About

The Black Faculty Collective is a group of faculty of African descent working at the University of Waterloo. The BFC seeks to disrupt the white supremacist status quo that currently interferes with equitable learning, working, research, and teaching at the University of Waterloo.

The Black Faculty Collective was formed in the summer of 2020 with the goal of working both within and outside the institution to end anti-Black racisms at the University of Waterloo.

We envision an equitable learning, working, research, and teaching environment at the University of Waterloo, and are committed to helping our institution end anti-Black racisms by innovating interracial relations, transforming campus culture, and holding the institution accountable in its priorities for equity, diversity and inclusion.

Our Values

  • We are Black-centric and unapologetically Black
  • We are inclusive of all forms of Blackness
  • We are courageous, fearless, and unequivocal in our approach
  • We will stand up for and stand in solidarity with our students
  • We are accountable to ourselves, our students, our colleagues and our community
  • We support the academic and professional development of Black faculty, staff and students
  • We are a resource to our academic communities, and our communities at large
  • We are a force for change

Our goal is to end anti-Black racisms at the University of Waterloo.

To accomplish this we will:

  1. Transform our campus culture as it pertains to anti-Black racism.
  2. Innovate interracial relations at the University of Waterloo.
  3. Hold the institution accountable to addressing equity.

What we have accomplished to date:

  1. Developed a Black Studies Diploma to launch in 2022 (Young).
  2. Participated in the selection of our new president (Hogarth).
  3. Served as Special Advisor, Anti-Racism & Inclusion in the Office of Research (Hogarth).
  4. Worked with the Equity Office and Institutional Analysis and Planning on the creation of Waterloo’s first Equity Survey (Hogarth, Thompson).
  5. Served on the Faculty of Arts Strategic Plan Working Groups (Thompson).
  6. Increased our representation at the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) (Charles, Young, Hogarth), Senate (Charles), the President’s Anti-Racism Task Force (PART) and numerous other committees.
  7. Developed Confronting Anti-Black Racism, an e-Learning Course offered through the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office (Taylor).
  8. Served on the Arts First hiring committee with the goal of hiring two racialized faculty (Forrester).
  9. Supported our Black students through mentorship, advocacy, support and work opportunities.
  10. Developed Black@UW, a list of faculty and staff who can provide mentorship, research opportunities and safe space for students (Thompson).
  11. Launched Liftoff, a new incubator and accelerator program for Black early-stage and growth entrepreneurs (Charles).

We are currently collaborating with the following groups: