BACKGROUND
Recent racial injustices against Black and Indigenous people in North America have prompted individuals and communities across the globe to come together to demand justice for marginalized groups that have been and still are oppressed by colonial structures. In the wake of these massive protest movements, we saw that education is one of the key institutions that has historically been designed to maintain the inequality and racist attitudes that perpetuate ongoing racial conflicts. However, education can also have the ability to create positive change in a unique and powerful way.
MISSION
We are a group of undergraduate students who are passionate about creating an equitable and safe environment at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music by empowering the voices of BIPOC musicians and artists, dismantling racist and colonial modes of learning and teaching within music institutions, and using our platform to spark collective anti-racist action among students and the broader community.
VISION
A community in which everyone advocates for equality and justice and one in which unity in diversity is unreservedly and wholeheartedly embraced.
GOALS
CREATE
EMPOWER
FACILITATE
FOSTER
CHALLENGE
ACKNOWLEDGE
PROMOTE
To create an environment that is conducive to the success and growth of BIPOC students at the Faculty of Music
To empower the voices of BIPOC students at the Faculty of Music by actively listening to and addressing their concerns and lived experiences
To facilitate student activism and advocacy
To foster dialogue between students, faculty and administration to encourage transparency and accountability regarding anti-racism initiatives
To challenge Eurocentric pedagogical practices, curriculum content, and performance values within the Faculty of Music
To acknowledge and publicize the contributions of BIPOC artists to Western and non-Western musical forms
To promote the education and training of faculty, staff and students in anti-racist practices and make a concerted effort to learn about anti-racist practices ourselves.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"
– Nelson Mandela
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Taking the above global thinking and turning their attention to local issues, a small group of undergraduate students worked together to create an open letter to the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Strategic Academic Planning Committee. It received over 180 signatures. The letter can be viewed here:
CONSTITUTION
EQUITY POLICY AND CODE OF CONDUCT
BYLAWS
In pursuit of continued advocacy in education, we decided that there needed to be a reliable student platform at the Faculty of Music in order to work towards becoming an anti-racist and anti-oppressive institution. We at the Faculty of Music Anti-Racism Alliance are devoted to providing this platform.
"The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you"
– B.B. King
For any inquiries, please do not hesitate to send us a message!
