# Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence

**Source**: https://antiracism.ubc.ca/task-force/
**Parent**: https://academic.ubc.ca/faculty-recruitment-retention/black-faculty-cohort-hiring-initiative

## About the Task Force

The Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force convened for an intense period of work in April 2021. Its six committees representing Work and Study constituencies and Equity Deserving Racialized Groups has put forward 54 recommendations in its final report, which is now available.\
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The Task Force was created as part of the response to UBC’s commitment to build a more inclusive university community. The work of the Task Force is supported by the Office of the President and the Co-Executive Leads for Anti-Racism.

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### [54 Steps on the Pathway to an Anti-Racist and Inclusively Excellent UBC](https://antiracism.ubc.ca/task-force-report/)

[Read the complete report](https://antiracism.ubc.ca/task-force-report/)

[Download the report (PDF 19.8 MB)](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2022/07/00-UBC-Complete-Report-UBC.0847-ARIE-TF-Digital-11-complete.pdf)

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## Membership

### Co-Chairs

#### **Dr. Handel Kashope Wright**

Dr. Wright is the Senior Advisor to the President on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence and a Professor in the Department of Educational Studies in the Faculty of Education. He is also Director of the Centre for Culture, Identity and Education.

His work focuses on continental and diasporic African cultural studies, critical multiculturalism, anti-racist education, qualitative research, and cultural studies of education. Dr. Wright’s current research examines postmulticulturalism, youth identity, and belonging in the Canadian context.

#### **Dr. Shirley Chau**

Dr. Chau is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work in the Faculty of Health and Social Development at UBC Okanagan and current Chair of the Race Ethnic and Cultural Issues (RECI) Caucus as well as a member of the Board of Directors at the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE).

An experienced practitioner and teacher of social work practice methods, her research interests in social work practice include racialized populations, social and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and interprofessional health service programming and delivery to minoritized individuals and groups.

Photo credit: Bernadette Jarrard

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### Committees

Work and Study

- **Faculty Committee**\
  Chair: Dr. Ryuko Kubota
- **Staff Committee**\
  Chair: Dr. Maryam Nabavi
- **Student Committee**\
  Co-Chairs: Binta Sesay and William Shelling

Equity Deserving Racialized Groups

- **Indigenous Committee**\
  Chair: Dr. Donna Kurtz
- **Black Committee**\
  Chair: Lerato Chondoma
- **People of Colour Committee**\
  Chair: Dr. Dixon Sookraj

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### Faculty Membership

| Name | Campus | Biography |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dr. Ninan Abraham | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/dr-ninan-abraham/) about Dr. Abraham |
| Dr. Sunaina Assanand | UBC Vancouver |  |
| Dr. Samia Khan | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.ubc.ca/2022/04/11/dr-samia-khan/) about Dr. Khan |
| Dr. Ryuko Kubota | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/dr-ryuko-kubota/) about Dr. Kubota |
| Dr. Donna Kurtz | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/dr-donna-kurtz/) about Dr. Kurtz |
| Dr. Gabrielle Legault | UBC Okanagan |  |
| Dr. Minelle Mahtani | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/dr-minelle-mahtani/) about Dr. Mahtani |
| Dr. Nuno Porto | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/dr-nuno-porto/) about Dr. Porto |
| Dr. Dixon Sookraj | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.ubc.ca/2021/03/11/dr-dixon-sookraj/) about Dr. Sookraj |
| Dr. Margo Tamez | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/04/09/dr-margo-tamez/) about Dr. Tamez |

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### Staff Membership

| Name | Campus | Biography |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Saher Ahmed | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/saher-ahmed/) about Saher |
| Rohene Bouajram | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/rohene-bouajram/) about Rohene |
| Lauren (Ilaanaay) Casey | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/15/lauren-ilaanaay-casey/) about Lauren (Ilaanaay) |
| Lerato Chondoma | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://irsi.ubc.ca/about/people/lerato-chondoma-associate-director-leave) about Lerato |
| Tiffany Mintah-Mutua | UBC Vancouver |  |
| Maki Natori | UBC Vancouver |  |
| Dr. Maryam Nabavi | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/dr-maryam-nabavi/) about Dr. Nabavi |
| Dr. Joenita Paulrajan | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://extendedlearning.ubc.ca/about-us/our-team/joenita-paulrajan) about Dr. Paulrajan |
| Laura Prada | UBC Okanagan |  |
| Emi Sasagawa | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/emi-sasagawa/) about Emi |
| Dr. Dana Solomon | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/dr-dana-solomon/) about Dr. Solomon |
| Velia Altamira Vazquez | UBC Vancouver |  |

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### Student Membership

| Name | Campus | Biography |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oluwaseun Ajaja | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/oluwaseun-ajaja/) about Oluwaseun |
| Stephanie Awotwi-Pratt | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/stephanie-awotwi-pratt/) about Stephanie |
| Tamasha Hussein | UBC Vancouver |  |
| Rabaab Khehra | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/rabaab-khehra/) about Rabaab |
| Maistoo’awaastaan (Rodney K. Little Mustache) | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.ubc.ca/2021/06/25/maistooawaastaan-crow-flag/) about Maistoo’awaastaan |
| Zamina Mithani | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/zamina-mithani/) about Zamina |
| Jason Remedios | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/jason-remedios/) about Jason |
| Binta Sesay | UBC Okanagan | [Read more](https://antiracism.sites.olt.ubc.ca/2021/03/16/binta-sesay/) about Binta |
| William Shelling | UBC Vancouver | [Read more](https://sppga.ubc.ca/profile/william-shelling/) about William |
| Tashia Kootenayoo | UBC Okanagan |  |

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### Support Team

| Name | Campus | Role |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Parmida Esmaeilpour | UBC Vancouver | Graduate Research Assistant |
| Tori Chief Calf | UBC Vancouver | Notetaker |
| Pengcheng Fang | UBC Vancouver | Notetaker |
| Keitumetse Malatsi | UBC Vancouver | Notetaker |

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## Contact

For information on UBC’s equity and inclusion efforts or further details related to the past work of the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force, please contact the [UBC Equity & Inclusion Office](http://equity.ubc.ca) at [info@equity.ubc.ca](mailto:info@equity.ubc.ca).