The Office of the Vice-President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion would like to wish Muslim students, faculty, staff and community members a Happy Ramadan. 

Starting from April 1st to May 1st of this year, Muslim students, faculty, staff and community members will celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar. During this month, adult Muslims are required to fast from dawn until dusk. 

Muslims will be abstaining from food and water, but it doesn’t end there. Aisha Aderinto, a third-year psychology student states that Ramadan is a month of devotion: “It’s about renewed spiritual focus. Life is so busy that sometimes we forget to focus on certain things. Ramadan reminds us. It encourages us to pray more, read the Quran, and give to charity. It’s about building good spiritual habits.” 

During Ramadan, Muslims are reminded to be grateful and give back to their community. Ramadan can be seen as a purification of the body, but it is also a purification of wealth. Zakat, obligatory charity, is an integral part of the Muslim faith. So, it is unsurprising when Muslim organizations host charity events during this time. 

The Windsor Islamic Youth Council will be hosting their annual food drive, Share the Spirit of Ramadan, on April 24th. The food drive will take place at Devonshire Mall, where they will be collecting donations in person. The organization aims to collect 17,000 dollars and will be distributing a thousand dollars to 17 different food banks across Windsor (see fundraiser link below).

The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid Al-Fitr, the first of two holidays celebrated within Islam. After a month of fasting, Muslims are rewarded with a three-day holiday. The holiday will take place at the beginning of May. 

The exam period is stressful, but Muslim students face a unique challenge. We would like to remind you to take care of yourself, and we wish you the best in your academic and religious pursuits.

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BLSA: The Black Revolution of Law School

The Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) Windsor Chapter epitomizes the legacy of a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) compounded with infinite possibilities of a Wakanda. Given the exclusionary practices of law schools in Canada, BLSA is a revolution of Black joy, resistance, and success. Founded in 1991, BLSA is a student-led, bilingual nationwide non-profit. The Windsor Chapter of BLSA commenced in 2009 at the Faculty of Law, while a Black student group was active since 1991. Academic mentorship, career strategies, and platforms to critically discuss legal policy issues include avenues that BLSA Windsor provides. 

Natasha Daley (JD/MSW '22), the BLSA Canada National Chair and Lloyd Dean Moot Co-chair reflects how “BLSA Windsor created a family for me throughout my law school journey. We celebrate and champion each other, provide countless networking opportunities, and are always there to offer support at the drop of a hat! BLSA Windsor also gave me the perfect space to build leadership skills that have sharpened me, both personally and professionally.” This is consistent with the BLSA 2021 - 2022 emboldening theme: “In Excellence, We Stand; In Power, We Rise.”

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EDID Week: March 21-26, 2022

March’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) Week had a phenomenal line-up of guest speakers with many presentations throughout the week.

Kicking off EDID week on March 21st was Dr. Charmaine Nelson from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in commemoration of the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Dr. Nelson’s talk, The Precariousness of Freedom: Slave Resistance as Experience, Process, and Representation of Freedom provided a dynamic presentation on Black Canadian enslavement resistance.

Following Dr. Nelson were various speakers who spoke on diverse topics that encourage social change. See some highlights below.

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March 23

What does it mean to Indigenize the University of Windsor?

Dr. Beverly Jacobs gave an insightful presentation on the work Indigenous students, staff and faculty have done to bring cultural awareness and safety to the University of Windsor. The webinar was titled, “What does it mean to ‘Indigenize’ the University of Windsor?” Dr. Jacobs explained her job as the Senior Advisor to the President on Indigenous Relations and Outreach at the University of Windsor. The presentation delves deep into why these changes to the University need to be made, and how to go about change. 

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March 24

Sexual Assault Awareness Day

The event was hosted by Kayla Hurst of the Office of the VP, EDI, and presented by Anne Rudzinski, the University's Sexual Wellness & Consent Coordinator. As part of the workshop, Anne taught how to support someone who discloses or experiences sexual violence. In her presentation, she provided the participants with an overview of the office and current initiatives, along with campus and community resources.

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Ukraine: The Importance of International Law

On March 28th, Dr. Chile Eboe-Osuji delivered an informative presentation on the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Dr. Eboe-Osuji is an expert on international law. He recently completed his term as President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and was the Legal Advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The presentation was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Windsor students to listen and pose questions to an individual with unmatched experience in international law. 

The crisis in Ukraine is not unfamiliar. History repeats itself. Following the footsteps of past conflicts, the situation in Ukraine should lead to further strengthening and development of international law. Using the knowledge gained from past conflicts, Dr. Eboe-Osuji suggests adjustments be made to international law. 

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Equitable Yoga & Justice

Dianne Bondy is an inspirational, world-renowned yoga and social justice leader. She is a UWindsor alumna and the EDID newsletter (issue 4) Alumni feature. Dianne is the author of “Yoga for Everybody” and co-author of “Yoga Where You Are”, among others. Her work on equitable yoga stems from the lack of representation as well as diversity within yoga spaces. Yoga is not exclusive to the white, rich, or able-bodied: Yoga is for all.

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