Anti-Asian Racism / en 茄子直播 launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website /bulletin/u-t-launches-new-institutional-equity-commitments-website <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ksoobria</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-02-13T11:10:33-05:00" title="Tuesday, February 13, 2024 - 11:10" class="datetime">Tue, 02/13/2024 - 11:10</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The University of Toronto community has a new website that enhances the way it tracks institutional progress on addressing recommendations from its equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) working groups and task force.</p> <p>Launched in December 2023, the <a href="https://commitments.utoronto.ca/">Institutional Equity Commitments</a> website outlines the commitments 茄子直播 has made in response to recommendations from the <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-black-racism-task-force/">Anti-Black Racism Task Force</a>, <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-semitism-working-group/">Antisemitism Working Group</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-asian-racism-working-group/">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group</a>; provides status updates on each initiative; and shares articles, photos, and resources that bring this work to life.鈥</p> <p>鈥淭he university is committed to building on the strong foundation for change laid in the reports of our <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/">EDI working groups and task force</a>,鈥 said 茄子直播 President Meric Gertler. 鈥淚t is also imperative that our actions be transparent and accessible to all members of our community. We hope that the new Institutional Equity Commitments website will foster an increased awareness of what we have achieved together so far and inspire participation in the many initiatives yet to come.鈥濃</p> <p>Developed through collaboration among the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice-President &amp; Provost and the Office of the Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity &amp; Culture, the Institutional Equity Commitments website is an evolution of a pilot project that began in 2021. The pilot version, known as the Commitments Dashboard, was created to track the implementation of Anti-Black Racism Task Force recommendations and later expanded to include Antisemitism Working Group recommendations. Over the years, there has been a growing need to enhance the existing site.鈥</p> <p>鈥淕uided by our community鈥檚 feedback, we have designed a site that is easier to navigate and clearly demonstrates institutional accountability while celebrating our shared progress,鈥 said 茄子直播鈥檚 Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity &amp; Culture Kelly Hannah-Moffat.</p> <p>The updated website has a redesigned look and enhanced user experience, including featured stories, progress snapshots, and status updates on the recommendations. Visitors can filter the entire page by specific report. Additionally, divisions or offices responsible for reporting progress on each commitment are now identified.鈥</p> <p>鈥淭he nature of equity work is that it is an ongoing journey, characterized by continual growth and change,鈥 said Jodie Glean-Mitchell, executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion.</p> <p>鈥淭he newly revised Institutional Equity Commitments website provides the university with a tool to put EDI accountability into action as we engage our collective responsibility to foster an equitable and inclusive university.鈥濃 鈥</p> <p>Members of the 茄子直播 community are encouraged to explore the new site and consider how the working group recommendations might inform change in their own areas of the university. Feedback on the site and stories about local progress on EDI commitments are also welcome and can be submitted using the <a href="https://commitments.utoronto.ca/share-feedback/">feedback form</a>.鈥</p> <p>鈥淲e are fortunate to have a very engaged community of students, faculty, librarians and staff who make important contributions to this work, and we鈥檙e glad to have their continued input,鈥 said Trevor Young, 茄子直播's vice-president and provost. 鈥淥ur ongoing goal is to better deliver and report on the institutional commitments we've made to equity and to improve transparency and accountability.鈥</p> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-caption field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>茄子直播 launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-02/UofT11637_20160520_CarvedCoatofArmsatUC_5-lpr.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&amp;itok=Ffwy8NJ_ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-02/UofT11637_20160520_CarvedCoatofArmsatUC_5-lpr.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&amp;itok=bbL83xJ_ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-02/UofT11637_20160520_CarvedCoatofArmsatUC_5-lpr.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&amp;itok=Gc_l-vlK 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-02/UofT11637_20160520_CarvedCoatofArmsatUC_5-lpr.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&amp;itok=Ffwy8NJ_" alt="茄子直播 coat of arms carved in to University College arch"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-cutline field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">(photo by Johnny Guatto)</div> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden clearfix"> <ul class="links field__items"> <li><a href="/news/tags/equity" hreflang="en">Equity</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/kelly-hannah-moffat" hreflang="en">Kelly Hannah-Moffat</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/provost" hreflang="en">Provost</a></li> <li><a href="/taxonomy/term/6864" hreflang="en">People Strategy</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/diversity" hreflang="en">Diversity</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism-working-group" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/anti-black-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Black Racism</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/antisemitism" hreflang="en">Antisemitism</a></li> <li><a href="/news/tags/president" hreflang="en">President</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Melinda Mattos鈥</div> <div class="field field--name-field-hide field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:10:33 +0000 ksoobria 306094 at Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority /news/joe-s-basketball-diaries-episode-3-model-minority <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-12-14T11:42:40-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 14, 2022 - 11:42" class="datetime">Wed, 12/14/2022 - 11:42</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZcOQ7R0hssE?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority" aria-label="Embedded video for Joe&amp;#039;s Basketball Diaries Episode 3: The model minority: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZcOQ7R0hssE?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-black-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Black Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6848" hreflang="en">Joe's Basketball Diaries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/munk-school-global-affairs-public-policy-0" hreflang="en">Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-kinesiology-physical-education" hreflang="en">Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sport" hreflang="en">Sport</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Anti-Asian and anti-Black racism. Tokenism, xenophobia and a lack of representation in sport. These are some of the topics host <b>Joseph Wong</b>, the University of Toronto鈥檚 vice-president, international, explores in episode three of <i>Joe鈥檚 Basketball Diaries.</i></span></p> <p class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">鈥淚 was called Yao Ming my whole life growing up, and I just wanted to be Jeremy Lin,鈥 says basketball star Jeremy Lin. </span></p> <p class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Wong, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-anti-asian-microaggressions-are-racist-period/">who has written about the personal impact of &nbsp;anti-Asian racism</a>, is joined by athletes, scholars, actors, journalists and activists who share their experiences and insights and discuss their work to ensure sports are accessible to everyone 鈥 and why it鈥檚 important to have hope. </span></p> <p class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">鈥淔or me for, you know, child of an immigrant family, I grew up feeling like I didn't quite belong as well鈥 I'm very honoured to be playing a part in that conversation now,鈥 says actor Simu Liu. 鈥淎nd hopefully, you know, also in a way that holds the door open for, for others.鈥 </span></p> <p class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">The episode features:</span></p> <ul> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Wesley Cheng, content creator of On-Air, TSN (The Sports Network)</span></li> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Clement Chu, president and founder of the Chinese Canadian Youth Athletics Association</span></li> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><b>Takashi Fujitani</b>, director of the Dr. David Chu program in Asia-Pacific studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy</span></li> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><b>Janelle Joseph</b>, assistant professor at 茄子直播鈥檚 Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, who focuses on critical studies of race &amp; indigeneity; </span></li> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="background:white">Jeremy Lin, player for the鈥</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou_Loong_Lions" target="_blank"><span style="background:white"><span style="text-underline:none">Guangzhou Loong Lions</span></span></a><span style="background:white">鈥痮f the鈥</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Basketball_Association" target="_blank"><span style="background:white"><span style="text-underline:none">Chinese Basketball Association</span></span></a>鈥 </span></li> <li class="paragraph" style="margin-left:8px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="background:white">Simu Liu, Canadian actor</span></span></li> </ul> <h3 class="paragraph"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://youtu.be/ZcOQ7R0hssE">Watch Joe鈥檚 Basketball Diaries Ep. 3</a></span></h3> <p class="paragraph">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:42:40 +0000 lanthierj 178545 at Anti-Asian Racism Working Group鈥檚 student members aim to build community, drive change /news/anti-asian-racism-working-group-s-student-members-aim-build-community-drive-change <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group鈥檚 student members aim to build community, drive change</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT90020_2022-10-17_UofT%20Fall%20stock_Polina%20Teif-42-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=L8lKZgPp 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT90020_2022-10-17_UofT%20Fall%20stock_Polina%20Teif-42-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=vF4gZLlP 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT90020_2022-10-17_UofT%20Fall%20stock_Polina%20Teif-42-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=FrGUN2ZV 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT90020_2022-10-17_UofT%20Fall%20stock_Polina%20Teif-42-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=L8lKZgPp" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-11-02T11:21:51-04:00" title="Wednesday, November 2, 2022 - 11:21" class="datetime">Wed, 11/02/2022 - 11:21</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(Photo by Polina Teif)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/mariam-matti" hreflang="en">Mariam Matti</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism-working-group" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">茄子直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">During the height of the pandemic,<b> Lingyin Shen</b> felt concerned for her safety when she stepped outside her home.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">With a master鈥檚&nbsp;degree in East Asian studies from the University of Toronto, Shen says the alarming spike in anti-Asian racism incidents during the pandemic had her worried.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淭he pandemic was not kind to the Asian community,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 felt vulnerable.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">So, when Shen learned that 茄子直播 had formed an <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-asian-racism-working-group/">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group</a> to tackle anti-Asian racism across the three campuses and achieve a more welcoming and inclusive environment for Asian communities, she saw it as an opportunity to speak up and for her voice to be heard.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 wanted to do something for my community and to make sure the equity, diversity and inclusion framework acknowledges the Asian experience,鈥 says Shen, who works at 茄子直播鈥檚 Centre for International Experience as an international student immigration adviser. 鈥淚 also want to form solidarity among the Asian community.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Co-chaired by <b>Carol Chin</b>, principal of Woodsworth College, and <b>Vikram Chadalawada</b>, assistant director, student information, Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration at Information Technology Services, the Anti-Asian Racism Working Group is now in the process of consulting 茄子直播 community members about their experiences with anti-Asian racism. It will develop a tri-campus inventory of existing resources, initiatives and projects, and review the university鈥檚 policies, procedures and practices to recommend specific ways to address anti-Asian racism and create an inclusive and welcoming environment for Asian members of the university community.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">A final report with the group鈥檚 recommendations will be delivered to 茄子直播 President <b>Meric Gertler</b>,&nbsp;Vice-President and Provost&nbsp;<b>Cheryl Regehr</b>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity and Culture<b>&nbsp;Kelly Hannah-Moffat</b> by the end of this academic year.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The working group鈥檚 first meeting, held in September, generated a lot of interest, Chin says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淲e felt a real sense of engagement,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e want to bring attention to this issue, and we hope to hear from as many people as possible about their experiences of anti-Asian racism.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淥nly after we have heard from a broad spectrum of the university community can we begin to formulate specific, actionable recommendations.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Lingyin-Shen-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>Lingyin Shen&nbsp;works at 茄子直播鈥檚 Centre for International Experience as an international student immigration adviser (photo courtesy of Lingyin&nbsp;Shen)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The working group is made up of a steering committee and three subcommittees comprising staff, faculty, instructors, librarians and students. Meetings will take place bi-weekly throughout the school year to tackle the group鈥檚 goals. An <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-asian-racism-working-group/aarwg-survey/">online survey</a> was also sent out to the 茄子直播 community at the end of October.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淎s co-chairs, Carol and I will be playing a very active role in the steering committee meetings,鈥 says Chadalawada, who is chair of the University Affairs Board in 茄子直播鈥檚 Governing Council. 鈥淲e have assigned co-leads for each subcommittee to ensure information is flowing between the subcommittees and the steering committee.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Shen 鈥 who is a co-lead of a subcommittee and on the steering committee 鈥 says members spoke at the first meeting about how the working groups might be able to achieve a positive outcome for 茄子直播鈥檚 Asian communities.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 want to encourage people to share their personal experience so we can hear and validate each other,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good starting point to have a foundation of mutual recognition.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Similarly,<b> Wan Li, </b>a fourth-year Faculty of Arts &amp; Science student and a co-lead alongside Shen, says they also hope to establish solidarity among Asian communities at the university.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淐oming together and addressing something that impacted us in some ways and having that space to talk about it feels powerful,鈥 Wan says. 鈥淭hese people care about the issues I care about.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Wan organized the Anti-Asian Racism Alliance Forum following two incidents of anti-Asian racism on campus last year, and then helped write the group鈥檚 recommendation report, 鈥淎 Path Forward: Creating Safe &amp; Inclusive Spaces at 茄子直播.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淎t the forum, I connected with a lot of students,鈥 Wan says. 鈥淸The forum] was in April and close to finals. I was thankful to the students who attended.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚t was really important for them to share their insights, which were quite painful. But I promised them I would do something.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">After Wan sent the report to the university鈥檚 administration, they were invited to join the Anti-Asian Racism Working Group and serve on its steering committee.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 want to make sure the things we are pushing for are reflected in the final report,鈥 Wan says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Through meetings and consultations, Wan and Shen want to encourage people to speak up about injustices or racism they鈥檝e experienced.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for everyone to be heard because we have been underrepresented as a group,鈥 says Shen. 鈥淭he Asian community is very diverse. We have different backgrounds and very different lived experiences.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚鈥檓 an immigrant and my experience is different than an Asian person who was born and raised in Canada.鈥&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Wan agrees.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 come from Malaysia, a place where there isn鈥檛 a lot of political freedom. It鈥檚 immensely valuable to hear different perspectives.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Chin and Chadalawada say there are self-care resources available to students during each meeting.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 difficult to sit with the information that鈥檚 coming at them or that鈥檚 being shared,鈥 says Chadalawada. 鈥淚 want to urge every member to use the resources available. We don鈥檛 want anyone to feel alone in this important work.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Shen and Wan say they are looking forward to forming a community they can count on.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚t gives us a sense of belonging,鈥 says Shen. 鈥淲e have a large number of Asian students, faculty and staff, and it would be great to have a community to share experiences and seek support from each other.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The working group encourages 茄子直播 community members to provide feedback through the <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-asian-racism-working-group/aarwg-survey/">online survey</a>.</p> <hr> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Members of the Asian community at 茄子直播 in need of support can reach out to:</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>Students:</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="https://mentalhealth.utoronto.ca/my-student-support-program/">茄子直播 My Student Support Program (My SSP)</a> can be accessed 24/7 by phone or via the My SSP app.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Other mental health resources, programs and supports are available at <a href="http://mentalhealth.utoronto.ca/">mentalhealth.utoronto.ca</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>Staff and faculty:</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/employees/efap/">Employee and Family Assistance Program</a> (1-800-663-1142)</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 02 Nov 2022 15:21:51 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 177946 at 茄子直播 launches working group to tackle anti-Asian racism on campus /news/u-t-launches-working-group-tackle-anti-asian-racism-campus <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 launches working group to tackle anti-Asian racism on campus</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT86453_u-of-t-engineering_50091502681_o-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=g6i-d7vo 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT86453_u-of-t-engineering_50091502681_o-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=18Ps5Y0_ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT86453_u-of-t-engineering_50091502681_o-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=JDRf80zZ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT86453_u-of-t-engineering_50091502681_o-lpr.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=g6i-d7vo" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-05-27T10:34:43-04:00" title="Friday, May 27, 2022 - 10:34" class="datetime">Fri, 05/27/2022 - 10:34</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Daria Perevezentsev)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/kelly-hannah-moffat" hreflang="en">Kelly Hannah-Moffat</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/information-and-technology" hreflang="en">Information and Technology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cheryl-regehr" hreflang="en">Cheryl Regehr</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/governing-council" hreflang="en">Governing Council</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/history" hreflang="en">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/its" hreflang="en">ITS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">The University of Toronto has launched an <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/inclusion/anti-racism-strategic-tables/anti-asian-racism-working-group/">Anti-Asian Racism Working Group</a> to address anti-Asian racism on campus and take steps to make 茄子直播 more inclusive and welcoming to members of Asian communities.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">As part of its mandate, the working group 鈥 co-chaired by <b>Carol Chin</b>, principal of Woodsworth College, and <b>Vikram Chadalawada</b>, assistant director, student information, Enterprise Applications and Solutions Integration and Information Technology Services 鈥 will consult 茄子直播 community members about their experiences with anti-Asian racism and review 茄子直播鈥檚 existing policies, procedures, programming and practices.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">It will then recommend actionable steps to respond to anti-Asian racism on the university鈥檚 three campuses and help build a respectful, accountable, equitable and inclusive community.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淥ne of the aims of the working group is to gather information on the range of experiences of racism of people belonging to different parts of the Asian community,鈥 said Chin, an associate professor in the department of history in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science. 鈥淭his is, of course, a very broad category and people will have different backgrounds, including being born and raised in Canada, born and raised in Asia and everything in between.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淲e鈥檙e interested in hearing from as many people as would be willing to contribute their voices, and it鈥檚 about coalescing that into a coherent report and recommendations.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The Anti-Asian Racism Working Group also plans to develop a tri-campus inventory of existing resources, initiatives and projects that address anti-Asian racism and advance inclusion for Asian community members, as well as review previous recommendations regarding anti-racism and inclusion practices made by 茄子直播 community members and other research-intensive universities.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">A final report with the group鈥檚 recommendations will be delivered to 茄子直播 President <b>Meric Gertler</b>, Vice-President and Provost <b>Cheryl Regehr</b> and Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity and Culture <b>Kelly Hannah-Moffat</b> by the end of the year.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淎s an institution and as a community, we have been concerned by recent incidents of anti-Asian racism here at 茄子直播, in our city-region, and indeed across North America,鈥 the three senior leaders <a href="https://people.utoronto.ca/memos/anti-asian-racism-working-group/">said in a message to the 茄子直播 community</a>. 鈥淚t is our collective responsibility to develop strategies to dismantle barriers and enhance inclusivity for Asian members of the 茄子直播 community.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Chin said the working group will draw on the experiences of previous anti-racism initiatives at the university to inform its processes and approach. She notes, for instance, that she regularly speaks with <b>Roger Bulgin</b>, co-chair of <a href="/news/u-t-accepts-all-56-recommendations-anti-black-racism-task-force">the Anti-Black Racism Task Force</a> and chief administrative officer at Woodsworth, whose office is located next door. 鈥淚鈥檓 constantly poking my head in and saying, 鈥楻oger, when you did this or that, what did you learn?鈥欌 said Chin. 鈥淪o, we will definitely be drawing on others鈥 experiences in terms of how to go about the process, what worked and what didn鈥檛.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Chadalawada, who is chair of the University Affairs Board in 茄子直播鈥檚 Governing Council, said the working group aims to support the response to anti-Asian racism in every aspect of university life and interactions.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淭his is not just for the Asian community,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also for everyone who interacts with members of the Asian community at 茄子直播 鈥 so, it applies to all of us.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚t鈥檚 also not just about students or staff or faculty, but also about extending awareness, supports and accountability to every interaction that takes place within the university 鈥 whether you鈥檙e a full-time member of the university community or a vendor, contractor or part-time or temporary worker who鈥檚 deployed into the university environment.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淲e want to enhance the awareness of everyone who participates in university life, and we hope this approach opens doors to deeper, respectful, more meaningful conversations. I truly hope that, with the help of this working group, we are able to foster an inclusive mindset that is acknowledged broadly within the university community.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The launch of the working group comes amid a sharp rise in instances of anti-Asian discrimination in Canada in recent years.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Jodie Glean</b>, executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion at 茄子直播, said that while anti-Asian racism is not a new phenomenon in this country, the COVID-19 pandemic has further stoked prejudice and bigotry.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淪ystemic anti-Asian racism has unfortunately been a lived reality for diverse Asian communities for many years 鈥 historically and in the present day,鈥 Glean said. 鈥淲ithout a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already existing inequities and inequalities, and the reality of xenophobia has continuously manifested itself in physical and verbal forms of violence against Asian community members.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淭herefore, there is a pressing need to be intentional in the ways we address anti-Asian racism and build initiatives for inclusion and belonging. The University of Toronto is looking forward to engaging the community on this important matter and carving out an informed approach to addressing anti-Asian racism across our tri-campus.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Glean encouraged members of the 茄子直播 community to direct any questions about the Anti-Asian Racism Working Group to <a href="mailto:psec.equity@utoronto.ca">psec.equity@utoronto.ca</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">She added that a call for members for the working group will be shared with the 茄子直播 community in the coming weeks.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>&nbsp;</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 27 May 2022 14:34:43 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 174932 at 茄子直播 experts work with local Chinese community to investigate upsurge in anti-Asian racism /news/u-t-experts-work-local-chinese-community-investigate-upsurge-anti-asian-racism <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 experts work with local Chinese community to investigate upsurge in anti-Asian racism</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1231992342-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gHWKBs9i 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-1231992342-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=SgqbIN4u 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-1231992342-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=R_pX27ZB 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1231992342-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gHWKBs9i" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-05-04T11:50:20-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 4, 2022 - 11:50" class="datetime">Wed, 05/04/2022 - 11:50</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">A rally against anti-Asian racism drew hundreds to Toronto's Nathan Phillip Square in March 2021 (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/megan-easton" hreflang="en">Megan Easton</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/covid-19" hreflang="en">COVID-19</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/factor-inwentash-faculty-social-work" hreflang="en">Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Just before the onset of the pandemic, recent University of Toronto graduate <strong>Kennes Lin</strong> helped launch a website with the <a href="https://www.ccnctoronto.ca/">Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter</a>&nbsp;(CCNTO) for reporting incidents of anti-Asian racism.</p> <p>The graduate of the master of social work program hadn't expected to see such a rapid upsurge in hate speech and violence. In 2021, the site logged 943 reports 鈥 a 47 per cent increase over the year before.&nbsp;Now, to better understand this disconcerting trend, Lin is collaborating on two 茄子直播 social work research initiatives that focus on Chinese Canadians.</p> <p>The projects鈥 lead researchers 鈥 <strong>Lin Fang</strong> and <strong>Izumi Sakamoto</strong>, both associate professors at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work 鈥 have partnered with community organizations to reach a cross-section of Canada鈥檚 Chinese population. Though they鈥檙e taking different approaches, Fang and Sakamoto are both aiming to explore Chinese people鈥檚 past and present experiences of anti-Asian racism, heighten awareness inside and outside Chinese communities, and develop strategies to address the crisis.</p> <p>鈥淪ocial work research on contemporary anti-Asian racism and the unique ways it manifests has been scarce, reflecting its low profile in broader society,鈥 Fang says. 鈥淭his racism has always existed in Canada and elsewhere, but it鈥檚 not been at the forefront of most people鈥檚 consciousness. COVID-19 was a catalyst, unfortunately, making it more visible and present.鈥</p> <p>Fang鈥檚 multi-phase research began in late 2020, when she asked Chinese youth to submit photos and visual art representing their thoughts on anti-Asian racism. Called 鈥楳y Script, My Voice,鈥 the project is co-led by the Hong Fook Mental Health Association and its youth advisory committee, along with the Asian Canadian Living Archive.</p> <p>鈥淭he images and written reflections that accompanied them revealed how young people were thinking and feeling about anti-Asian racism early in the pandemic, and what they were doing to take care of themselves,鈥 says Fang.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/lin-fang-sakamoto.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>From left to right: Kennes Lin, Lin Fang and Izumi Sakamoto (photo of Sakamoto by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p>To dig deeper, Fang and her collaborators later held focus groups and conducted individual interviews with nearly 40 participants aged 12 to 25. Beyond COVID-19, the youth pointed to the legacy of white supremacy in Canadian society and ignorance as some of the key factors driving the increase in racism against Asians.</p> <p>The respondents鈥 personal or witnessed experiences included overt acts, including being pushed or spat on and receiving hateful social media posts, but also offhand comments on their eyes, 鈥渘atural鈥 math aptitude or poor athleticism. 鈥淎s they unpacked their memories, many said they felt their experiences were dismissed by others at the time. They also said they felt confused about whether the subtler incidents were really racism,鈥 she says. 鈥淭his uncertainty isn鈥檛 surprising, since racism directed specifically at Asians hasn鈥檛 traditionally been covered in schools or the media.鈥</p> <p>It鈥檚 also rarely mentioned at home. A frequent theme in the focus groups was the relative lack of openness around anti-Asian racism in Asian families. 鈥淧arents are often uncomfortable speaking about it because they don鈥檛 feel equipped, or they may subscribe to cultural beliefs about keeping your head down and not making trouble,鈥 says Fang, the Factor-Inwentash chair in children鈥檚 mental health. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e immigrants, they also could be afraid to rock the boat.鈥 Focus groups with Chinese parents are currently underway to gain more insight into these barriers.</p> <p>The youth participants said that anti-Asian racism made them feel like outsiders or 鈥渇oreigners,鈥&nbsp;triggered fear of being in public spaces and had a negative impact on their mental health. Still, Fang says the process of coming together and finding common ground sparked strength and hope.&nbsp;鈥淭hey want to talk about it more, and some of them have even been inspired to activism.鈥</p> <p>In the next phase of the project, Fang and her co-researchers in the faculty 鈥 Assistant Professor <strong>Stephanie Begun</strong>, Associate Professor <strong>Eunjung Lee</strong> and Sakamoto 鈥 will publicly share what they鈥檝e learned from youth and parents. In co-operation with Lin, who is lead of youth and family services at Hong Fook and an anti-Asian racism advisor at the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO), they hope to engage Chinese communities in ongoing discussion and education through social media campaigns, peer-to-peer groups, school workshops and parent support groups.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/IMG_2794-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>Kennes Lin (far right) speaks at the March 28, 2021 anti-Asian racism rally at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto&nbsp;(photo courtesy of Izumi Sakamoto)</em></p> <p>In Sakamoto鈥檚 separate pilot study, 鈥2020 in Hindsight: A Virtual Chinese Canadian Dialogue on Race,鈥 Lin has been a key member of the research team from the start. The project is examining how Chinese Canadians from different generations and socioeconomic positions experience anti-Asian racism in the context of increased awareness of racism and white supremacy in the larger society. To do this, the researchers brought together five speakers (several of whom had reported a racist incident on the website Lin helped create) to tell their stories to 30 community participants on Zoom. The second part of the event involved small group discussions facilitated by volunteers, including several social work students who were fluent in Mandarin and/or Cantonese.</p> <p>鈥淲e wanted to include people whose voices aren鈥檛 often heard, such as teenagers, seniors, frontline workers in low-income jobs and people with precarious immigration status,鈥 says Sakamoto, who notes that she is Japanese and works from the perspective of an ally. She has collaborated with CCNCTO for the past 20 years as a researcher and advocate focused on issues facing Asian Canadians.</p> <p>鈥淚t has been a privilege to work with Dr. Sakamoto and to be part of this research project, which has allowed me to apply my previous experience in community organizing as well as my experience as a member of the community,鈥 says <strong>Hogan Lam</strong>, a master of social work student who was involved in the pilot study. 鈥淭his project has taught me so much. It鈥檚 allowed me to rethink my intersectional identities in Canadian society and my relationship with anti-Asian racism as well as white supremacy.鈥</p> <p>Similar to the youth in Fang鈥檚 project, many of the participants in Sakamoto鈥檚 pilot study said they felt unsure about how to process their experiences. 鈥淭hey spoke about not feeling safe at school or in their workplaces, but not being able to articulate exactly how or what,鈥 says Sakamoto. 鈥淲hile some articulated their experience of anti-Asian racism, others expressed a sense of self-doubt and unsureness when experiencing something like a shove on a crowded subway platform, and they wondered whether it was racism. We can attribute this to the insidious nature of racism, but also to the lack of language and resources around anti-Asian racism. Many people aren鈥檛 sure how to talk about it.鈥</p> <p>While Sakamoto was familiar with the alarmingly high numbers of incidents reported online, she says seeing the faces behind the data prompted a 鈥渧isceral reaction.鈥 She didn鈥檛 expect to hear that high school students are still physically assaulted for being Asian, or that Asian frontline workers still face relentless verbal abuse and violence in Toronto. But the painful narratives forged connections and a sense of community among the participants, says Sakamoto, offering hope that the research team can build on this virtual format. Future possibilities include a town hall and forums with other Asian communities, as well as further research building on Asian identities and activism.</p> <p>鈥淲hile I wish the COVID-related racism targeting Asians never happened, the critical mass of incidents and awareness has given the issue a new sense of urgency,鈥 she says. 鈥淭en years ago, possibilities for these conversations among community members and researchers across different walks of life or generations were still limited. Putting experiences into words is a powerful thing.鈥<br> Fang and Lin agree that the growing desire in Asian communities to talk about, learn about and do something about anti-Asian racism is cause for optimism. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a word in Chinese that essentially means 鈥榗risis,鈥 but within it is the word 鈥榦pportunity,鈥欌 says Lin. 鈥淚鈥檝e thought a lot about that word over the past two years.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 04 May 2022 15:50:20 +0000 geoff.vendeville 174499 at Former senator 鈥 and 茄子直播 Chancellor Emerita 鈥 Vivienne Poy reflects on Asian Heritage Month, 20 years later /news/former-senator-and-u-t-chancellor-emerita-vivienne-poy-reflects-asian-heritage-month-20-years <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Former senator 鈥 and 茄子直播 Chancellor Emerita 鈥 Vivienne Poy reflects on Asian Heritage Month, 20 years later</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1125547721-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=UluZ3JsT 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-1125547721-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=CzWPnvQ3 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-1125547721-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=i48uudNs 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1125547721-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=UluZ3JsT" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-05-02T15:22:55-04:00" title="Monday, May 2, 2022 - 15:22" class="datetime">Mon, 05/02/2022 - 15:22</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Vivienne Poy, the first person of Asian ancestry to sit in the Senate, proposed a motion to recognize May as Asian Heritage Month in 2001, with an official declaration following in 2002 (photo by David Wong/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" hreflang="en">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">茄子直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Libraries</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When <strong>Vivienne Poy</strong> was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chr茅tien in 1998, she became the first person of Asian ancestry to sit in the upper house of Parliament.&nbsp;</p> <p>The former University of Toronto chancellor and alumna says&nbsp;the honour of being the first came with a sense of duty.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚t's a huge responsibility and a burden because I just had to do the right thing,鈥 she told <em>茄子直播 News</em>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Born in Hong Kong, Poy fled to mainland China with her family when she was seven months old, after Japan attacked the British colony during the Second World War. She moved to Montreal in 1959, where she studied history at McGill. She later earned a master鈥檚 degree and PhD in history at 茄子直播. In 1981, after studying fashion at Seneca College, she founded Vivienne Poy Mode, which sold high-end knitwear.&nbsp;</p> <p>Poy, who is the author of several books 鈥 about her own family, Sino-Canadian relations and Chinese immigration to Canada&nbsp;鈥 served as 茄子直播 chancellor from 2003 to 2006.</p> <p>While in government, she put forward a motion to recognize May as Asian Heritage Month,&nbsp;a move that was supported unanimously. Poy donated the motion and other papers from her 14 years in the Senate to 茄子直播's <a href="https://hongkong.library.utoronto.ca/">Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library</a> 鈥 the largest research collection for Hong Kong and Canada-Hong Kong studies outside of Hong Kong.&nbsp;</p> <p>Two decades after the signing of Asian Heritage Month declaration, Poy is, fittingly, one of the speakers at the Asian Heritage Month <a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/asian-heritage-month-virtual-opening-ceremony-2022-tickets-315685532927">opening ceremony</a> this weekend, along with Ahmed Hussen, the federal minister of housing and diversity and inclusion, Mayor <strong>John Tory</strong> and her son, Justin Poy, the head of a strategic and creative agency. The free,&nbsp;online event will be held this Saturday at 2 p.m. with Poy expected to speak about the relevance of Asian Heritage Month.</p> <p>At 茄子直播, events to mark the month are being held by the <a href="http://antiracism.utoronto.ca/2021-asian-heritage-month/">Anti-Racism &amp; Cultural Diversity Office</a> and <a href="https://hongkong.library.utoronto.ca/event/cantonese-operas-costume-design-hong-kong-xianggangyuejuxifushejiqiantan">茄子直播 Libraries</a>, <a href="https://east.library.utoronto.ca/eal-newsletter/visions-and-desires-independent-filmmaking-post-socialist-china">among others</a>.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>茄子直播 News</em>, Poy discussed the creation of Asian Heritage Month and its ongoing importance.&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><strong>You moved to recognize May as Asian Heritage Month in the winter of 2001&nbsp;鈥 just a few months after 9/11. In your speech in the Senate, you mention attacks on multiculturalism. Can you explain how this context influenced the motion?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Actually, I haven't looked at my own speech in a while [laughs]. The reason why I introduced it was because Asians 鈥&nbsp;meaning all of&nbsp;Asia, all the way to west Asia 鈥&nbsp;we were quite invisible in Canada because we were not part of Canadian heritage. I just wanted to give visibility to all Asians in Canada&nbsp;鈥 Canadians of Asian heritage. That was the main reason&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;just for visibility. Just to let everybody know we're here.&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm a student of history, and Canada was part of the British Commonwealth and Canada was a white country. But through immigration, Canada is very multicultural. That is how Canada was built. Of course, we have the First Nations who were here first and then the French and the British came, and then a lot of other people from other parts of the world. It is important for Canada to grow as a multicultural country because that's the only way forward.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/motion-under-glass-close-up-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>Maria Lau, director of 茄子直播's Richard Charles Lee Canada - Hong Kong Library, displays Vivienne Poy's motion to recognize May as Asian Heritage Month&nbsp;(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><strong>Do you feel like that multiculturalism is under attack again? There have been <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/increase-in-anti-asian-racism-incidents-reported-across-canada-1.5841987">reports of increased anti-Asian racism</a> in Canada during the pandemic.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Yes. Well, because racism in Canada is systemic&nbsp;and I would say there's always racism wherever there are people&nbsp;鈥 because most of us are more comfortable being with people who look like us. So, it's always there.</p> <p>It's a work in progress. We need to constantly be vigilant and actually teach the younger generation about how important it is&nbsp;鈥 not only to make friends and get along, but to learn about other cultures. I think that may be 鈥&nbsp;and I'm not an educator 鈥 but that may be what is missing in the schools. Children growing up should learn world cultures, world religion. That would really help future generations because peace is what we all want.</p> <p>What has been happening since COVID-19 is systemic racism against Asians&nbsp;has suddenly flared up. To me, that is totally out of ignorance because viruses don't care what colour your skin is, or where you come from. Viruses just need bodies to inhabit and grow and attack.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What are some of the contributions made by the Asian Canadian community that Asian Heritage Month invites people to reflect on?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>There are many. People talk about the railway workers who have made it possible for B.C. to be part of Canada, otherwise B.C. would have joined California. And anybody who knows anything about Canadian history would know that. That's just one aspect because even before that 鈥&nbsp;before the railroad 鈥 there were a lot of Japanese who came.&nbsp;</p> <p>The opening of the forests and building the trails for the gold rush 鈥 a&nbsp;lot of that was done by Asians. People seemed to forget that.</p> <p>That was a long time ago. Since then, look at&nbsp;the number of people of Asian descent today who are very prominent in the pandemic response.&nbsp;Their academic and research contributions are immense. Some of them are well known and others aren't. Of course, there is Theresa Tam, who is from Hong Kong, and there is Dr. Njoo [<strong>Howard Njoo</strong>, deputy chief public health officer and 茄子直播 graduate].&nbsp;There are many others from other parts of Asia&nbsp;and other parts of the world.&nbsp;</p> <p>Even though Asian heritage month gives Asians more visibility, I feel that inclusion is extremely, extremely important for the good of Canada. Canada can lead in the world. We have the possibility of doing that.</p> <p>Look at the war that's happening right now in Ukraine. Who needs a war? I believe in talking and solving problems&nbsp;and appreciating each other. Don't fight because everyone loses when you fight.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>You broke barriers in the Senate as the first person of Chinese ancestry to sit in the upper house of Parliament. How did it feel to be the first?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>It's a huge responsibility and a burden because I just had to do the right thing. I just had to set a good example, and I was really happy at the 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the passage of this motion&nbsp;鈥 this big celebration where there were so many Asian senators on stage. They were all there. I was at another event and I was sitting with Senator [Victor] Oh, and&nbsp;he said there were at least 15 Asian senators from every part of Asia. That to me was very gratifying.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>How should people mark Asian Heritage Month? Are there books or films you recommend?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>There's an organization called <a href="https://www.reelasian.com/">Reel Asian</a> that showcases Asian performances and movies. The last couple of years, because of the lockdown,&nbsp;the festival wasn't possible but it was going extremely well. Now it's picking up again this year.</p> <p>To me, this month is about learning about each other and sharing. We should all work together.&nbsp;I believe in that.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 02 May 2022 19:22:55 +0000 geoff.vendeville 174459 at 茄子直播鈥檚 Kenneth Fung on the impact of anti-Asian racism on mental health /news/u-t-s-kenneth-fung-impact-anti-asian-racism-mental-health <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播鈥檚 Kenneth Fung on the impact of anti-Asian racism on mental health</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1231992063-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GGSiIG9j 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1231992063-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3TJ-qycm 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1231992063-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=nz2LXqKY 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1231992063-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GGSiIG9j" alt="stop asian hate "> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-05-20T15:30:06-04:00" title="Thursday, May 20, 2021 - 15:30" class="datetime">Thu, 05/20/2021 - 15:30</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p>(Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/princess-margaret-cancer-centre" hreflang="en">Princess Margaret Cancer Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mental-health" hreflang="en">Mental Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/psychiatry" hreflang="en">Psychiatry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="image-with-caption left"> <div class="align-left"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%288%29_1.jpeg" width="200" height="300" alt="Kenneth Fung"> </div> </div> <em>Kenneth Fung</em></div> <p>With anti-Asian racism on the rise in Canada, concerns are mounting over the impact on people鈥檚 mental health.</p> <p>That鈥檚 why University of Toronto psychiatrist&nbsp;<b>Kenneth Fung</b> says it鈥檚 important to couple the fight against Anti-Asian racism with efforts to build resilience in individuals and communities 鈥 and foster culturally competent mental health services.</p> <p>On May 22, Fung, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry in 茄子直播鈥檚 Temerty Faculty of Medicine and clinical director of the Asian Initiative in Mental Health at the University Health Network (UHN), will discuss the topic during a workshop and panel discussion titled <a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/uhn-aim-resilient-perspectives-anti-asian-racism-in-canada-tickets-151979730465?utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=attendeeshare&amp;aff=escb&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;utm-term=listing">鈥淎nti-Asian Racism: Addressing the Mental Health Impact of Racism.鈥</a></p> <p>The first in a three-part series on resilience, the webinar is hosted by the Asian Initiative in Mental Health.</p> <p>Fung will joined by <b>Fei-Fei Liu</b>, chief of the radiation medicine program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and professor in the department of radiation oncology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine; <b>Janice Fukakusa</b>, chancellor of Ryerson University and chair of the board of directors of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation; and <b>Jenny Liu</b>, a post-doctoral researcher at UHN and lecturer at Ryerson.</p> <p>Ahead of the webinar, which will feature interpretation in Cantonese and Mandarin, <i>茄子直播 News</i> spoke with Fung about anti-Asian racism, the impact of discrimination on mental health and how individuals and groups can tackle racism and build resilience.</p> <hr> <p><b>How has the COVID-19 pandemic fueled or influenced anti-Asian racism in Canada?</b></p> <p>There has been a long-standing history of anti-Asian racism since the founding of the nation. Since COVID-19, we are now seeing brazen physical and verbal attacks that blame Asians for bringing in the virus and people acting as if Asians the source of contagion. We also see negative portrayals of Asians and suggestions that maybe it鈥檚 their bad habits that created the virus.</p> <p>Insults like 鈥済o home鈥 are pretty obviously damaging and un-Canadian, if you will, because when you ask someone to go home, you鈥檙e saying that Canada isn鈥檛 welcoming you here and isn鈥檛 considered your home. This is something that is being said to people who have been here for generations and are just as Canadian as any other Canadian.</p> <p>There鈥檚 also the pre-existing myths of the 鈥渕odel minority鈥 and of Asian-Canadians taking away everyone鈥檚 jobs and being so well-off. In fact, there鈥檚 just as much diversity and spectrum within the Asian-Canadian population as other Canadian populations. We know from pre-existing data that Chinese Canadians, for example, have more limited access to mental health care.</p> <p>In addition, if you compare immigrants or visible minorities, they often 鈥 as a group 鈥 earn less and are more likely to be under-employed for their training and equivalent status. There are all kinds of studies showing that they鈥檙e less likely to be promoted in corporate settings, and more likely to be precariously employed.</p> <p>So, systemic racism is taking a toll on the Asian population on top of the overt verbal insults and violent assaults. There鈥檚 cause for concern that all this has risen in the context of the pandemic.</p> <p><b>How do acts of racism affect the mental health of victims and communities?</b></p> <p>There is a very direct impact from racist attacks and comments. It can be a very traumatic experience to be accosted and assaulted. All of this can have a psychological 鈥 even physical, in some cases 鈥 impact on the individual.</p> <p>It can also psychologically make Asians feel like this is not their home 鈥 so you don鈥檛 feel like you have a Canadian identity. This has direct implications for mental health and psychological well-being.</p> <p>One Ontario study showed that the Chinese-Canadian population has one of the lowest expressed senses of self and belonging in Canada. I think that鈥檚 likely related to Chinese Canadians also having one of the poorest self-rated mental health. Racism just increases all of this by decreasing the sense of belonging and well-being.</p> <p>Of course, there are also other indirect impacts that include the social determinants of health, such as finding it more difficult to get a job because of your credentials not being recognized or maybe because of language skills or an accent. Even if Asian Canadians have been here for generations, speak the language and are educated here, there鈥檚 still a disparity that can be seen in terms of employment, under-employment and promotions. All of that has an impact on mental health.</p> <p>That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e seeing impacts on the individual level, family level as well as the community level for the entire Asian-Canadian population.</p> <p><b>How can the mental health impacts of racism be addressed in a culturally sensitive manner?</b></p> <p>When people鈥檚 mental and physical health and well-being are under attack in the context of a racist environment, a lack of culturally appropriate services means that people who are also suffering from racism are less likely to reach out for help.</p> <p>Secondly, in the Asian context, a lack of acknowledgement of racism can lead to internalized racism 鈥 especially given the myth of the model minority. This means people鈥檚 experiences with racist attacks may be invalidated, minimized or not understood in their appropriate cultural context. This leads to people internalizing racism or feeling shy to stand up to racism. They may feel like, 鈥淥h, we hear about the Black Lives Matter movement and that group has it worse so we don鈥檛 have a right to complain.鈥 It鈥檚 often a part of Asian culture to build harmony, which can make people reluctant to come forward.</p> <p>The myth of the model minority can sometimes be used to pit one group against another group rather than striving for equity for everyone. This means the impact of racism can be worse and the capacity for people to speak up, feel validated and get help is worse. We need to dispel the myth of the model minority and address the impact of people internalizing racism.</p> <p>A culturally sensitive and competent approach is needed to understand both the history and the context in which these acts of racism occur, as well as to understand the impact of the racism and address it.</p> <p><b>What does it mean to build resilience, and how can this mitigate the mental health impacts of racism?</b></p> <p>Resilience is very important. Whether you have a diagnosis mental illness or not, everyone can benefit from attention to resilience as a way to promote well-being.</p> <p>People often define resilience as coming back from adversity, which I think is important 鈥 the ability to bounce back. We need to be able to bounce back from difficulties, whether it鈥檚 the pandemic or racism. Building resilience, then, is important so that when you encounter adversity you have the enhanced capacity to bounce back.</p> <p>However, one potential flaw with talking about resilience in this way is that you might be tempted to mistakenly say that being resilient means not caring about racism attacks. Resilience isn鈥檛 just about an individual鈥檚 capacity to bounce back, but about recognizing that resilience is sourced from both internal and external resources. That means your actual resilience is partly determined by your external environment, which includes culturally competent and accessible services, and includes a feeling of security and belonging to your community.</p> <p>In the case of racism, we need to internally acknowledge and recognize that racism has a direct psychological impact and we need to be equipped to heal from the trauma and not internalize racism. All of that is important to strengthen internal resilience and acknowledge that if you do feel stress, it doesn鈥檛 mean that you鈥檙e weak. But external collective resilience also needs to be there from friends, family, communities and getting involved to advocate for services and collectively stand up against racism.</p> <p>Individually, people can feel pretty powerless against systemic racism. But as a collective, both within the Asian community and with the Canadian community at large, we can all work together to strive towards an equitable and just society.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 20 May 2021 19:30:06 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 301314 at 茄子直播 community roundtable focuses on anti-Asian racism /news/u-t-community-roundtable-focuses-anti-asian-racism <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">茄子直播 community roundtable focuses on anti-Asian racism </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1232002355.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qNe9dmei 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-1232002355.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=q95OBFCa 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-1232002355.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=-_klIrXt 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-1232002355.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qNe9dmei" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-04-16T17:01:04-04:00" title="Friday, April 16, 2021 - 17:01" class="datetime">Fri, 04/16/2021 - 17:01</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua via Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/cynthia-macdonald" hreflang="en">Cynthia Macdonald</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cities" hreflang="en">Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/women-and-gender-studies" hreflang="en">Women and Gender Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The University of Toronto鈥檚 Faculty of Arts &amp; Science recently hosted a Community Roundtable on Anti-Asian Racism and Intersectional Violence webinar in the wake of the March 16 shootings that killed six Asian women during an attack on spas and massage parlors in Atlanta, Ga.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/hae-yeon-choo.jpg" alt>The event 鈥 organized by the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science鈥檚&nbsp;Women &amp; Gender Studies Institute&nbsp;and the&nbsp;department of sociology&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;drew more than 500 registrants and hundreds of subsequent viewers <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVbEGgSFESY">on&nbsp;YouTube</a>. It was moderated by&nbsp;<strong>Hae Yeon Choo</strong>, associate professor of sociology at 茄子直播 Mississauga and the&nbsp;Asian Institute&nbsp;at the Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy, and&nbsp;<strong>Robert Diaz</strong>, associate professor of transnational feminisms, globalization and sexuality studies at the Women &amp; Gender Studies Institute.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Diaz and Choo emphasized that anti-Asian violence in North America is far from new, with Choo calling it 鈥渆mbedded in a colonial history that has treated Asians as perpetual foreigners who do not belong, but whose labour is very much needed.鈥</p> <p>They also pointed out that the Atlanta murders must be viewed through an intersectional lens since&nbsp;they are reflective not only of structural racism, but sexism, misogyny&nbsp;and classism as well.</p> <p>Speakers at the event included Justin Kong from the Chinese Canadian National Council,&nbsp;Rick Sin from the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance, and Elene Lam of Butterfly: Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network.</p> <p>Lam, who founded the organization&nbsp;Butterfly in 2014 with the aim of providing support to Asian and migrant sex workers, enumerated the various ways such workers are vulnerable.</p> <p>鈥淓very year we have workers in the sex industry being murdered,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 happening everywhere, not only in the U.S. but many places in Canada as well.鈥</p> <p>While sex work has been decriminalized in Canada, workers often cannot access traditional forms of support offered to other business owners, according to Lam. She said they are frequently fined and assaulted, and that police often victimize them further through arrest and deportation.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kong similarly supports and advocates for Asian workers and community members. He says many&nbsp;have seen their businesses vandalized since the pandemic started, while&nbsp;essential workers 鈥 such as those in grocery stores 鈥 have been repeatedly exposed to COVID-19 and deprived of sick leave and fair pay.&nbsp;</p> <p>Attacks on seniors have been particularly tragic and such incidents often go unreported unless caught on video by bystanders, according to Kong.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭he discussion is ultimately about building power,鈥 said Kong, the council鈥檚 executive director.&nbsp;鈥淗ow do we build and support it in the community? And what does it mean to be in a society where labour isn鈥檛 respected and is devalued?鈥</p> <p>Sin, who also teaches social work at York University, talked about&nbsp;the historical nature of anti-Asian racism in Canada and noted its resurgence due to events in the news.</p> <p>He said geopolitical tensions between North America and China, as well as COVID-19鈥檚 racist designation as the 鈥淐hina virus,鈥 are perceived to be intensifying assaults that have never really stopped since the start of Asian immigration to Canada in the 18th century. Sin added that modern anti-racism&nbsp;is more about the denial of racism, which he said can be more damaging than racism itself.</p> <p>He also said that Canada鈥檚 fabled multiculturalism is not necessarily a protective force.</p> <p>鈥淲e are sharing the same space, vis-脿-vis white nationalism,鈥 he stated. 鈥淲e are not being targeted because of our cultural heritage but because we 鈥榣ook alike.鈥欌</p> <p>Following the presentation, many attendees asked what actions are currently being taken against anti-Asian racism. The speakers said the responses have been many and varied. In May, for example, Kong said his&nbsp;organization will produce a survey reporting on the experiences of hundreds of Chinese-Canadian workers in the Greater Toronto Area. During the pandemic, Butterfly has been active in raising emergency funds to support sex workers, according to Lam. And, on April 2, Choo and Diaz <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/04/02/recommendations-stopping-anti-asian-racism-campuses-opinion">published a column in&nbsp;<em>Inside Higher Ed</em></a>&nbsp;calling for continual challenges to anti-Asian racism in the curricula and institutional structures of post-secondary institutions.</p> <p>While empathy with the victims of the March 16 and other attacks is necessary, Diaz said&nbsp;it must not stand alone.</p> <p>鈥淓mpathy cannot only mean mourning,鈥 he said. 鈥淓mpathy must also become militancy. It must become a demand for social change 鈥 to mourn, and to demand immediate change for the oppressed, must always coexist.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 16 Apr 2021 21:01:04 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 169116 at The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part two): Scapegoat /news/new-normal-maydianne-andrade-ep-19-part-two-scapegoat <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part two): Scapegoat</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-04-15T12:30:12-04:00" title="Thursday, April 15, 2021 - 12:30" class="datetime">Thu, 04/15/2021 - 12:30</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HetfsvO2Wfc?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player--2" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part two): Scapegoat" aria-label="Embedded video for The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part two): Scapegoat: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HetfsvO2Wfc?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/covid-19-new-normal" hreflang="en">COVID-19 New Normal</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ecology-evolutionary-biology" hreflang="en">Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">For University of Toronto students <b>Gigi Hoi</b> and <b>Alfonso Ralph Mendoza Manalo</b>, one of the first steps in dealing with anti-Asian racism is having difficult, honest conversations.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淗aving a space where people can feel safe and share 鈥 whatever it is that they're going through,鈥 is crucial says Hoi, a PhD candidate in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Hoi and Manalo are guests on 鈥淪capegoat,鈥 a special two-part episode of&nbsp;<i>The New Normal</i>&nbsp;podcast hosted by&nbsp;<b>Maydianne Andrade</b>. <a href="/news/new-normal-maydianne-andrade-ep-19-part-one-scapegoat">In the episode鈥檚 first instalment</a>, Andrade, a professor at 茄子直播 Scarborough and Canada Research Chair in Integrative Behavioural Ecology, spoke with Associate Professor <b>Diana Fu</b> and Associate Professor <b>Jooyoung Lee</b> about the history of anti-Asian racism and its devastating impacts.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Being able to have a candid conversation about racism is vital whether 鈥測ou've been on the receiving end of aggressions or you were a bystander and regret that you didn't do anything or you suddenly realize that you have unintentionally caused harm,鈥 Hoi says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淚 think it's so important as a first step towards fighting anti-Black, anti-Indigenous and anti-Asian racism.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Manalo, a third-year undergraduate at 茄子直播 Scarborough, is completing a work term at the RCMP as an equity, diversity and inclusion policy adviser, where he is working on an anti-racism course for employees.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淪ometimes in order for someone's voice to be heard, something tragic has to occur,鈥 Manalo says. 鈥淚 think for Asian Canadians, it's seeing our elders being targeted in Chinatown, it's seeing law enforcement agencies not adequately responding to hate crimes or understanding that we're scared.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Having a voice at the table can make a difference, he adds.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淲ith this course on anti-racism, we're given the opportunity to make 30,000 employees across the RCMP understand the oppression that Black Canadians, Asian Canadians and Indigenous Peoples face and have been facing here for so long 鈥 and how they should respond to that.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="/news/tags/covid-19-new-normal">The New Normal</a>&nbsp;is created in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by&nbsp;<b>Lisa Lightbourn</b>.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;<a href="http://open.spotify.com/show/0hN28R1cG0FQjO8Lwrmci1">listen to the podcast on Spotify</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://soundcloud.com/universityoftoronto/sets/the-new-normal">listen on SoundCloud</a>. You can also&nbsp;<a href="http://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/university-of-toronto/id1512960685">find it on Apple</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjQyNjAzMjgwL3NvdW5kcy5yc3M">listen on Google</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:30:12 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 169080 at The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part one): Scapegoat /news/new-normal-maydianne-andrade-ep-19-part-one-scapegoat <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part one): Scapegoat</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-04-08T11:19:12-04:00" title="Thursday, April 8, 2021 - 11:19" class="datetime">Thu, 04/08/2021 - 11:19</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WxCaPtxZMOc?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player--3" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part one): Scapegoat" aria-label="Embedded video for The New Normal with Maydianne Andrade (Ep. 19 part one): Scapegoat: https://www.youtube.com/embed/WxCaPtxZMOc?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anti-asian-racism" hreflang="en">Anti-Asian Racism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/covid-19-new-normal" hreflang="en">COVID-19 New Normal</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sociology" hreflang="en">Sociology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">茄子直播 Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">Anti-Asian racism and violence in North America have been called a 鈥渟hadow pandemic鈥 鈥 one that has intensified over the past year and builds on a long history of discrimination.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">How, then, can we stop it?</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淥ne of the things that I've been trying to promote in the aftermath of the shootings in Georgia is the power that allies and bystanders have,鈥 says <b>Jooyoung Lee</b>, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. 鈥淚f you're a witness to harassment in public, just speaking up, just doing something 鈥 can have significant effects.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Lee is one of two guests in 鈥淪capegoat,鈥 a special two-part episode of <i>The New Normal</i> podcast hosted by <b>Maydianne Andrade. </b>The second guest is <b>Diana Fu</b>, an associate professor of political science at 茄子直播 Scarborough and an expert on U.S.-China relations.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淎nti-Asian racism during the pandemic has been called a shadow pandemic and I think that term is very, very powerful,鈥 says Fu. 鈥淚t's not just that Asians are experiencing the pandemic like everybody else, but, on top of that, we are being beaten, being yelled at, being spit at. All of those things are being experienced on top of experiencing the virus.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淎nd it's also not a recent problem.鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Together, Fu, Lee and Andrade, a professor at 茄子直播 Scarborough and Canada Research Chair in Integrative Behavioural Ecology, explore the history of anti-Asian racism and its devastating impacts.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">鈥淒o you know what it feels like to have others act like you have less value than other humans? In Canada, we call it being racialized,鈥 Andrade says. 鈥淗ow do we find solutions? How can we be agents of change?鈥</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="/news/tags/covid-19-new-normal">The New Normal</a>&nbsp;is created in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by&nbsp;<b>Lisa Lightbourn</b>.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;<a href="http://open.spotify.com/show/0hN28R1cG0FQjO8Lwrmci1">listen to the podcast on Spotify</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://soundcloud.com/universityoftoronto/sets/the-new-normal">listen on SoundCloud</a>. You can also&nbsp;<a href="http://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/university-of-toronto/id1512960685">find it on Apple</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjQyNjAzMjgwL3NvdW5kcy5yc3M"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-decoration-line:underline">listen on Google</span></a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:19:12 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 169010 at