Women leaders in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences say it’s also a day for recognizing the inequities that remain, particularly for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and other people of colour) women and girls.

Reflecting on the 2022 International Women’s Day theme, #BreakTheBias, Dr. Marcia Anderson, the Cree-Anishinaabe physician who is the Rady Faculty vice-dean of Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism, notes that it’s been more than 30 years since employment equity initiatives were introduced at Canadian universities.

Yet a 2019 study by Dr. Malinda Smith of the University of Alberta shows that the senior leadership at Canada’s U15 group of research-intensive universities, including UM, is still overwhelmingly white and largely male. 

At those 15 institutions, the study found, university presidents were 80 per cent white and 87 per cent male. Provosts and vice-presidents (academic) were 100 per cent white and 67 per cent male. Deans of faculties and schools at the universities were 92 per cent white and 68 per cent male.

“The work that has been done has not adequately removed the barriers to the advancement of Black, Indigenous and other racialized women,” Anderson says. “The theme ‘break the bias’ presents an opportunity to question why advancements have mainly benefited White women, and to refocus on continuing progress for Black, Indigenous and other racialized women.

“Anti-racism is a core foundation of our work at this time. Explicitly identifying the obstacles experienced by Black, Indigenous and other racialized women and intervening in structural ways is how we will work to break the bias.”

We asked other women leaders in the Rady Faculty to reflect on the theme of “break the bias” and how it connects with the Rady Faculty’s commitment to approaching equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) through an anti-racism and social justice lens. Here’s how they responded:

Dr. Vanessa Van Bewer, assistant professor, College of Nursing:

Bent

The bias is not broken

Maybe slightly bent

Measure not the breaks

But the bias of the bend

 

Underneath this skirt

Moccasins well bent

But like bias not broken

Warrior sisters hell bent

Dr. Ming-Ka Chan, co-director, Office of Leadership Education, Max Rady College of Medicine:

“Equity means that everyone is provided with what they need to succeed, and everyone has a sense of belonging. Intersectionality is so critical – considering all the axes of power and privilege. I’m motivated by seeing groups and individuals working together to co-create and think about how our spheres of influence overlap and intersect.

“For example, wellness requires being and feeling welcome. That sense of belonging and how we foster that is being explored in the context of oppressed individuals and groups. That is encouraging.”

Raman Dhaliwal, associate vice-president (administration) and executive director, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences:

“Gender equality is an important piece, but there are many other factors that contribute to barriers for women. Breaking the bias in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences means providing an environment where all individuals feel supported and have equitable opportunities, without being disadvantaged.

“Although I personally have felt supported in my career growth and progression at UM, when I’m participating in leadership discussions, I do notice that sometimes I’m the only person around the table who looks like me or has had a similar path in life. I look forward to being part of further advancing a workplace free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.”

Dr. Delia Douglas, anti-racism practice lead, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences:

“Our policies, strategies and collective actions for social justice should speak to the complex ways in which gender diversity, race, class, disability and sexuality intersect. It’s imperative that we implement policies and practices that address the integrative nature of women’s lives, namely the different histories and particular vulnerabilities that inform the specific nature of their oppression.

“It’s important to avoid either/or approaches to addressing social justice, so that we don’t reinforce white supremacy while challenging gender inequality.”

Dr. Hagar Labouta, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy:

“We still have a long way to go for an equitable world in which differences are celebrated. We have not done enough to combat forms of discrimination such as Islamophobia, anti-Asian racism and xenophobia. The Rady Faculty has made great strides, but we may further need to create a safe environment for students, staff and faculty to give feedback to our leadership on perceived biases and lived experiences.

“I hope that as a female principal investigator (lead researcher), a hijabi and a visible minority, I send a message that scientists have no stereotype.”

Valerie Williams, director, equity, diversity and inclusion, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences:

“Raising awareness of the negative impacts of bias is important, but we also have to recognize that 60 minutes of implicit bias training will do little to change people’s decision-making. I suggest we focus less on attitudes and more on our policies and systems, as these play a key role in creating the conditions that influence behaviour.

“Let’s create a call-in (as opposed to call-out) culture at Rady and hold one another accountable. If we see someone making a decision based on a bias, let’s speak up and ‘call it in’ with kindness, respect and compassion.”

I am proud to announce that on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ Faculty Executive Council (FEC) approved the RFHS Disruption of all Forms of Racism policy, the first anti-racism policy to be passed by any faculty or post-secondary institution in Canada.

As a faculty, we have an opportunity at this important juncture in our history to not only be leaders standing against racism but to be disruptors. Each of us needs to recognize existing racism within our faculty and to take responsibility to eliminate all forms of racism, to promote safe work and learning environments free of racism, and to intervene when witnessing any racism.

The Disruption of all Forms of Racism policy was developed by the Rady Faculty’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) anti-racism working group, under the leadership of Vice-Dean (Indigenous) Dr. Marcia Anderson; Director of EDI Jackie Gruber; and Anti-Racism Practice lead Dr. Delia Douglas.

The policy was drafted following extensive consultations with faculty, staff, learners and stakeholders in the university and general communities. Earlier this summer, all stakeholders were encouraged to provide feedback on the draft policy before its final version was approved by FEC last week.

The purpose of the Disruption of all Forms of Racism policy is to:

• Define the multiple forms of racism that are present in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences (“RFHS”) and to set out procedures for the reporting of and disruption of racism;
• Affirm the responsibility of the RFHS to implement policies, procedures, education, and training to eliminate expression of racism in its myriad forms;
• Describe the commitments and proactive steps of the RFHS to foster learning and work environments that fully respect peoples’ right to freedom from racism, racial discrimination, harassment, or vilification;
• Set out the requirements for all RFHS Community members, especially those in an instructional, supervisory or managerial position, who have a duty to educate those for whom they are responsible regarding expectations for respectful conduct, including this policy. It is further the duty of such individuals to intervene when observing any form of racism impacting learners, staff or faculty, and to deal appropriately with allegations regarding violations of this policy; and,
• Complement and build upon related policies including the EDI policy and the Max Rady College of Medicine Prevention of Learner Mistreatment policy by defining the multiple forms of racism present within the RFHS and clarifying expectations for anti-racism.

Thank you to all those who contributed to this important anti-racism policy that will educate and transform our Rady Faculty of Health Sciences community, creating one, I hope, that will be free of all forms of racism for learners, faculty and staff.

The University of Manitoba is committed to addressing racism, and specifically anti-Indigenous racism, in the work and learning environments of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

Dr. Douglas will lead, develop and implement an anti-racism strategy inclusive of the development of an anti-racism policy and associated processes, as well as relevant faculty development within the Faculty. She will also act as a subject matter expert in critical race theory, pedagogical approaches to teaching about race and racism, and the impacts of racism within the work and learning environments.

Dr. Douglas received her PhD in sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a master of science in sport studies from Miami University (OH).

She has taught at the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and at selected US universities. She has developed courses for Athabasca University, Thorneloe University, the Inner City Social Work Program at the William Norrie Centre, and has previously worked as a research associate in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. She was a long-term volunteer with the fetal maternal newborn and family health project at BC Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Douglas’ expertise in race, gender, and sport is recognized internationally, and she has been an invited speaker at the United Nations at Geneva, and was asked by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Public Health Agency of Canada to participate in an expert discussion on the identification and development of research on factors that affect the full participation of Black Canadian youth in society.

She has been referenced in popular media such as the New York Times, Flare, Vox, and the Bleacher Report.

Her research and teaching interests have explored inequality, systemic racism, and struggles for social justice with a focus on critical race and gender studies, settler colonialism, Black studies, equity and higher education, and sport studies.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Douglas to the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.