News and Events

• April 5, 2025 – Screening of “Boy” for the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series

  Thursday, March 13, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology are proud to announce Dibaajimo / Tells a Story, a new curated film series to coincide with a new Indigenous Film Course (WGST 3P79) taught by Assistant Professor Dr. Lyn Trudeau. To expand the potential reach and impact of her course, Dr. Trudeau has teamed up with the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s programming team to curate a selection of titles covered in the course.

  Dr. Lyn Trudeau is from Sagamok Anishinawbek First Nation, Eagle Clan. She is cross-appointed with Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and affiliated with the Social Justice and Equity Program in which her work embodies a decolonial lens. This includes previous work/research with Elders, Indigenous youth, Indigenous teacher candidates, and residential schools. She feels it is important to honour her cultural background; therefore, embeds Indigenous knowledge and ways of being in her classrooms and research endeavours.

  Boy (2010) is the fourth film in the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story film series. Written and directed by Māori and Jewish filmmaker Taika Waititi, Boy tells the story of Boy (James Rolleston), an 11-year-old child and devout Michael Jackson fan who lives on the east coast of New Zealand in 1984. Boy gets a chance to know his absentee criminal father (Waititi), who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years ago.

  Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 3:00pm
  FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
  250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON

  This event has reserved setting. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for Film House members. Visit the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series page at the Performing Arts Centre website to purchase a ticket and for details on all films in the series. Click here to read, download, or share the Press Release for this event.

  Presented by The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology.

  Learn more about the films in the series below:

  Read more

  Tags: Events, Films, Lyn Trudeau, WGST Faculty
  Categories: News and Events

• March 19, 2025 – “Without Equity, There is No Quality,” presented by Dr. Adom Bondzi-Simpson for the Yosif Al-Hasnawi Memorial Lecture Series: Promoting Racial Justice in Health Care

  Thursday, March 13, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  “Without Equity, There is No Quality: Exploring Population-level Disparities in Surgical Outcomes for Cancer and Trauma Patients in Ontario: A Call to Action,” presented by Dr. Adom Bondzi-Simpson.

  The Yosif Al-Hasnawi Memorial Lecture Series: Promoting Racial Justice in Health Care is named in memory of a first-year Medical Sciences student who died in the service of another in 2017. Yosif Al-Hasnawi had dreams of becoming a doctor and hoped to one day make a difference in the world.

  Wednesday, March 19, 2025, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
  Goodman Atrium at Brock University

  Sponsored by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences; the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization; and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock University.

  Read more

  Tags: Events, Presentations, Yosif Al-Hasnawi Memorial Lecture Series
  Categories: News and Events

• March 15, 2025 – Screening of “SGaawaay K’uuna / Edge of the Knife” for the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series

  Thursday, March 13, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology are proud to announce Dibaajimo / Tells a Story, a new curated film series to coincide with a new Indigenous Film Course (WGST 3P79) taught by Assistant Professor Dr. Lyn Trudeau. To expand the potential reach and impact of her course, Dr. Trudeau has teamed up with the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s programming team to curate a selection of titles covered in the course.

  Dr. Lyn Trudeau is from Sagamok Anishinawbek First Nation, Eagle Clan. She is cross-appointed with Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and affiliated with the Social Justice and Equity Program in which her work embodies a decolonial lens. This includes previous work/research with Elders, Indigenous youth, Indigenous teacher candidates, and residential schools. She feels it is important to honour her cultural background; therefore, embeds Indigenous knowledge and ways of being in her classrooms and research endeavours.

  SGaawaay K’uuna / Edge of the Knife (2018) is the third film in the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story film series. In a 19th-century summer, two large families gather for their annual fishing retreat on the far-removed island of Haida Gwaii. Adiitsʹii (Tyler York), a charming nobleman, causes the accidental death of his best friend Kwa’s son and hastens into the wilderness. Adiitsʹii is tormented by what he has done and spirals into insanity, becoming Gaagiixiid, a supernatural being crazed by hunger. He unexpectedly survives the winter, and at next year’s gathering, the families try to convert Gaagiixiid, back to Adiitsʹii, while Kwa (Willy Russ) also wrestles with a desire for revenge. SGaawaay K’uuna / Edge of the Knife was co-directed by Gwaai Edenshaw, a Haida artist and filmmaker, and Helen Haig-Brown a Tsilhqot’in filmmaker. It is the first feature film to be made entirely in the Haida language.

  Saturday, March 15, 2025, 2025, at 3:00pm
  FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
  250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON

  This event has reserved setting. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for Film House members. Visit the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series page at the Performing Arts Centre website to purchase a ticket and for details on all films in the series. Click here to read, download, or share the Press Release for this event.

  Presented by The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology.

  Learn more about the films in the series below:

  Read more

  Tags: Events, Films, Lyn Trudeau, WGST Faculty
  Categories: News and Events

• March 21, 2025 – Grounding Critique: Marxism, Concept Formation, and Embodied Social Relations

  Thursday, March 13, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  Join us for an exciting book launch and panel event of “Grounding Critique: Marxism, Concept Formation, and Embodied Social Relations,” by Dr. Gökbörü Sarp Tanyildiz.

  The panel will feature Dr. Tanyildiz, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Brock University; Dr. Sue Ruddick, Professor Emerita at the University of Toronto; and Dr. Linda Peake, FRCS, previous Director of the City Institute at York University; and be moderated by Dr. Liam Midzain-Gobin, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Brock University.

  Enjoy free vegetarian Palestinian lunch while engaging in critical discussions on Marxism, social relations, and concept formation!

  Friday, March 21, 2025, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm
  Pond Inlet, J-Block Mackenzie Chown Complex at Brock University

  RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU.

  Hosted by the Department of Sociology and co-sponsored by the Social Justice and Equity Studies MA, the Social Justice Research Institute, the Interdisciplinary Humanities PhD, and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

  Tags: Discussions, Events, Panels
  Categories: News and Events

• March 10, 2025 – “Letter to My Tribe” Film Screening, Q&A, and Palestinian Buffet

  Monday, February 24, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  The President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization (PACHRED) invites the Brock University community to a screening of Letter to My Tribe, a video essay by award-winning filmmaker and installation artist b.h. Yael.

  The film explores the question: Why don’t more Jews and Israelis speak out about Palestine? Using personal reflections, interwoven interviews with journalists, activists, and a rabbi, and documentation of actions in the West Bank, Iraq, and Poland, Yael examines the intersections of identity, history, and political responsibility.

  Following the screening, b.h. Yael will participate in a Q&A session, offering insights into the making of the film, the themes it addresses, and the broader conversations it aims to foster.

  b.h. Yael is a Professor of Integrated Media at OCAD University and an internationally recognized filmmaker whose work explores activism, geopolitical and environmental urgencies, and social justice. Her films have been exhibited in festivals, galleries, and academic institutions worldwide.

  Monday, March 10, 2025, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm
  Sankey Chambers at Brock University

  For more information, contact PACHRED.

  Co-hosted by PACHRED, the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies, the Social Justice Research Institute, and the Social Justice and Equity Studies MA Program.

  Tags: Buffet, Events, Films
  Categories: News and Events

• March 7, 2025 – Women’s and Gender Studies Student Social

  Monday, February 24, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  Get together to celebrate International Women’s Day with the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies! Join us for an afternoon packed with fun games, exciting trivia, and meaningful conversations! It’s the perfect chance to enjoy snacks and refreshments and connect with fellow students, network, and celebrate all things Women’s and Gender Studies! This event is open to Women’s and Gender Studies majors, minors, or anyone curious about the program. Don’t miss out!

  Schedule:
  2:00-2:30: Mingle!
  2:30-3:00: Ice breaker games!
  3:00-4:00: Board games and trivia, snacks, and fun!

  If you plan to attend, please RSVP to ensure the Centre is able to provide enough free food and refreshments. Visit the event page on ExperienceBU.

  Friday, March 7, 2025, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
  Rankin Family Pavilion Room 216 at Brock University

  Hosted by the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

  Tags: International Women's Day, Socials
  Categories: News and Events

• March 7, 2025 – “What Ales Us?” Film Screening, Panel, Discussion, and Lunch Buffet

  Monday, February 24, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  Join us for an International Women’s Day event: a film screening of What Ales Us?, followed by a panel and discussion on sexism and racism in Canada’s brewing industry. This event also includes a free lunch buffet.

  What Ales Us? is about two women (Ren Navarro and Erin Brandson) who reckon with a broken beer industry in Canada and start a movement to change it.

  Cathy van Ingen is a professor of Kinesiology at Brock University and is an independent documentary filmmaker based in the Niagara region. What Ales Us? is her first film. She will be joined by Ren Navarro and Erin Brandson for a panel and discussion after the event.

  Director Statement: As I watched the #MeToo-style reckoning unfolding in the craft beer industry, I was drawn to the stories of women, like Brienne Allen, Erin Brandson, and Ren Navarro, who began sharing experiences of sexual harassment, assault, homophobia, and racism. The stories included accusations against some of the beer world’s most acclaimed breweries. As I dug deeper into beer history, I learned that women used to dominate beer making – and I wanted to know what changed. This film explores the battle brewing in the industry and what happens to the women who speak out.

  Friday, March 7, 2025, from 12:30pm to 2:00pm
  Welch Hall Room 204 at Brock University

  Learn more about the film in The Brock News and RSVP to the event on ExperienceBU.

  Co-hosted by the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization (PACHRED); the Sexual Violence Prevention Committee; and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

  Tags: Buffet, Events, Films, International Women's Day, Panels
  Categories: News and Events

• March 6, 2025 – Narratives of Healing, Resilience, and Hope: Residential School Stories and Impacts

  Saturday, February 22, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  Join us for a panel event, “Narratives of Healing, Resilience, and Hope: Residential School Stories and Impacts,” featuring Dr. Lyn Trudeau, Matthew Mackenzie, Dr. Sheila Cote-Meek, and Dr. Josh Manitowabi.

  This panel will hold space for narratives of residential schools and how this impacts Indigenous faculty as well as how this informs their work and practices. These conversations acknowledge historical injustices but also will speak to resiliency. Notably, how these Indigenous faculty members respond in various capacities, impacts on communities, and how they weave their own stories into their work.

  Thursday, March 6, 2025, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
  Plaza 600F at Brock University

  RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU.

  Sponsored by the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization at Brock University.

  Tags: Discussions, Events, Lyn Trudeau, Panels, WGST Faculty
  Categories: News and Events

• February 15, 2025 – Screening of “Abducted” for the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series

  Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology are proud to announce Dibaajimo / Tells a Story, a new curated film series to coincide with a new Indigenous Film Course (WGST 3P79) taught by Assistant Professor Dr. Lyn Trudeau. To expand the potential reach and impact of her course, Dr. Trudeau has teamed up with the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s programming team to curate a selection of titles covered in the course.

  Dr. Lyn Trudeau is from Sagamok Anishinawbek First Nation, Eagle Clan. She is cross-appointed with Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and affiliated with the Social Justice and Equity Program in which her work embodies a decolonial lens. This includes previous work/research with Elders, Indigenous youth, Indigenous teacher candidates, and residential schools. She feels it is important to honour her cultural background; therefore, embeds Indigenous knowledge and ways of being in her classrooms and research endeavours.

  Abducted (2021) is the second film in the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story film series. Written and directed by Daniel Foreman, a registered member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Abducted tells the story of how an inner-city teenage boy’s life turned upside-down when his drug-running sister goes missing. Lakota’s (Olivia Kate Iatridis) sudden disappearance leaves Derrick (Joel Oulette) to piece together the clues of her abduction. Derrick experiences visions which he struggles to understand but which help him on his quest to find her. As he gets close to finding his sister, Derrick ends up in the fight of his life.

  Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 3:00pm
  FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
  250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON

  This event has reserved setting. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for Film House members. Visit the Dibaajimo / Tells a Story Film Series page at the Performing Arts Centre website to purchase a ticket and for details on all films in the series. Click here to read, download, or share the Press Release for this event.

  Presented by The Film House and Brock University’s Centre for Women and Gender Studies and Department of Sociology.

  Learn more about the films in the series below:

  Read more

  Tags: Events, Films, Lyn Trudeau, WGST Faculty
  Categories: News and Events

• January 30, 2025 – Challenging The Racism and Xenophobia Targeting International Students: Law, Media, and Activist Resistance

  Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | By cszczepanowski

  

  Join us for an insightful and empowering event: “Challenging the Racism and Xenophobia Targeting International Students: Law, Media, and Activist Resistance.”

  This event will explore the impacts of racism and xenophobia on international students through the lenses of law, media, and activism. Engage in meaningful conversations with academics, activists, and student leaders dedicated to resistance and justice.

  Featured Speakers:
  Vasanthi Venkatesh, PhD (Chair, Transnational Law and Racial Justice Network, Faculty of Law, Windsor University)
  Navjot Salaria (International Student Alumni, York University; Naujawan Support Network)

  Student and Alumni Respondents:
  Tiffany Muhindi (Brock University)
  Kaho Nishibu (Brock University)

  Thursday, January 30, 2025, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
  Sankey Chambers at Brock University

  For more information or to RSVP, please visit the event page on ExperinenceBU. Refreshments will be provided.

  Presented by the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization (PACHRED), and co-hosted by the Anti-Racism Committee, Social Justice and Equity Studies, the Social Justice Research Institute, and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

  Tags: Events, Panels
  Categories: News and Events