Equity

 

EQUITY COMMISSIONER

Uyanda Mntambo
(she/her/hers)
equity@asus.queensu.ca

 

The Equity Commission strives to educate the Queen’s community on issues of social justice through events, outreach campaigns, resources, and opportunities for student involvement.

Equity Office Hours

TUES: 10:00AM - 2:00PM
WED: 1:00PM - 2:30PM
THURS: 1:30PM - 5:00PM
FRI: 10:00AM - 5:00PM

Students of Colour Collective

The Students of Colour (SoC) Collective aims to advocate for and act as a safe space for racialized students within Arts and Science to organize initiatives and events that focus on amplifying the voices of racialized students through an intersectional approach. The SoCC will mainly operate to create safe spaces for racialized folks at Queen’s through collaborative events and initiatives with other racialized groups on campus. The Students of Colour Collective will achieve these goals through panels, forums, and creative workshops, as well as through collaborative measures with other social justice groups on campus and within the community at large. SoCC will strive to educate students on the intersectional issues faced by racialized communities, while also creating a space for individuals of all within the Society.


Down There

Down There is a yearly theatrical production in which students from various marginalized identities present their personal stories in creative ways. The producers of the show are responsible for hiring the cast/crew, organizing the logistics of the show, and choosing a relevant theme. Topics explored within the show include sexual orientation, body image, mental health, and race. The Committee shall also be responsible for advocacy events throughout the year on the topics that will be discussed during the production of Down There.


Queer Space

Queer Space organizes events that focus on educating the student body and community about queer issues, gender identity/diversity and sexual/romantic orientation. The committee aims to advocate for and create space for LGBTQ2S+ communities at Queen’s, while acknowledging the multifaceted nature of gender and gender-based oppression. Queer Space will achieve these goals through events such as panels, training sessions, forums, and creative workshops, as well as through collaboration with other social justice groups on campus. QS will strive to educate students on the issues faced by LGBTQ2S+ communities, while also creating a space for individuals of all sexual/romantic orientations and gender identities within the Society.


Queen's Equity Conference

The Queen’s Equity Conference is a one-day conference that strives to educate members of the Queen’s and Kingston communities on issues of social justice, while fostering the skills necessary to create a safer and more accountable social climate. Delegates engage with various keynote speakers, workshops, and interactive activities to cultivate values such as tolerance, respect and allyship. The Queen’s Equity Conference seeks to create a welcoming space in which delegates can network, discuss, and listen to various perspectives in order to broaden their understanding of social justice.


Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance

The Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance (DNA) is a group focused on creating safe and accessible spaces, opportunities, and initiatives for students with disabilities to navigate their academics and university experiences. This group works to represent students who identify as disabled, autistic, neurodivergent, deaf, Deaf, chronic illness, long-term condition, or mental illness. The main objectives of this committee are to use an intersectional approach in addressing and combatting ableism, raising awareness on issues faced by students with disabilities, and promote disability justice while opposing oppression in all forms. Accessibility being a focal pillar within the committee, DNA is committed to addressing this within the educational setting, campus environment, and beyond.


Research and Recommendations

The Research and Recommendation Committee provides students with opportunities to engage in research on equity-related issues that impact the student body. The team works to identify a problem faced by students on campus/ in the Kingston community and will then conduct research on this specific issue through surveys and focus groups. The committee will use this data to identify the ways in which the University and Society can better advocate for and support all students, especially those of marginalized identities.