BIPOC Creatives Community Research Project (Cohort #2)

BIPOC Creative Association:

The BIPOC Creative Association looks to reclaim Black and Indigenous voices. They seek to empower talented creatives and take back their spaces within the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia. Together, the BIPOC Creative Association marks the beginning of reform for Black and Indigenous creatives.  Through advocating for representation and the equal and ethical distribution of wealth, the BIPOC Creative Association will work together to create opportunities and spaces for BIPOC creatives to come together.  They seek to bring communities to the forefront of the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia, an industry in which BIPOC creatives have historically and systemically been marginalized.                                    

Racism is inclusive of the body, cultural, psychological, and institutional impacts it has on the conditioning of the human mind and experience. Representation of Black and Indigenous creatives and leadership is often excluded from a seat at the table. As an industry, they have to work to unpack and understand the machinery that continues to benefit from the richness of our artistry, while simultaneously removing themselves from the forefront of creative progress. Within the context of Vancouver, Black and Indigenous artists are systematically disenfranchised voices within Vancouver arts and culture. 

The BIPOC Creative Association is a newly formed organization.  Culture Day, their first event on July 1st 2020, brought together members of communities in a celebration and protest. Moving forward, they aim to continue with organizing events, ensuring that artists are being paid fairly for their work, gaining exposure, and having a place to gather and create connections. Furthermore, they aim to expand to have a physical space for artists to come together. Safe studio and gathering spaces for Black and Indigenous artists have all but disappeared, and the organization seeks to bring back these spaces to ensure artists can excel together in the community. 

Student Opportunity:

This student engagement opportunity will be undertaken by a team of 3-4 BIPOC students who will spend 4-6 hours each week during the months of Term 2 (Jan- Apr 2021) to work on PHASE II of a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) project.  The first cohort (PHASE I) began this project in the Fall of 2020.  The second cohort, for which we are now recruiting, will build upon the work of the previous group by addressing the research questions below.

Participatory action research has the dual purpose of undertaking an in-depth analysis or study and then purposefully working towards transformative change on the identified issue. This project further approaches the CPAR process through a decolonizing lens that prioritizes an ethical framework that foregrounds BIPOC ways of knowing.  Through this CPAR project, BIPOC-CA seeks to understand and act upon the following questions:

1. Explore the interconnection and lived experience of physical and psychological safety for BIPOC Creatives pre- and during COVID-19.
2. Increase awareness and understanding of BIPOC Creative’s unique lived experiences of practicing in the Vancouver Arts and Culture sector;
3. Empower the entrepreneurship and leadership of BIPOC Creatives through healing workshops based on input gathered from our community through the CPAR study.
4. Identify, name and advocate for transformative changes necessary to address systemic racism and discrimination in the sector, in part, through the collection of race-based participatory data.

Expectations:

• Attending a series of ORICE facilitated group sessions. 
• Maintaining frequent communication with BIPOC-CA and taking leadership from the organization research coordinator.
• Collaborating with team members to create and follow through on a work plan, milestones, and outputs

Key responsibilities:

• Conduct a literature review to help inform further phases of the CPAR study.
• Conduct a review (environmental scan) of the cultural fabric in Vancouver e.g. number of BIPOC creative features in commercial galleries, creative pockets etc.
• Design and pilot participatory tools for community-based research.
• Identify and support grant writing for funds that will help to further the vision of BIPOC-CA as it relates to the mission of the organization and research being undertaken.
• Provide a final report detailing work completed in the study to date with recommendations for subsequent phases of the CPAR study. Note: This is an unpaid, research opportunity

Involvement dates: January 15th – April 2nd, 2021 (12 weeks)

Ethics of Engagement:

UBC ORICE is committed to embedding anti-oppression and social justice in our daily work and ongoing projects. Students are encouraged and expected to consider how they can apply an anti-oppression and social justice lens when producing and/or using the developed content through ORICE, as well as utilize connections between community-based organizations, academics, and government. This might include, but is not limited to, ensuring the incorporation of the ongoing and often unrecognized work of organizations advocating for justice for minorities, particularly during the current pandemic, engaging with the politics of citation in including and citing the work of non-white scholars and other researchers among other ideas. 

Eligibility:

• Open to Indigenous UBC undergraduate (with 60 credits by September 2020) and graduate students (domestic or international). Recent graduates are welcome to apply, but priority will be given to current UBC students.
• Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers and attend all meetings remotely.
• Demonstrate ability to think critically and creatively, but also be open to learning from and understanding different perspectives.  
• Prior knowledge about, or interest, in the creative sector.
• Prior experience or interest in critical participatory action research or participatory projects.

Timeline

• Deadline: January 12th, 2021 @ 11.59pm PST
• Successful candidates contacted by: On a rolling basis
• Short interviews: On a rolling basis
• Project dates: January 15th – April 2nd, 2021

How to apply

Applications have been extended for individuals who identify as Indigenous, please fill out the application form here. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and will close once positions are filled.

Follow us on social media (@ubc_orice) to find out about future program offerings! Please reach out to us at ubc.orice@ubc.ca if you have any questions.

BIPOC Creative Association:

The BIPOC Creative Association looks to reclaim Black and Indigenous voices. They seek to empower talented creatives and take back their spaces within the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia. Together, the BIPOC Creative Association marks the beginning of reform for Black and Indigenous creatives.  Through advocating for representation and the equal and ethical distribution of wealth, the BIPOC Creative Association will work together to create opportunities and spaces for BIPOC creatives to come together.  They seek to bring  communities to the forefront of the Arts and Culture industry in British Columbia, an industry in which historically and systemically face marginalization.                                    

Racism is inclusive of the body, cultural, psychological, and institutional impacts its conditioning of the human mind and experience. Representation of Black and Indigenous creatives and leadership is excluded from a seat at the table. As an industry, they have to work to unpack and understand the machinery that continues to benefit from the richness of our artistry, while simultaneously removing themselves from the forefront of creative progress. Within the context of Vancouver, Black and Indigenous artists are systematically disenfranchised voices within Vancouver Arts and Culture. 

The BIPOC Creative Association is a newly formed organization.  Culture Day, their first event on July 1st 2020, brought together members of communities in a celebration and protest. Moving forward, they aim to continue with organizing events, ensuring that artists are being paid fairly for their work, gaining exposure, and having a place to gather and create connections. Furthermore, they aim to expand to have a physical space for artists to come together. Safe studio and gathering spaces for Black and Indigenous artists have all but disappeared, they will work to bring back these spaces so our artists can excel together in community. 

Student Opportunity:

This student engagement opportunity will be undertaken by a team of 3-4 BIPOC students who will spend 4-6 hours each week during the months of October and November 2020 on PHASE I of the following critical participatory action research (CPAR) project.  Participatory action research has the dual purpose of undertaking an in-depth analysis or study and then purposefully working towards transformative change on the identified issue.  This CPAR process will be further guided by a decolonizing lens that prioritizes an ethical framework that foregrounds BIPOC ways of knowing.  Through this CPAR project, BIPOC-CA seeks to understand and act upon the following questions:

The purpose of this research study is to:

1. Explore the interconnection and lived experience of physical and psychological safety for BIPOC Creatives pre and during COVID-19.
2. Increase awareness and understanding of BIPOC Creatives unique lived experiences practicing in the Vancouver Arts and Culture sector;
3. Empower entrepreneurial and leadership of BIPOC Creatives through healing workshops based on the input of our community gathered through the CPAR study.
4. Identify, name and advocate for transformative changes necessary to address systemic racism and discrimination in the sector, in part, through the collection of race based participatory data.

Expectations:

• Attending weekly ORICE facilitated sessions. 
• Maintaining frequent communication with BIPOC-CA and taking leadership from the organization research coordinator.
• Collaborating with team members to create and follow through on a work plan, milestones, and outputs

Key responsibilities:

• Conduct a literature review to help inform further phases of the CPAR study.
• Conduct a review (environmental scan) of the cultural fabric in Vancouver e.g. number of BIPOC creative featured in commercial galleries, creative pockets etc.
• Design and pilot participatory tools for community based research.
• Identify and support grant writing for funds that will help to further the vision of BIPOC-CA as it relates to the mission of the organization and research being undertaken.
• Provide a final report detailing work completed in the study to date with recommendations for subsequent phases of the CPAR studyNote: This is an unpaid, research opportunity

Involvement dates:

October 1 2020 – December 5, 2020*

OR  October 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021

 *Students able to commit to both terms are preferred to maintain continuity in the development of the study but students available will still be considered.

Ethics of Engagement:

UBC ORICE is committed to embedding anti-oppression and social justice in our daily work and ongoing projects. Students are encouraged and expected to consider how they can apply an anti-oppression and social justice lens when producing and or using the developed content through ORICE, as well as utilize connections between community-based organizations, academics, and government. This might include, but is not limited to, ensuring the incorporation of the ongoing and often unrecognized work of organizations advocating for justice for minorities, particularly during the pandemic; or engaging with the politics of citation in including and citing the work of non-white scholars and other researchers. 

Eligibility:

• Open to all BIPOC UBC undergraduate (with 60 credits by September 2020) and graduate students (domestic or international). Recent graduates are welcome to apply but priority will be given to current UBC students.
• Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers and attend all meetings remotely;
• Demonstrate ability to think critically and creatively 
• Prior knowledge about or interest in the creative sector.
• Prior experience or interest in critical participatory action research or participatory projects.

Timeline

• Successful short-listed candidates contacted by: September 23, 2020
• Short interviews: September 24-28, 2020
• Offers sent by: September 29, 2020
• Project dates: October 1, 2020 – December 4, 2020OR October 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021

How to apply

Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting applications.

Deadline: September 20, 2020 @ 11.59pm PST

Overview:

Citizen science is the practice of involving members of the public in collecting data and participating in data monitoring programs, generally in collaboration with professional scientists and researchers, but also with community-based organizations¹. There have been numerous calls for the collection of disaggregated data along multiple axes of identity, many of which have been amplified by the current COVID-19 pandemic. This includes calls to collect race-based data²; sex-disaggregated data³; data including Indigenous communities⁴; those who are differently-abled⁵; and those in the LGBTQI/2S community⁶; among others. Less well understood or addressed are the ways in which this kind of data collection fails to incorporate the social construction of race as a category⁷; the politics of collecting identity-disaggregated data⁸; the ways in which context can be stripped from datasets⁹; the effects of surveillance on populations and communities¹⁰; and how public citizens might be called into these activities on a voluntary basis¹¹. Some of these latter concepts might be held under a “data justice” conceptual umbrella in which “…fairness in the way people are made visible, represented and treated as a result of their production of digital data is necessary to determine ethical paths through a datafying world”¹².

The calls to action around intersectional, community-based data collection seek to serve various communities, to ensure services and funding reach them, that their voices and opinions are meaningfully involved in research and data collection, that barriers to necessary services are addressed and lowered, and to understand and mitigate inequities exacerbated by a research paradigm not always suited to community concerns and needs. With this in mind, how might the principles of data justice within citizen science operate in this space?¹³ How might community organizations center data justice in their citizen science projects? 

It is to explore the many follow-up questions flowing from those above that the Gender+ in Research Collective(UBC ORICE) launched a Research Engagementship in which multiple cohorts will begin and build on each others’ work addressing these questions, learning about data justice and citizen science, and how community organizations might engage with these concepts. The first cohort conducted their work in the Summer of 2020. After attending teach-ins, workshops, and conducting their own research on how the concepts of intersectionality, including the social constructions of race, gender, and ability, are engaged in citizen science, this cohort generated an academic brief and a community ‘guide’ for community organizations wishing to mobilize citizen science in their work. The second cohort, for which we are now in active recruitment, will aim to advance the work of the previous group through addressing the research questions below.

Research Questions:

(Note: further involvement with these questions will require extensive engagement with the work of Cohort #1 students in this project, details of which will be provided.)

1. How might we understand the differences between citizen science, community-based participatory research (CBPR), and principles of data justice? How might we think about embedding principles of data justice into citizen science projects done by community organizations? 
2. What might a ‘starting guide’ look like for community organizations interested in citizen science? How might we ensure accessibility for community organizations through the use of plain language and translation of academic jargon? How might we incorporate concepts of power, inequity and intersectionality into this space? And how might we be critical about what citizen science promises, and what it might lack? 

Scope:

Building on the work of Cohort #1, this project will begin by developing a basic understanding of citizen science, data justice, community-based participatory research and their engagement with intersectional frameworks. 

Over 8 weeks from October 5th to November 27th, a team of 5-6 students will spend 2-4 hours each week to critically analyze work already conducted by the first cohort of this project. Cohort 1 students have defined citizen science and begun the process of outlining data justice principles and concepts engaged in what academics know as community-based participatory research (CBPR). Students in this second cohort will be tasked with advancing the ‘guide’ for community organizations seeking to mobilize citizen science in their work. To conduct this work, students will be asked to engage in various activities, including but not limited to, participating in weekly scheduled calls, webinars and teach-ins, surveying academic, organizational, and government grey literature, and leading their own research and user testing with community organizations. 

It is important to note that this is Cohort #2 of a project which will likely involve 5 phases. Students, therefore, should not expect to implement a project with community organizations at this stage of the process. Nor are they expected to entirely complete the guide. Rather, a key outcome is to ensure clarity of the guide for a non-academic audience.

Deliverables:

At the end of the 8-week period, students will be asked to give a short 20-30 minute presentation to the Gender+ in Research Collective on their findings and how they relate to the defined research questions. Additionally, students will be asked to research and produce principles as to what a community guide should look like and how the current guide on citizen science has been adapted through their community consultations and recommendations for further adaptations. As mentioned above, this is Cohort #2 of a five-part project: students are not expected to entirely complete the community guide, but to critically engage with the work of Cohort #1 and to move the project forward in an incremental and meaningful way. While the program’s facilitators will create a program structure for the first half of the project, students will be given the flexibility to co-design and modify their final outcomes as they deem relevant and in coordination with ORICE project managers. 

Academic integration:

Please note this is a not-for-credit unpaid research opportunity. If you are interested in making this a student-directed study course, please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca to discuss the process to explore this option.

Anti-Racism and Ethics of Engagement:

The Gender+ in Research Collective and the Office for Regional and International Community Engagement (UBC ORICE) are committed to embedding anti-racism in our daily work and ongoing projects. Students are encouraged and expected to consider how they can take an anti-racist lens to the work they produce around citizen science, data collection and use, and connections between community-based organizations, academics, and government. This might include, but is not limited to, ensuring the incorporation of the ongoing and often unrecognized work of organizations advocating for justice for minorities, particularly during the pandemic; or engaging with the politics of citation in including and citing the work of non-white scholars and other researchers. 

Eligibility

• Be an undergraduate or graduate student (domestic or international) at the University of British Columbia with 60 or more completed credits as of September 1st, 2020. (Recent grads are welcome to apply but priority will be given to current undergraduate students);
• Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers and attend all meetings remotely;
• Demonstrate ability to think critically and creatively 
• Prior knowledge about or interest in citizen science, data justice, gender intersectionality, and community-based data collection initiatives an asset, but not necessary

How to apply

Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting applications.

Deadline: September 20, 2020 @ 11.59pm PST
Successful candidates contacted by: September 23rd, 2020
Short interviews by: September 29th, 2020
Project dates: October 5th, 2020 – November 27th, 2020

Please reach out to us at ubc.orice@ubc.ca if you have any questions.

About the Gender+ in Research Collective:

The Gender+ in Research Collective works to promote a community for rich dialogue in which gender and other intersections, including race, Indigeneity, class, sexuality and ability (among other intersections of identity), are considered when conducting community-based research. The Collective focuses on capacity building and providing the tools researchers need to utilize a gender+ lens. The Collective is housed within and supported by the UBC Office for Regional and International Community Engagement (UBC ORICE).

_________________________

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_science; https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/citizen-science/; https://www.citizenscience.org/about-3/values/
2 https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/04/30/Race-Matters-Pandemic-Data/
3 https://globalhealth5050.org/covid19/; https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-without-gender-data-we-leave-critical-covid-19-clues-on-the-table-97110; https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/covid-19-gender-data-resources-sarah-boyd/
4 https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/indigenous-covid-19-data-collection-1.5563433
5 https://www.casda.ca/covid-19-data-coordination-response/; https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/research-disabilities
6 https://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-and-psb-research-release-data-on-economic-impact-of-covid-19-on-lgbtq; https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/researchers-scramble-to-inform-doctors-of-barriers-lgbtq-people-face-in-getting-covid-19-care-1.4913848; https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lawmakers-urge-trump-administration-collect-data-lgbtq-covid-19-patients-n1211641
7 https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-its-impact-cannot-be-explained-away-through-the-prism-of-race-138046;
8 https://www.citylab.com/equity/2015/02/the-tragedy-of-canadas-census/385846/; https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/october-2018/the-role-of-statistics-canada-in-a-post-truth-world/
9 https://civicsoftwarefoundation.org/posts/structured-context-data-feminism; http://datafeminism.io
10 https://ccla.org/coronavirus-update-data-surveillance/
11 https://www.covidnearyou.org/ca/en-CA/
12 Taylor, L. (2017). What is data justice? The case for connecting digital rights and freedoms globally. Big Data & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951717736335
13 https://blog.ucsusa.org/science-blogger/funding-equitable-scientific-research-after-covid?_ga=2.222074577.859762065.1591292535-1839320598.1591292535

The Gender+ in Research Collective acknowledges that we organize, research, and learn on unceded traditional  xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) territory. We understand that both gender and research have been used as tools of colonization on these lands, and commit to working towards disentangling gender+ research from colonialism and Indigenous genocide.

What is the SDG Praxis Institute?

UBC Office of Regional and International Community Engagement (ORICE) in partnership with the BC Council For International Cooperation (BCCIC) is hosting The Praxis Institute 2020 with a strong focus on the transformational potential of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at the nexus of theory and action. The theme of the SDG Praxis Institute 2020 is Shock, System Change and Agency, designed to develop critical student engagement with the SDGs focusing on system shock, transformational change and application of innovative solutions into policy. While COVID-19 presents as a clear shock, our collective analysis will both include and consider system change and agency beyond the global pandemic. As this course commits to praxis, participants will learn and work in teams throughout the course preparing to transform their learning into action. Each week, participants will interact with a variety of guest speakers who are academics, practitioners and advocates as we examine and apply the concepts of transformative change, systems change, shock and agency. Nearing the end of the course, teams will meet and present their thoughts and work with senior Canadian federal government officials on an SDG sensitive COVID-19 recovery and how best to accelerate the “decade of action” under the current circumstances toward a more resilient future. (This is NOT a UBC credit course. However, this co-curricular course is open to all UBC students in 3^rd  year and above with financial awards available for students from the Faculty of Arts.)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Understand and apply the concept of “system shock” (in the context of the SDGs) and provide examples;
• Understand and apply the concept of ‘transformational change’ and how it occurs;
• Define, and examine ‘agency’ (collective / individual) during times of shock/systems change;
• Analyze the interrelatedness of the SDGs, how they are being used at various levels (country, international) using a systems thinking approach.
•  Deliver a succinct evidence-based and compelling presentation to senior government officials and policymakers.

Please note that this is not an academic course. You will NOT receive course credit for being in the SDG Praxis Institute.

Program duration: July 7 – August 21, 2020 (7 weeks)

Program cost: $250

Students will be automatically be covered for the full program cost with a financial award if they meet the following criteria:

• Registered UBC student in the Faculty of Arts
• Completed 60 credits of undergraduate coursework (3rd or 4th year standing)
• Have a minimum GPA of 70% in the top 21 credits of the previous academic year.
• Students who do not meet these criteria are welcome to apply but would need to pay the program fee upon acceptance of the offer.

Eligibility

• Must be a registered UBC student with more than 60 credits of undergraduate coursework completed as of May 1st, 2020 (open to undergraduate and graduate students)
• Must be able to commit to attending the full program including weekly sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-12:00pm PST
  • July 7th, 9th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 30th
  • August 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th, 20th
• Must be able to commit to regular group work throughout the program

Requirements

We are looking for individuals who have:

• An openness to exploring inner dimensions of change (Transformational Change);
• A passion and commitment to Sustainable Development, social justice, environmentalism, global citizenship and/or community engagement;
• Potential to experience personal growth in leadership and social change from this program;
• Potential and commitment to impact—putting what is learned through the Praxis Institute into practice in the course and beyond.

We encourage applications from individuals who identify as women, Indigenous, Black, low income, immigrant/refugee, LGBTQ2S+, living with a disability, or other members of minority groups. We also encourage applications from individuals who have faced barriers to participating in programs like this.

How to apply

Round 1 deadline: June 25th, 2020 @ 11.59pm PST.
Round 2 deadline: June 28th, 2020 @ 11.59pm PST.
Successful candidates contacted by & short interviews: week of June 29th
Program begins: Jul 7

The deadline was June 28th 11:59pm PST and we are no longer accepting applications. Successful applicants will hear back early July.

Contact

The SDG Praxis Institute 2020 is hosted by the BC Council For International Cooperation (BCCIC) and the UBC Office of Regional International Community Engagement (ORICE). Please email ubc.orice@ubc.ca if you have any questions or queries.