INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT

Portal supports the ongoing protests against systemic racism and violence and all those necessary conversations and movements actively organizing to manifest an equitable society. As poets, prose writers, feature journalists, artists, designers, and photographers, we acknowledge our obligation to reflect on the life-altering effects that racism and the legacies of colonialism, slavery, internment, and residential schools have on Black and Indigenous citizens and all people of colour (BIPOC) in our local, provincial, national, and global communities.

We are committed to reflecting on both problems and solutions so every individual’s basic human rights can be guaranteed. One of our roles in this publication is to amplify the voices of truthtellers, imagining a united and more just tomorrow. In this spirit, we endorse greater racial diversity among faculty, students, and all writers appearing in our pages, and engage in wider endeavours to reflect the diasporic, racial, gender, orientation, and ability diversity of the communities both reading and writing this work. In our discussions of submissions, we invite a mindful and respectful questioning of how art, and whose art, frames our world.

We are dedicated to the ongoing work necessary to make this publication welcoming and empowering to all. We bring our ignorance, our privilege, our open hearts, and our listening ears. We are a work-in-progress and are asking ourselves questions like:

  • What have we been doing, and what could we do more of, to oppose systemic racism?
  • How can we offer a counter narrative that provides an understanding, and radical reimagining, of our social structures?
  • How can we concretely support artists who are Black, Indigenous, and POC?

As such, we renew our commitment to:

  • talking about anti-racist ideas and community-building in our class discussions and holding space for BIPOC students to express emotions about continuing violence/oppression;
  • showcasing the work of BIPOC students and highlighting their efforts through spotlights and interviews;
  • bringing BIPOC scholars and activists to our campuses and reviewing their work;
  • supporting faculty members and students who counter anti-Blackness, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and other racisms as well as anti-ableism, anti-ageism, and who respect all gender identities and sexual orientations.
  • lobbying for more university resources and widening outreach for BIPOC students and faculty who seek support, ongoing self-care, counselling, and community;
  • donating time, in-kind resources, and funds to strengthen organizations that support BIPOC communities;

and all other efforts that strengthen co-liberation and allyship from requesting the hiring of BIPOC Creative Writing and Journalism (CREW) faculty to scholarships for BIPOC students.

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