ODOS will be physically closed from July 1st - August 9th.
You can still reach us by phone: 514-398-4990 or email: deanofstudents [at] mcgill.ca and casemanager [at] mcgill.ca
ODOS will be physically closed from July 1st - August 9th.
You can still reach us by phone: 514-398-4990 or email: deanofstudents [at] mcgill.ca and casemanager [at] mcgill.ca
Our Shared Spaces
Equity programming available to all McGill students
Our Shared Spaces began as an initiative put forward by a group of Floor Fellows with the goal of creating spaces for discussion around issues affecting their communities. Over the years and with the support of various community partners, the program has grown into an educational workshop series that creates spaces in which students are empowered to foster inclusive and equitable living and learning environments on campus. By holding space for respectful dialogue, Our Shared Spaces supports student development and affirms the plurality of student experiences of campus life.
This workshop introduces participants to the ideas of accessibility, disability, and ableism both in our current context and throughout history. Learners will go over terminology related to these concepts, investigate their colonial and historical foundations and legacies, and contemporary examples of disability justice. Participants will apply these terms and examples alongside intersecting systems of oppression to unpack the present context and their position within it.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
This workshop brings participants to basic concepts of accessibility within the specific realm of social media and event planning. Learners will go over basic terminology related to accessibility, disability, and ableism, common barriers for those with disabilities, then receive practical advice and strategies towards creating more accessible, proactive programming. Participants will apply these learnings in real-time independent and mini-group breakout rooms so to practice their newfound skills. There will also be a checklist of accessibilizing mechanisms to apply in social media and event planning.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
This workshop offers participants ways to critically engage with and disrupt barriers to participation in academia. Learners will go over basic vocabulary related to disability, accessibility, and ableism, then will be introduced to foundational aspects of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. They will then unpack inaccessible scenarios and apply their learnings with the lens of UDL in academic spaces to find ways to navigate them. Both the virtual and in-person learning sphere is considered in this workshop.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Being Black @ McGill is a five-part workshop series designed to create a safe environment where Black students at McGill can discuss their experience of race and how the institution impacts them.
Students will have the opportunity to unpack identity and socialization. They can share their narratives, while learning both about themselves, and the impact racism and discrimination can have on their mental health. Students will discuss the barriers they face and that factors that have either hindered or bolstered their experiences. Finally, they will discuss how they can create spaces of resistance and resilience for themselves.
The content development for this series was led by Khan Bouba-Dalambaye, M.A., in collaboration with Teaching and Learning Services (TLS), and Our Shared Spaces.
Workshop title | GOALS | Themes | Date/Time |
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Session one: Who we sre | The first session of the workshop looks to establish a sense of community between the participants and the facilitators. Both parties work together to set rules and expectations for the workshop, create a safe and comfortable environment for all, and talk about the reasons why they are in the workshop. Participants learn about the workshop, each other, and themselves. |
Racial identity Defining my blackness How others define my blackness |
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Session two: Roots | The second session creates the space for each participant to share their life narrative with their group. The topics covered look at the participants’ life from childhood, up until their arrival at McGill university. Participants will share how their earliest memories of learning about and experiencing racism, along with the environments they grew up in, shaped who they are. The session ends with a discussion about what brought the group to McGill. | Experiences relationship with authority Microaggressions Racism as trauma allies |
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Session three: A story untold | The third session dives into what life is like for the group, as Black students, at McGill university. The session will explore how race has affected the way in which the group exists at McGill, relative to both their feelings and perception, as well as how they are seen and treated. Participants will discuss how their time at McGill has affected them during their time at the university. | The need to fit In equality The importance of feeling connected and safe do I belong? |
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Session four: Staying afloat | This session looks at the steps taken by group members to engage in self-care. Participants will be asked to talk about the availability of appropriate resources, and the lack thereof, as well as the coping strategies they use as they strive to succeed at the university. Participants will also speak about support within the Black student community, and the existence of allies against anti-black racism. | What it Means to Have a Voice Being Heard at School and In General Who Do You Need to Listen? Risks of Being Silenced |
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Session five: A new day | The final session focuses the attention of the group towards the future. Participants will be asked to share their views on the efforts made by the university to create an inclusive environment for the Black community at McGill, and what else they feel needs to be addressed. | Effective communication Creating change vs. Reacting what needs to change? |
As this is a workshop series designed to foster community, and relies on shared (virtual) space and vulnerability, registration is for the complete five-part series. If you cannot commit to all five workshops at this time, beingblack [at] mcgill.ca (email us) to discuss. Additionally, if you would like to participate, but are not available on the listed dates click here to keep abreast of future programming.
For questions regarding this series or future programming, beingblack [at] mcgill.ca (send us an email. )
We recognize that in the process of sharing and discovering, things may come up for participants that they will want to discuss further. To that end we have partnered with the Local Wellness Advisor for BIPOC to hold 30-minute drop-in hours for our participants.
What is anti-oppression? What is anti-racism? What is netiquette? How can I leverage my curiosity to create more inclusive communities? In this webinar, participants will learn about terminology related to equity-centred education. They will then use that knowledge, as well as their previous experiences, to discuss how they can help create inclusive virtual communities.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
This workshop serves to introduce participants to the concept of gender as a spectrum. Participants will go over terminology related to gender identity and gender expression, as well as some labels used by Queer communities to speak to their experiences. Learners will make connections between ongoing processes of intersecting oppressions, specifically colonialism, and the suppression of gender diversity. They will then apply these terms and analyses to discuss media portrayals of Queer communities and gender-related microaggressions.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
In this workshop, participants will receive an introduction to the concept of anti-oppression. Connections will be drawn between university commitments and the goals of anti-oppression. The workshop will leverage Zoom’s interactivity to engage participants in understanding equity-centred terminology. Learners will explore how expressions of oppression manifest in policies, society, as well as on campus. They will also reflect on positionality and brainstorm how they may mobilize their privilege to make campus a better place.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
This workshop will expose participants to terminology connected to race and anti-racism. Learners will be asked to reflect upon how racism affects the daily lives of everyone within its reach. Examining McGill’s policies, learners will understand some of the ways in which the institution calls its community to build inclusive spaces. The workshop advances the concept of “effective” allyship and gives space for participants to advocate for anti-racism and care on campus.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
This workshop introduces participants to expansive ideas of sexuality. Participants will go over some terms that may be used to describe sexual orientation, as well as discuss the spectrum of identities and experiences in Queer communities. Facilitators will present a history of the 2SLGBTQIA+ movement in North America and key elements of media representation. Learners will then have the opportunity to make personal reflections on their experiences with sexuality and their relation to Queer communities. They will be able to take these foundational concepts and apply them to ways of fostering inclusivity for those of diverse sexualities on campus and beyond.
Learning objectives
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
More information coming soon!
Our Shared Spaces offers a variety of collaboration opportunities, including:
If you are interested in a collaboration or have any questions about our programming, please contact us at oursharedspaces [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Request%20a%20collaboration) , including as much detail about your inquiry as possible.
For questions about Our Shared Spaces, please contact us at oursharedspaces [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Request%20a%20collaboration) .
McGill University is on land which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous Peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. McGill honours, recognizes and respects these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and waters on which we are located. For information about some of the Indigenous initiatives at McGill please visit the website for the Office of Indigenous Initiatives.