Dr. Malinda S. Smith Profile picture
Vice Provost & AVP Research EDI; Poli Scientist. Books:The Equity Myth; Nuances of Blackness in Canadian Academy; Critical Concepts. @GapDiversity #BlackAlberta
May 20, 2023 35 tweets 19 min read
Who in Alberta expects the stereotypes about Black people, education and “ghetto culture” to be repudiated?

Education and employment facts

“Canada’s Black population faces varying job prospects despite equal education. Here’s why” @globalnews (Feb 2023) globalnews.ca/news/9458122/c… There’s a public figure peddling long debunked anti-Black stereotypes, including that Black Albertans don’t want education

The evidence requires analysis

A portrait of educational attainment and occupational outcomes among racialized populations in 2021 www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recense… Image
Jul 30, 2022 8 tweets 4 min read
Equality as sameness isn’t Substantive Equality

Equality isn’t Equity

Equity is not “special treatment”

Difference isn’t deficit

Call it racism if your decision-making *knowingly* disadvantages Black, Brown people

No to images that equate “Liberation” with removing barriers Most images that try to capture the distinction between equality and equity are rooted in notions of normalcy, could be conceptualized as ableist. They rarely focus on supports for, say, a diverse range of abilities.
This one from Santa Rosa County Health includes a wheelchair
Jul 28, 2022 7 tweets 3 min read
“Judy Wilson is aKukpi7 (chief) of the Neskonlith Indian Band in BC…calling on Pope Francis to use his..visit to repudiate the Catholic Church's Doctrine of Discovery.”

Pope faces calls to renounce the Doctrine of Discovery at the heart of colonialism cbc.ca/radio/asithapp… Dr Matt Wildcat: The Pope’s apology may be just the first step. But perhaps it should be the last /via @globeandmail theglobeandmail.com/opinion/articl…
Mar 13, 2022 6 tweets 3 min read
Lovely day outdoors despite the rare grey skies. Fantastic weather for a long trek with one of my good pals and the pup. We started at the Peace Bridge (designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava), and traversed many of the pathways and bridges along the Bow River. #yyc So many exquisite sites along the Bow River. When I first moved to Calgary I lived in the Eau Claire neighbourhood and loved it, especially proximity to the Bow and good urban trails, great cafés and restaurants.
Mar 12, 2022 9 tweets 6 min read
How do we ensure CDN #highered not create/reinforce inequities among equity-deserving groups?

Feds launching major review of Employment Equity Act

‘We have an opportunity to make the kinds of changes that will result in more fair and equal opportunities for everyone to succeed’ What should I say to the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force?
Is there a basic literacy about EE, what’s happening, not happening (why), need for equity action? Any accountability?

Task Force on the Employment Equity Act Review Canada.ca
canada.ca/en/employment-…
Mar 12, 2022 10 tweets 4 min read
Equality vs Equity: durable obstacles to equity: myths of neutrality, objectivity, colourblind, allwhite panels/#manels.
Big obstacle?
The gap betw principles & ‘how-to’. Why would those who have comfortably coexisted with, benefitted from, rationalized status quo, be the change? Smart people admit there’s no level playing field.

Repeatedly reminded of fmr Bennington College prez Liz Coleman’s claim that when it comes to change, academe is often notable for “learned helplessness”.
If playing field isn’t level what is to be done?
Academe: path dependency
Jan 15, 2022 19 tweets 10 min read
Thinking, still, about what “we” in the #cdnpse do to “welcome” ppl we’ve kept out and pushed out of universities and colleges.
What’s changed in the “we” who are *doing the heavy-lifting or the obstacles “we/they” face?
Which “we” are *doing the change work?
Formidable obstacles Image A Seat at the Table: the *same people, at all the tables, sharing the *same ideas: the social reproduction of sameness

Philomena Essed’s research on the social injustice of sameness is helpful: cultural cloning, social facsimiles

“Why don’t we have any fresh ideas around here?” Image
Jan 15, 2022 16 tweets 14 min read
Hold-the-dates: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Week 2022 @UCalgary #UCalgary

January 31 to February 7, 2022
ucalgary.ca/equity-diversi… Image Language, Land and Literature: The Changing Legacy of the Holocaust

Dr. Norman Ravvin, PhD, (Concordia U)

Date: Thurs, Jan 27, 2022
Time: 3-4:30 pm (MT)

Presented by the Faculty of Arts in honour of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
@UCalgaryArts events.ucalgary.ca/arts/#!view/ev… Image
Jan 1, 2021 16 tweets 13 min read
2020-in-Review
@anglescovered invited Black scholars, journalists, activists to I.D. 5+mmajor Black Canadian stories. I decided to focus on Canadian #highered, the mobilization against antiBlack racism & some developments that make me cautiously optimistic ucalgary.ca/equity-diversi… Image 1)Specificity of Anti-Black Racism Became a National Conversation In Canada
Bee Quammie: Anti-Black Racism Was Already a Pandemic: #COVID19 has stopped the world in its tracks for months. But antiBlack racism has ravaged the planet for centuries,Chatelaine flare.com/.../acial-pand… 2020-In-Review: Anti-Black ...