Banner showing a group of people sitting at a table and standing at a white board, actively having a discussion.

CHASI artist reflects on environmental emergencies

Illustration showing a hand in close-up. The hand is holding what appears to be a mixture of an hour glass and a wine glass. There is a dark brownish-red liquid in the top, pouring down into the lower portion on top of unidentifiable creatures and a human skeleton. The person hold the glass has a ruby and gold encrusted cufflink, and is wearing a formal suit.

After a summer of climate emergencies, CHASI artist-in-residence Sharon Strauss was inspired to reflect on the state of our environment with these to pieces. “Endless Ocean” “Glass of Time” Sharon writes: “I fear for the animals, the Earth, the people. Just as much, I fear we have lived under the looming “point of no return” … Read more

UFV gathers in solidarity with Afghan women

Photo of members of the CHASI team standing together together holding protest signs, talking to one another as they wait for the speeches to begin.

On Thursday, August 15th, members of the UFV and Fraser Valley community gathered to commemorate three years since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Women in Afghanistan have been banned from attending university since December 2022 and high school since September 2021. Now, girls older than Grade 3 are banned from attending to school. This event … Read more

CHASI contributes knowledge to B.U.I.L.D.S. Project

A video still of a title card that reads "Community Based Research Guide, Presented by CHASI"

The Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub was pleased to partner with DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society to support their BIPOC Unified Inclusive Leading Organization Development for South Fraser (B.U.I.L.D.S.) project. The project supports “grassroots BIPOC organizations to help grow their services and impact in the community by accessing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) … Read more

UFV Walk-Out for Afghan Women — August 15, 2024

On Thursday August 15th at 12:00pm we will gather to commemorate three years since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Afghan women have been banned from attending university since December 2022 and high school since September 2021. Now, girls older than Grade 3 are banned from attending to school. This event will demonstrate UFV’s support for Afghan … Read more

Pride 2024 Art

Illustration of a brick wall with words spray painted on it, including bigotry, hate, and others that aren't fully in view. A figure with long hear and a skirt and their back to the camera is swinging a giant paintbrush forcefully, spreading a bright rainbow across the words and blocking them out.

“Art, to me, is fundamentally about expression: ideas, emotion, and defiance. I think these are similar to the goals of Pride. It is celebration and protest, a way to be seen and change the way people see us, a chance to be us, unapologetically” – Sharon Strauss, CHASI Artist-In-Residence

CHASI brings pride Tea Dance back to UFV for second year

Photo of drag queen Kendall Gender posing for the camera, while Tea Dance attendees look on and smile. Colourful rainbow decorations hang from the ceiling.

CHASI and the UFV Pride Collective were thrilled to host our second annual Pride Tea Dance on Thursday, June 20, celebrating both Pride month and UFV’s 50th Anniversary. The gathering at UFV’s Abbotsford’s K Building Patio brought together students, employees, and members of the community to dance and mingle for a day filled with music, … Read more

CHASI team shares research at Pacific Sociological Association

Photo of the 12 members of the CHASI team on stage posing for a photo. Dr. Martha Dow holds an award certificate. Four people are wearing CHASI-branded sweatshirts, and all have conference name badges on.

The Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI) had the privilege of attending the 95th Pacific Sociological Association (PSA) Conference in San Diego, California, from March 21–24, 2024. CHASI’s team of faculty, students, and staff was well represented, with 12 members of the team in attendance, and most giving presentations. The conference was an excellent … Read more

Intervening on Disability Discrimination: Best Practices for Community Leaders

Photo from the event. It shows multiple tables with audience members sitting around them, watching a speaker at a podium with a presentation projected behind them. Each table has an assortment of papers and handouts on it. The podium reads "National Accessibility Week 2024."

On Thursday, May 30, 2024, team members from the Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub attended the 2024 National Accessibility Week Dialogue titled “Intervening on Disability Discrimination: Best Practices for Community Leaders.” We would like to extend our thanks to Mainland Community Services Society for hosting this event. We would also like to thank … Read more

Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Colourful illustration of a woman sitting in a clam shell, reminiscent of Botticelli's Birth of Venus. She has dark brown skin and long flowing black hair, and wears a yellow wrap that leaves her back and arms exposed. Along her back and arms are intricate tattooed patterns — Batok, as described in this post's caption. Her eyes are closed and she has an expression of peace or joy as she raises one arm up towards a wave of water or clouds in the abstract background.

May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and as it draws to a close, we share this beautiful piece by CHASI artist-in-residence Sharon Strauss. Writing about this piece, Sharon says: “Batok is an indigenous Filipino style of tattooing that predates the colonization of the Philippines. It is traditionally done by hand-tapping the ink into … Read more