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September 2022 was one for the books at 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏPublic Square. Working proudly with 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏfaculty, staff and community partners, we co-produced a string of incredible conversations with eminent thinkers on vital issues. 

Starting with a welcome day for 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏstudents, we moved into a whirlwind week that featured Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa in conversation with Carol Off on disinformation and democracy, Angela Davis and Gina Dent calling for a movement to radically transform our world and the launch of Billy Ray-Belcourt’s latest book, A Minor Chorus. We finished the month at a forum on equity in Vancouver municipal politics and a discussion on the state of trans conversion therapy in Canada. Whew! 

To capture the energy of these events and celebrate the ideas shared and the people behind them, we created a short video. Thank you to Mugasha Rutega, our communications and events assistant, for the brilliant video editing.

The events:

Month of Welcome at 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ â€“ September 7, 8, 2022

Maria Ressa: How to Stand Up to a Dictator – an 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏVancouver Speaker Series event featuring Maria Ressa, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate in conversation with CBC journalist Carol Off on disinformation and democracy – September 13, 2022
With: 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏVancouver, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏVancity Office of Community Engagement, Digital Democracies Institute, Ouano Foundation, Global Reporting Centre

Abolition Feminism: Dreaming a New Reality, featuring renowned scholar/activists Angela Davis and Gina Dent – September 15, 2022
With: The Circle Project, the Centre for Restorative Justice at SFU, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏFaculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏLibrary, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏDepartment of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, the Institute for Humanities at SFU, SFU’s Department of Global Humanities

A Minor Chorus: An Evening with Billy-Ray Belcourt  â€“ September 16, 2022
With: Massy Books, Massy Arts Society, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏGalleries, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏLibrary, Penguin Random House Canada

Centering Equity: Vancouver All-Candidates Forum – September 26, 2022
With: Women Transforming Cities, YWCA Metro Vancouver City Shift, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏDepartment of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies

Beyond the Ban: Taking Action Against Conversion Practices After Bill C-4 – a conversation about the shortcomings of Canada’s recent conversion therapy ban and how to move forward with equity and justice for trans people in our institutions. – September 28, 2022
With: 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏFaculty of Health Sciences, 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏLibrary, Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity