Please see the list below for a variety of resources available to the U of T community that the department hopes people will find helpful. If there are others that might be useful, please send them to eas@utoronto.ca. The resources listed on this page are not exhaustive and will continue to be updated periodically.
Student groups are eligible to receive $500 in funding to support equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Please visit the U of T Sport & Recreation's Diversity & Equity page for more information.
Anti-Asian Racism Resources
The Department of East Asian Studies condemns racist violence in any form. We extend support and solidarity to all who suffer the deleterious effects of racism on any scale, from micro- to macro-aggressions to individual and structural violence, including those who have been subjected to the increasingly xenophobic and exclusionary tenor of public discourse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To support our community in the ways we know best, as scholars, teachers, and students, and in solidarity with the May 29-30, 2021 Scholarstrike.ca event “Anti-Asian Racism Undone!” (AARU), we have compiled a list of resources that offer historical context and information on current and ongoing anti-racist campaigns, in order to help our communities take action. The organizers of AARU have also compiled a list of helpful resources.
If you have questions about or suggestions for our list, please contact either Professor Michelle Cho (mh.cho@utoronto.ca) or Professor Lisa Yoneyama (lisa.yoneyama@utoronto.ca).
Toronto For All
Toronto For All is a public education initiative that consists of multiple campaigns to end discrimination and foster dialogue. Campaigns to end anti-East Asian racism and anti-Black racism are included, as well as informational webpages on the Indigenous peoples of Tkaronto and Torontonians with disabilities. Visit Toronto For All’s website to learn more about the initiative’s campaigns.
Anti-Black Racism Resources, Events and Initiatives
- Anti-Black racism reading list (courtesy of Layla F. Saad via The Guardian).
- The Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office has workshops and programming year-round to help combat racism in all of its forms. Workshops for 2020-21 have now been posted. Please check their website periodically for more information on how you can get involved. If you are a UTSC community member, please check out the UTSC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office and if you are a UTM community member, please check out the UTM Equity and Diversity Office.
- Check out The New Normal podcast with UTSC Professor Maydianne Andrade. Professor Andrade, the Canada Research Chair in Integrative Behavioural Ecology and vice-dean of faculty affairs and equity at U of T Scarborough, hosts a weekly podcast that discusses the ways in which the pandemic has changed our lives and created a ‘new normal.’ On June 15, 2020, she released “Enough” – the first instalment of a special two-part episode, which “explores the intergenerational impact and trauma of anti-Black racism and violence through scholarly perspectives and personal experiences.”¹ On June 19, 2020, the second instalment was released.
- The Ethics of Black Lives Matter series presented by the Centre for Ethics consists of interdisciplinary talks that will be livestreamed on YouTube.
¹“The New Normal podcast releases first instalment of two-part episode on anti-Black racism” via U of T News.
Please also read the EAS Department’s statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
LGBTQ2S+ Resources
- Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA Indigenous Resources (courtesy of U of T Libraries)
- UTM Professor Elspeth Brown was interviewed on the VIEW to the U podcast where she discusses her work archiving stories from the LGBTQ community.
- The OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) Library curated a list of books written by Two-Spirit authors and featuring Two-Spirit characters in honour of Pride Month.
- Your Journey: A Career Guide for Trans and Nonbinary Students (created by the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office and Career Exploration & Education).
Indigenous Resources and Events
- Indigenous COVID-19 Information and Resources Guide (courtesy of the Gerstein Science Information Centre)
- Check out the virtual Indigenous Language Exhibit presented by Hart House.
- Watch an interview by Samantha Yammine, a U of T alumna and neuroscientist who is better known as Science Sam on social media, as she talks to OISE’s Professor Jennifer Brant. Professor Brant discusses how the structural inequities faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada have left their communities especially vulnerable in the wake of COVID-19. The interview is part of a weekly video series, 3Qs at the U, hosted by Yammine where she asks three questions to a U of T researcher about a timely topic.
- Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA Indigenous Resources (courtesy of U of T Libraries).
- The OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) Library presents a curated list of books written by Two-Spirit authors and featuring Two-Spirit characters in honour of Pride Month.
- Tea with Lee and Bonnie Jane presented by First Nations House is a weekly drop-in event where you can listen to Indigenous stories and teachings. Please register on CLNx.
Mental Health Resources Available 24/7:
For students, please visit Student Life's "Support When You Feel Distressed" page for a comprehensive list of resources available and the Student Mental Health Resource website for quick access to mental health services. Students can also use Navi, a chat-based service, which helps users find mental health support services available at the university. U of T's My SSP (Student Support Program) is also available 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
If you'd like to speak with a University of Toronto student, check out Student Life's Health & Wellness Peer Support service to chat about what's on your mind. The service is open to undergraduate and graduate students (across all three campuses) residing in Ontario.
For staff and faculty, please use the Employee and Family Assistance Program:
Toll-free: 1.800.663.1142
TTY: 1.866.398.9505
Collect: 604.689.1717