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Social Justice

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Advocating for Lasting Change in The Community

Recent graduate, Ashley Kyne, won the Lieutenant Governor General Medal of Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation for her advocacy and community service. She reflects on her experiences and learnings during her undergraduate degree, including her work in challenging colonial narratives on and beyond campus. 

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Blog
Resisting Structural Violence Through Research and Policy

An exemplary researcher in the health sciences community, PhD graduand Amanda Butler has been awarded the 2022 Graduate Dean's Convocation Medal. Their research involves the intersections of mental health, substance use, and incarceration.

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Blog
Reconciliation Through Indigenized Nursing Education

Joanna Fraser graduates with an EdD in Culturally Inclusive Place-Based Education (CIPB). Read about her reflections on being a community nurse and educator in rural settings, as well as her learnings from Indigenous mentors in creating an inclusive practice.

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Female Empowerment in STEM

Rachel George graduates with a bachelor of applied science degree from the School of Mechatronics Systems Engineering. She reflects on the gender bias and underrepresentation of women in STEM, and her personal journey navigating through a historically male-dominated field. 

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Blog
Studying Mental Health Stigma for Social Change

As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.

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Blog
Activism Burnout: An Interview with Registered Clinical Counsellors

What can healthy activism look like? See what registered clinical counsellors have to say about navigating activism burnout.

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Blog
Centering the Stories of People, Community, and Self

FCAT student speaker, Fegor Obuwoma, reflects on her time as an SFU student studying film and communications, and as an active member of campus advocacy groups.

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Blog
From Student Advocacy to Law School

It only took one archaeology course in her first year for Charlotte Taylor-Baer to discover her love for the subject. With a passion for forensic sciences and a dream of one day becoming a criminal defense lawyer, a double major in archaeology and criminology just made sense.

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Blog
Facilitating Change Through Community Service

Ashley Kyne wins the Inclusion, Democracy, and Reconciliation Medal for her selfless contributions to the SFU community and beyond.

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Blog
Fostering Inclusion and Equity in the Community

Jess Dela Cruz graduates with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (GSWS), passionate about furthering social justice, inclusion, and equity on and beyond campus.

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Blog
Championing Multidimensional Care at SFU and Beyond

Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa hit the ground running when she came to Canada in 2018 for university, dedicating her undergraduate degree helping SFU students and the community at large.

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Blog
On Self-Care, Capitalism, and Social Justice

I didn’t go into Co-op thinking that I would learn how to take care of myself. I was expecting to gain the traditional benefits–building up your resume, strengthening your professional skills, obtaining good references–but it ended up becoming much more than that.

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Blog
Developing Feminist Narratives in Filmmaking

Dr. Novia Chen receives a doctoral degree in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies! Before joining GSWS, Novia worked as a film/video production instructor, filmmaker, and festival coordinator. She decided to pursue a doctoral degree to further inform the ways in which her position negotiates gender politics, representation, and feminist film criticism and theory. 

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Blog
Determination, Perseverance, and Community

Fourth-year Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies student Ghezal Durrani’s story is that of determination, perseverance, and resilience despite the odds typically stacked against those who immigrate to Canada in similar circumstances. Reflecting upon her past as a teenage bride, her experience with education, and her life’s journey (so far), Ghezal’s story is nothing short of inspiring.

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Blog
Giving Back Through Activism and Youth Empowerment

Narayan’s work “focuses on the intersections between the LGBTQ+ community, mental health awareness and intergenerational arts activism using theatre and drama”. She is a research coordinator for a year long study on youth ages 16-24 and their mental health experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Blog
Advocating for Refugee and Migrant Rights

Witnessing friends and family flee Syria during the ongoing civil war left an indelible impression on Simon Fraser University undergraduate Anya Sass. Originally from Calgary, AB, Sass traveled abroad for several years and was living in Syria with her partner as the civil war broke out. She says her commitment to advocating for refugee and migrant rights was spurred by the emotional experience of “watching friends and family leave the country as refugees.”*

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Blog
Gaining a Change in Perspective

GSWS Alumnus, Brianna Mau, talks about the most impactful classes she took during her undergrad and her involvement in leadership and mentorship programs at SFU. She advises students to transform their academic background to impactful actions that create lasting change.

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Blog
Finding Academic and Personal Clarity

FASS graduand, Alicia Fahrner, reflects on how her experiences at GSWS inspired clarity in both her academic and personal life as a woman of colour. She encourages students to take some time during their studies to learn more about themselves and their interests, communicating the importance of gratitude and knowing yourself in order to persevere during tough times.

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Blog
Adopting a Compassionate and Analytical Lens for Equitable Change

Naiya Tsang came to SFU to pursue a BA in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies (GSWS) with a minor in Biological Sciences to hone a more balanced understanding of our social and natural worlds.

“I believe studying both science and the marginalities within society allows us to use a lens of compassion while also critically evaluating both quantitative and qualitative information, and can allow us to make strong, informed choices."

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