Catalyzed by the racial injustice suffered by Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and too many others, global corporations made several commitments to take action in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in June 2020. While focus remains on improving equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, a greater emphasis should be placed on strengthening practices adopted by the students who are preparing to enter it. Although educational institutions, such as McGill University, have designed EDI committees and programs, part of the onus is on all students to create an inclusive learning space for their peers. Prioritizing the implementation of the following steps will hopefully better prepare future leaders to keep inclusion top of mind, both on campus and well beyond graduation. Bear in mind that many systemic changes are required across all facets of society to make the necessary improvements, below are just some of the ways that students can help advance our communities towards a more include environment within educational institutions. It is by no means a comprehensive list.
1. Do your research
Knowledge of the history and current issues faced by members of marginalized groups is crucial to understanding why action is needed. With a myriad of books, online websites, and data bases, students have many resources at their disposal. Attending trainings, listening to podcasts, or expanding the channels through which you consume content –such as news outlets and social media–are beneficial as well. Importantly, it is your own responsibility, and that of nobody else, to educate yourself on the topic of EDI.
2. Recognize the privilege that you both possess and benefit from
The road to becoming a better ally involves recognizing the privilege that you hold and the opportunities that you are granted as a result. For instance, privileges such as socio-economic class, urban location, and educational background contribute to students’ acceptance into post-secondary institutions, like McGill, over others that apply. Understanding how your privilege has contributed to campus inequities can help you to identify where your resources can be best utilized to fight them.
3. Take action to include others
Peer-to-peer communications
While The Trevor Project found that over 50% of the transgender and non-binary youth surveyed have seriously considered suicide over the past year, a later study in July 2020 found that this number was halved for those who had their pronouns respected. It is small changes, like stating your own pronouns and respecting those of others, that can make significant impacts when speaking to classmates. The following can be done to champion inclusion in peer-to-peer settings:
State pronouns in verbal and non-verbal interactions (in-person meetings, email signature, Zoom name, etc.).
In group settings, ensure to speak in a language that everyone understands.
Maintain flexibility when choosing group meeting times to accommodate different time zones, or confirm a time well in advance so that those travelling to campus can plan their commute accordingly.
Be mindful of who is speaking during meetings, and invite those with less airtime to offer their opinions.
Student clubs & organizations
Organizers of student-run clubs have a significant role to play in fostering an environment that champions inclusion. Committee members should consider re-assessing processes by posing the following questions about their organizations:
Are executive committee recruitment practices inviting of individuals from all races, ethnicities, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identities, disabilities, and ages?
Who is interviewing and selecting candidates? Are their decisions being audited by external parties?
Are a diverse panel of guests invited to speak at your events?
Are events taking place during cultural or religious holidays that would limit students from participating?
Are events accommodating people across time zones and those with disabilities? Solutions include recording the event, providing closed captioning on Zoom, or ensuring physical accessibility, to name a few.
Individual efforts
Starting off with gaining awareness of the assumptions that you make based on individuals’ protected classes will help you to avoid making them in the future. Additional efforts to consider include:
Participate in campus EDI studies. Not only does your participation contribute to advancing research in this space, but interactive opportunities such as focus groups also provide insight into your peers’ unique perspectives and experiences.
Explore opportunities to get involved in student organizations that take action on EDI. This could mean attending their events, and donating time or money. Notable McGill organizations include the Black Students Network, Indigenous Student Alliance, Queer McGill, among many others.
Within these three settings alike, one of the most important yet challenging actions that can be taken is calling out instances of racism, sexism, and exclusion. Silence in the face of discriminatory behaviour enables the perpetuation of oppressive systems. To combat this, engaging in respectful debate can be accomplished by asking “What do you mean?” or “How are you using the word ‘_______’?”.
4. Carry over these steps beyond the campus
Taking action in academic settings will help you carry these habits into social or workplace settings. When looking for a post-graduation job, consider what actions the organizations that you are applying to have taken towards EDI, and do not hesitate to ask questions about their stance on the topic throughout the interview process.
5. Continue learning
Achieving EDI is not so much a destination, but rather an extensive, non-linear journey. When mistakes are made along the way, it is important to recognize but not dwell on them. Instead, energy should be put towards continuously educating oneself on the topic of EDI as the space evolves over time.
Acting on the overarching problem of equity, diversity and inclusion will not generate immediate results. Considering how long it took for our society to establish the current reality of inequities, systemic reform will surely require years of continuous improvements. Some recent efforts, such as Blackout Tuesday, have come across as disingenuous and as acts of performative allyship. Instead, helping to further progress calls for individuals who are sincerely willing to challenge the status quo and engage in difficult yet meaningful conversations and actions.
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