EDID Statement for the School of Social Work
At the University of Windsor School of Social Work, we are steadfast in our commitment to confronting and dismantling systemic oppression—including racism, coloniality, White supremacy, heteronormativity, and other intersecting forms of injustice across our School’s curricula, classrooms, institutional practices, and community engagement. We recognize that equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization (EDID) are fundamental to social justice and ethical social work practice. We are committed to providing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning environment for students, faculty, and staff from equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous, Black, and other racialized groups, persons with disabilities/disabled people, people from diverse age groups, persons of any sexual orientation and gender identities, and/or gender expressions, country of origin, religious or spiritual orientation, socioeconomic status, and their intersections.
Our school sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi, and we acknowledge the colonial history and injustice against these communities and other Indigenous Peoples. We also acknowledge the historical role of social workers in enacting and implementing harmful practices rooted in colonialism that caused harm to Indigenous families and communities. We commit to integrating Indigenous ways of knowing and teaching methods into our teaching and learning spaces and to building sustained and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities in our local area and throughout Ontario. We also acknowledge the underrepresentation of Indigenous students and faculty in our School. We are committed to recruiting and supporting Indigenous faculty, students, and staff and providing a culturally safe space.
We also acknowledge the historical and systemic barriers that Black individuals, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, religious minorities, language minorities, immigrants, and refugees have faced throughout history and presently. We will engage with these communities as partners, ensuring that our teaching, research, and service reflect our commitments.
We recently established an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID) Committee. The Committee comprises members who reflect diverse lived experiences and perspectives. Some of the critical functions of the Committee include continuously assessing our policies, curriculum, and institutional practices that identify inequities and advising the School Council to address them; providing allyship, solidarity, and antiracism training and workshops for faculty, staff, and students; and establishing a mechanism for feedback and reporting EDID-related concerns.
We recognize that EDID is an ongoing commitment that requires learning, reflection, and action. Each member of the social work community is expected to recognize and challenge biases, engage in continuous self-education, and contribute to fostering a culture of learning that respects diverse perspectives. Collectively, our School is committed to incorporating diverse ways of knowing into our curriculum, research, and community partnerships, including perspectives and views from scholars and knowledge-keepers from various backgrounds.
We envision and work toward a social work education that fosters an environment where every student, staff, faculty, and community partner feel welcomed, valued, and respected and is supported in contributing to a more just and equitable society. Together, we share the responsibility of shaping the future of social work rooted in equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity, and decolonization, and we invite all members of the community to join us in this collective effort.