Understand. Dismantle. Act A Snapshot of Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Resources Within BC’s Post-Secondary System

Since the global pandemic began in 2020, we have witnessed: racial inequities being exacerbated; unmarked graves of Indigenous souls sacrificed to Canada’s legacy of residential schools; global protests erupt against anti-Black racism and harrowing police brutality, and the alarming rise in hate speech and crimes. These are only a few of the global and local realities that impact post-secondary institutions (PSIs) in British Columbia (BC), that have existed in different forms and magnitudes prior to 2020, perpetuating a cycle of traumatization.
BCcampus initiated a critical project focused on understanding the post-secondary landscape in BC with respect to anti-racism (AR) and anti-hate (AH) in January 2022. This report presents the methodology, emergent framework and findings of an environmental scan of 25 PSIs and four organizations in BC. The findings were focused on the resources, tools and training that have been developed to address AR and AH. This report highlights the gaps and imperfections in reflecting the comprehensive undertaking of AR and AH at BC PSIs. Due to the compressed timing of this project, a debt of gratitude is owed to the members of the project working group in supporting the scan through multiple consultations where their voices, lived experiences and input supported the success of the project.

Insights gleaned from the environmental scan highlight gaps and opportunities that can drive meaningful and systemic change that underpin AR and AH at PSIs. Anyone reading this report is encouraged to reflect on the gaps in currently available resources to move AR and AH within their own institutions, organizations, departments or roles. It’s in these open spaces where further inroads to creating a more equitable path for British Columbia’s post-secondary context can be built. Finally, key recommendations are made to reflect areas for amplification and scalability as PSIs move commitments to advance AR and AH work with the aim of creating equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning environments that are safe and free of hate.

The consequences of status quo and inaction are significant: diminished connection and community as well as a marked lack of belonging and space for individual and collective celebration of age, beliefs, class, colour, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, language, nationality, politics, race, religion, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, as well as humanity at large. Everyone has a role to play in an ongoing and sustained, action-oriented commitment to boldly take an anti-approach to historical violent forms of oppression and colonization that continue to remain in many present-day structures, practices and policies across PSIs.

The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training (AEST) has set out priorities for the post-secondary landscape in British Columbia (BC), which include putting people first, lasting and meaningful reconciliation, and equity and anti-racism.

In support of these priorities, BCcampus initiated a project focused on anti-racism (AR) and anti-hate (AH) from late January until March 2022. This project involved a multi-pronged approach to understanding the availability of resources dedicated to addressing AR and AH through an environmental scan. Additionally, the project brought collective voices, expertise, and lived and living experience through a collaborative working group. This project both informed and added to what is currently being created within the post-secondary education sector as part of BCcampus’ mandate of offering open and online educational resources. The final project deliverable includes a webinar titled, The Empty Chair: Bridging the Gap Between Equitable Intentions and Equitable Actions in British Columbia’s Post-Secondary System, aimed at inspiring and building mental bridges between participants in an effort to work towards an inclusive, accessible, and decolonized future for higher education in BC. Appendix 1 provides a visual of how the various components described above connect with each other.