UWOFA Equity Committee’s Anti-Racism Statement

We are witnessing a defining civil rights moment in world history. UWOFA stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and we are committed to ensuring the equitable inclusion of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) individuals and communities. As a community, Western has just begun to acknowledge how race, culture, sexuality, dis/ability, and gender shape the experiences of its faculty, students, and staff in inequitable ways. It is our responsibility as UWOFA members to do better and to support the institution as it makes meaningful structural changes to counter all forms of racism on our campus and within the City of London. The knowledge we produce and the positions we hold are a direct result of socio-economic and racial disparities as well as privilege, and as such they must be used to dismantle the oppressive racial systems of violence and institutional inequalities that pervade the lives of our students, staff, and colleagues. This radical work demands courage, collaboration, and a commitment to change over the long term.

We want to gather your insights about how to begin making these fundamental changes. Please reach out to UWOFA’s Equity Committee with your suggestions, comments, and questions.