Exploring Sustainable Fashion
Welcome back to another blog post! This month, we are exploring an aspect of sustainability that interests me— sustainable fashion. I’ve chosen this topic because April 22 is Earth Day. Since 1970, Earth Day has been a day to take action for the climate, learning about sustainability initiatives and coming together as a community. Here in Canada, Earth Day Canada provides programming and organization each year. Their mission is to “inspire, support, and facilitate innovative actions for individuals and organizations to reduce their environmental impact.”
Learning about the fashion industry is one way to reduce your own environmental impact. The fashion industry is relevant to all of us— even if you don’t find fashion design interesting, we all wear clothing. It’s part of our everyday lives. And since it’s so common, you might never have thought about where it comes from.
Historically, people made their own clothing. Women learned to sew and community members trained as tailors to dress their neighbours. Today, Most of our clothing is manufactured in countries like Bangladesh, India, and China, then transported to Canada to be sold in stores. Manufacturers are producing more and more clothing each year to meet increasing consumer demand. This phenomenon— producing lots of clothing very quickly— is called fast fashion.
Fast fashion has significant impacts on our environment. The production of so much clothing creates immense carbon emissions: a 2024 report by the Statista Research Department estimates that “in 2022, the apparel industry emitted approximately 879 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents into the atmosphere.” The World Wildlife Fund estimates that 2,700 liters of water are needed to make one cotton t-shirt. And it’s not just creating the clothes— because clothing is manufactured and sold around the globe, the transportation process generates even more carbon emissions.
So what can we do? Learning about slow and sustainable fashion practices can help reduce the environmental impacts of our clothing consumption. Here are some things you can do to build a more sustainable relationship with your closet.
1. Use clothing longer before replacing it. The most important thing you can do is simply reduce how often you buy new clothing. If you feel bored with your closet, try conducting an audit of everything you have, and identify new ways to mix and match pieces. You might find an old shirt you forgot you had and discover that you love to wear it.
2. Learn to repair and mend clothing. This step will help you to extend the life of your clothing. When a garment becomes torn, sewing skills can empower you to patch the hole and continue wearing the item. If you don’t know how to sew, you can find beginner tutorials on sites like YouTube, or try attending a repair café in Vancouver. Repair cafés are community events where skilled repairers can help you mend broken items, teaching you new skills along the way.
3. Thrift second-hand clothing. If you’re looking for new clothing items, aim to purchase from thrift stores, consignment stores, or other second-hand sources. Doing so will allow you to give a garment a second life and prevent it from being taken to a landfill. Not sure where to find second-hand clothing? Check out Get Thrifty UBC, a thrift store located right here on UBC campus in the Student Life building. All of their thrifted items are priced under $20. You also don’t have to leave your home to find second-hand clothing. Online retailers like Depop and ThredUp allow you to thrift clothing from your phone or laptop. Local Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Buy Nothing groups are also a fantastic resource.
4. Organize or participate in a clothing swap. A clothing swap is a community event where people bring gently used clothing and swap items amongst each other. If you have clothing you want to say goodbye to, a swap is a great way to allow someone else to take the item for themselves and extend its life. And, if you need new clothing, you can typically find garments at clothing swaps for no cost. You can organize a clothing swap in your neighbourhood, at your workplace, at your place of worship, or with friends. SustainYourStyle recommends finding a location to host the swap, setting it up with clothing racks or tables, and making it a friendly event by starting conversations with the people who attend.
By taking any of these steps, you are helping to acknowledge and honour the human labour involved in clothing production. Instead of being easily thrown away and replaced, clothing should be recognized as the product of a person’s work— and one that is often very resource-intensive to create. You are also helping to decrease demand for newly produced fast fashion garments. If we shift our relationship with clothing to one that values sustainability, we can help address the growing concerns about fast fashion’s impact on the environment.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog post! A quick note: I am graduating from the MLIS program at UBC this May, and will be leaving my position as EDI Student Librarian as a result. That means this is my last blog post. It has been a wonderful year producing these posts and learning about what’s happening in the UBC community as I go along. Thank you to everyone who has read and engaged with the posts, and I hope you will welcome our incoming EDI Student Librarian this summer.
Further Reading at UBC Library:
Anguelov, N., & Taylor & Francis eBooks EBA. (2021). The sustainable fashion quest: Innovations in business and policy (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003153344
Edwards, Z. (2021). Mend it, wear it, love it: Stitch your way to a sustainable wardrobe (First American ed.). DK Publishing. [Available at UBC Library].
Klepp I. G., Tobiasson T. S.(Eds.), Local, slow and sustainable fashion: Wool as a fabric for change (1st 2022.;1; ed.). Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88300-3
Thomas, D. (2019). Fashionopolis: The price of fast fashion–and the future of clothes. Penguin Press. [Available at UBC Library].
Sources Referenced:
Get Thrifty UBC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://getthrifty.ca/info
Handle with Care. (2014, Spring). World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/spring-2014/articles/handle-with-care
How to organize a clothes swap. (2021, May 18). SustainYourStyle. https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/blog/2020/6/25/how-to-organize-a-clothes-swap
Matuszak-Flejszman, A., Preisner, A., & Banach, J. K. (2024). Transport-Related Emissions and Transition Strategies for Sustainability—A Case Study of the Fast Fashion Industry. Sustainability, 16(17), 7749. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177749
Mission, Vision and Values. (n.d.). Earth Day Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://earthday.ca/organization/mission/
Statista Research Department. (2024, October 7). Apparel industry CO2e emissions projection 2019-2030. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1305696/apparel-industry-co2e-emissions/
International Women’s Day 2025
Hello and welcome back to another blog post! I hope you all enjoyed last month’s post on Black History Month. In March, we’ll celebrate women— another group of people who make our world richer and brighter. Continue reading to learn about International Women’s Day, its history, and celebrations happening in Vancouver this year.
What is International Women’s Day?
According to the official International Women’s Day organization, International Women’s Day (IWD) is “a specific day dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide.” It occurs every year on March 8, and its goal is to honour the achievements of women across many areas of their lives. Social, economic, cultural, and political spheres all contain women who have contributed their knowledge and talents. IWD also serves as a day of advocacy to continue pushing for greater gender equality. The International Women’s Day organization encourages people to reflect on progress and commit to taking positive action towards gender equality.
The Government of Canada has created a theme for International Women’s Day 2025. The theme is “Strength in every story.” The aim of this theme is to highlight the importance of amplifying all women’s voices, especially those who continue to face intersectional barriers. Instead of only celebrating the stories of the most privileged women, IWD seeks to uplift all cisgender and transgender women, recognizing that every woman has a unique story to tell.
History of International Women’s Day
The history of International Women’s Day is described here on the official IWD website. Made up of collective action by many women, International Women’s Day began during the first wave of feminism. This “first wave” of the feminist movement occurred from the late 18th century to the early 20th century and included early women’s rights activists. These women fought for advancements like voting rights (also referred to as women’s suffrage) and access to education for girls. Some notable first wave feminists include:
- Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote activist texts including A Vindication of the Rights of Women and Thoughts on the Education of Daughters. Learn more about Mary Wollstonecraft’s work here.
- Sojourner Truth, a Black woman who was born into slavery in New York state. After escaping enslavement, she traveled the country to share her faith in God and advocate for women’s rights. Her most famous speech, titled “Ain’t I a Woman?”, addresses the racism that impacts Black women in addition to gender inequality. Learn more about Sojourner Truth here.
- Emmaline Pankhurst, a leader of the British movement for women’s suffrage. She formed the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) which worked towards achieving voting equality. Her philosophy of “deeds, not words” shifted the suffrage movement towards action-oriented public demonstrations. Learn more about Emmaline Pankhurst here.
The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. More than one million men and women attended rallies in these countries. After the first year of rallies, countries around the world began marking IWD as an official holiday throughout the 20th century. Women have taken great strides towards achieving gender equality in the last 100 years. Celebrities, governments, organizations, and major brands now support IWD each March. Even so, much work remains to be done. Continue reading to learn about ways to take action this year.
International Women’s Day 2025 Events
UBC is hosting a variety of events throughout March. See a list of all events here.
On March 14, the UBC Mental Health and Wellness for Women in STEM Conference will take place. The conference will act as a space for women in STEM fields at UBC. Speakers and workshops will address the importance of considering mental and physical wellbeing while working in male-dominated fields.
On March 22, Dr. Shohini Ghose will provide a book singing and talk. Dr. Ghose’s book Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe tells the stories of women physicists and astronomers who discovered fundamental rules of the universe, often not having their critical contributions acknowledged.
In Vancouver, the IWD Women’s March will take place on Saturday, March 8, from 1:00–4:00pm. The march will begin at the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza. This march values intersectional feminism, referring to the diverse experiences that women have when their identity as a woman overlaps with another marginalized identity. The march stands in solidarity with gender-diverse people and with all marginalized communities.
The City of Vancouver also offers local information about IWD.
UBC Library Materials
Want to learn more about IWD? Check out some relevant titles available through the library!
Adichie, C. N. (2014;2015;). We should all be feminists. Anchor Books. [Available at UBC Libraries]
Hart, J., Project Muse, & De Gruyter. (2023). A national park for women’s rights: The campaign that made it happen (1st ed.). Three Hills, an imprint of Cornell University Press. [Available at UBC Libraries]
hooks, b. (2015). Feminism is for everybody: Passionate politics. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315743189
Khader, S. J. (2024). Faux feminism: Why we fall for white feminism and how we can stop. Beacon Press. [Available at UBC Libraries]
Shetterly, M. L., Conkling, W., Freeman, L., & Shetterly, M. L. (2018). Hidden figures: The true story of four black women and the space race (First ed.). Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers. [Available at UBC Libraries]
Web Resources Cited
Government of Canada. (2024, March 18). International Women’s Day. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/international-womens-day.html
International Women’s. (n.d.-a). Learn about International Women’s Day (IWD). International Women’s Day. Retrieved March 6, 2025, from https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About-IWD
International Women’s Day. (n.d.-b). What’s the timeline of International Women’s Day? International Women’s Day. Retrieved March 6, 2025, from https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Timeline
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025a). Emmeline Pankhurst. In Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emmeline-Pankhurst
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025b). Mary Wollstonecraft. In Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Wollstonecraft
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025c). Sojourner Truth. In Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sojourner-Truth
Black History Month 2025
Hello and welcome to February’s blog post! This month’s theme is Black History Month. To commemorate this occasion, we will learn what Black History Month is and why it is celebrated, then highlight ways you can get involved in Black History Month events here in Vancouver.
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month occurs each February. According to the Government of Canada, It is a month of “events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities.” There is also a unique theme each year. The 2025 theme is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” The goal of this theme is to focus on the long history of Black communities in Canada, acknowledging the diversity of those communities throughout Canada’s past. It also looks forward towards the future, underscoring the legacy that past communities have passed on to current Black Canadians.
Why Do We Recognize Black History Month?
Black History Month exists because of the history of anti-Black racism in Canada, as well as in North America more widely. To understand why this month is important today, we must understand what happened in the past. Black Canadians’ contributions to society were frequently ignored throughout Canadian history. White settlers did not consider stories of Black achievement and culture to be worth telling. As a result, the Government of Canada explains that Black History Month is a time to learn about those untold stories and to recognize the role of Black people in Canada.
The Canadian Encyclopedia provides a starting point to learn this history. Its page “Black History Month in Canada” explains that Black History Month first began in the United States, then spread to Canada. Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a historian of African Americans, first created a week of Black history education in 1926, which caught on and expanded in subsequent years. Dr. Woodson chose the month of February because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass— two important figures who worked to end slavery in the United States— were born in February. Black History Month became a national observance in the United States in 1976.
In Canada, informal Black history observances happened throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Later, two founders of the Ontario Black History Society petitioned Toronto to adopt Black History Month in 1979. Activists continued pressing city and provincial governments to officially recognize Black History Month throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with some success, as Ontario recognized the month in 1993. At the federal level, the House of Commons passed a motion to recognize Black History Month nationwide in 1996. The Senate then officially approved the motion in 2008 after a long period of stalling. This brings us to today’s period of commemorating Black History Month nationally each year.
Black History Month Events in Vancouver
Want to participate in Black History Month this year? Here are some events happening locally in Vancouver.
The Vancouver Public Library is hosting two film screenings at its central branch in downtown Vancouver. The films highlight the intersectional identities of Afro-Latinx people. The screenings will also include a moderated discussion session after viewing the film.
- On February 19, attend a screening of Pelo Malo. This film depicts “a Venezuelan boy’s desire to straighten his curly hair.” It discusses “anti-Blackness and homophobia in Latin America,” as well as “the white-washing of Latinx childhood.”
- On February 26, attend a screening of Dólares de Arena. This film depicts “an older European woman becoming enchanted with a young Dominican woman who must struggle to make ends meet.” It discusses “portrayals of Blackness and queerness in Latinx cinema, the intersections of femininity and Blackness, and the impact of class and whiteness on queer dynamics in Latin America.”
The Vancouver International Film Festival is screening a variety of films to commemorate Black History month throughout February. You can explore their events lineup here and book tickets to view films made by Black filmmakers.
Afro Van Connect and Black Space Media INC are hosting a Black History Walking Tour. The tour will begin at 1:00pm on February 15 and 22 at Andy Livingstone Park at Union & Quebec St. The walking tour will move through the historic neighbourhood of Strathcona in East Vancouver, highlighting the cultural heritage of the Black community in this neighbourhood throughout history. The tour will last approximately 45 minutes.
Black History Month Events at UBC
You don’t need to leave campus to participate in Black History Month! A number of events are taking place at UBC throughout February. You can view a full list of events here. I’ll also describe some that I would like to highlight.
The Black Entrepreneurship and Research Symposium will take place on February 28 from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. This event will bring together business owners, policy makers, and researchers who are committed to advocating for Black entrepreneurship. The symposium speakers will discuss plans for policy change that benefits Black entrepreneurs, with a focus on bridging research into actionable steps forward.
The Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series includes multiple speaker events highlighting the outstanding contributions of Black people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. On February 26, Dr. Anotida Madzvamuse of the Department of Mathematics will give a presentation titled “Unravelling the mathematics for single cell dynamics.”
Titles at UBC Library
Beyond attending events, you can also make use of UBC Library books and media to learn more about Black history. Check out the following selections:
Field, C. T., Simmons, L. M., & ProQuest (Firm). (2022). The global history of black girlhood (1st ed.). University of Illinois Press. [Available at UBC Library]
Hodes, C., Tibe Bonifacio, G., Bonifacio, G. T., & DOAB: Directory of Open Access Books. (2023). In Tibe Bonifacio G., Hodes C.(Eds.), Racism in southern Alberta and anti-racist activism for change (1st ed.). Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781778290008.01
McCalman, G., & Reynolds, A. (2022). Illustrated black history: Honoring the iconic and the unseen (First ed.). Harper One, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers. [Available at UBC Library]
Rogers, M. L., De Gruyter Princeton University Press Complete eBook-Package 2023, & Project Muse. (2023). The darkened light of faith: Race, democracy, and freedom in african american political thought (1st ed.). Princeton University Press. [Available at UBC Library]
Moore, L. N. (2021). Teaching black history to white people (First ed.). University of Texas Press. https://doi.org/10.7560/324851
UBC Publications in cIRcle
cIRcle is UBC’s institutional repository. It is Open Access, meaning that members of the UBC community can submit their research and teaching materials for anyone to access. Here are some items in cIRcle that showcase excellent work in the areas of Black history and anti-racism:
Flynn, K., De Sousa, I., Dordunoo, D., & Wytenbroek, L. (2021, February 25). Black (in)Visibility: Black Nurses in Canada who Paved the Way. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0398203
MacIntyre, T. M. (2020). White feminist fragility: From part of the problem to radical allyship (T). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0390302
Mohamed, M. (2023). Reconstructing Vancouver’s black community from the history of invisibility: Analysis of the role of black entrepreneurship in British Columbia, Canada (T). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0431415
Pattar, S. K. (2024, November 27). Equity Unchained: Leveling Up Anti-Racist Policies In Lower Mainland Schools [G]. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0447403
Wytenbroek, L., Adique, M., Alazar, W., Binning, N., Bishop, S., Bobyn, A., … Sackey-Forson, E. (2023, February 23). Black History Month 2023 Historical Considerations on Nursing Education Across Canada [P]. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0432295
Web Sources Cited
Government of Canada. (2025a, January 31). About Black History Month. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/about.html
Government of Canada. (2025b, January 31). February is Black History Month. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html
Williams, Dorothy W. (2022, January 10). Black History Month in Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/black-history-month-in-canada
Managing Winter Mental Health
Hello and welcome back to my monthly blog posts. I’m Celia, the EDI Student Librarian at IKBLC, and every month I’ll post about something related to equity, diversity, and inclusion at UBC. I hope you find the posts interesting and easy to digest in the midst of a busy term.
January’s topic is mental health management during the winter. In Vancouver’s dark and rainy season, many students find it challenging to maintain motivation, study habits, hobbies, and social activities. While we wait for the long days of summer to return, I’ve compiled UBC’s best research on managing winter blues and seasonal depression. Read on to discover practical ways to support yourself and learn where to access mental healthcare.
Please know this post is informational only and does not constitute medical advice.
What are Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The Canadian Mental Health Association explains the difference between winter blues and seasonal depression. Winter blues are defined as “a wave of low emotions” that accompany winter months. They often cause people to sleep longer, withdraw from social activities, and reach for comfort foods. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is more severe and less common— the CMHA states “about 15% of people in Canada experience the winter blues, while only about 2-3% of people in Canada experience SAD.” SAD’s severity is such that it inhibits people’s daily functioning and significantly changes how they feel emotionally and physically
According to the American Psychiatric Association, SAD symptoms can include feeling sad, changes in sleep and appetite, loss of energy, slowed thinking, and feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness. Weight gain and too much sleep are the most common symptoms.
If you feel you may have seasonal affective disorder, or for any reason would like to reach out to a mental health professional, you can access mental health care and counseling services at UBC. Certified mental health professionals will work with you to determine a mental health care plan that fits your needs.
Strategies for Managing Winter Blues
As well as seeking professional mental health care, there are a number of ways you can support yourself at home throughout the winter. I have compiled recommendations from external resources including the Mental Health Commission of Canada and University California Davis. UBC also has researchers on campus working in this area. The UBC Mood Disorders Centre, located at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, works to develop innovative care for people with mood disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.
Tip 1: Get Natural Light
Taking steps to expose yourself to natural light each day can help your mood. When the sun sets early in the winter, it’s important to get sunlight while you can. One way to do this is by going for a walk or run each morning. If you aren’t able to exercise, but you have a porch or other outdoor area in your home, you can sit outdoors to absorb the light. Even sitting in front of a window where natural light enters the home will help.
You can also mimic natural light by using a light therapy lamp. These lamps emit light that our brains experience as similar to real sunlight. You can turn them on in the early evening to offset the early setting of the sun.
A light therapy lamp, available from Amazon
Tip 2: Maintain a Schedule
Another way to help is to stick to a regular schedule for the activities in your life. Go to sleep and wake up at about the same time every day. Oversleeping can worsen winter blues and seasonal depression disorder, and so you should aim to sleep a healthy and consistent amount each night.
Following routines throughout the day is also a good idea. Winter blues can make it hard to feel motivated to do things, but if your brain is used to a routine, you may be able to reduce some of the resistance you feel to starting tasks like schoolwork.
Tip 3: Stay Social
Resist the urge to isolate yourself. Now more than ever, it’s important to stay connected with friends, family, and other loved ones. Try planning a time to do something fun with people in your life and using it as something to look forward to. Additionally, you can reach out to your support network. They can offer encouragement and support if you let them know that you are struggling this time of year. They can also help keep you accountable to commitments you set for yourself, like going out to do an activity or sitting down to work at a certain time of day.
Tip 4: Be Kind to Yourself
Experiencing winter blues or seasonal affective disorder is hard. Remember to give yourself credit for everything you are doing to take care of yourself during this difficult time. Mental health difficulties are not a result of laziness, and every step you take to improve your mental health is worth celebrating. Consider brightening your day with a coffee or pastry, bouquet of flowers, new book to read, or any other small treat that you’ll enjoy. You are worthy of that extra self care, now more than ever!
Conclusion
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope you find these tips practical and helpful as you move through this winter term. As a reminder, you can access mental health care and counseling services through these links. I am not a mental health care professional and this is not medical advice.
Here’s one more encouraging note to send you off with: As of Sunday, January 26, the sun is no longer setting before 5pm in Vancouver. Hooray!
UBC Resources
Counselling services. (n.d.). UBC Student Services. Retrieved January 27, 2025, from https://students.ubc.ca/health/counselling-services/
Mental health care at UBC. (n.d.). UBC Student Services. Retrieved January 27, 2025, from https://students.ubc.ca/health/counselling-services/mental-health-care-ubc/
Tips for SAD in a post-COVID World. (n.d.). UBC Mood Disorders Centre. Retrieved January 27, 2025, from https://sad.psychiatry.ubc.ca/tips-post-covid/
External Resources
Winter Holiday Traditions Around the World
Hello and welcome to the final blog post of 2024! This month, we will explore some of the diverse winter holiday traditions that are practiced around the world, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Yule. People across many cultures have unique ways of bringing light and celebration into the darkest time of year. Let’s dive into the history and current practices for these traditions.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is an eight-day holiday celebrated by Jewish people. It falls on different days each year— this year, Hanukkah will last from December 25 to January 2. The purpose of Hanukkah is to commemorate the reclaiming of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which is a sacred location for the Jewish faith. This occurred in the second century BCE, when Jerusalem was ruled by Greek people, until Judah the Maccabee defeated the Greeks and reclaimed the temple.
A key part of celebrating Hanukkah is to light a candle on a Menorah (a candelabrum with nine branches) on each of the eight days. This is done to remember a miracle which occurred during the rededication of the Holy Temple: when Judah the Maccabee went to relight the Menorah in the temple, he found only enough olive oil to light the Menorah for one day, but the small supply of oil miraculously lasted for eight days. Hanukkah is a time to remember this miracle and its exemplification of God’s faithfulness.
Hanukkah celebrations also include special foods. One classic Hanukkah food is the latke, a potato pancake fried in oil and garnished with sour cream or applesauce. The latkes are fried in oil as another commemoration of the miracle of the oil. While enjoying the festive food, families play Dreidel, a game which includes spinning a four-sided top. Each of the four sides are inscribed with the Hebrew letters that create an acronym for “A Great Miracle Happened There.” Winners of the game receive coins, nuts, or other prizes, with the winner determined by where the Dreidel lands after being spun.
The miracle of Hanukkah reminds Jewish people that “a little light goes a long way,” and that God will remain faithful, even during the darkest times of the year. It is a time to let your light shine and act as a Menorah in your community. You can read more about Hanukkah here.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week-long holiday celebrated by African American people and other parts of the African diaspora. It occurs each year between December 26 and January 1. Kwanzaa was first created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, an African American leader who was active during the American Civil Rights Movement. The holiday draws upon ancient African traditions: the name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili word for the celebration of first fruits, which many African cultures commemorate in both ancient and modern times. The goal of Kwanzaa is to celebrate the history and culture of African people and to promote strong community connection.
There are seven principles that guide Kwanzaa celebrations, which were drawn from the cultural values of many people groups across Africa. They are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). For each of the seven days of Kwanzaa, celebrants focus on one of these principles, participating in activities and readings that involve that principle. Adinkra colouring books are one such activity. These colouring pages include Adinkra symbols, which originated in Ghana with the Akan people, and are used to pass down traditional wisdom. The activity allows children and adults to learn about the symbols and their meanings.
On the sixth day of Kwanzaa, families will host a large feast called Karamu. There are no specific dishes that must be included in Karamu, but some ideas for popular dishes include fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and red velvet cake.
You can learn more about Kwanzaa from The National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you can also purchase a Karamu cookbook, find a recommended reading list, and watch videos about the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Yule
Yule is a pre-Christian, pagan celebration of the winter solstice, which occurs on December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. Yule is one of the oldest winter holiday traditions, as it originated thousands of years ago with the Norse people in Scandinavia. Because it is so old, its exact roots are difficult to determine, but historians agree that Yule centered around light and fire, as the winter solstice contains the least sunlight out of any day of the year. In the dark and cold climate of northern Europe, such celebrations would have been important for community morale. Ancient Yule celebrations also included feasts and dedications to Norse gods— although the exact role of the gods is unclear to historians.
Many Yule traditions were lost as pagan people in Norway were required to practice Christianity. In the 9th century, the Norwegian king merged Yule with Christmas, and issued fines to anyone who did not celebrate. Christian traditions continued to merge and blend with Yule throughout the following centuries. Many practices we associate with Christmas came originally from Yule, including Christmas trees, Yule logs, and decorating with mistletoe, holly, and ivy.
Today, people who practice paganism are reviving Yule traditions. Celebrators of Yule focus on connecting with nature and appreciating the return of longer days with more sunlight. Rebirth and revival are important themes, as well as turning away from consumerism and the commercial aspect of Christmas celebrations.
Some ways to celebrate Yule include:
- Decorating your home with greenery and candles
- Burning a Yule log on the night of the winter solstice
- Reciting prayers to welcome back the sun
- Hosting celebratory meals with family and friends, which can include plum pudding, mulled apple cider, and a special cake shaped like a Yule log
You can learn more about Yule here.
And with that, we’ve reached the end of 2024’s blog posts! As you finish up this term, I hope your holiday celebrations are restful and meaningful, however they may look for you. I will be back in January to start the new year with a new blog post. Until then, enjoy your break!
Web resources referenced
Celebrating Yule: The Returning of The Light. (2020, December 15). Sea Witch Botanicals. https://seawitchbotanicals.com/blogs/swb/celebrating-yule-the-chill-version-of-christmas
Eldridge, A. (2024, March 22). Yule. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yule-festival
Kwanzaa. (n.d.). National Museum of African American History and Culture. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/initiatives/kwanzaa
What Is Hanukkah? – Info you need about Chanukah. (n.d.). Chabad.org. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/What-Is-Hanukkah.htm
Scholarly resources
Allen, R. (2013). Legitimized blackness? Kwanzaa, citizenship, and newark. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 37(4), 272. [Available at UBC Library]
Maples, G. (2024). Pagans on campus: A cursory exploration. New Directions for Higher Education, 2024(206), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20498 [Available at UBC Library]
Toles‐Patkin, T. (2021). Hallmarking hanukkah: Flawed attempts at diversity in cable television christmas movies. Journal of Popular Culture, 54(5), 917-940. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpcu.13062 [Available at UBC Library]
New Resource Spotlight: Guide to IKBLC for Neurodivergent Patrons
Hello and welcome back to another blog post! This month’s post is going to highlight a new resource available to students at UBC: The Guide to IKBLC for Neurodivergent Patrons. I worked on developing this guide last summer, along with Emma Cornelius, a former librarian at IKBLC. I’m excited to share our work with you today and to explore the ways this resource may be a useful tool for you.
What is the Guide to IKBLC for Neurodivergent Patrons?
The guide is a web page containing information on library services, sensory environments, accessibility supports, and etiquette and behaviour expectations at IKBLC. It contains drop-down menus that provide descriptions of spaces and services available. It also contains a section with instructions for accessing library services. These instructions were designed to be as clear and direct as possible, designed for students who are new to using libraries and who benefit from specific instructions.
Where can I find the guide?
The guide is hosted on the Chapman Learning Commons website. You can find it at this link, or navigate to “Our Space & Equipment” on the home page, and then to “Guide to IKBLC for Neurodivergent Patrons.”
Who is the guide for?
The guide is open to everyone and will hopefully prove beneficial to a wide range of people, even if you do not identify as neurodivergent. At the same time, the guide’s design keeps neurodivergent students in mind, and aims to meet specific needs that may not be met by other resources.
As an autistic person, I designed the guide with the neurodivergent community in mind. I continually returned to the guiding question of, “What would have helped me as a new student?” I have found in my own experience that entering new spaces can be uncomfortable, and lacking information about what the space will be like only amplifies my anxiety. I hope this guide will provide the information needed for students like me to feel more confident entering the library.
What can the guide help me with?
The guide can help with multiple needs that are common in the neurodivergent community. We have created sections that you can click through to open the information relevant to you and your needs. Here is an overview of the guide’s contents:
Our section, “Sensory Experiences in IKBLC,” addresses the need to locate spaces with specific noise or light levels, as well as other sensory conditions. You can find quiet spaces, scent-free spaces, spaces where movement and stimming is welcomed, and spaces with natural or controllable light levels. The sensory experiences section can also address the need to be explicitly told about social and behavior expectations. These are often automatically known to neurotypical people, but must be manually learned by neurodivergent people. You can use this section to locate areas where it is okay to talk, eat, or move, without the ambiguity of having to figure out if it’s okay.
Our section “Helpful Services at UBC Library” addresses the need for help with university skills that neurodivergent people commonly struggle with, including time management, focus, working in groups, and appointment anxiety. Find links to support services on campus, as well as embedded toolkits and tutorials.
Our section “Using Library Services: What to Expect” aims to help with the need for specific instructions for how to complete processes or procedures in the library, especially those involving interactions with other people. Again, what is “obvious” to neurotypical people often must be learned manually by neurodivergent people, and understanding unfamiliar processes has been a source of frustration for me in the past– which is why I’m so happy to address the issue now. We have provided step-by-step directions for how to complete some of the most common procedures you may encounter in the library.
A final note:
Libraries are some of the most forgiving places to have questions or be unsure of expectations! As information professionals, we love answering questions, welcoming uncertainty, and working with students who don’t have existing experience with libraries. We do not judge students for not knowing how something works. And, a good number of us are neurodivergent too 😉
I hope this guide helps you feel more confident walking into the library and making use of all the resources we have to offer. If you would like to leave feedback or suggestions for the guide, please fill out our Chapman Learning Commons Feedback Survey, which is linked here and is also accessible at the bottom of the guide.
Thank you, as always, for reading this blog post. I wish you luck on all of your final projects and exams as this term comes to a close. I will see you again next month for the last post of 2024!