Celebrating a decade of critical conversations

Since 2007, the UVic Provost’s Diversity Research Forum has been creating a space for critical conversations about diversity and social justice topics and community-engaged university scholarship. Online registration is now open for the tenth annual forum January 26 and 27.

“It’s hard to believe that this is our tenth year,” says Grace Wong Sneddon, conference chair and Advisor to the Provost on Equity and Diversity. “The committee is so excited about this year's program, Re-Imagining Identities, Power and Privilege. We will be taking a retrospective look at our journey and our progress over the last decade as well as looking ahead at how to mobilize our conversations into action in the future.”

Since the inaugural forum, the conference has taken its own journey through a diversity of themes, including reconciliation and resurgence (2016); living social justice (2012); privilege and prejudice in the learning environment (2015); and arts, allies and activism (2014).

“I have found the conference to be extremely valuable in introducing me to many new colleagues across this university,” says Jim Anglin, professor in child and youth care and early champion of the forum. “I have appreciated and benefitted from the people involved, and their ideas and learning strategies shared during the planning and the event itself. It is an amazing opportunity for personal growth and building the university community.”

Unlike most academic conferences, the format of presentations is as varied as the subject matter. “We have had the pleasure of hosting so many dynamic speakers over the years. They have shared generously from their experiences and really jumpstarted our conversations, ” says Wong Sneddon. “We have featured theatre performances, world cafes, music, art, spoken word and writing performances—every year is different.”

The forum begins on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 26 in First Peoples House. The opening reception will include a screening of a short video produced especially for the tenth anniversary conference, as well as the presentation of the Provost’s Advocacy and Activism Award, and readings by winners of the Diversity Writing and Diversity Spoken Word contests.

Sessions on Friday, Jan. 27 include:

• Mobilizing our Words: Student Voices on the Indigenous and International Strategic Plans
• Blows against the Academy: Shifting Definitions of Scholarship
• As Long as the Sun Shines, Grass Grows and Rivers Flow: A Century and a Half Measured through Artistic Activism
• Globalization, Migration and the University: Challenges and Opportunities
• Social Justice, Diversity and Advocacy

“The feedback to this event has been overwhelmingly positive,“ says Wong Sneddon.  “The conference provides a safe space to have conversations that can be difficult but are so necessary. We can only move forward together to make our campus and our communities truly welcoming and inclusive if we talk about these issues.”

Conference registration is free and includes a deliciously diverse lunch. Everyone is welcome: faculty, staff, students and community members—and all rooms are accessible. Register soon—for one session or all of them—as space is limited.