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In her first trip to Trinidad as part of the course, Tianna Makhurane learned “what sustainability actually looks like outside of me reading a book, or from the context of a Canadian lens.”
Last May, Tianna Makhurane spent 10 days in Trinidad and Tobago visiting markets and agricultural projects to learn about sustainability and food security in the region.
The trip was part of the Global Justice and Change (GJC) Program, a series of courses which invites students to explore topics on a global scale using an equity and justice-oriented lens. All the opportunities are fully funded and applications are open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or racialized, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Two new courses are being offered in the spring 2024 session and applications are open now.
Makhurane, who is a second-year student in TMU’s midwifery education program, took the course Repositioning Women in Caribbean Agriculture: Food Sustainability and Food Sovereignty in Trinidad and Tobago taught by professor Petra Roberts. Makhurane wanted to understand how the pandemic affected global sustainability and the barriers, as well as opportunities, for local producers in making food security a reality in their regions.
During her trip to Trinidad and Tobago, Tianna Makhurane learned about how the pandemic ushered in a new era of sustainability and food sovereignty in the Caribbean.
“I think everyone should apply for this incredible program,” says Makhurane. “This is an opportunity to let go of your biases and explore new perspectives in different countries.”
GJC is an opportunity for TMU students to apply a global lens to their undergraduate studies. The program is the first of its kind at the university to focus on issues of equity and justice on a global scale, while centring the needs and interests of students most directly impacted by the ongoing harms of colonialism and supremacy-based logics and structures.
During the first year of the program, 39 students participated in one of three courses: Films for Change, traveling to Panama; Women and Agriculture, traveling to Trinidad & Tobago; and Literatures of the Caribbean, engaging virtually and at “home” with Caribbean culture, society, history and beyond.
“We hope that students participating in the GJC program expand their worldview and understand the interconnectedness of global experiences,” says Fana Mekonen, programs and equity specialist at Global Learning. “Beyond the information they learn and the places they visit, they will reflect on their identity, passions and potential. The program has been thoughtfully designed to encourage empathy, adaptability, and cultural awareness – all skills that will be essential for an increasingly globalized society.”
Adriana Hyde learned about the importance of film as a window into culture.
Fourth-year language and intercultural relations student Adriana Hyde traveled to Panama with the course "Films for Change: Film Festivals and Activism in Hispanic Culture taught by professor Enriqueta Zafra. In the six-week intensive course, Hyde was introduced to the importance of film as a window into a culture and the role of film festivals in providing platforms for those advocating change.
Hyde says the program is an amazing opportunity geared towards minority groups at the university to learn about underrepresented communities through film. She learned a lot about the stories of people who look like her and allowed her to connect with people with diverse backgrounds.
“Experiencing a different language, culture and environment allowed me to learn more about myself and adapt to different facets of everyday life in Panama,” says Hyde.
The Global Learning office has just announced the two new courses that will be offered in the 2024 spring term:
LIR 204: African Studies and Beyond
Instructor: Ndeye Ba, professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
After engaging in on-campus course activities for several weeks in the course, students will take an experiential learning trip to Senegal to engage with local communities and learn about their cultures and traditions. This course on African epistemologies will contribute to decentering Western-centric canons and decolonizing knowledge production by recognizing and valuing diverse knowledge systems and perspectives. This course is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or racialized, students with disabilities, and those with low-income backgrounds.
HAU 400 - Haudenosaunee Leaders & Writers (with Māori component)
Instructor: Brandon Tehanyatarí:ya’ks Martin, professor, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
During the four weeks of on-campus learning, this course will focus on two Indigenous cultures: domestic (Haudenosaunee)and international (Māori). Students will take an experiential learning trip to the homeland of the international Indigenous culture, the Māori in New Zealand. The trip will allow students to learn from Māori community members in their traditional homeland. Studying domestic and international Indigenous cultures will enable students to make connections between those cultures and develop a broader understanding of Indigenous perspectives. Priority enrollment for this course will be extended to Indigenous students.
Students may apply on the Global Justice and Change website by November 5, 2023, at 11:59 EST.
Register to learn more about the GJC program (external link) at the information session on Oct 5, 2023 at 1 p.m.
Contact the Global Justice and Change program for more information.
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