REDI Committee Statement
The School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) REDI committee works to advance SPPH’s commitment to respectful environments, equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI) so that people from all backgrounds in our school see and experience SPPH as an inclusive, respectful and safe place to learn and work. The SPPH REDI committee will advocate for positive change, value diverse ways of knowing, practice humility, and amplify marginalized voices to foster a more inclusive and equitable SPPH.
The SPPH REDI Committee will work to address injustice and strive to address all forms of oppression, prejudice, and discrimination*. The SPPH REDI committee will actively work against discriminatory behaviours, practices, policies, and power imbalances at our School to promote fairness and equity for all members of our community.
The SPPH REDI Committee respectfully acknowledges that it is situated on the ancestral, traditional and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation. The SPPH REDI Committee will work to address racism and to promote deeper understanding and awareness of historical and ongoing colonial violence and how this impacts our academic systems and Indigenous Peoples. The SPPH REDI Committee will strive to promote safer spaces for Indigenous Peoples that support cultural safety and resilience. The SPPH REDI Committee is committed to creating and supporting initiatives that address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, including work that supports the implementation of the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan and the UBC Faculty of Medicine Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action.
The SPPH REDI Committee is fully committed to engaging the SPPH community in these efforts, seeking input and participation from students, staff, and faculty to ensure that their perspectives and experiences are integrated into the work of the Committee. Through collaboration and partnerships within SPPH and beyond, the SPPH REDI Committee will strive to create learning and work environments where everyone can thrive.
* This includes, but is not limited to ableism, ageism, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism, body size discrimination, cissexism, classism, ethnic and religious prejudice, heterosexism, homophobia, Islamophobia,linguistic discrimination, racism, sexism, transphobia, and xenophobia.
Approved September 23, 2024
In development
In development
Sue Mills, SPPH REDI Chair
I come to the Chair position with humility, gratitude, and profound respect for the Indigenous People who have taken care of the land and waterways for thousands of years. As a white settler, I have a significant responsibility to help address the harms caused, and still being caused by colonialism, and to acknowledge the strengths and resilience of the Indigenous People. As someone who has always worked to illuminate and address injustices, I strive to continually learn how my positionality and diverse life experiences shape my perspectives, relationships, and work. As the Chair, I am committed to, and accountable for creating open, inclusive spaces for dialogue and action where all members of the committee have a voice and are empowered to lead SPPH forward in achieving equity, diversity, and inclusion in all our learning and work environments. I am inspired by the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge of all the members on the committee and look forward to the meaningful work we will do together in the months ahead.
REDI Committee Members
Suiqiong Fan, Graduate Student
As a queer person of color, I have personally experienced the challenges of navigating spaces where identities are often marginalized or misunderstood. These experiences have shaped my passion for advocating for mental health services that are inclusive and accessible to students of all identities, including those from underrepresented or marginalized communities. Working with the REDI committee at SPPH, my goal is to ensure the EDI issues raised by SPPH students are heard and changes to the system are implemented accordingly.
Junelle Knihniski, Graduate Student
I want to uplift and empower student voices in the strategic REDI work that SPPH is pursuing, and be actively involved in creating accountable, proactive and welcoming environments within SPPH. I believe everyone has a right to feel supported and safe in their environments of work, study and socialization, and that diversity enriches our faculty. As an Indigenous learner I am committed to dismantling harmful structures and want to create a culture of celebration, equity and justice.
Erica Frank, Professor
I want to share the REDI strategies, networks, and resources I have acquired professionally as the longest-standing faculty member representing Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) on UBC’s CRC EDI Action Plan (CRCEDIAP) Working Group (and with other EDI foci at UBC), and as someone personally working on recognizing, better strategizing on, and being out about her own issues around equity, disability, inclusion, respect, and privilege.
Susan Cox, Professor, Chair in Biomedical Ethics, Director of MSc and PhD Programs
I am a big believer in the value of contemplative and other practices that support resilience and wellbeing in higher education and recognize that we still have a long way to go in creating working and learning environments that feel authentically welcoming, productive and joyful for everyone. I hope that our work on the REDI committee will help to advance this goal and encourage a stronger sense of community.
Connie Wu, Communications Specialist
As an immigrant and person of color living on unceded land, I understand the importance of representation and inclusion. In my role, I am committed to communicating messages with REDI in mind, ensuring that our messages are inclusive and supportive of all members of our community. This experience has highlighted the importance of REDI in communications and fuels my passion for supporting these efforts within the REDI Committee.
Suhail Marino, Program Manager and Privacy Officer
I consider it a privilege to be working on REDI-related issues and fostering best practices leading to inclusive and respectful environments. As an immigrant and person of colour, I see my role in this committee as assisting SPPH in building a respectful community where all diverse individuals feel safe, valued, respected, and welcomed. I am hopeful that SPPH, through the work of this committee, can make systemic changes that benefit everyone.
Reza Afshari, Clinical Professor
Over the past thirty years, my academic and professional journey has traversed continents, offering diverse experiences across Asia, Europe, and North America. These global encounters have profoundly influenced my perspective on REDI. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with colleagues and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. My dedication extends to addressing social and health disparities within racial, ethnic, and minority communities, a focal point of my research endeavours. I am committed to tackling these issues with a rigorous scientific methodology and an unwavering dedication to continual improvement.
Chelsey Perry, Graduate Student
I am committed to creating safer and more inclusive environments for Indigenous students. As an Indigenous and queer academic, I understand the importance of addressing racism and discrimination within the academic system. My goal is to create an accountability structure within the REDI committee to ensure that issues that have arisen within SPPH are addressed, that student voices are represented, and that SPPH is accountable to implementing recommendations from the REDI committee.
Amanda Versteeg, Senior Human Resources Manager
Previous REDI Committee Members
Negar Balouchestani-Asli, Alumna
As a first-generation daughter of immigrants to Turtle Island, colonially known as Canada, I have embarked on a journey of learning and unlearning personal biases, acknowledging my position as an uninvited guest on these lands. Over the past few years, I have come to understand the weight of my positionality and the unearned privileges I hold. This awareness has instilled in me a profound sense of responsibility, particularly towards the Indigenous Peoples whose unceded land I occupy.