We want to thank the McMaster Community for your interest in our pilot microgrant program this Fall 2024 academic term, and for all the amazing projects, initiatives, research and events that were submitted. In total, we received 37 applications across our microgrant streams. Of the 37 applications submitted, 35 were eligible to move forward to our review committee, for the microgrant review and adjudication process! There was strong competition amongst those who submitted proposals and we thank everyone who took the time to apply. Please check out our winners below and help us congratulate them below:

• EDIA Progressive Research Microgrant: Ola Scharzenberg
  • Identity Construction and Social Connection in Emerging Queer Adults Accessing McMaster University Exercise Facilities: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis; This study aims to investigate how emerging queer adults construct meanings amidst the social mobilities and barriers faced when accessing McMasters exercise facilities. The goal of research is to inquire into the social mobilities and barriers within exercise spaces while also seeking to identify the physical cues and signifiers emerging queer adults look for when deciding to engage in exercise spaces. Seeking to uncover covert patterns and practices that discourage emerging queer adults or impact their safety when accessing exercise spaces, this study aims increase process of inclusivity on campus for queer emerging adults in recreations while building a community of queer emerging adults. 

• EDIA Impact Initiative Microgrant: Avery Hart, Jenny Hu, Mariah Rodriguez-Imbarlina, Jack Lawrence, Janaksha Linga-Easwaran, Sarthak Singh, Kshitija Mundle, Mariam Mahboob 
  • Trans Health and Gender-Affirming Care Boot Camp; In recognizing the significant barriers and inequities in care provided to transgender and non-binary patients and the disparities in health outcomes, the Trans Health and Gender Affirming Care bootcamp seeks to address knowledge gaps in building a comprehensive understanding of delivering gender-affirming care in safe and equitable manners, for students in early medical education. Students will have the opportunity to hear and reflect on patient experiences from the transgender community and engage in practical, hands-on learning opportunity in practicing and prescribing for gender-affirming surgeries and medications. The aim of this initiative is to foster positive attitudes, respectful communication skills and learning practices that are essential to providing gender-affirming care. 

• EDIA Community Event Microgrant: Maggie Cockburn, Karen Knott, Paula Hearn 
  • ‘Soop on Wheels’ Documentary Screening Event; The Soop on Wheels Documentary Screening is a collaborative event planning by the Faculty of Science, in partnership with the Indigenous Education Council and Accessibility program. The documentary film is about the life story of Everett Soop, a brilliant Blackfoot political cartoonist, who was under-recognized during his lifetime, partly because of his affliction with muscular dystrophy. The screening event is times to align with both the Indigenous Disability Awareness Month and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The screening aims to raise awareness about the intersections of disability, Indigenous identity, and artistic expression. 

• Gifted and Black Research Microgrant: Jordan Lentinello 
  • Brains, Barriers and Black Women: Cracking the Code to Grad School; The proposed research will explore the experience of Black women in the “pre-diagnosis” phase of neurodevelopmental disorders and how these experience influence decision-making to apply to graduate school. With Black women being underrepresented in both neurodevelopmental disorder research and in higher education, this research seeks to contribute to significant gaps in academic and health equity research through exploring racial and gendered biases in healthcare and education. The goal of this research is to inform inclusive academic and health policies by offering systemic solutions to improve access to graduate education and mental health resources for neurodiverse Black women. 

• Black Flourishing Initiative Microgrant: Angelica Reid on behalf of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) McMaster
  • Empowering Black Students Through Tech Refurbishment: Bridging STEM, Sustainability, and Equity; Empowering Black student through tech is a refurbishment program designed to give access Black students access to technical skill that would be useful for their future academic pursuits. Created by NSBE, this refurbishment program further seeks to stimulate conversations around the importance of Black people in tech and STEM, grounding discussions in the global landscape of the Black diaspora in Africa and the Caribbean, and the critical need to contribute to sustainability. Lastly, by offering hands on tech repair workshop and leadership opportunities for Black students on campus, this initiative further seeks to connect Black students with Black-led STEM Organizations and businesses for further professional development. 

• Black Community Empowerment Event Microgrant: Lola Irelewuyi on behalf of MACAfricans 
  • MACAfricans Afrofest; Afrofest is an annual theatrical performance hosted by MACAfricans, which involves a live play, dances, music, food and a fashion show, dedicated to celebrating the diverse cultures, talents, and identity of Black students through the performing arts. Afrofest provides an essential platform for Black voices, allowing students to engage in cultural expression, storytelling, and performance while fostering a deep sense of community and belonging. 

We look forward to sharing more information and statistics about our S4E Microgrant in our 2025 Annual Reports. 

The EDIA Fundamentals module is a 5-part module, designed by the Equity, Diversity and Anti-Oppression Program within the Equity and Inclusion Office, to provide the community with an accessible, self-paced learning about EDIA, Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression with a spot light on Anti-Black Racism in Higher Education. Each part of the module is thematically organized to contain a mixture of narrative, video and audio-narrated slide deck content, with activities to ground your learning in a flexible and digestible fashion. We are excited for you to engage with this foundational content which will replace the live delivery of EDIA fundamentals from our team.

In totality, the mandatory portions of the module should take approximately 3 hours to complete, and there is a short evaluation in the form of a quiz at the end, to recall your knowledge and to successfully complete this educational offering. This module will be hosted on avenue to learn and you can enroll in the module on Mosaic.

Enrollment Instructions: 

To enroll in the EDIA Fundamentals module, you must access MOSAIC through the use of your MAC ID and usual password. First, click on the “Regulatory Trainings” tile on the MOSAIC homepage, then the “Search By Course Name” hyperlink. You will be lead to a course search page. Type in “EDIA” and the fundamentals page should populate. To formally enroll, click on “View Available Sessions” and follow the mosaic prompts to formally enroll. The course will take about 1-2 business days to appear on your Avenue to Learn as a course!

If you are experiencing difficulties enrolling, require more guidance, or would like an alternative format of instructions to enroll, please email hallr1@mcmaster.ca

Please browse the list of available workshops delivered by the Equity, Diversity, and Anti-Oppression Program within the Equity and Inclusion Office. Any of these workshops are available in a virtual or in-person synchronous format. Unfortunately, we do not offer hybrid workshops at this time. We are happy to deliver a pre-designed workshop on any of the following topics:

• Microaggressions, Bias, Stereotypes and Impacts on Belongingness
• Bystander Intervention for Instances of Racism and Oppression
• Creating Psychologically Safe Environments
• Anti-Racist Principles to Recruitment and Retention
• Unpacking Black Racial Trauma and Supporting Black Individuals in the Pedagogy
• Black Intersectionality 101

If you are interested in any of these topics, you can request through this form:

Name *

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Department or Faculty of Requesting Party *

In person or Virtual (we do not do hybrid at this time) *

Intended Audience *

• students
• staff/administrators
• faculty
• community members
• other

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Desired Date of Workshop and Time Allotment *

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Various departments, offices, and groups at McMaster are working on initiating and championing EDI initiatives of their own. Our team appreciates a de-centralized approach to EDI work, and we are happy to consult and suggest additional best practices to your EDI and anti-racism initiatives and planning that may be underway. The type of consultations the general Inclusion and Anti-Racism team provides are:

• Reviewing EDI strategic planning, climate surveying, and processes of EDI committee building specific to your department/office
• Reviewing and consulting on EDIA Recruitment and Retention plans
• Reviewing educational development/training specific to equity, anti-racism, and AOP created by your office
• Reviewing and providing best practices for stimulation and/or supporting affinity groups
• Safety planning for events

As mentioned, we also have a suite of consultation services, specific to our Anti-Black Racisms Education and Initiatives Programming Portfolio. The type of consultations provided, specific to the anti-Black racisms portfolio are:

• Reviewing Anti-Black Racism philosophy and EDIA statements
• Consulting on the creation of Black-focused supportive spaces and trauma informed approaches to supporting Black students, staff, and faculty
• Reviewing educational development/training specific to anti-Black racism, created by your office
• Reviewing pedagogical materials for facilitating dialogues about anti-Black racism

Interested in partnering with our office on community building discussions and equity related events? Our team is open to assisting you in designing and facilitating EDIA and anti-racism focused discussion groups and/or events. By partnered discussions and events, we mean collaborating with you in the design elements of your event or initiative.

The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team has a legacy on campus of supporting educational events and initiatives, team building initiatives and events, or fun socials through awesome groups on campus such as the Presidents Advisory Committee on Building and Inclusive Community (PACBIC), the Black and Indigenous Racialized Employee Resource Group (BIRS-ERG), Black History Month at Mac (BHMatMAC), Black Student Success Center, DeGroote Women in Business, and many more!

Please note: we do not fulsomely plan an event or initiative for you, in regards to administrative and logistical tasks, sponsorship, or full programming.

We do: 

• Consult on safety planning, accessibility mapping, and risk management
• Consult on financial planning and event mapping
• Assist with event marketing and circulation
• Consult on Marketing Materials
• Consult on financial avenues to leverage to assist with financial management
• Assist with event or initiative descripts with a lens of EDIA or tackling anti-Black racism

McMaster University has processes and policies to support you, should you be experiencing discrimination or harassment. The Blue Folder is a printable guide designed for students, staff and faculty with information on what constitutes discrimination and harassment as well as processes to address these incidences.

Please Note: The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team is not a formal or informal investigation office or intake office, therefore we do have limits to receiving confidential disclosures and limits to providing navigational support to those experiencing discrimination or harassment on campus. We do not function in lieu of: therapeutic or mental health supports, advocacy around a claim or investigation, or book individuals with additional supports.

How can we support: We do educate on the harassment and discrimination policy at McMaster in a trauma informed manner and provide guidance on how to book with one of several intake offices on campus, should you wish to explore further options. The Inclusion and Anti-Racism team can provide a warm referral to our Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team, who can have confidential discussions about your resolution options, launch an investigation of formal complaint and facilitate dispute resolution. To learn more about the offerings of the Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team, please visit this link: Human Rights Dispute Resolution Team

For more formal supports, we encourage you to explore the following: 

On Campus Intake Offices or Informal Supports: 

• Human Rights Dispute Resolution Office: Human Rights Dispute Resolution Office
• Student Case Management and Support: Student Case Management and Support Office
• Employee and Labour Relations: Employee and Labour Relations
• Health Sciences Professionalism Office: Health Sciences Professionalism Office
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office: Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office
• Student Accommodations Services: Student Accommodation Services
• McMaster Wellness Centre: Wellness Centre
• Employee Health and Wellbeing (Human Resources): Employee Health and Wellbeing
• Security Services: Security Services
• Office of Community Engagement: Office of Community Engagement
• Black Student Success Centre: Black Student Success Centre

Off Campus Supports: 

• Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion: Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
• Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre: Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre
• Disability Justice Network of Ontario: DJNO Hamilton
• Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton: Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton