UNB News
News and stories from one of Canada’s top universities

The University of New Brunswick’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Wellness Coordinator, Nadine Violette, has been educating many faculty, staff and students on how they can better support marginalized groups. Violette has produced a series of workshops covering such topics as oppression, privilege, cancel culture and more, all conceived of through the framework of allyship.  

Allyship is an ongoing process of building trust and relationships with marginalized groups, a process that requires consistency and determination on the part of those with privilege. In their workshop, Violette discusses what actions people can take to become more effective allies with the goal of building solidarity amongst groups and a more equitable UNB.  

“Many people in our community are doing a lot of great work, but UNB as an institution still has a long way to go, and so does New Brunswick,” Violette said.   

While the response to Violette’s workshop series has been overwhelmingly positive, they feel it is ultimately the responsibility of a Human Rights Office to undertake such educational programming on a long-term basis, considering Violette’s position at UNB is only temporary.  

“Everyone is grateful to have received this training, and I have more requests to present and share,” they said. “No one is above this training.” 

As part of another project, Violette has produced a formal Calls-to-Action report in full consultation with marginalized community members at UNB. The report recommends actions that UNB can take on an institutional level to improve conditions for marginalized folks on campus, and it also includes anonymous testimonials from marginalized community members. 

Violette is one of many people at UNB who work to combat different forms of oppression, including white supremacy, ableism and heteronormativity, with the goal of creating a more equitable learning community.  

Media contact: Kelsey Pye
Photo: Nadine Violette