Dear Gender Studies Community, 

I am writing today to say that the Department of Gender Studies supports the Scholar Strike Canada Initiative. Scholar Strike is a labour action/teach-in/social justice advocacy happening on 9-10 September 2020 to protest anti-Black and racist policing, and related forms of institutional violence against Black, Indigenous and People of Colour communities on Turtle Island and elsewhere in the world. We stand in solidarity.

By now you may have seen the Provost’s message supporting the Strike (see below). Gender Studies faculty, staff and students are already leaders in dismantling anti-Black racism and protesting state violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. We recognize that Black, Indigenous and racialized faculty, staff, and students at Queen’s regularly encounter structural and systemic racism and carry heavy burdens on a daily and continual basis. I hope the momentum that is finally building at the University and in the larger community will build on and amplify the tremendous anti-racist work that is being done and dissolve systems of oppression and inequity in the community and the academy. 

We strongly encourage and support those in the Gender Studies Community and in the University more broadly to pause on September 9-10 and in whatever ways you can, join the Scholar Strike Canada conversations, activities and events. For information about Scholar Strike Canada, how to get involved, and to support the statement, please see here.

In Solidarity,
Elaine

5 September 2020

The Queen’s Black Faculty and Staff Caucus (QBFSC) stands in solidarity with the actions taken to support the ‘Scholar Strike’ to be held on September 9th &10th, 2020. Scholars in the U.S. and Canada will engage in digital public teach-ins to educate ourselves and others about the history of anti-Black racism and violence in our countries. The purpose of Scholar Strike is to protest the ongoing violence against Black and Indigenous communities including acts of violence and murder perpetrated by law enforcement officials and upheld by a legal system that is fraught with systemic racism. 

This is an important time for reflection and dialogue about anti-Black and anti-Indigenous systemic racism, as well as other forms of marginalization, within our own institution and to support the efforts of Queen’s leadership to bring about meaningful change.  We are encouraged by Provost Mark Green’s support for the Scholar Strike and encourage everyone in the Queen’s community to help make this a meaningful learning moment.

We support the actions of members of the Queen’s community who plan to pause administrative and teaching duties to focus on constructive dialogue and learning about anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in Canada on September 9th and 10th. For Faculty and Staff who may not be able to fully participate, we ask that you support us by sharing the rich learning material that can be found on the “Scholar Strike Canada” Website https://scholarstrikecanada.ca.

We also hope that everyone in our community will take the time to honour the call to become better educated on the ways that white supremacy impacts the lives of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour on our campus, in the Kingston community, and beyond.

—QBFSC