Dear BrainsCAN Community,

We acknowledge the continued trauma and inequity

We reaffirm our commitment to Anti-racism

Black Lives Matter

BrainsCAN stands in solidarity with the Black community, who continue to experience painful reminders of social injustice. The recent murder of Daunte Wright in Minneapolis reflects the continued anti-Black racism that has afflicted our society and has a profound impact on the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of the Black community. We must acknowledge, check-in, and support our Black scholars, trainees, and staff during these times.

We condemn any form of prejudice, stigmatization or racism.

We reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the research environment we provide is equitable and inclusive. We accept our responsibility to challenge and overhaul systems which continue to devalue or discriminate against individuals on the basis of racial identity or Indigeneity. As an initiative we maintain accountability to self-reflection, program reform and meaningful action to combat systemic racism.

There are supports available for students through the Student Experience service:
https://www.uwo.ca/health/psych/bipoc_student_support.html

For staff, supports are made available through the Western Human Resources Website:
https://www.uwo.ca/hr/safety/well_being/mental_health/index.html 

For other mental health supports, visit the BrainsCAN EDI webpage:
https://brainscan.uwo.ca/about/equity_diversity_inclusion/edi_support.html 

Sincerely,
BrainsCAN's Executive Committee and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee