Speak Truth to Power Series

About the series

Diversity, equity, and inclusiveness are part of Dalhousie’s core values. It is within this context that we acknowledge the anger, pain, fear, frustration, and anxiety that so many are experiencing in response to the unjust racial tragedies experienced by Black and Indigenous peoples in North America and beyond.

The Speak Truth to Power Forum, started in mid-2020, was born out of the horrific death of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020. We unequivocally condemn the racist acts that have sparked such broad outrage and social action. On Friday, June 5, 2020, the Office for Equity & Inclusion, the Dalhousie Black Faculty and Staff Caucus, and the Dalhousie Student Union hosted an engaging online forum on anti-Black racism. This forum allowed attendees to hold space, provide avenues of learning and growth, and to urge all of us to act.

While the forum began with a focus on anti-Black racism, it has since led to a robust Speaker Series with powerful changemakers in our community. The 12th episode in our series focused on how to better understand the barriers faced across disability experiences, Speak Truth to Power: Accessibility in Action through Awareness. The esteemed panelists spoke to the invisible barriers to living with a (dis)Ability. While the forum will attest to these barriers it will also acknowledge the many significant contributions people with disabilities make to our academy and society overall.