By Lidia Abraha
Ryerson is known as the school of social justice for a reason. Lively debates are all too common on and off campus grounds, with student advocacy taking centre stage in the forms of varying levels of student government and Ryerson equity centres. If you’re taking your first steps on campus in the coming weeks, you’re going to need to find the right support for you on campus.
These services offer great support for Ryerson students, but are not immediately advertised. Most students are unaware of the variety of equity services on campus, which is why we’ve listed them for you.
The Equity Centre on campus is located on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre (SCC) at 55 Gould St. The Equity Centre consists of six centres to choose from: The Racialized Students Collective, which focuses on eliminating racism and xenophobia both on and off campus, as well as the Centre for Women and Trans People, which provides a safe organizing space for self-identified women and trans people.
Also inside the SCC is RyePRIDE, which represents the Queer and Trans voices of Ryerson University, the Good Food Centre, which works to reduce the impacts of food insecurity for all Ryerson community members and RyeACCESS, which works to reclaim our bodies and minds through advocacy, campaigns, outreach, education, and events.
The Sexual Assault Support Survivor Line also acts as one of Ryerson’s six equity centres, with the last being the Trans Collective, whose main goals are to create trans-inclusive classrooms and campus environments, and to sustain a welcoming and respectful community by and for trans people at Ryerson.
Remember: Nothing’s ever perfect, and there’s always more to be done—but even if you don’t hear much about equity after frosh week, it’s important to make time to check out the equity centres, talk to the coordinators, and take advantage of the support systems available and at your disposal.
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