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

Marking Black History Month beyond February

by
Illustration of a calendar showing February. It reads "Black History Month" at the top. Each day has an illustration of a different person or event on it.

Black History Month is over, but we’re taking the time to look back on some of the important figures and dates throughout the month. While we mark Black history for one month, it’s important to acknowledge the massive contributions of these Black individuals and countless more every day of the year. This illustration by CHASI … Read more

CHASI recognized at B.C. Legislature

by
Members of the CHASI team pose in front of flags in the BC Legislature Building

On February 22, CHASI had the incredible honour of being introduced in the B.C. legislature by the Honourable Pam Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission and B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture and Food. We are incredibly thankful to Minister Alexis, her staff, and the team at the legislature who made this happen. With UFV’s 50th anniversary just around … Read more

International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust

by
Black and white illustration of many Romani people of all ages. A black and red monster with many teeth and eyes is in the foreground seemingly ready to devour them all.

Today is the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. CHASI artist Sharon Strauss took the time to create these two powerful pieces in commemoration. Porajmos: “The Devouring” A Romani word coined by Ian Hancock in 1990, “The Devouring” encapsulates the deliberate and often forgotten genocide of the Romani people … Read more

CHASIcast 13: Dr. Iris Lesser on post-partum bodies and activity

by
Photo of Dr. Iris Lesser sitting at a podcasting microphone, holding up a poster recruiting participants to one of her studies. A quote overlaying the bottom of the image reads: “Not only are you trying to figure out how to raise a child, but there’s also this societal expectation that you figure it out, and you turn back into who you were.”

This episode, the CHASIcast examines the post-partum complications they don’t talk about. Join host Dr. Martha Dow, along with Dr. Iris Lesser, associate professor at UFV’s School of Kinesiology (and CHASI faculty associate), as they examine how pregnancy and physical activity interact, in a world that’s all about body image. The CHASIcast is available to … Read more

CHASIcast 12: Chelsea Klassen on the academic folklore of Taylor Swift

by
Photo showing Chelsea Klassen and Dr. Martha Dow speaking into microphones. A quote attributed to Chelsea reads: “Looking at celebrity and controversy, how do we conceptualise the controversy that happened with the VMAs? How do we understand heroes and villains in popular culture? How do we talk about race?” End of quote. Beneath, Chelsea’s titles are listed as “Lead Researcher, Community Health and Social Innovation Hub” and “Sessional Instructor, School of Social Justice and Global Stewardship.”

The new year brings something sweeter than fiction, as the CHASIcast examines the surprisingly academic folklore hidden behind a pop culture juggernaut. Join host Dr. Martha Dow and CHASI’s lead researcher Chelsea Klassen as they tackle the sociological and psychological facets of Taylor Swift’s work, and how her fearless advocacy and engaging relationship with her … Read more

Dr. Carin Bondar: Living in a Post-Truth Society — identifying misinformation online

by
Photo of Dr. Carin Bondar presenting on stage. The screen shows a slide which reads "Navigating in a post-truth society: tips to decipher fact vs fiction online. Dr. Carin Bondar, Science Communication, UFV." A large graphic shows the letters FA, with the second half of the word as both CT (spelling fact) and KE (spelling fake).

Presented by the Rotary Club of Abbotsford Sumas and UFV’s Community Health and Social Innovation Hub, Exploring Equity is a series of conversations around advancing equity in our community. On November 30, 2023, Dr. Carin Bondar, presented a talk titled Living in a Post-Truth Society — tips and techniques to identify misinformation online. That presentation … Read more

UFV Faculty bring university lectures to Pacific Institution

by
Photo of CHASI's wall mural, a large painting of a blue-toned person holding up their hands like scales. Above one hand is the word "together" and above the other is "empowered."

Throughout the fall, professors from a range of disciplines at the University of the Fraser Valley are sharing their knowledge with the individuals who are currently incarcerated at Pacific Institution in Abbotsford BC. The initiative is a joint undertaking by UFV’s College of Arts and the Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI), alongside the … Read more