MHSoC statement on equity and diversity (first published June 2020)

Statement first published on the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema's website landing page, June 2020.

The Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema recognizes and is committed to interrogating the structural role of white supremacy in shaping the culture, curriculum and organization of the University. Recent events, including ongoing police violence against communities of colour, only underscore the pervasiveness of racism, anti-blackness, homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny across our society, including in Canadian higher education. We at the School recognize the need to oppose white supremacy and affirm our commitments to anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity inside and outside of the classroom, especially in support of our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students and colleagues. We embrace a notion of an intellectual community enriched by diversity along a number of lines, including race, indigeneity, ethnicity, trans/nationality, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, class, age, religion, ability and neurodiversity. These responsibilities begin with our new curriculum diversity guidelines—which seek to integrate principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism into our course design and objectives, content and themes, and classroom dynamics—as well as a commitment from the faculty to hold ongoing discussions regarding our programs, with our students, and across the Faculty and University.​​