Gee-Gees men’s rugby rallies together for education on social injustice 

The team learned from a diverse panel of business, legal and medical professionals who shared their insight on the injustice towards the BIPOC community that occurs in their fields and in our broader society.

The team learned about the importance of anti-racism, with a specific emphasis on anti-Black racism. Key elements covered included human rights legislation, as well as medical insight on the negative impact of racial discrimination on stress levels, depression rates and physical health of communities and individuals experiencing it.

While racism is a global issue, the team had the chance to learn about one of Canada's own pioneers in the fight for racial equality. 

The course covered the story of Viola Desmond, who became an icon of the human rights and freedom movement in Canada. Desmond defiantly refused to leave a whites-only area of a Nova Scotia movie theatre in 1946 and was subsequently jailed, convicted and fined. Her court case was one of the first known legal challenges against racial segregation brought forth by a Black woman in Canada, bringing nationwide attention to the struggle for equal rights. 

After completing the course, the team engaged in a two-hour virtual discussion with Alex Ikejiani, a member of the panel and an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law. 

A former student-athlete at the University of Manitoba, Ikejiani connected with the athletes on a level that deeply resonated with them. 

"Alex referenced an example where change on his campus came from white students who had noticed something was wrong with their program from a racial standpoint. That really stuck with me," said fifth-year backs captain James Flemming.  

"You don't have to be on the receiving end of injustice to be moved to action. Great change can come when bystanders step up for their fellow humans being robbed of their dignity." 

During the discussion, team members reiterated their steadfast commitment to growth, education and change. 

"The most effective conversations are those where people don't only listen, but they break down their own biases and acknowledge them," said fourth-year hooker Noah Toor. "We as a team need to continue in this direction." 

In his closing comments, Ikejiani left the group with these words:

"Sports is a beautiful expression of athleticism, intelligence and craft. Sports builds trust and respect. It exemplifies those ideals of human nature that we all strive to achieve. From Jackie Robinson to Billie Jean King to President Nelson Mandela, each in their own way used sports as a platform to teach transcendence and social change," he said.

"As leaders and ambassadors of goodwill within our sports communities, I encourage all student-athletes to draw inspiration from those who have come before and create a legacy of inclusion, acceptance and love."

While team members were positive about the course and their discussions, they know that there is much more work to do.

"This was a great start. However, we recognize this is not the sort of thing where we have one discussion and it's done," said head coach Stephanie Crawley. "Inclusivity is an important dynamic in building a strong rugby culture. Diversity makes our sport stronger. We understand that much more work will need to be done and we are committed to doing the work."

Along with its education and discussions on racial and social injustices, team members continue their work in support of the LGBTQ+ community, both internally and externally.

Furthermore, the Lessons Injustice course has been implemented on wider scale in Varsity Athletics. All Gee-Gees teams will complete it as a part of their ongoing safe sport education.