrooms are located on site.
4:30 PM – 8:00 PM: COMMUNITY FAIR & BBQ (family-friendly)
8:00 PM – 1:00 AM: DANCING UNDER THE STARS (17 + after 9pm There will be a wristband policy in effect.)
Stay tuned for performer and DJ details!
Understanding Black Disability Justice: Advancing Disability Justice in Postsecondary Contexts
Monday, June 12, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (ET) | Virtual Event
The goal of this series is to host local and international experts, academics, and advocates to increase dialogue and understanding of equity, accessibility, and inclusion in postsecondary environments. Through an intersectional lens, the series focuses on systems of discrimination with the aim of dismantling attitudes and processes that uphold ongoing exclusion and marginalization.
This session will explore disability justice and its principles with a particular focus on conversations of intersectionality and Blackness. Participants will learn practical strategies within teaching and learning to embed disability justice within various environments. Dr. Schalk will join a panel of U of T community members to critically analyze how ableism manifests and can be disrupted in working and learning environments.
Additional speakers to be announced.
Learn more and register to attend event.
Cost: Free
Accessibility: If you have any accessibility questions or are looking for further information on how we might support your participation including accommodation requests, please contact s.baig@utoronto.ca, and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements.
Join U of T as we celebrate Pride 2023 with the annual #DisplayYourPride event!
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, June 13 as U of T’s three campuses celebrate Pride Month and U of T Pride with the annual #DisplayYourPride event!
Decorate your office, your workspace, or get creative with your colleagues to find a way to celebrate Pride! How you do this is up to you and your own interpretation of what Pride means to you at #UofT. Take a picture and post it to Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram and tag your post with the hashtag #DisplayYour Pride. You can also add your campus hashtag (#UofT, #UTM, #UTSC) and then follow us as we try and trend on social media. If you don’t have a social media account, send your photo to the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office and the SGDO team will post it for you.
For more information on #DisplayYourPride, visit U of T's Positive Space website.
For more information on Pride events at U of T, go to the Sexual Gender and Diversity Office's Pride Events page.
Caring for Ourselves, Caring for Community Amidst Grief and Violence
Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Location: Virtual - Zoom (must register via UTMail)
Many of us and our communities have had to navigate on-going grief and violence in the past months and weeks. The recent targeted attack on students and faculty of a Gender Studies class at the University of Waterloo occurred within a broader context of rising misogyny and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ violence. Recognizing this challenging context, several support offices and partners at the University of Toronto invite members of the tri-campus community to a virtual space centered on caring for ourselves and caring for community.
This session focuses on practices and strategies to help ground us in community as well as promote personal wellness rooted in Medical Qigong and Yoga traditions. Facilitator and U of T community member, Billy J. Choi-Gekas, will share teachings and embodied practices around navigating both individual and collective grief in the context of recent and escalating hate and violence. All bodies and experience levels welcome.
Please note that a UTMail and institutional zoom account will be required to register for this event. Learn more about obtaining your institutional zoom account.
Billy J. Choi-Gekas (they/them) is a Nonbinary, Queer, mixed-race Settler from Tkaronto. They are the Circulation Supervisor for the John W. Graham Library at Trinity College, University of Toronto, and served as Chair of the “Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, AntiRacism'' (IDEAR) Committee of the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) for the past 2 years. Billy is currently coordinating the BIPOC-Chat-Space for UTL staff, a monthly therapeutic workshop series with Hill Studio (a Black Psychotherapist & Wellness Practitioner Collective). For the past 5 years, Billy has been serving on the Board of Directors for Toronto Urban Native Ministry. And for the past 17 years, has a private practice as a wholistic practitioner and anti-oppression consultant, working with individuals and communities, as well as numerous social justice, Queer, and interreligious organizations across North America. You can find Billy and their team through the: School of Radical Healing and Sacred Activism (SORHSA) www.myradicalhealing.com
This event is a collaboration between the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre, UTM Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office, UTSC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office, and the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies.
If you are planning on attending and require accommodation(s) due to disability, please email sgdo@utoronto.ca directly and we will work with you to make appropriate arrangements.
Caribbean Lyme
Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: Blind Duck Pub Lounge and Patio
Please join us in celebrating students, staff, faculty, and librarians of Caribbean descent, as we honour Caribbean culture.
Come jam to the sweet sounds of Soca tunes, satisfy your taste buds with delicious Caribbean cuisine, and catch up with Caribbean community members—this is an event you do not want to miss!
Registration link coming soon.
Event hosted by the UTM: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, the Centre for Student Engagement, the International Education Centre, Connections & Conversations, Registrar’s Office, and Office of the Vice President & Principal
