MAY 21, 2024

I&D Biweekly Update

Thank you to those who shared feedback with us on this new I&D Biweekly format! We have made some slight tweaks to this issue for length and clarity. Please use the button below to access an anonymous form where you can share further feedback.

Feedback form

1. Community supports

Wed May 22 &

Thu May 23

Designated gathering spaces and onsite counselling are available for Jewish and Israeli, and Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community members.

Additional personal safety and community supports are also available on the respective webpages.

2. Introduction to Yoga

Thu May 22 (start date)

This beginner level series hosted by the Centre for International Experience and the Multi-Faith Centre will introduce you to the structure and flow of a typical yoga class at a gym or drop-in setting on campus. By the end of this series, you will be familiar with the terminology used in yoga classes including common pose and movement names, and know how to use props such as blocks, bolsters, and straps.

3. Understanding and Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: Lessons and Insights for the Path Ahead

Mon May 27

Through this event, participants will explore the different manifestations of anti-Asian racism and identify the tools needed to address this form of racism in our various environments. There will also be a screening of What Flowers They Bloom, with a reflective discussion following.

4. 2SLGBTQ+ Think Tank Social

Thu May 30

As a pre-kick off to Pride month, the Department of Medicine 2SLGBTQ+ Think Tank invites everyone to celebrate, commiserate, and have fun at their annual social! All learners, faculty and staff are welcome.

Call 519-520-8998 for any questions, or to share a heads up that you will be joining at 6:30 p.m. at O’Grady’s Patio on 518 Church St.

5. Transcending: A therapy group for trans and gender diverse students

Thu May 30

Transcending is an 8-week Cognitive Behavioural Therapy group. It strives to provide a safe space for trans and gender diverse students to share experiences and help them understand and work through the impact that gender-related minority stress may have on their lives.

6. Advances in Clinical Care for Gender Dysphoria

Fri May 31

Attendees of these city-wide rounds from the Department of Psychiatry will understand how to diagnose and treat Gender Dysphoria considering historical context, apply an affirming approach to mental health care for trans and gender diverse people, and hear from a multidisciplinary trans health team panel. Speakers include Wayne Baici and June Lam.

7. U of T Progress Pride Flag Raising

Mon June 3

The Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) are pleased to invite you to join the University of Toronto Pride Flag Raising at Varsity Centre! The event will take place rain or shine, with light refreshments and snacks provided, along with U of T Bookstore Pride merch available for purchase.

8. DMP Closing Celebration

Tue June 4

All medical students and first year residents are welcome to join the Diversity Mentorship Program for lunch! We’ll hear from great speakers and have a chance to connect with program participants. The keynote will be delivered by Danyaal Raza who will be speaking on his journey from advocate to organizer.

9. Strengthening Accessibility & Inclusion within Professional Programs Conference

Thu June 13 to

Fri June 14

This conference explores the enhancement of equity, accessibility and inclusion within professional programs, specifically in practicums and experiential learning settings.

10. Indigenous Knowledges for Team Collaboration & Health Care Delivery

Wed June 19

The Interprofessional Collaboration Showcase brings together people in diverse professions and roles to network with like-minded colleagues, share ideas, and create new opportunities for collaboration.

This hybrid forum will provide a variety of speakers, presentations, and opportunities to connect. The keynote will be delivered by Suzanne Stewart.

11. Canadian Jewish Heritage Month

This May, we recognize the significant contributions of Jewish Canadians. Their innovations, leadership, and compassionate care have not only shaped healthcare in Toronto and around the world, they have also demonstrated resilience and strength amidst a frightening rise in antisemitism.

This month, let us show solidarity with our Jewish colleagues and alumni, celebrating their rich cultural heritage and invaluable impact, and recognizing that we can and must do better to stop antisemitism.

12. Experiences in Asian Community: A Discussion with Sydney Tam

"I don't think we can have a good equity approach to health care without including trauma-informed care — not only with patients, but with ourselves and each other as health-care practitioners."

Physician and lecturer Sydney Tam speaks about her experiences in health care and the Temerty Medicine Community Connection event held with East Asian community this past February.

Dates of recognition, observance and celebration

Please find below U of T resources for Dates of Institutional Recognition and Inclusive Employer Guides. For further resources, please visit the Office of Inclusion & Diversity’s Commemoration Resources webpage or the U of T Multi-Faith Centre’s Calendar of Significant Dates.

National AccessAbility Week

May 25 – June 1

Celebrated since 2017 and enshrined in the Accessible Canada Act (2019), NAAW can trace its origins to National Access Awareness Week, launched 35 years ago in the wake of Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion World Tour.

National Indigenous History Month

June 1 – June 30

Strong advocacy from representatives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities led to the creation of National Indigenous History Month in 2009.

Pride Month

June 1 – June 30

The celebration of Pride was born out of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, where protests and demonstrations erupted in response to police raids of the Stonewall Inn, a popular Greenwich Village gay bar in New York. Pride in Toronto is rooted in community advocacy and organizing.