Following Black Lives Matter: Anti-Racism at King’s
Protesters left their signs at the Alberta Legislature Building following a Black Lives Matter protest on June 5, 2020. (Image: Anika Stork)
The Black Lives Matter movement re-surged this summer with police-brutality protests that included more than 10,000 Edmontonians. The increased demand for anti-racist work has held institutions accountable for change, including The King’s University.
King’s began work alongside Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Consultant Osayi Ogieva early this school-year to establish a better climate for students who may have been excluded in previous policies. When asked about this work, Ogieva shared that “Most people when they think about inclusion, they think it doesn’t include them because they do not belong to a minority group. Inclusion includes everybody. The purpose of inclusion is to be sure everyone has a seat at the table.”
The process for establishing an EDI taskforce at King’s will involve connecting with stakeholders, establishing committees, and ensuring that people by virtue of their position or their interest are on these committees. “We want to include people who choose to be there,” Ogieva shared. “We want to have an intersectional lens that includes racial, sexual, gender and faith minorities.” The call for applications to the EDI Taskforce closed on November 12th and was met with significant student interest. The taskforce will now assess the institution’s policies, report on the current campus climate by conducting student surveys, and consult with students and faculty in town halls and focus groups.
“Most people think inclusion does not include them because they do not belong to or identify with a minority group. Inclusion includes everyone and ensures that diverse groups are also seated at the table.”
Osayi Ogieva, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Consultant
In the process, King’s will establish what equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism look like in the university. Ogieva aims to connect with at least 10-20% of the King’s population, about 90 to 100 people, in order to be successful. The taskforce ultimately aims to draft the action plan that the university will now begin to work with to ensure that King’s continues to strive towards being inclusive of different diversities. “We want to make sure that King’s is a safe space,” said Ogieva, “especially for those who have been hurt by the system. Taking those little incremental steps to bring about a shift in culture is very key, and I see Dr. Melanie being committed to that work. But she also needs the support of the faculty, the staff and the students to show up.”
Ogieva encouraged students to engage with the upcoming surveys, emails and town halls on behalf of future students of King’s: “Try to be an ally for them even before they arrive. And you can be an ally by showing up, by speaking up, and by being involved.” The EDI Taskforce will continue their work throughout the 2020-2021 school year.
Osayi Ogieva can be reached at Osayi.Ogieva@kingsu.ca.