The YUSA Equity Committee acknowledges the historical and ever-present systemic biases and barriers that exist which continue to marginalize Black people. These systems permeate our workspaces, and we have a responsibility to recognize and dismantle the structures, behaviors, microaggressions and actions that oppress our colleagues. We hope that you are/become an ally who will continue to celebrate and acknowledge the excellence and contributions of Black people regularly and consistently beyond the month of February.
“Do your little bit of good where you are…
It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
~Viola Desmond ~
EVENTS
Labour Community Services Free Online Event – February 12, 2026:
Being Black in This Historic Era: We’re living through a global shift, whether culturally, politically, economically or environmentally, but what does that mean for the Black community?
Everyone is invited to join us in a discussion on the importance of acknowledging the impact our choices and actions make, and the continued work being done to end anti-Black racism
Events at York University and in your Local Communities:
We warmly encourage you to attend and participate in the many events this month organized by Black community members at York. The Black History Month website has an event feed where you can find more details. To highlight a few:
- Word Sound Power: Centering Our Stories & Communities, Feb. 10 – held at the Keele Campus at 5 p.m. in the Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre. Register here.
- Heritage on Canvas: Black Hair, Culture, and Creativity, Feb. 10 – held at the Glendon Campus at 2 p.m. in the Breezeway.
- Impacts and Issues of Mysogynoir, Feb. 19 – held at 10 a.m. (virtual). Register here.
- Film Screening, Feb. 23 – held at the Markham Campus at 1:15 p.m. in MK2050.
- The Harriet Tubman Institute at York University explores the histories of Africans and their diasporas as they connect directly to contemporary experiences, using multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. Its work highlights the diversity and richness of Black identities, with particular attention to what Blackness means in the Canadian context. The Institute offers York faculty, students, and the broader community a distinctive hub of scholarship that deepens understanding of the global and Canadian experiences of people of African descent- https://www.yorku.ca/research/tubman/
