Mahta Khoshnam Tehrani
Manager, Data, Analytics, Reporting & Evaluation
Campus: UBC Vancouver
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Bio
Mahta completed her PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Western Ontario. She worked for almost a decade on interdisciplinary research projects applying engineering principles to medical, clinical, and health-care applications. Mahta is passionate about using her strong data analysis and critical thinking skills to promote well-being by supporting EDI initiatives.
Email:
mahta.khoshnam@ubc.ca
Address:
Brock Commons South Building
6180 Walter Gage Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Rebekah Chotem
Project Manager, Institutional Initiatives Planning and Evaluation
Campus: UBC Vancouver
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Bio
Rebekah provides project management support to the Institutional Initiatives, Planning and Evaluation team. Her primary area of focus is the Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework and Roadmap to Change. Rebekah collaborates on the planning and implementation of the StEAR Strategic Actions, a project that spans both UBC campuses, all faculties, students, staff and teaching staff. Rebekah is excited to support the university in its continued and evolving efforts and commitment to equity and anti-racism. In addition to StEAR, Rebekah provides project management support for the Canada Research Chair Equity & Diversity Action Plan, and other small to large scale projects. Rebekah brings 7 years of experience working at UBC in program management, project management, student experience and leadership.
Email:
rebekah.chotem@ubc.ca
Address:
Brock Commons South Building
6180 Walter Gage Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Ikechukwu Ibebugwu
Project Manager, Institutional Initiatives
Campus: UBC Okanagan
Pronouns: he, him, his
Bio
As a Project Manager, Ike manages small to large-scale projects to advance work around one of UBC’s guiding principles, promoting equity, anti-racism, inclusion and lasting and meaningful reconciliation. With the Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework and Roadmap to Change, as his primary area of focus, Ike also provides project management support to the Equity Office as needed.
Ike completed his Bachelors in Environmental Management in Nigeria and his Master in Economics and Management at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC. Ike is a well-equipped Project Manager, with his most recent experience as a Project Manager with the Ministry of Health working on the Surgical Renewal Project and 5-Year Surgical Framework to improve equitable access to surgeries in BC. When Ike is not working, you will find him out in nature exploring hiking trails in the summer or skiing in the winter.
Email:
ike.ibebugwu@ubc.ca
Address:
Admin 100C
1138 Alumni Avenue
Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7
August 1st is Emancipation Day
On August 1, we invite the UBC community to join in the recognition and celebration of Emancipation Day in Canada.
Overview
Unanimously designated as Emancipation Day by the House of Commons in 2021, this day marks the enactment of the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 on August 1, 1834 across the British Empire. However, most enslaved peoples in Canada did not achieve full emancipation until later as those six years old and over were required to continue serving without pay for additional four to six years as means of “compensation” to slave owners.
This day provides an opportunity to celebrate the strength, courage, and perseverance of people of African descent in Canada, recognize their struggles to end enslavement, and acknowledge their contributions towards Canadian society.
Following the House of Commons, the City of Vancouver and BC Government officially proclaimed August 1 as Emancipation Day. The United Nations proclaimed 2015-2024 the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD), “citing the need to strengthen national, regional and international cooperation in relation to the full enjoyment of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights by people of African descent, and their full and equal participation in all aspects of society.” The UN identified the following themes of focus: recognition, justice and development.
Why it matters
Many remain unaware that Canada’s colonial foundations were shaped by anti-Black and anti-Indigenous discrimination, which sought to subjugate and segregate Black and Indigenous peoples. Many also remain unaware that Black and Indigenous peoples were once enslaved across the country. And, while slavery has been abolished, the systemic effects and legacies of subjugation, segregation, and slavery continue to reverberate today.
Learning about and acknowledging historical and contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination are the first steps in working towards redress and reparation.
What you can do
Efforts to mark Emancipation Day across Canada create opportunities to learn about and reflect on the history and impacts of colonialism, segregation, and slavery on Black peoples in Canada, and, more importantly, to recommit to actions to address ongoing systemic anti-Black racism.
At UBC, Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force Report recommendations highlight several strategic actions to support university’s commitments to meaningfully address anti-Black racism and support Black excellence and flourishing. Priorities identified in the report are incorporated into the new Strategic Equity and Anti-racism Framework and Roadmap for change.
On this day, we invite members of the UBC community to renew your commitments to learning, reflection, and action so that collectively we can combat anti-Black racism.
Explore history and perspectives
- Emancipation Day – August 1, Government of Canada
- “Enslaved” reading list, CBC
- Black advocates hope B.C.’s proclamation of Emancipation Day sparks change, CBC
- To understand B.C.’s Black history, connect past and present in Canada, Beyond UBC
- Debunk: Myths about History of Black People in B.C, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
Take action
- Activating Solidarity: A Guide to Anti-Racism Work
- Solidarity & Action: Five Tips on Tackling Racism
Celebrate
- Celebrate Emancipation Day with some of Canada’s leading Black creators and BIPOC culture makers, CBC
Access resources
Do you or someone you know have concerns with discrimination at UBC? Learn more about our human rights advising service and get in touch with our human rights advisors.
Photo attribution: Government of Canada
Vanessa Hogan
Executive Assistant
Campus: UBC Vancouver
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Bio
Vanessa provides executive administrative support for the Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion and the EIO. Vanessa holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and has many years of experience in executive assistance and administrative positions. She also completed a certificate in Fine Arts at Emily Carr University of Arts and Design. Vanessa is fully bilingual in Spanish and English.
Email
vanessa.hogan@ubc.ca
Address:
Brock Commons South Building
6180 Walter Gage Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Dharshi Lacey
Director, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism
Campus: UBC Okanagan
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Bio
Dharshi comes to this role with 20+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She brings a deep commitment to equity work, striving to shift the work from project work to systems work, challenging people and systems to apply a critical equity lens to their policies, practices, language and mindsets. An immigrant from Sri Lanka, Dharshi’s work is influenced by both her personal and professional experiences. Since she immigrated, she lived and worked in London, Ontario and is looking forward to contributing to the meaningful advancement of equity, inclusion and anti-racism work within UBCO and UBCV.
Email address: dharshi.lacey@ubc.ca
Address:
Admin 100C
1138 Alumni Avenue
Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7
How Samaya Miller is creating space for Black people on campus
Pronouns: She / her
UBC affiliation: Undergraduate student
Campus: UBC Okanagan
Faculty: Arts
Department: International Relations
Involvement:
- Inclusion Project Assistant, Equity & Inclusion Office
- Okanagan head, Black Caucus
How have you been involved in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion at UBC?
As a Black person at a predominantly white institution, I’ve experienced the challenges of being the only Black person in a room and feeling a lack of belonging and connection. I knew that if I wanted to find community, I would have to create space for Black people on campus.
In my positions as the Inclusion Project Assistant with the Equity & Inclusion Office and the UBC Okanagan (UBCO) head of the Black Caucus, I had the opportunity to collaborate with different campus partners during Black History Month, including the African Caribbean Social Club (ACSC). My favorite projects were the Black Resource Centre and Black Care Packages.
The Black Resource Centre created space for Black people to come together without fear or worry about racial discrimination. It was a safe place to hang out, study or listen to music. The Black Care Packages project was an especially important initiative during Black History Month – a period of time where most, if not all, Black community members are expected to speak for the whole community. We are expected to put on a brave face and answer every question about our Blackness. In recognition of this emotional burden, we gave Black students an opportunity to prioritize their wellbeing by providing care packages sponsored by Lululemon, Black-owned businesses, and campus partners like the ACSC and Student Experience Office. Although it does not solve the burnout that Black students face, it’s a step in the right direction that I hope can grow each year.
What are your key takeaways from this experience?
As we know that there is more that can be done to support Black community members at UBCO, I’ve always felt a responsibility to try and fill those gaps. As a student and staff member trying to graduate it was a lot of pressure to make sure everyone had their needs met. However, I kept reminding myself that I too need to take breaks and that without self-care the work I do will fall short. From my experience, being burnt out takes a toll on your productivity – it’s better to be healthy and sane.
What advice would you give to someone interested in doing similar work?
I would say to always give yourself grace and that good or bad, every experience and hurdle throughout this work will teach and help mold you into a stronger more informed person. Especially as Black people, we tend to overwork ourselves and neglect our needs to help others. Instead, we must realize how even the “smallest” of things are important and even the “littlest” achievements need to be celebrated. Last of all, have fun. Don’t get so caught up with the work and politics of it that you forget to enjoy your time here at UBC.
What resources helped you navigate your EDI journey?
My colleagues have been my rock. Without their help, I wouldn’t have been able to do so much. It’s truly so amazing to be able to be in community with like-minded people who also want to achieve the same goals. I am thankful that I was able to be involved in the clubs I was in and with the Equity & Inclusion Office because the people I built relationships with truly changed my university experience for the better.
What book, film or podcast would you recommend to others and why?
My favourite book this year was definitely We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib. It’s a queer Muslim memoir about their experiences growing up, immigrating and discovering their identity – I thought it was so powerful. Also, I loved Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta. As a Jamaican who grew up in Canada, I found that this book really healed a lot of things I went through by helping me see that I wasn’t alone in my struggles in Canada.
Why Manish Kumar is raising awareness about the caste system
Pronouns: He / him
UBC affiliation: Graduate student
Campus: UBC Okanagan
Faculty: Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Department: Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program – Community Engagement, Social Change and Equity
Involvement
- Inclusion Project Assistant, Equity & Inclusion Office
- Equity Ambassador, Equity & Inclusion Office
- Graduate Student Community Facilitator, Student Experience Office
How have you been involved in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion at UBC?
My journey with the UBC Okanagan (UBCO) Equity & Inclusion Office (EIO) started with my role as a volunteer Equity Ambassador, which then led to my student employment as an Inclusion Project Assistant. One of my main objectives in connecting with the EIO was to raise awareness at UBCO about the impacts of the Indian caste system. My interest emerged from an experience where I was asked about my caste-based identity at a cultural event organized by Indian students. I was surprised at being asked this question in Canada and specifically at UBC.
Due to this experience, and given the growing number of South Asian – and especially Indian – students, staff and faculty members at UBC, I decided to raise awareness of the impacts of the caste system and find ways to get caste included in UBC’s Discrimination Policy (SC7).
Since the policy reflects British Columbia’s Human Rights Code, any amendment requires creating a petition and gaining the support of various public and private institutions, agencies and community members – a process that requires time and resources. As a graduate student with competing demands and limited time, I instead focused on creating spaces and opportunities for the UBC community to learn more about and discuss the implications of the Indian caste system in the context of human rights.
As a result, I was invited to discuss the caste system at the 2023 Dr. Ambedkar International Symposium on Emancipation – an event hosted on the UBC Vancouver campus and organized by the Chetna Association of Canada and Ambedkarite International Co-Ordination Society. I also engaged with EIO-led events and workshops under the guidance of Jenica Frisque. Jenica deeply influenced and shaped my personal education and understanding of equity and inclusion-related subjects at UBCO, and how they shape our world around us.
Moving forward, I feel deeply committed and inspired to keep striving to build a more inclusive and equitable society beyond the notion of “othering”.
For those who wish to learn more about the caste system in India, I recommend that they watch a documentary called India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart [links to Youtube]. The film explains the ways in which the caste system has led to a deeply embedded praxis of “graded inequality” and discrimination within Indian society.
What are your key takeaways from this experience?
I found out that both learning and (un)learning are equally important on this path of building an inclusive, equitable and just society. Also, “Truth always comes before reconciliation”.
What advice would you give to someone interested in doing similar work?
I believe that volunteering is not only a great way to connect with campus and community partners, but with individuals who could inspire and shape our lives differently. Also, it is important to acknowledge that our personal and lived experiences are different from one another and is what makes us all unique. Therefore, it is critical to be mindful and receptive of our differences while communicating with each other.
What resources helped you navigate your EDI journey?
If someone is passionate and wants to learn more about EDI work then I recommend exploring the resources on the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office’s website, and signing up to their newsletter for events and workshops where they can meet and connect with amazing community members, students and campus partners.
What book, film or podcast would you recommend to others and why?
Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out by Ruth King. In Ruth’s words, “racism is a heart disease, and it’s curable!”