FCAT schools and programs come together for first Community in Practice day

Faculty, staff, and students from across FCAT came together on September 8 for the first FCAT Community in Practice day. The day began with an online Safe Space for White Questions discussion led by Drs. Ajay Parasram and Alex Khasnabish, followed by afternoon programming unique to each school and program.

“FCAT Community in Practice is about creating space and time to engage in meaningful conversation as a Faculty,” says Dean Carman Neustaedter. “Many staff and faculty have been engaging in highly important work around decolonization, Indigenization, equity, inclusivity, and anti-racism for a long time now. We recognized the need to broaden the conversation to the entire Faculty such that we could continue to move forward and not only recognize but engage more deeply in the critical work that encompasses equity, community, and care.”

Each school and program within FCAT came together in their own way to watch the Safe Space for White Questions (SSFWQ) session and contribute to this important work. Following SSFWQ, Bee Brigidi and Sarah Louise Turner from the Centre for Educational Excellence held a “Continuing the Conversation” Zoom session open to all graduate students.

The School of Interactive Arts and Technology held a SSFWQ viewing session in the morning for staff, faculty, and graduate students followed by a Special School Meeting with the SIAT Anti-racism working group and facilitator Angela Ma Brown. Undergraduate students attended an alumni panel and enjoyed a pizza social and trivia pong tournament.  

Faculty and staff in the School of Communication watched and discussed SSFWQ together in the morning, followed by lunch and a de-escalation workshop facilitated by Nicole Ly and Andrea Ringrose from SFU's Office of Campus Safety and Security in the afternoon.

Following The School for the Contemporary Arts’ Re-Orientation Day on September 7^th, the school invited faculty, staff and graduate students to watch the SSFWQ session in the cinema.

The Centre for Digital Media held a SSFWQ viewing session for all staff and faculty in their boardroom.

The SSFWQ session was incorporated into the Publishing Program’s orientation week, which included an in-person Indigenous welcome, campus tours, and conversations about student needs.

The Dean’s Office watched SSFWQ in the morning and came together for a picnic lunch and shoreline cleanup at Barnet Marine Park to build community and connect as a group.

Thank you to all the faculty, staff, and graduate students who took the time to participate in this important day. And thank you to everyone who came together to organize this event, including our partners from across the University for their support: the Centre for Educational Excellence; the Belzberg Library; Meeting, Event and Conference Services; IT Services; and Facilities Services.

The next FCAT Community in Practice day on January 4^th, 2024 will feature Dr. Kim TallBear Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience and Society. More details about this exciting event will be shared soon.