Honouring the contributions of Black Canadians
This message was sent to all faculty and staff at UBC Okanagan on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
15 February, 2022
A message from Lesley Cormack, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UBC Okanagan
Dear colleagues, ‘way:
As UBC Okanagan and the country mark Black History Month 2022, I want to encourage everyone to take time this February—and, indeed, every day—to honour the contributions of Black Canadians, both past and present, and Black students, faculty and staff at UBC.
Importantly, I also urge everyone to reflect on the work that remains to combat racism on campus, within the academy and in our communities.
In recent days and months, I have been troubled to see symbols of hate on display in Canada and to see those with hateful messages seemingly emboldened. Respect for the free exchange of ideas should not give us pass to stand by when hate and intolerance are on display and therefore we must recommit to rejecting racism in all its forms and creating a campus environment that is welcoming to all and which supports and celebrates the achievements of students, faculty and staff, irrespective of their culture or background.
- Updates from leadership
- Okanagan Global Message
