BIPOC Wellness Series

Student Counselling, Health, & Well-being (SCHW) will be holding its first Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) Wellness Series on October 4 and 5, 2022. All York students who identify as part of the BIPOC community are invited to attend.

This is a virtual two-day workshop, and registration is required for entry. To reserve your spot, please fill out all fields of our registration form. The registration deadline is October 3, 2022.

Day 1: October 4, 2022

Workshop #1: Bursaries and Scholarships for BIPOC Students

Presenter: Karen Warner
Time: 9 to 11 a.m.

This workshop will explain how to access financial resources for the BIPOC student population at York.

About the presenter:

Karen Warner is a York University alum and a proud “York Mom”. She has worked in Student Financial Services at York University in a variety of roles for the past 25 years and has been in her current role as Manager, Scholarships and Bursaries for the past 11 years, a position which she finds “immensely rewarding and fulfilling.”

Workshop #2: Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt

Presenter: Simone Donaldson
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.

This workshop deepens the understanding of imposter syndrome and self-doubt and the impacts of these experiences on students’ mental health, and also explains how BIPOC students can cope.

About the presenter:

Simone Donaldson is the CEO, founder, psychotherapist, and principal consultant at Agapé Lens Consulting & Therapy. She has committed over 15 years to mental health and social equity concerns, with a vision to guide those she supports towards finding wholeness, unity and authenticity.

Day 2: October 5, 2022

Workshop #3: Addressing Microaggressions and Racism on Campus

Presenters: Lisa Brown and Carol Ruiz
Time: 10 to 11:30 a.m.

In this workshop, students will learn how to address microaggressions in the university setting.

About the presenters:

Joining the Centre for Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion (REI) in October 2018, Lisa Brown enjoys every opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas to promote equity and inclusion, and provides consultative support throughout campus.

Carol Ruiz joined REI in August 2021. Her human rights education experience comes from having worked with non-government rights advocacy organizations, and from teaching law and policy courses at the Women and Gender Studies Program of the University of Toronto, Mississauga.

Workshop #4: Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Microaggressions

Presenter: Melissa Taylor
Time: 2:30 to 4 p.m.

In this workshop, students will learn about self-care when experiencing ongoing microaggressions.

About the presenter:

Melissa Taylor is the daughter of African diaspora, and practices ancestral memory in her professional and private life. She is a daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, and cousin to many. She holds Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees, and has over fifteen years’ experience in the social service sector. She works in the private sector as a psychotherapist social worker and anti-racism facilitator, and specializes in generational trauma with a strong focus on anti-racism and anti-oppressive practice.