Join Dr. Airini for guided discussions during the month of February.

Find a readings/watch schedule below to join in.

The USask community is invited to join her on a journey to learn more about Black experiences on the Prairies.

Guided book club discussions will take place weekly in February. The group will meet in person, with the option to attend virtually via Zoom.

The discussions will centre on the book The Black Prairie Archives: An Anthology, edited by Karina Vernon (2020). WLU Press describes the book as one that establishes a new Black Prairie literary tradition and transforms inherited understandings of what Prairie literature looks and sounds like: “It collects varied and unique work by writers who were both conscious and unconscious of themselves as black writers or as ‘prairie’ people. Their letters, recipes, oral literature, autobiographies, rap, and poetry provide vivid glimpses into the reality of their lived experiences and give meaning to them.”

The ebook version of The Black Prairie Archives: An Anthology is available from the University Library. The book is also available for purchase at the Shop USask Bookstore and online at shop.usask.ca.

Book Club Discussion #2: Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, 5 pm – 6 pm
In person: Room C210, Administration Building
Online: https://usask-ca.zoom.us/j/92172365658?pwd=K25sRkUxWFB1aXE5NktzQmc0aDJVZz09&from=addon

Book Club Discussion #3: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, 5 pm – 6 pm
In person: Room C210, Administration Building
Online: https://usask-ca.zoom.us/j/96584877729?pwd=eEI5S2Q5YUVOK1V6SWVjRC9XRE9ZZz09&from=addon

Book Club Discussion #4: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, 5 pm – 6 pm
In person: Room C210, Administration Building
Online: https://usask-ca.zoom.us/j/98822348957?pwd=cWNoUEl2eHpZVldtVWlhWEJqVkNmUT09&from=addon

• Provost's Book Club readings/watch schedule

"Food for the Soul" is a series of culinary events hosted by USask Culinary Services at Marquis Culinary Centre during Black History Month in February. Every Wednesday, the event will feature a unique menu highlighting the rich cultural heritage and delicious cuisine of the African diaspora. Join USask Culinary for a culinary journey celebrating the soulful flavors of Black history and culture.

USask is proud to be a sponsor of the second annual Canadian Black Scientists Network BE-STEMM Conference - a rich, four day virtual, multidisciplinary program featuring research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine & Health (STEMM). Participants from across Canada and abroad are welcome, as the conference provides bilingual programming options and accessibility supports. 

Highlights of BE-STEMM 2023 include keynote talks by established and rising star Black scholars in STEMM, contributed talks by Black scholars, practitioners, students, and educators across disciplines, panel discussions, and an opportunity to mentor emerging Black scientists in the Science Fair. In partnership with the Black Engineers of Canada, the virtual Career Fair features varied employment opportunities and programs.  

The final day of the conference features a unique opportunity to share promising practices for Black inclusion. This year, BE-STEMM Beyond Borders convenes discussion panels as part of a year-long series of dialogues funded by a grant from the American Embassy in Canada. Register here.

In February, the Division of Social Accountability (DSA) Book Club is reading Black Man in a White Coat by Damon Tweedy.  

“Black Man in a White Coat offers a clear, informative and uncommonly balanced assessment. Tweedy unflinchingly examines historical patterns of racial inequity in health care. But he also brings attention to often-overlooked indicators of progress…. Attentive to the frustrating inequalities rooted in our history, Tweedy’s Black Man in a White Coat is also usefully attuned to the promising prospects ahead.”

Please register in advance by contacting Erin Walling to receive the Zoom link. Book club is open to all students, staff and faculty from the College of Medicine and other USask health science programs. 

The USask Library and College of Education invite you to join the Soul's Poetry: Affirming Black Identity Through Art event featuring a conversation with Khodi Dill, an award-winning Bahamian-Canadian spoken word artist, author, and anti-racist educator from Saskatoon.

The event is on February 15th, 6-7:30 pm, at the Education and Music Library on the USask campus. It will also be live-streamed via YouTube. Register for the event here.

Please join us on Feb. 16 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm for a virtual panel discussion with Alumni of Influence from the School of Public Health. Click here for more information and to join the panel discussion event.

Panelists include:

Prudence Musinguzi

Prudence graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Master's in Public Health. Prior to joining the U of S, she completed a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Diploma in Human Resources Management at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. She is now working with the YMCA of Northern Alberta.

Dr. Rahwa Osman

Dr. Rahwa Osman is an SPH Alumni, who received her PhD from the Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics program in 2018. Dr. Osman completed her PhD research under the supervision of Dr. Philip Griebel at VIDO. She has since done a postdoctoral training in malaria vaccine research at the Center for Global Infectious Disease Research (CGIDR) in Seattle. She also serves as a co-chair of the Global health Working Group within the non-profit, Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). In this position, she created a webinar series titled, “Being a Women of Color in STEM” which covered topics on the barriers and opportunities in STEM for Black female scientists. She is a member of the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN). She is currently a Senior Research Scientist at a local company in Saskatoon.

Join the USask community for a panel discussion exploring how leadership, mentorship and coaching are interrelated with overall mental health and wellness for children and youth. We will explore the work that we do as leaders, mentors and coaches and how it all intersects and impacts the mental health of the children and youth we work with.

The event will be held Feb. 17 at 12:30-1:30 PM in the Moeller Resource Room located in the Edwards School of Business. Register for the event here.

Panel speakers include:

Betty Mutwiri, MA, PCC, Ph.D. Candidate, is a leadership coach, consultant and trainer passionate about maximizing the potential of individuals, teams and organizations. She leverages her extensive experience as a senior leader and talent development strategist in the public sector for the last two decades to provide insightful coaching and consulting to leaders and leadership teams across Canada. She does this through her practice, BM Leadership Coaching and Consulting Inc. 

Betty is a lifelong learner. She holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Arts in Leadership. In addition, she has certifications as a Certified Executive Coach, Change Practitioner, Cultural Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Educational Administration. 

Betty is the proud recipient of the Leadership Saskatoon Alumni Leadership Award in 2021. In 2022, she was named one of the Top 100 Black Women to Watch In Canada. In 2023, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Medal for her contributions to the province of Saskatchewan. 

She enjoys mentoring, container gardening and travelling, especially to her home country, Kenya. She is a wife and mother of three young adults. 

Mavis Dzaka is a NCCP Performance Coach certified in sprints/hurdles and has coached with the Saskatoon Track and Field Club since 2001 and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies since 2011. 

Mavis believes it is her job to not only help athletes get faster, stronger and technically proficient, but to help them grow as well rounded, healthy individuals. She believes every athlete has the potential to improve.

She has a special interest in mental health and shares her experience whenever she can to shed light on the often-stigmatized topic.

Sharon Kambale is the founder of the Afro-Mentorship Initiative, a wife and the mother of three and a Clinical Social Worker who has served her community and beyond. Her experience within the field of culture and community development has acted as guardian to the programs she designed and provides, Sharon offers counseling (stress management, parental attachment, family structure, positive leadership), mental health workshops, cultural activities, parental support, and resources, community engagement, and culturally focused education and awareness through our program and community.

Sharon believes in a holistic framework and acknowledges that strengthening our black community is needed here in Canada while embracing the skills, knowledge, and support of other diverse individuals and groups. she is passionate about supporting women and children and has always held the desire to make change within the lives of those around me, as a community leader who treasures culture Sharon is a champion of social change.

Log onto the @USask Instagram at 1:30 PM on Feb. 17 for a special Instagram Live event.

Join us on Friday, Feb. 17 to highlight and celebrate Black excellence on campus and in the community. The event will feature a panel discussion, local performances, music and food. Speaker presentations include Elizabeth Adegbite, Daniel Nwabuko (Daeko), Anthony Olusola and Erique Lukong.

The event will be held in the GSA Commons on the USask campus from 4-7 PM. Admission is free but registration is mandatory. Click here to register.

The Black History Month 2023: Historical Considerations on Nursing Education across Canada is an online event taking place Feb 23.

This event will include three presentations by participants from:

• UBC School of Nursing
• USask College of Nursing (Master of Nursing student Ewurabena Sackey-Forson)
• UNBJ Department of History & Politics

Register for the event here.

A celebration for the launch of the book, "Courage, Change, & Faith: Inspiring Narratives of Black Women Leaders" will be held February 24 from 6-9 PM, commemorating the book launch and group of 13 co-authors from Black Women Leaders Sask.

The group of authors includes USask staff member and graduate Theodocia Quagraine (BA&Sc'16), current College of Education PhD student Betty Mutwiri, current College of Medicine PhD student Isabelle Dena, and USask alum Halima Mela (BA'09) and Hannah Chukwu (MA’06, CTESL’08).

The multiple authors are a diverse group of women who immigrated from Africa, the Caribbean, and USA and now live, work, and play in Saskatchewan and Alberta. In this collaborative book project, they were inspired to write personal leadership stories to inspire peers and the next generation of Black women leaders to maximize their potential by harnessing their strengths, values, and identity. Through the book, the co-authors aim to contribute to a diverse and inclusive community by sharing unique experiences and motivating readers to embody courage and faith as they embrace change. Register for the event here.

Time: Noon – 1 p.m.

Zoom link: https://usask-ca.zoom.us/j/94938866796?pwd=Z04wcVMxaVpJcGpHWFJXM2JkR0gxQT09 

Panel Participants:
Alison Mclean - Researcher on health inequities, anti-Blackness, and hate
Lee-Tasha Smith – Recent graduate of Master of Counselling Psychology at Athabaska University
Renee Whittaker – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Community Living Ontario in Toronto, ON

You are invited to join the USask Black Faculty and Staff Caucus for a night of celebration and reflection to close the 2023 Black History Month activities at the University of Saskatchewan. All Black faculty, staff and allies are welcome to join in the festivities as we celebrate the conclusion of the month of activities on campus. 

The event will be held on Feb. 27 from 7-9 PM at the GSA Commons located in Emmanuel College/St. Chad Chapel. Register for the event here.

The USask Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement will be hosting a documentary screening of "There's Something in the Water". The event will be held in Neatby Timlin Theatre (ARTS 241, Arts Building) on Feb. 28 at 3:30 PM, and is open to the entire USask campus community.

"There's Something in the Water" is a "2019 Canadian documentary film, directed by Elliot Page and Ian Daniel. An examination of environmental racism, the film explores the disproportionate effect of environmental damage on Black Canadian and First Nations communities in Nova Scotia."

Enjoy rich African cultural food and music while networking with other professionals from across campus. All proceeds will support one of the Black faculty members in the College of Medicine Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, Dr. Jacob Alhassan, in his endeavours to build a library in his home country of Ghana under his foundation, the Ad Astra Foundation.

Tickets for the event are $20 each and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ad-astra-foundation-library-fundraising-event-tickets-547810926227.