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Clifford Pereira – Canadian Secret Sailors

November 29, 2016

Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and hosted by the UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections. Historical geographer Clifford Pereira delivers this lecture about his current, groundbreaking work on the history of Chinese crews on Canadian vessels during the First World War. After a century of silence, a story emerges of hundreds of Asian crew working, and thousands of Chinese transported on ships of the Canadian Pacific “Empress” line as part of the First World War Effort. Clifford Pereira is Kenyan-Asian of Goan heritage, formally based in London, UK and now based in Hong Kong (SAR), who worked in several places around the world and in several industries before embarking on the current career in the heritage industry. This talk is part of the Remembrance Day speaker series, in conjunction with an exhibit at the Chung Collection curated by Clifford Pereira.

This event happened on November 8, 2016.

Select Articles and Books Available at UBC Library

Macri, F., & Franco David Macri. (01/01/2011). Journal of the hong kong branch of the royal asiatic society: Canadians under fire: C force and the battle of hong kong, december 1941 The Branch. [Link]

Roland, C. G. (2001). Long night’s journey into day : Prisoners of war in hong kong and japan, 1941-1945 Wilfrid Laurier University Press. [Link]

The damned : the Canadians at the battle of Hong Kong and the POW experience, 1941-45 / Nathan M. Greenfield. [Available at Koerner Library Stacks- D767.3 .G73 2010]

UBC Library Research Guides

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Aboriginal Unhistory Month 2014 at UBC Library

June 2, 2014

The University of British Columbia Point Grey campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓speaking Musqueam people. We thank Musqueam for its hospitality and support of our work.

UBC Library, in partnership with the Musqueam Indian Band, the Centre for Teaching and Learning Technology and the Museum of Anthropology,  will be celebrating Aboriginal scholarship, creativity, and intellectual traditions with its third annual Aboriginal (Un)History Month.

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Paddle created by Keith Point, of the Skowkale First Nation in Chilliwack, who also descends from the Musqueam First Nation.

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Featuring exhibits at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) and book displays at several library branches, the (Un)History month activities introduce ways UBC Indigenous scholars are creating relationships, educating and inviting dialogue about indigenous issues.

Since 2009, the month of June has been designated as ‘National Aboriginal History Month’ by the federal government of Canada. National Aboriginal Day is June 21 every year. UBC Library and the participating curators have been observing Aboriginal (Un)History Month since 2011. The exhibits and programs are meant to celebrate Aboriginal creativity, scholarship, and intellectual traditions; cultivate conversations about relationship, representation and recognition; and inspire participants to be better informed about the Aboriginal lands and peoples of whom we are guests.

This year’s theme is “Honouring our Journeys,” which celebrates journeys that have been emotional, spiritual, and educational; personal, community, and institutional; and historic, contemporary, or moment-in-time.

The exhibits at IKBLC foyer include:

  • The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology – Our Time and Place at UBC: Reflecting on the TRC in 2013
  • Ch’nook – Indigenous Business Education
  • Decolonizing Knowledge – Knowing the Land Beneath Our Feet at UBC
  • Musqueam Indian Band – mən̓ə to mana: xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) to Māori (Rotorua, New Zealand)
  • The Museum of Anthropology – Claiming Space: Voices of Urban Aboriginal Youth
  • Bruce Muir of West Moberly First Nations – Protecting Treaty Rights: the Klinse-Za Caribou Herd’s Journey Towards Recovery

For those interested in online resources,

Partners this year include: Musqueam Indian Band, Bruce Muir of West Moberly First Nations, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology at UBC, Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education, the Irving K Barber Learning Centre, the First Nations House of Learning, UBC Library Communications, UBC’s Education Library, the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and Xwi7xwa Library.

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For more information, visit the IKBLC website or contact Sarah Dupont, Aboriginal Engagement Librarian.

 

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Wesbrook Talks – Influential Women in Business

May 16, 2014

Wesbrook Villagealumni UBC and Wesbrook Village at UBC (DiscoverWesbrook.com) presents the inaugural Wesbrook Talks event (first in a three-part series). It will featureBusiness in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business award-winners Barbara Brink, BA’63; Barbara Dunfield, BEd’80; and Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82, in a panel discussion with CBC’s Renee Filippone. Come learn about their influences, commitment to their community, and career paths; followed by a Q&A and reception. Wesbrook Talks is a new and exciting series presented by Wesbrook Village and alumni UBC. It is designed to provide intimate opportunities to listen to and engage with prominent alumni in the community. The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre will be sponsoring the recording of this event for online viewing at a later date.

Event Details

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 6:00 – 8:30 pm Program begins at 6:00 pm with a reception to follow.

Light refreshments will be served.

MBA House
3385 Wesbrook Mall
UBC’s Vancouver campus
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1W5 – map Free parking is available in Wesbrook Village.

Moderator

Renee Filippone – Host, CBC News Vancouver Saturday and Sunday

Panelists

Barbara Brink, C.M., O.B.C., BA’63 – Vice President, Applied Strategies Ltd; Community Volunteer

Barbara Dunfield, BEd(Elem)’80 – Chief Financial Officer, Newport Exploration Ltd and Sennen Potash Corp.

Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82 – Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon

Cost

$10 per person

RSVP

Please RSVP online at http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1420&EID=17594 before Friday, June 6, 2014.
Questions? Please contact Nicola Schuck at nicola.schuck@ubc.ca or 604-822-9519.

About Wesbrook Village

Wesbrook Village

Wesbrook Village is UBC’s newest gathering place. Wesbrook offers shops, services, a school, residences and a range of community services within a vibrant pedestrian-friendly setting, with easy access to Pacific Spirit Park, countless beaches and all the amenities of the UBC campus. Come visit us today – on Wesbrook Mall just south of 16th Avenue.

Panelist Biographies

Renee Filippone

FilipponeRenee Filippone joined the CBC team in 2005 and in addition to hosting duties, is the CBC reporter based south of the Fraser. From transportation, to education and the environment, she has her eye on issues that matter to people in the Valley. She is a born and raised west-coaster, growing up in Burnaby and with a Metis mother and an Italian-Scottish-English father, she considers herself a true reflection of Canadian diversity. Renee has a Degree in Communications from Simon Fraser University and a Diploma in Broadcast Journalist from BCIT. She has received a number of Jack Webster and RTNDA award nominations for her work at the CBC and has worked in both radio and television, on air and behind the scenes.

Barbara Brink, C.M., O.B.C., BA’63

Barbara BrinkFor twelve years Barbara Brink was a driving force behind the creation of British Columbia’s SCIENCE WORLD. As President of the Board of Governors and C.E.O. she spearheaded the campaign to obtain the Expo Centre, secure $12 million of public sector funding and oversaw the $19 million retrofit. SCIENCE WORLD opened in May 1989. The exhibits of its Outreach program now reach out across the province. In 1997 she returned as CEO during a major restructuring. With a new CEO in place she again chaired the Board for four years. She has been named a “Friend of SCIENCE WORLD”, an honour that she shares with Dr. Cecil H. Green, founder of Texas Instruments, Dr. Michael Smith, Nobel Prize winner, Hon. Stan Hagen, Haig Farris, John Pitts, and Dr. Ken Spencer.

She is Vice President of Applied Strategies Ltd., a management consulting firm. For several years she was a provincially appointed Public Governor of the Vancouver Stock Exchange. She serves on the Boards of the Legal Services Society and the Institute of Chartered Accountants British Columbia. She is Co Chair of the Business Laureates of British Columbia Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremonies Cabinet. She serves on the Board of Junior Achievement of B.C. She is also Vice Chair of the West Vancouver Police Board.

She is a past Chair of the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Foundation. She is the immediate past chair and founding chair of the West Vancouver Community Centres Services Society which operates the new award winning Community and Aquatic Centres. The centres welcome over 1.1 M visitors a year. She was one of two BC appointees to the Western Canada Wait List panel. She served on the executive of the Provincial Capital Commission. She was a founder and Chair of Leadership Vancouver, a program to train and encourage the best of the community’s emerging new leaders. In 1999 she led the drive to establish 20 new programs across Canada. She was the first Canadian to serve on the Community Leadership Association, Board of Directors. She served as Vice Chair of the Laurier Institution, a think tank that studies the economic and socio impacts of immigration.

In 1997 she chaired a national conference: “Equity, Community Participation and Citizenship”. This conference on social justice for the 21st century was co-sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Christians and Jews, to mark their 50th anniversary, and by Simon Fraser University.

She was the 1995 and 1996 General campaign Chair, the United Way of the Lower Mainland. For many years she has been a volunteer trainer for the United Way Volunteer Leadership Development Program. In this capacity she has designed and presented over 150 courses on diversity, motivation, delegation, board/staff relations, strategic planning, governance, and fundraising.

Previous commitments to the community include serving as chair for the 1991 Capital Campaign for the B.C. Cancer Agency, serving as chair or co-chair for a series of fund raising World Affairs Dinners that featured Henry Kissinger, Jesse Jackson, Benazir Bhutto, Lee Iacocca and Honorary Chair for the dinner with Mikhail Gorbachev. She has served as a director of the B.C. Heart Foundation, the Greater Vancouver Salvation Army Board, the Opportunity Rehabilitation Workshop, the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, and KCTS Public Television.

She is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia; as a member of the Order of Canada she has presided at over 25 Citizenship Ceremonies. She was also a mentor for the 20 under 20 program sponsored by the Governor General.

She is a recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Simon Fraser University’s 1994 President’s Club Distinguished Leadership Award. In 1993, B.C. Business Magazine included her as one of the 12 most powerful women in British Columbia, the only volunteer included in the group. She has been honoured on the occasion of the University of B.C.’s 75th anniversary as one of the 75 graduates recognized for service to the community. In 2001, to mark British Columbia’s entry into Confederation, she was named, by the Vancouver Sun, as one of 130 people who have made a significant contribution to British Columbia. In 2014 she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business.

Barbara Dunfield, BEd(Elem)’80

Barbara DunfieldCurrently the Chief Financial Officer for two public companies, Barbara is viewed as an industry leader and expert in the mining industry. With her business skills and leadership, she has successfully funded a number of companies, and worked all over the world with projects in North America, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and South America.

Formerly an investment advisor with a large Canadian brokerage firm, Barbara has served as a Director, Secretary and/or CFO for a variety of organizations in the industry and previously acted as CFO and Director of Eastern Platinum, one of the top global platinum producers.

Barbara also established the Barbara Dunfield International Business Competition Team Sponsorship Fund, which supports students who want to compete in international business challenges. Barbara, a UBC and SFU alumna, is a 2014 recipient of Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business Award.

Barbara Kaminsky, BA’70, MSW’73, MSc’82

Barbara KaminskyBarbara Kaminsky has made a significant contribution in cancer control both in the province and nationally over the eighteen years as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon.

She has been instrumental in changing the way government agencies, health care professionals and individuals view cancer and their role in preventing it. Her singular vision for cancer prevention has resulted in an increase in funding, more research and programs to help people reduce the risk of cancer and led to healthier communities.

Following the creation of a Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention, she secured a partnership with UBC to create a new Cancer Prevention Centre in Vancouver. Other partnerships with the BC Healthy Living Alliance, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and BC Healthy Families have kept cancer at the forefront of public health issues.

She is the past Chair of both the BC Healthy Living Alliance and of the Prevention Working Group for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Vision 2020 initiative—The Future without Breast Cancer.

Barbara has authored several publications and co-authored a book, The Health Impact of Smoking & Obesity and what to do about it. In addition to certification as a health executive, Barbara has three degrees from the University of British Columbia—a BA in English, a Master of Social Work, and a Masters of Science in Health Services Planning and Administration. She is currently an adjunct Professor at UBC and is a 2014 recipient of Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business Award.

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February is Black History Month

February 2, 2026

Each February, Black History Month is celebrated in Canada to honor the contributions of Black people and their communities from who fought for civil rights and social justice in the past to today’s changemakers and emerging leaders. While labeled Black History Month, it is equally important that we recognize the continuous contributions of Black communities as well as future possibilities.

To celebrate this tradition, this year’s theme is “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations – From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.” While this year claims to be the 30th anniversary of Black History Month, the tradition goes even further back as the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) petitioned to have February proclaimed as Black History Month in the late 70’s. The first Black History Month recognized by all of Canada, however, did not occur until 1996, thus marking the “official” beginning of this celebration across Canada.

The History of Black Communities in Canada

Not many are aware of the history and role of Black people and their communities within Canada. You can learn more about significant events in Black history in Canada here.

To learn more about the notable figures who have shaped Canada as we now know it, you can read the biographies of a few individuals here. Some notable, historical Black Canadians include: Viola Desmond, a businesswoman from Halifax who practiced civil disobedience and is the first Black person and Canadian woman to appear on a Canadian banknote; Willie O’Ree, a hockey player from New Brunswick and the first black player in the National Hockey League; Lincoln Alexander, the first Black member of Parliament in the House of Commons.

Community Resources

The British Columbia Black History Awareness Society (BCBHAS) is a historical society that aims to bring understanding and awareness to the historical significance of Black Canadians. They aim to advance education through the research, documentation, and dissemination of the contributions and achievements of Black Canadians presently and throughout history. They also offer education and assistance for Black people in British Columbia who face social and economic barriers. Through their online Learning Centre, you can articles, reports, and videos pertaining to Black communities in British Columbia over time. The BCBHAS will be hosting a number of events throughout February:

UBC Events & Resources

On Thursday, February 5th from 7-8:30pm, the Museum of Anthropology will be hosting Black Futures, Ananse Tales: Diasporic Storytelling in Motion. This event will be a night of immersive storytelling by the Akofena Afro-Theatre Society using theatre, music, dance, and oral narrative to explore stories.

UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science will be hosting the Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series throughout February to celebrate the contributions of Black leaders in STEM. This series has four hybrid sessions located within the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Building on UBC campus. Click the link to find out more about each session:

Throughout February, the Ladner Clock Tower and University Commons will be lit up in red, yellow, and green lights to represent Pan-Africanism and raise awareness of Black History Month in a public space.

UBC Library Materials:

To read more from Black Canadian authors about the way Black communities have shaped this country, check out these books available through the UBC Library.

Carter, M. (2025). In the light of dawn: The history and legacy of a black Canadian community. University of Regina Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Clarke, G.E. (Ed.). (2017). Locating home: The first African-Canadian novel and verse collections. Tightrope Books. [Available at UBC Library]

Cole, D., & ProQuest (Firm). (2020). The skin we’re in: A year of black resistance and power (1st ed.). Doubleday Canada. [Available at UBC Library]

Reynolds, G. (2016). Viola Desmond’s Canada: A history of blacks and racial segregation in the promised land. Fernwood Publishing. [Available at UBC Library]

Smith Diaz, R. (2025). Searching for Serafim: The life and legacy of Serafim “Joe” Fortes (1st ed.). Arsenal Pulp Press. [Available at UBC Library]

 

Web Sources Consulted:

Government of Canada. (2026). February is black history month [Campaigns]. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html

Government of Canada. (2021). About Black History Month. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/about.html

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EDI Scholar-in-Residence with Dana-Lyn Mackenzie: Advancing the Indigenous Strategic Plan at UBC

January 31, 2026

The EDI Scholar-in-Residence, Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, shared insights into her experiences within various faculties implementing the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP), Canada’s first university-wide Indigenous strategic plan. She reflected on the challenges and successes of embedding Indigenous perspectives across UBC’s campuses and communities, and explored how the ISP calls on all faculties, units, and individuals to take meaningful action to support Indigenous self-determination and systemic transformation.  The lecture offered meaningful insight into what reconciliation looks like in practice and invited us to consider our collective role in cultivating a more inclusive and respectful academic environment.

Speaker 
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie is the Senior Manager of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity, Faculties of Forestry, and Land and Food Systems, Lecturer, Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship, Forestry, UBC. Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, a member of the Hwlitsum First Nation and lawyer, is an elected councillor of her Coast Salish nation. She co-created UBC’s Weaving Relations course, IDEAL program, and Cascades of Change program, among others, and has led the UBC Orange Shirt Day Intergenerational March since 2021. Dana-Lyn has worked in Indigenous programming and student affairs since 2012 and has spent the majority of her post-secondary career in four faculties at UBC, the Allard School of Law, Applied Sciences, Land and Food Systems and Forestry. She was recognized with the UBC President’s Staff Awards for Inclusion and Anti-Racism (2024) and Advancing Diversity and Inclusion (2016). Dana-Lyn works as an associate lawyer at Acumen Law, where she practices employment law, wills and estates and helps Indigenous clients. In 2024, Dana-Lyn ran for the BC Green Party as an MLA candidate for Vancouver Yaletown. A proud mother of two amazing young adults, Dana-Lyn dedicates her spare time to her family.

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UBC Library Writer-in-Residence program: “Unspoken Truths: A Poetry Workshop with Evelyn Lau”

January 29, 2026

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EDI Scholar-in-Residence with Dana-Lyn Mackenzie: Advancing the Indigenous Strategic Plan at UBC

January 14, 2026

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A Conversation with EDI Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Jennifer Gagnon

December 17, 2025

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December 18th: International Migrants Day

December 16, 2025

What is International Migrants Day?

International Migrants Day is a day to recognize the contributions of migrants around the world. It also calls to attention the environment in which migration occurs, such as conflicts and displacement, climate-related disaster, economic pressures, and more that may drive people from their homes in search of safety and opportunity. December 18th was chosen as it was the day that the International Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was signed. This is a United Nations treaty that governs the protection of migrant workers and their families by aiming to guarantee equal treatment and the same working conditions for migrants as nationals.

Historically, Canada has been viewed as a safe and welcoming place for immigrants. However, changing policies may be increasing barriers and feelings of safety. The stories of migrants are often filled with resilience and perseverance as they may face many challenges in the process of starting a life in a new country. Exploitation of migrant workers is a common issue that this day recognizes, and work can often be precarious, uncertain, or even dangerous.

Migrant workers play an important role in our communities, and it is vital we confront the ongoing mistreatment of these community members. Our economy largely depends on the labor of migrant workers, and their work and humanity is often unrecognized and exploited. International Migrants Day serves to recognize the positive impact migrant populations have on society, from boosting economic growth to filling skill gaps and driving innovation and development, as well as recognizing the challenges they face as often undervalued members of our society.

Resources at UBC:

UBC is ranked as the most international school in North America, with students from 147 different countries. UBC’s International Student Guide can help support students who are newcomers to Canada. International students can also connect with Advisors , Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), to answer questions about  permits, working, health care, or transitioning to life in Canada.

Resources in Vancouver:

The Vancouver Public Library is an excellent and free resource for newcomers. Many branches offer ESL Conversation practice to meet new friends and practice English conversation skills with other learners. Drop-In Resume Clinics are also often available for those looking for support and tips on writing a Canadian style resume and Ask a Career Counsellor drop-ins can help with career planning, writing resumes, preparing for job interviews, and more.

VPL also hosts AC Legal Services with free, confidential appointments to help anyone complete legal paperwork. For those who must take the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP), there are free workshops to help with the Writing and Speaking portions of the exam.

Check out the VPL Events page to see other events that may support newcomers to BC.

UBC Library Materials:

Allahdua, G., Dunsworth, E., & ProQuest (Firm). (2023). Harvesting freedom: The life of a migrant worker in Canada (1st ed.). Between the Lines. [Available at UBC Library]

Atak, I., Simeon, J. C., Scholars Portal Books: Canadian University Presses 2018, & Canada Commons: Books & Documents. (2018). In Atak I., Simeon J. C.(Eds.), The criminalization of migration: Context and consequences (1st ed.). McGill-Queen’s University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780773555631 [Available at UBC Library]

Molnar, P., & ProQuest (Firm). (2024). The walls have eyes: Surviving migration in the age of artificial intelligence (1st ed.). The New Press. [Available at UBC Library]

Nayeri, D. (2019). The ungrateful refugee: What immigrants never tell you. Catapult. [Available at UBC Library]

Shah, S., & ProQuest (Firm). (2020). The next great migration: The beauty and terror of life on the move (1st ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing USA. [Available at UBC Library]

 

Web sources consulted:

United Nations. (2024). Celebrating the contributions and opportunities of migration. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/observances/migrants-day

Vancouver Public Library. (2025, June 20). No Place for Refugees: Is Canada Becoming Less Welcoming? Vancouver Public Library. https://vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6834f38e4f2cd1c0cc874bde

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EDI Scholars-in-Residence: Disabled and Proud Cohort — Disability Allies Cohort with Dr. Jennifer Gagnon

December 15, 2025

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Disability Justice Book Club Discussion Questions: Month 4

December 8, 2025

Welcome to the Disability Justice Book Club Month 4

Jay Dolmage’s Academic Ableism

Led by Dr. Jennifer Gagnon (and her service dog Ziggy)

Supported by the EDI Scholars-in-Residence Program and the Peña Fund

If this is your first time attending the book club

If you’re joining the Disability Justice Book Club for the first time this month – welcome! We are so excited to have you with us! Please review the Month 1 Discussion Guide which contains important information on the structure of the book club, the two different cohorts: 1) Disabled and Proud and 2) Disability Allies, and ways that we are incorporating Disability Justice into how the book club works. The Month 1 Discussion Guide is available online here.

Accessing the Text

For our final month together, we will be reading Jay Dolmage’s Academic Ableism. The book is available open access in text and audio book formats, (free! No Institutional Login required). It can also be accessed through most institutional or public library systems. As always, if you encounter any challenges accessing the text, or require a different format for accessibility, feel free to reach out directly to Allan Cho (allan.cho@ubc.ca) or Jennifer Gagnon (jennifer.gagnon@ubc.ca) for support.

E-book format

  • Available Open Access here

Audio format

  • Available for free on Audible here

Confidentiality

A core practice of Disability Justice is confidentiality. Accessibility, safety, and inclusion all require that we are mindful to not disclose confidential information about the lived experiences of others. Many disabled folks have heightened concerns about confidentiality because of their experiences with ableism, discrimination, and marginalization. While some of us might feel comfortable sharing our experiences with disability and ableism, no one is required or expected to disclose. Folks may also not be “out” about their relationship to disability in all contexts and places at UBC and beyond. To further support control over disclosure of our identities and experiences with disability, we have created two cohorts for the Disability Justice book club 1) the Disabled and Proud cohort for folks who self-identify as disabled and who are interested in discussing Disability Justice with other self-identified disabled folks, and 2) the Disability Allies cohort for folks who do not presently identify as disabled or who would prefer not to disclose their relationship to disability. We always assume the presence of disability and access needs in all our meeting spaces. To support confidentiality and safety in these spaces, please treat the experiences of individuals as confidential and do not disclose anyone’s lived experiences without their enthusiastic consent. This Book Club is an opportunity to grow our knowledge and understanding of Disability Justice, and potentially “read yourself in” to Disabled community or explore how disability and ableism are already present in your experiences.

Discussion Guide

1.  “Academic ableism is a difficult thing to consider. Coming to terms with ableism in higher education means questioning, as well, our own privilege, the very system that rewards professors and administrators and placed us at the top of a set of steep stairs.” p. 39

  • How do you experience or see Academic Ableism at UBC or your university? What are some of the ways disabled folks experience academic ableism? What about non-disabled folks?

 

2. “The steep steps metaphor describes how the university has been constructed as a place for the very able. The steep steps metaphor puts forward the idea that access to the university is a movement upwards—only the truly ‘fit’ survive this climb” p. 44

  • Who successfully climbs the steep steps of academic life? Who is deemed the “right amount of disabled” to be “accommodated” in academic spaces, and who is deemed “too disabled” to climb these steep steps? If the pinnacle is the top of the ivory tower – who makes it? Who doesn’t? Who gets trapped somewhere on the steps?

 

3. In what physical spaces do you see the “architecture of ableism” at the university? Why does the retrofit so rarely work? If retrofits are so problematic, why do you think academic spaces so often rely on retrofits? What’s the alternative?

 

4. If accommodations perpetuate academic ableism and punish rather than support the very people they are supposed to aid, then can the accommodations system be saved? Who determines what is “reasonable” and how does “reasonableness” vary across rank, role, department, institution? Can disabled folks “win” against the “business needs” of the university?

 

5. “What if higher education isn’t creating knowledge and ability but instead is systematically disabling? … What if higher education constructs both knowledge and disability? What if these constructions rely on one another?” p. 58

  • What do you think of Dolmage’s claim that the knowledge production of the university depends upon the production of disability and disablism? How do we change the way Universities see disability to shift from perceiving disability as a problem to be fixed, to a core difference that better informs and expands the knowledge of the university?

 

6. Universities and educators often make “hidden assumptions” about who their students are and what those students are capable of doing. What are the hidden assumptions UBC makes about imaginary disabled students? Imaginary disabled faculty?

 

7. Is Universal Design for Learning (UDL) truly the answer? What are the benefits of UDL? What’s problematic about UDL or how the university is using UDL to “perform accessibility?”

 

8. As we conclude our book club together, what is something about Disability Justice that you have learned or embraced that you will take with you?

 

Thank you for participating in the Disability Justice Book Club! Feel free to connect with me (jennifer.gagnon@ubc.ca) or with the Disability Affinity Group (https://disabilityaffinitygroup.ubc.ca), especially about ways to collaborate and continue to grow Disability Justice in our university communities.
 

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EDI Scholars-in-Residence: Disability Justice Book Club — Disability Allies Cohort with Dr. Jennifer Gagnon

December 4, 2025

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EDI Scholars-in-Residence: Disabled and Proud Cohort — with Dr. Jennifer Gagnon

November 24, 2025

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