For the Black Students Association (BSA), black identity at the university has come a long way. Black History Month is a chance to celebrate, educate and reflect.
Ike Okafor, founder and adviser of the BSA, says when he first entered U of T three years ago, he was appalled with the lack of presence of a black identity.
“The first thing I looked for upon entering was a BSA. It seemed like every other ethnic group was represented but us. I felt robbed, in a way. So my friends and I enlisted names on a sheet, waited for spring and put it together.”
It has only been three years since the BSA was formed. Its purpose is to unify the black community by providing guidance for essential academic, social and career development, as well as to elevate cultural consciousness and awareness. Okafor says he and his friends would like to see more blacks at school, given that York U has a larger black population. “U of T is [arguably] the best university in Canada, yet the population doesn’t reflect in the curriculum or the students attending here,” he says.
Given that there is only a handful of visible minority professors teaching, Okafor believes that the institution’s approach to hiring is entrenched in its constitution.
“I believe there is no utopia in the world and do not expect the proportion of [demographics] of students to be reflected within the faculty but if there are qualified people, they should hire them.”
Commenting on the future of education and access, Okafor predicted that if tuition fees were deregulated, enrollment would probably decline, since students from struggling socio-economic backgrounds would be further marginalized.
Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) equity commissioner Liz Majic said, “There are many reasons why students don’t choose a university like U of T. [Black History Month] is one step to say, ‘work to be inclusive, but still have a long way to go.'”
The lack of diversity in curricula and professors would deter students from choosing U of T, according to Majic. “The university doesn’t practice equity very well. Institutional racism is prevalent not only here, but in other institutions as well.”
BSA is currently organizing their third annual high school conference, “The future is NOW!!” scheduled for February 25 at Wetmore Hall, New College. Last year it was named “Dispelling the Myth.” They are trying to launch a new initiative every year, as well as continue with past efforts. This one will be a step up from last year’s, offering mini-workshops by professionals in many different areas of study.
300 high school students are expected to participate. The goal is to attract the black population into the university with open arms, to make the people the primary institution at the school, according to Okafor.
“There’s a lot of negativity in the media to the way blacks are portrayed,” he says. Case in point: movies such as How High. “It’s a spoof. People are trying to parallel that to reality. Our place isn’t there…. One way to dispel that myth is to get these students into university. And to get them here, we have to alter their perception to that of universities being welcoming and assured that they have a place to identify with,” he says.
SAC will present VIBE: The BSA’s Variety Night February 26 at 8 p.m. at Hart House Theatre, which is the final event for the month.
There will be a “diverse cultural showcase in performances in dance, poetry and music in the spirit of Black History Month,” said Majic.
