In its first year, the Social Justice Hub is supporting three groups of student organizers in developing campaigns that build community and address challenges faced by the QTBIPOC community (queer and trans Black, Indigenous, People of Colour), anti-xenophobia, and accessibility/disability community.

At the Social Justice Hub Open House on December 10, UM community created artwork for the theme, “A different world is possible,” which invited students and staff to portray the just world they hope to work towards.

Through the Social Justice Hub, students gain knowledge on how to put anti-oppression and EDIA into action and develop skills through training workshops and hands-on campaigns. Organizer teams are exploring how they can create safer spaces for QTBIPOC, challenge xenophobia and racism experienced by international students, and advocate for a sensory-friendly campus for neurodivergent students.

Having the chance to address inequities that directly affect students and their communities is one of the most impactful parts of the Social Justice Hub, and plays an important role in the development of future leaders and change-makers.

Elinam Okae-Yeboah, a fourth-year student in Women and Gender Studies and English, reflected on the impact of participating in the QTBIPOC team: “The university has many commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion, but it seems like the administration falls short when it comes to making material change or decisions that will support marginalized students. I think the Social Justice Hub is important because it provides marginalized students with the training that can help them advocate for themselves.”

The wider UM community is invited to participate in the Social Justice Hub by attending our upcoming events. Join us for the Social Justice Hub Drop-Ins on the last Thursday of each month from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. to engage in critical conversations on community organizing and social justice work. Register in advance or drop-in.

Upcoming Social Justice Hub Drop-Ins:

• February 27, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Self-care is community care, community care is self-care (CEL Office 203 – 55 Chancellors Circle)
• March 27, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Group agreements, safer spaces, and relational accountability (CEL Office 203 – 55 Chancellors Circle)
• April 24, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – The revolution will be from bed (virtual) 

To receive notifications about other Social Justice Hub events, sign-up for our mailing list and follow @CELumanitoba on Instagram to learn about more upcoming workshops, programs and events from Community Engaged Learning.

UM is committed to fostering research by, for and with Indigenous Peoples, as demonstrated in the institution’s Strategic Research Plan, 2024-29. Each of the four new Canada Research Chairs are either Indigenous scholars or are engaging in research involving Indigenous researchers and/or communities. Their work incorporates Indigenous perspectives, knowledges, paradigms and tools that represent First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and honours their distinctions.

“UM is excited to welcome the newest group of incredible CRCs,” said Mario Pinto, Vice-President, Research and International. “These researchers represent a cross section of exciting research in various disciplines – from physics to social justice – advancing critical work from an Indigenous perspective. UM has invested wisely!”

The CRC program recognizes world-class researchers to reinforce academic research and training excellence in Canada and attract top talent. Chair holders are focused on humanities, social sciences, engineering and the natural sciences, and health sciences. UM has a total allocation of 50 CRCs.

New Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs

Lucy Delgado – Faculty of Education

Lucy Delgado

Michif and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer Education as Wellness 

Delgado is focusing on Michif (Métis) youth identity, Indigenous education, queer theory and will be building on her research program by partnering with educators in Manitoba. Through a Métis conceptual framework, emphasizing “Being a Good Relative,” grounded in wahkotowin (kinship relations) and kiyokewin (visiting) and informed by antiracist and anti-oppressive theories, this research will be grounded in joy and community building amongst 2S/IQ Michif peoples to amplify community voices.

Delgado’s research will:            

• Determine the ways Michif and 2S/IQ perspectives, histories and stories are addressed in Manitoba K–12 education.
• Develop tools and techniques for different educational safe spaces in both formal and informal learning settings to improve the experiences of Michif and 2S/IQ learners.
• Design research and gathering spaces that prioritize joy and celebration of self and culture to re-claim knowledge and co-create research that meets Michif ethical commitments.

Delgado was recently awarded a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant to fund her work on the impact of Métis-specific spaces on the health and wellness of Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer people.

Learn more about Lucy Delgado.

Jeremy Patzer – Department of Sociology and Criminology

Jeremy Patzer

Comparative Indigenous Rights 

Patzer is engaging in new collaborative work with Indigenous communities from Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Finland to study the complexities and barriers faced by Indigenous rights activities.

Patzer’s CRC program aims to use sociolegal data and interviews with Indigenous rights advocates to deepen understanding through comparative study. This work will emphasize a transdisciplinary approach based on Indigenous experiences and will compare Indigenous rights, not only by jurisdiction or group, but also by activity and the type of struggle. This approach recognizes diverse avenues for rights assertion within law and politics.

Patzer is Métis, Saulteaux and German with roots in the West Interlake region of Manitoba. (Indigenous family names are Spence, Monkman, Pottinger, and Dumas.) A citizen of the MMF, Patzer co-owns the family farm in the Vogar Métis Local, just outside Lake Manitoba First Nation, and has family ties to members of Peguis and Sagkeeng First Nations.

Dr. Patzer’s work will:

• Compare different types of struggles.
• Identify opportunities for and obstacles to success.
• Examine their effects on strategies and aspirations of advocates.
• Collaborate with Indigenous peoples to co-produce knowledge and equip and empower for more effective rights advocacy.

Learn more about Dr. Patzer.

Warren Bernauer – Department of Environment and Geography

Warren Bernauer

Energy Transitions and Social Justice in the North

Barnauer’s CRC program will examine inequities, conflicts and the social justice effects of moving away from fossil fuels, focusing on Northern Indigenous communities and conflict over critical mineral extraction and electricity generation.

Using participatory action research methods, Barnauer will work with Indigenous partners to explore the possibilities and challenges of a just transition away from fossil fuels. He will focus on conflicts and injustices in current energy transition approaches and identify alternatives that emphasize improved resource management and economic development. Specific projects will support Indigenous involvement in decision-making about mineral extraction, waste management, electricity production and alternative economic approaches. The North is changing, and this research ensures Indigenous peoples will influence this transformation.

Dr. Bernauer’s research will:

• Examine conflicts and injustices in the current approach to energy transition.
• Identify alternative approaches to energy transition policy in Northern Canada.
• Work in partnership with Indigenous communities and advisors with expertise to highlight the complexity at the heart of pressing social, economic and ecological issues.

Learn more about Dr. Bernauer.

Kyle Shiells – Department of Physics and Astronomy

Kyle Shiells

Nuclear Femtography

The study of nuclear femtometers, which are a million times smaller than an atom and are used to describe tiny dimensions, has become a frontier involving researchers in multiple disciplines. Shiells’ research focuses on better understanding protons. He will use advanced statistical and mathematical methods to address complex challenges and help solve the mysteries of the proton.

Shiells’ CRC program aims to merge cutting-edge theory with new and existing data to answer important lingering questions about protons, including:

• How does the proton acquire its spin?
• How are the quarks and gluons distributed within the proton?
• How does the proton acquire its mass?

Learn more about Dr. Shiells.

Canada Research Chair Renewals

Britt Drögemöller – CRC in Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Drögemöller.

Andrew Halayko – CRC in Lung Pathobiology and Treatment. Learn more about Dr. Halayko.

Lisa Lix – CRC in Methods for Electronic Health Data Quality. Learn more about Dr. Lix

The concept of data justice places the collection, governance, and analysis of data in the context of social practices, knowledge frameworks, and power relations. It emphasizes that data practices must align with human rights values. Furthermore, data justice calls for data governance frameworks to be rooted in respectful relationships, recognition of Indigenous sovereignty, and critical examination of the structural and systemic conditions that inform how we think about, collect, steward and use data.

To promote the understanding and engagement with this important concept, the Office of Equity Transformation is launching the Data Justice series. This series will feature presentations and panel discussions on how data can be leveraged to identify systemic inequities and support actions that reduce barriers and narrow gaps for marginalized people. The Data Justice Series aims to spark meaningful conversations and encourage the UM community to critically explore the role of data in shaping a more equitable future.

“Data is essential to evidence-based decision making. Yet, there’s unequal power between data subjects, data aggregators, data analysts, data stewards, and data users, particularly in relation to marginalized communities. This means data can – and historically has – reinforced systems of oppression, including racism, sexism, and ableism,” says Dr. Tina Chen, Vice-Provost (Equity). “However, data also can be a powerful tool to challenge and disrupt entrenched structures. I encourage UM community members to join us to learn more about data justice and the role of data in advancing equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity.”

Session 1: Anti-Ableism, Disaggregated Disability Data, and Data Justice

Panel presentation with members of the project team for the 2023 Dismantling Ableism Survey (DAS), including Tina Chen (Vice-Provost, Equity), Jennifer Dengate (Director, EDI Research and Projects, Office of Equity Transformation), and Cade Kuehl (DAS project coordinator and research assistant).

This panel will share how data justice approaches informed the methodologies and practices for the Dismantling Ableism Survey and highlight some of the ways in which institutional ableism is experienced by those with less noticeable disabilities and chronic health conditions.

Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Time: 10 – 11:15 a.m.

Location: 307 Tier Building (Fort Garry campus)

Register here.

Session 2: Why Anti-Racism matters to data / Why data matters to Anti-Racism

Organized in partnership with the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences’ Vice-Dean, Indigenous Health, Social Justice and Anti-Racism and the Offices of Anti-Racism and Equity, Access and Participation, this session features invited guest Dr. Malinda S. Smith, Associate Vice-President Research (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) from the University of Calgary.

Dr. Smith will join Dr. Jillian Waruk (Public Health Epidemiologist, First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba) in a panel discussion about data collection, governance, and analysis in the context of social practices, knowledge frameworks, and power relations. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Delia Douglas (Director, Office of Anti-Racism, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences).

Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025

Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.

Location: The Concourse Lounge, room 230, University College (220 Dysart Road)

Register here.

Stay tuned for information on upcoming sessions in this series! Visit the Office of Equity Transformation’s Learning and Engagement webpage.

Among other things, it’s built a free digital surveying tool (Our Data Indigenous) that’s being used by more than 30 Indigenous communities for all sorts of data collection — from moose populations to surveying community desires regarding a proposed recreation centre.

The digital app adheres to the First Nations principle of OPAC (ownership, control, access and possession of data).

To read the full story, please visit Winnipeg Free Press.

“People are getting harmed by a toxic drug supply and there’s a lot more we could be doing to reduce the risks,” she said.

Read here

This novel initiative – supported by a grant from the Manitoba Law Foundation – will have a specific focus on assisting Manitobans with rights-advancing issues and cases in the areas of environmental rights, Charter rights, Indigenous rights, disability rights, and privacy rights, amongst others.

The Rights Clinic will play an important role in providing pro bono legal services to marginalized and under-served individuals, communities, groups, and organizations while also acting to increase public awareness about rights-related topics and concerns.

“Access to justice is a problem in Manitoba, and anything we can do to assist those who can’t afford a lawyer or qualify for Legal Aid fulfills our special responsibility as a law school to increase access,” said Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law at the University of Manitoba.

Prof. Brandon Trask, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Law and an adjunct fellow with St. John’s College, is the founder of the Rights Clinic and will serve as its supervising lawyer.

Trask was motivated to focus on rights issues in part due to recent global events. “Recent trends toward the deterioration and politicization of rights are highly concerning. This clinic will do its utmost to advocate for the protection and advancement of rights,” said Trask.

Trask explained that the Rights Clinic will have four main components to it:

1) case-focused advocacy through tribunals and courts;

2) non-litigation advocacy, raising public awareness about vital rights issues;

3) rights-related academic research, in the form of a mini “think tank”; and

4) informational presentations and seminars so that members of the public can be better informed about their rights and the rights of others.

The Rights Clinic will partner with organizations throughout Manitoba to raise awareness about rights issues and to join forces with regard to assisting with social-change movements.

The clinic will offer students at the Faculty of Law a unique clinical-learning opportunity. Participating law students will learn practical legal skills including interviewing clients, performing tailored legal research, document drafting, developing written arguments, and making submissions in court or before various tribunals.

Prof. David Ireland, Director of Clinics at the Faculty of Law, explained, “The Faculty of Law is expanding its clinical suite of courses to include a number of new student clinics where students conduct real world legal work under the supervision of lawyers. The Faculty is excited to offer students this new opportunity as we engage with our community partners and continue to connect our students to real world legal practice.”

Second-year Juris Doctor student Raven Richards, who is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation and is working as a research assistant for the Faculty of Law’s clinical program, said, “Accessing legal counsel can be intimidating and difficult to initiate, and the clinic will be a great tool to bridge the existing barriers the public has with obtaining legal services.”

Jayden Wlasichuk, a second-year Juris Doctor student, and Prachi Sanghavi, a third-year Juris Doctor student, have also been assisting Trask with preparations for the launch of the clinic. “The Rights Clinic will be extremely supportive as its objective is to serve people from all socio-economic backgrounds, ensuring that people who have been historically excluded from accessing legal services are given a chance to do so,” said Wlasichuk.

“By normalizing the conversation around lesser-known or stigmatized topics, the clinic will foster an inclusive, conscientious, and supportive community,” Sanghavi added.

In the coming weeks, the Rights Clinic will launch a public online application process through its website to consider which cases and clients it will be able to take on in its first year of existence.

Dr. Lindsay Larios

Dr. Lindsay Larios, assistant professor, has recently received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant to examine the lived experiences of pregnant medically uninsured migrants living in Manitoba.

“There has been a range of different scholarship on the experiences and health outcomes of migrant pregnant people without access to public healthcare insurance in larger Canadian urban centres, including my previous work in Montreal. We know that the substantial financial costs push people to put off necessary healthcare and check-ups during and after their pregnancies; that people experience racism, discrimination, and powerlessness when trying to navigate these systems; and that concerns about ramifications for their immigration trajectories are always front of mind” says Dr. Larios.

The CBC News recently reported on one example of this in Manitoba. A former UM international student was left medically uninsured after graduating and as a result, had to face stress and hardship during the birth of her child.

“Pregnancy can be a time of joy and empowerment, but it can also be a time of extreme racialized and gendered vulnerability.”

“Smaller cities, such as Winnipeg and Brandon, host increasing numbers of precarious migrants with barriers to health care access. There is very little documented about how pregnant medically uninsured migrants navigate the Manitoba health system and what their experiences are. The immigration and healthcare contexts in Manitoba are very different from those of provinces where this research has been done so far.”

By talking with migrant pregnant people and different service providers in Manitoba, we can get a better understanding of what’s happening and what supports can be put in place to support these community members and their families,” says Dr. Larios.

Dr. Larios is an interdisciplinary critical policy researcher. She studies citizenship and immigration in the Canadian context as it intersects with family and reproductive politics and policies. More information on Dr. Larios can be found here.