News

As of June 2, 2025, University of Waterloo students and employees have the option to set or add pronouns (i.e., words we use to replace someone’s name in a sentence, such as “he”, “she”, or “they”) to their Microsoft 365 profile card (the card with your picture or initials in the circle). It may take up to 24 hours before this feature is visible on your Microsoft 365 profile card.

In Canada, we celebrate Asian Heritage Month during the month of May, an initiative introduced in the 1990s and made official by Senator Vivienne Poy in 2001. The Asian population of Canada has established itself over the past two centuries, adding to Canada’s rich diversity across the provinces.  

The Government of Canada’s theme for Asian Heritage Month 2025 is: “Unity in Diversity: The Impact of Asian Communities in Shaping Canadian Identity”. This theme recognizes the profound and enduring ways in which Asian communities have helped shape Canada’s social fabric. From the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway by Chinese labourers in the1880s, to the election of Douglas Jung as the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament in 1957, to trailblazing figures like Adrienne Clarkson, the first Asian Canadian Governor General.

Muslims across the globe are celebrating the Holy month of Ramadan this March. Ramadan began in Canada on March 1, 2025, and many members of the University of Waterloo Muslim community are observing this month of fasting and prayers.

What is Ramadan/ Ramzan about?

Ramadan/ Ramzan is a sacred month for the Muslim faith, where those observing it refrain from any food and water from dawn to sunset. This would translate to 12.5-hours to 14-hours long fasts (accounting for the varying sunrise and sunset times through the course of this month). Muslims dedicate the month (which can be 29 or 30 days long) to fasting, charity, spiritual reflection, seeking forgiveness and bonding with community. They often engage in long late-night prayers. Most people understand that Muslims may be a little low on energy during the day, but most don’t know that they also might be sleep-deprived

Fostering belonging and inclusion for the Muslim community on campus

In keeping with University of Waterloo’s values of inclusivity and working together, here are some practices that foster the feeling of belonging within the Muslim community on campus.

Today marks International Pronouns Day, an annual event that raises awareness on the importance of respecting and using individuals' chosen pronouns. Observed on the third Wednesday of October each year since its inception in 2018, the day encourages the proper use of pronouns and their role in affirming identities to create an inclusive society. 

On January 18, the Princess Twin Cinema became the stage for an interactive screening of Stephen King’s 'Carrie,' marking a unique approach to sparking conversations around menstruation and challenging societal taboos. The event was hosted by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti Racism, the Women’s Centre and Changing the Flow, and was a captivating intersection of horror cinema and societal discourse. 

From September 25, 2023, to November 24, 2023, the UWaterloo’s Sankofa Network for Transformative Community Research (SNTCR), in collaboration with the University of Waterloo Library, embarked on a mission to enrich the Sankara Pan-African Library. The resounding success of our Book Drive was made possible by the generous contributions and collective efforts of our vibrant community. We are thrilled to share that a total of 48 books were donated to this initiative.

The impact of these contributions extends far beyond the pages of a single book. By supporting the Sankara Pan-African Library, we are participating in a movement that strengthens communities and amplifies subaltern voices while pursing the decolonization of knowledge.

This season of the Amplify Podcast is a dedicated platform for University of Waterloo students to openly discuss the challenges they face in navigating academia while holding marginalized identities. This space is one to honour their journeys, discover supports and allow those of us at the margins to see our stories centered.

Following years of campaigning by Black lawmakers and community advocates, in 2021, the government of Canada federally recognized August 1, as Emancipation Day, and the month of August, as Emancipation Month.

While it was less than 200 years ago, in 1834, that the British Empire ended the practice of slavery in the former British colonies, which included Canada, many Canadians are unaware that Black and Indigenous peoples were once enslaved here.

June 1, 2020

To our Waterloo Community,

We acknowledge and accept responsibility for our silence on the issues of anti-black racism and hatred on our campuses. HREI wanted to ensure our statement came with tangible, coordinated actions, but we regret that we were not more responsive and thank our campus community for their continued honesty and for holding us accountable. We commit to doing better.

After a record number of submissions, the 2020 HeForShe Writing Contest winners have been selected.