UFV Living and Learning Community

As a community, we gather and eat together with other members of the advocates for change program. Having community meals allows us to develop strong bonds and connect with each other.

To make our members feel heard, safe, and included is one of our utmost priorities. To make sure that happens we actively include all our members in all kinds of decision making that impacts them! For example, when it comes to decisions around switching times for a scheduled meeting or how we should approach reflection activities, we always consider the opinions of our members.

Mayu is an international student in the Bachelor of Arts program. She grew up in a rural area in Japan surrounded by mountains and the sea. She loves nature, baking, taking walks, and travelling.

The Advocates for Change Living + Learning Community would like to thank everyone who played a role in making this community a success this previous year.

Above, you can see a picture of some of our members, partners and supporters taken during our wrap up event that took place at the end of the winter 2022 semester to commemorate the end of the academic year for the LLC Community.

This Sunday, the Living + Learning Community (LLC) will be looking at Roots and Belonging with Dr. Satwinder Bains.

Roots and Belonging is a way to understand community life and the practice of coexistence that requires social customs working for students in a post secondary setting. Social identity is something that requires people to enter into relationships with each other allowing belonging and sharing as part of the commitment. To understand our social reality of relationships so that feelings of belonging are foundationally secured through connections to one’s roots. Real, active and natural participation in the life of community must allow us to focus on “how to belong”, “to be rooted” and “to be a member of a community”. As roots link further and further through the passage of time and experiences, belonging becomes more nuanced and the past, stories, traditions, opinions, values, boundaries, judgements etc. will shift and change.

Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains is the Director of the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley and an Associate Professor in Social Cultural Media Studies, College of Arts. Dr. Bains’ critical analysis of India’s multilingual policy and planning, has fuelled her interest to study the impact of language, culture and identity on South Asian Canadian migration, settlement, and integration. Her research includes and intersects cross-cultural education with a focus on anti-racist curriculum implementation; race, racism, and ethnicity; identity politics; Sikh feminist ideology; migration and the South Asian Canadian Diaspora and Punjabi Canadian cultural historiography.

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The Living + Learning Community (LLC) has launched! Our group of passionate students will study together at UFV Housing while learning about anti-racism and advocacy! Together, they will discuss anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our local and global communities 📢

Today we're featuring our co-creator and coordinator, Jas Braich, and why she decided to start the Advocates for Change program at the UFV Baker House Residence!
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Slowly over the years, I have been exposed to the realities of the world we live in today — the reality where racism doesn’t only exist, but is bleeding through the systems that guide us.

Under the law, we are all equal — but we all know that is not the reality. Racial oppression, inequality, and discrimination exist today. I am emotional, I am angry, and my inspiration comes from those feelings. I feel the urgency to create moments for learning, reflection, and action when it comes to racism and anti-racism work. What better way to allow that to happen than to create a platform and foundation for our students?

I believe, in order to combat systemic racism, we need to be constantly working towards equality for all races, and seek to address our own unconscious bias, commit to unlearning, learning, and relearning our current environment on a local and global level.

When I saw that there is unaddressed racism in the society — and more specifically, the UFV community — myself, a practicum student, and our colleagues in Student Services came together with the idea of an anti-racism Living and Learning Community, named "Advocates for Change", to create the ultimate opportunity for those who want to learn and do the work.

The Advocates for Change Living Learning Community strives to develop awareness of current and past issues, to provide avenues for learning and knowledge-sharing, and build strong anti-racism advocates.
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• Jas Braich, University of the Fraser Valley

With our new Living + Learning Community (LLC), we'll be holding bi-weekly meetings centred around anti-racism discussion. Our community will also be invited to social events, community meals, service projects, volunteer experiences, and develop advocacy skills. Experience the unique opportunity of a close-knit, student community who shares your passion for social advocacy! Check ufv.ca/llc to join! 📢

ID: "Anti-racism" in blue, against a pink background.

What does it mean to be an Advocate for Change at the University of the Fraser Valley? With UFV Baker House Residence's new Living + Learning Community (LLC), we'll explore what an active ally looks like in our local and global communities, topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and so much more. Experience the unique opportunity of a close-knit student resident community who share your passion for social advocacy. Check ufv.ca/llc to join our community! 📢

ID: "Advocates for Change: Living + Learning Community" in red and blue, against a pink background.

Live and study together at UFV's Baker House while learning about anti-racism in your community! The Living + Learning Community (LLC) is a new program at UFV, for people living on campus. Experience the unique opportunity of a close-knit community of your fellow residents who share your interests and values. Together, we will discuss anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion in your local and global community. Check ufv.ca/llc to join our community! 📢

ID: "Baker House" against pink background with blue streak.