Dear Engineering Community,
As many of you are already aware, June 10th is a day when we #ShutDownAcademia, #ShutDownSTEM, and #Strike4BlackLives. For members of our Black community, we hope you take this time to practise self-care and prioritise your own needs. You can find resources for healing here and you are more than welcome to reach out to us at equity.geec@gmail.com.
For white and non-Black People of Colour, this is an opportunity to demonstrate a real commitment to anti-racism through consistent education and action. Many of you have already pledged your participation in the #ShutDownSTEM initiative, while others may feel unsure of how to get involved. Even if you are unable to completely shut down your regular activities today, we encourage you to put aside some time during the day, as well as the days to come, to focus on anti-racism education and reflect on actions you can take. As a starting point, #ShutDownSTEM has provided a list of reading material to better understand anti-Black racism in academia. It is important to remember that becoming an ally means taking specific, long-term action against racism in STEM. Commit to making your own plan based on the recommendations made by #ShutDownSTEM for different roles within academia. For example, as students and researchers, consider how you can start conversations about racism and anti-Blackness within your research groups and Departments.
The Graduate Engineering Equity Committee is participating in #ShutDownSTEM today, but our commitment extends beyond this day to foster ongoing conversation, education, and action combating anti-Black racism within the Faculty of Engineering and McGill University.
This summer, we are starting a book club series to learn from Black and Indigenous voices writing about their experiences with racism and to interrogate our own responsibilities as researchers and members of society at large.
Each year, GEEC co-hosts a workshop on becoming an active bystander with McGill’s Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education. This training explores how witnesses to harmful situations such as discrimination or violence can best intervene and is mandated for all members of our committee. We are exploring options to hold virtual training sessions for interested groups and members of the community.
GEEC recently developed a climate survey to gather data on issues of equity and student wellness in the Department of Chemical Engineering. This year, collaborating with graduate student associations, we plan to extend this model to other Departments in the Faculty of Engineering with a specific focus on better understanding and addressing the challenges faced by diverse students and postdocs in our community.
We act as a voice for graduate students in the Faculty of Engineering as your representative on the Faculty Equity Committee. As junior members of STEM and academia, graduate students and postdocs can and should expect leadership and concrete plans for ongoing action against anti-Black racism from their institutions. If you wish to address specific concerns and experiences within the Faculty of Engineering, please contact us at equity.geec@gmail.com.
Please refer to our June 5th joint statement with the PGSS Executive Committee, Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA), and Science Equity and Climate Committee (SECC) for our full expression of solidarity with the Black community, as well as further resources for mental health support, information, education, and activism. Today and in the days to come, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to listen, learn, and act together. We will continue sharing programming and resources through our website and Facebook channels and welcome any suggestions from our community.
In solidarity,
Your Graduate Engineering Equity Committee