Project 126

Project Summary

Rick Riodran, the author of the Percy Jackson series, once said, “Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need.” Have Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies actually changed the way individuals behave and society functions? What other initiatives or actions could be needed? What are the contemporary challenges of implementing EDI policies? How might the principles of Universal Design be used when extending EDI policies? The author of Les Miserables, Victor Hugo observed, “Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just.” If good intentions are not enough, what else needs to be changed in the way EDI policies are currently implemented? How might viewing history through a social justice lens revolutionize an individual’s or a community’s point of view?

The research team for this project will research the historical, political and social aspect of EDI initiatives and policies with the intent of generating new practices and perspectives on the future of EDI informed by principles of Universal Design. The research team for this project may be composed of individuals with interests or specialization in engineering, political science, public administration, design, social policy, social work, equity studies, communication & media studies, history, and gender studies.

Sustainable Development Goals

Organizational Profile

Founded in 1951, The University Women’s Club of North York is a thriving club with over 200 members who represent a wide variety of interests, disciplines, and professional achievements. The club advocates for a number of causes, including the improvement of the status of women, solutions to gender-based violence, human rights, the pursuit of knowledge and education, long-term care reform, guaranteed basic income, housing, gun control, early learning, and childcare. UWCNY raises funds for local, national, and international charities, raising over $12,000 for various causes and awarding $17,000 in women’s scholarships in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.