Rosemary Brown Symposium on Women & Social Justice
Every year, to honour the important legacy of the late Rosemary Brown, 間眅埶AV's Department of Gender, Sexuality & Women＊s Studies (GSWS) brings together distinguished scholars, students, service providers, and the broader community together to speak on current issues of diversity, ongoing inequalities, and ways to create positive change.
We were happy to support GSWS to host the seventh Rosemary Brown Memorial Symposium, which featured two distinguished speakers, Hon. Melanie Mark (MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, BC＊s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport) and Dr. June Francis (Associate Professor at 間眅埶AV＊s Beedie School of Business, Director of the Institute for Diaspora Research and Engagement).
Online Event
About Rosemary Brown
Rosemary Brown＊s life＊s work was that of equity and social justice. She was the first Black woman to be elected to a provincial legislature (in BC) in 1972, where she served as MLA from 1972-1986. She was also the first Black woman to run for a federal party leadership, when she ran in 1975 for the NDP. She also served as Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission from 1993-1996, and was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 1995, and the Order of Canada in 1996.
Rosemary Brown served as the Ruth Wynn Woodward Endowed Chair in Women＊s Studies at 間眅埶AV during 1986-87. GSWS is honoured to continue this connection in her memory and celebrate her work and legacy.
The Rosemary Brown Award for Women is given out annually by a committee comprised of representatives from the United Nations Association in Canada (Vancouver Branch), the BC Association of Social Workers, the BC Federation of Labour, the National Congress of Black Women Foundation, the Society for Children and Youth of BC, and the University Women＊s Club of Vancouver.
The Rosemary Brown Undergraduate Award in Social Justice is given annually to a GSWS student who has made outstanding contributions to issues of social justice.
Part of Towards Equity
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified inequities and exposed the deficiencies of our institutions. It has confirmed we must enact change and signaled that transformation is possible. What must we understand 每and do每 to recover equitably and reimagine our systems to confront the intersecting crises of inequality, systemic racism and climate change?
Towards Equity, 間眅埶AV Public Square＊s 2021 Community Summit Series will take place online throughout the year and will bring the university into conversation with local and global communities. Join us to learn and take action together towards a more just, equitable and sustainable future.
On this Page
Melanie Mark
Elected in 2016, HLI HAYKWHL ?II XSGAAK, 醪帗屬| Melanie Mark is the first First Nations woman member of the legislative assembly (MLA) in British Columbia's history, representing the riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant.
During the 41st parliament, she was appointed as the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. Melanie remains the only First Nations woman to serve in Cabinet as BC's new Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. Melanie is Nisga'a, Gitxsan, Cree and Ojibway. She was born and raised in East Vancouver and has deep roots in northern BC and Manitoba.
Melanie is unapologetically passionate about social, environmental and economic justice; she entered politics to disrupt the status quo. Within two months as a minister, she paved a new path by creating the first provincial tuition waiver program for youth from the foster care system and removed all fees for adults accessing Adult Basic Education.
She is most proud of her work to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, specifically supporting Indigenous teachers and language fluency, and launching the world's first Indigenous law program at the University of Victoria in 2018.
Melanie firmly believes that education is the great equalizer and often says, "a rising tide lifts all canoes."
Melanie's work is inspired by her two daughters Maya and Makayla and the desire for them to have greater access to education and opportunities as they grow up. Family is very important to Melanie and her time with Maya, Makayla and her extended family keeps her grounded and motivated.
Melanie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from 間眅埶AV. She holds a Criminology Diploma from Douglas College/Native Education College and an Advanced Executive Certificate from Queen's School of Business.
Melanie believes strongly that the changes we need to inspire and support future generations require all of us to get on board and paddle together.
June Francis
June Francis, MBA, LLB, Ph.D., is the director of the Institute for Diaspora Research and Engagement at 間眅埶AV and an associate professor at 間眅埶AV's Beedie School of Business. She is co-founder of the Co-Laboratorio project, which works across sectors and actors to foster social transformation and racial, ethnic and gender equity and belonging through community-engaged research and reimagining organizations in public, NGO and private sectors through racial equity and decolonizing lenses.
Originally from Jamaica, the global scope of her work takes her to South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. Her research focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement and the academy, markets, diversity, inter-culturality, leadership and participatory engagement approaches and community impact with vulnerable and excluded groups and COVID-19 racial impacts.
June has been recognized by the Province of British Columbia and the National Congress of Black Women as a Trailblazer. The City of Vancouver has recognized her for her contributions to education and to the city, and she is the recipient of a Service Award from the Beedie School of Business for her contributions to the community. She was recently named on Chatelaine's Trailblazing List of Black Canadians Making Change Now and nominated for the 2021 YWCA Women of Distinction Award.
A thought leader on racial equity, June has given more than 50 interviews and seminars in the past year on these issues.
每 Charlene Aviles, The Peak (May 28, 2021)
Towards Equity Events
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Property, Home and Precarity: From Street Sweeps to Housing Justice
As part of our Classroom Partnership Program, senior 間眅埶AV geography students will present their work on housing vulnerability in Vancouver, focusing on rental evictions, street sweeps, rental financialization, and housing justice movements.
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Hope in Resistance: Stories of Climate Justice
間眅埶AV Public Square and Vancity are proud to present Hope in Resistance, featuring Melina Laboucan-Massimo, co-founder of Indigenous Climate Action; Anjali Appadurai, climate justice lead at Sierra Club BC; and Naisha Khan, co-founder of Banking on a Better Future, in a conversation moderated by Nahlah Ayed (host of Ideas on CBC Radio One).
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Mapping Equity: Using GIS and Maps to Make Invisible Realities Visible
Maps are great tools to bring together a massive amount of data and share it in a format everyone is familiar with. They are also a unique tool to bring unnoticeable realities〞including realities of inequality〞to visible patterns. This 90-minute workshop will introduce you to how to make a thematic map that highlights an equity indicator.
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Equity in Practice: More Stories of Community Capacity Building
間眅埶AV＊s Community Capacity Building Certificate supports learners as they engage community by sharing lived experiences and adopting new tools for building projects and movements. Learners deepen their relationships with themselves, their communities and the land to create a project and move forward a change they＊d like to see in the world.
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Should a Just Recovery Include a Basic Income for B.C.?
At this event we will look at the recommendations and analysis of the Final Report of the British Columbia Expert Panel on Basic Income to ask: should a just recovery for all include a basic income?
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Overcoming Digital Divides: Youth and Digital Skills
Join us to discuss how Canada can better support our public internet infrastructure for the marginalized communities who rely on them and for everyone.
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Equity in Practice: Community Capacity Building
Join us to hear inspiring stories from the most recent cohort of 間眅埶AV＊s Community Capacity Building Certificate learners and their growth as emerging leaders working towards equity in their communities.
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Overcoming Digital Divides: Public Internet Access
Join us to discuss how Canada can better support our public internet infrastructure for the marginalized communities who rely on them and for everyone.
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Researching for Climate Justice
Activists, researchers, policy-makers and solution-seekers come together to surface the challenges and opportunities of taking equity-informed approaches to climate research, solutions and policy development.
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Overcoming Digital Divides: People with Disabilities and Accessibility
The federal and provincial governments have taken some steps to improve internet accessibility and adoption among Canadians with disabilities, but there still remain substantial gaps with many facing barriers in accessing digital services.
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Rosemary Brown Memorial Symposium
Every year, to honour the important legacy of the late Rosemary Brown, 間眅埶AV's Department of Gender, Sexuality & Women＊s Studies (GSWS) brings together distinguished scholars, students, service providers, and the broader community together to speak on current issues of diversity, ongoing inequalities, and ways to create positive change.
Read More ↙
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Overcoming Digital Divides: Older Adults and Digital Literacy
Older adults are less likely to use the internet than younger people in Canada, and many report that information technologies do not improve their quality of life or save time. The issue is more pertinent than ever under the pandemic.
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The 2021 Spry Memorial Lecture
Desmond Cole and Tanya Talaga, along with moderator Candis Callison, will consider recent attention over the escalation of commentary on the representation of Indigenous, Black, and people of colour; the structural challenges that currently impede calls for greater diversity; and how institutions and platforms can foster a more constructive dialogue.
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Dean's Lecture on Information + Society
We are pleased to partner with 間眅埶AV Library to invite you to the Dean's Lecture on Information + Society: an evening of conversation with Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.
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Decolonizing Scottish Studies
This is the first in a series of events being organized by the Centre for Scottish Studies at 間眅埶AV
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Innovations in Research
Join us in a unique virtual environment using Gather to engage directly with 間眅埶AV faculty, students, staff, alumni and community partners who are moving us Towards Equity with innovative research from a variety of fields and perspectives.
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Overcoming Digital Divides: Low-Income Communities
Low-income communities continue to experience lower internet access, affordability, and quality. Canadians are at an all-time need for increased access to internet, computer, and tablet devices for e-learning and remote work.
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Zooming In: Education in 2021
Join the 間眅埶AV Public Square Peer Ambassadors for a student-focused event on how to improve the online education experience under COVID-19.
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Overcoming Digital Divides: Indigenous, Rural and Remote Communities
Are recent public investments and policies sufficient to achieve digital inclusion of Indigenous, rural and remote communities? What Indigenous-specific needs must be addressed to secure digital inclusion?
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