Constituency groups and societies like ours have space in the SUB because of the dedicated efforts of SFU student organizers (learn more about the movement here). This panel is dedicated to reflecting on and honouring the efforts that went into the Save Our Spaces Campaign! Individuals who led the campaign will join us to go over their experiences, share advice for organizing in university settings, and answer attendee questions. Light snacks provided!

Land Acknowledgement

This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Katzie and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

About the facilitators

Annie Bhuiyan (She/Her)
Annie (she/her) is an alumnus of SFU’s English department. Here, she was involved with various student organizations and movements including Tuition Freeze Now,  the Teaching Support Staff Union, and Save our Spaces. Her work with grassroots movements continues to inspire her work today as a digital communications specialist with non-profits and unions. 

Balqees Jama (She/Her)
Balqees is a Communications student whose understanding of community-care and governance has helped shape the development of anti-oppressive policies and practices at SFU. Through various leadership capacities in SFSS, SFPIRG, and SOCA, Balqees organized against the eviction of marginalized community groups to successfully retain their spaces, now located in the SUB. She co-led campaigns for other milestone achievements at SFU such as: cluster-hiring of Black and Indigenous faculty, institutionalizing more equitable Health & Counseling services, establishing the SFU VP People, Equity, & Inclusion office, and more. Balqees is grateful to have worked with many people at SFU and across Canada on important issues affecting students like affordability, climate justice, anti-racism, etc. In recognition of her national impact, Balqees was nominated for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award this year and named one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch in 2022 (CIBWE).

Magnus Thyvold (he/him)
Magnus Thyvold is the Station Manager of SFU’s Campus Community Radio Station CJSF 90.1FM. Involved with CJSF 90.1FM for decades, Magnus was a frontline representative for the station when negotiating for space in the Student Union Building.

WeiChun Kua (He/Him)
WeiChun Kua, 柯伟俊 (he/him) is a second-generation stateless Chinese from Brunei. As an international student at SFU, he was deeply involved in student advocacy, climate action, and migrant rights. Notably, he played a pivotal role in SFU350’s eight-long year campaign, where they successfully campaigned SFU to divest its $650 million endowment fund from fossil fuels. After learning about the Rotunda Group’s potential eviction in 2019, he got involved in the Save Our Spaces campaign and was later elected to the 2020-2021 SFSS Board that granted the Rotunda Groups their SUB space today. WeiChun remains active with Migrant Students United at SFU, a grassroots group of former and current international students and workers advocating for their fair rights and currently works at Solid State Community Industries as a Coop Developer, supporting racialized and immigrant people in Surrey building worker cooperatives and enterprises.

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Associate Members.This event will be held indoors in the Embark Studio, room #1310 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. The Embark Studio is:

• wheelchair accessible
• welcomes all gender identities and expressions
• a tree nut and peanut-free zone
• a scent-free zone
• located near wheelchair accessible and gender-neutral restrooms
• provides access to a quiet space for personal meditation, reflection, or prayers

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact our Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Health & Safety

Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19.

Community Agreement

By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.

Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.

If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.