Réseau de Savoir sur l’Équité | Equity Knowledge Network (RSEKN) is officially launched on November 15, 2017. RSEKN is hosted by the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS).
RSEKN supports six priority themes for communities of practice (CoPs), face-to-face and virtually, bringing together those who share a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusive education from across Ontario.
Co-Directors Professors Ruth Kane, Nathalie Bélanger and Nicholas Ng-A-Fook look forward to supporting Regional Teams across the province to advance the important work of equity and inclusion. RSEKN seeks to create an innovative space for our community and institutional partners to mobilize and leverage research that can make a difference in the lives of marginalized children and youth.
6 Priority Themes 
Regional Teams
RSEKN members are committed to working together to build upon networks and activities already in existence in universities, schools and communities across Ontario. We recognize the intersectionality of RSEKN’s priority themes of: antiracist education; refugee and newcomer education; inclusive education for students with disabilities; minority language within pluralist contexts; and, gender and sexuality education. With this in mind, we have structured the RSEKN into Regional Teams, which will work from existing relationships among faculties of education, school boards, teachers, and community to reach out to additional partners and advance the ways in which we can mobilize knowledge and practices that challenge systemic barriers to marginalized groups. For more details on RSEKN’s Guiding Principles, Priority Themes and Partners, visit RSEKN’s website here.
The RSEKN was launched in Ottawa during a Lead Associate Teacher Day (LATD) at Hillcrest High School (English). The French language launch took place at the University of Ottawa in partnership with their Formation Program. Verna McGregor, a Kitigan Zibi Elder, welcomed the Equity Knowledge Network and participants to the unceded ancestral territories of the First Nations Algonquin people. Dr. Carl James, from York University, was the keynote speaker. Different researchers and community partners from across the province were invited to present a series of workshops to students, teacher candidates, teachers and school administrators.
The French language launch at UOttawa brought together principals, school board personnel and members of the francophone community to discuss shared interests related to the five priority themes in a carousel of workshops. Dr. Paulin Mulatris, Full Professor at the University of Alberta, set the context of the day with a provocative keynote talk focused on the experiences of francophone newcomers to Canada.
A highlight of both days was the “poetic interludes” provided by six talented and provocative spoken word poets whose work challenged and called upon us to question our thinking and practices when working with marginalized children and youth. Topics ranged from colonization and reconciliation, racism in Canada, bilingualism and French identity, homosexuality and non-binary gender identities, mental health, and student well-being.
RSEKN: In the Media!
Click here to read the Ministry of Education’s press release about the Equity Knowledge Network.
Click here to read the uOttawa Media Relations press release.
Click here to read the RSEKN Launch Booklet.
Equity Knowledge Network (RSEKN), hosted by the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services (CRECS), is a provincial multi-stakeholder bilingual knowledge mobilization network that brings equity innovators together in order to stimulate activities and support product development that can be used to break down current systemic barriers to children and youth from marginalized groups. Email: Twitter: @KNAER_RSEKN