Executive Director of the Black Opportunity Fund Craig Wellington and Queens University Associate Vice-Principal of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Stephanie Simpson will come together to discuss the implications of racism to one’s mental health.

This conversation will interrogate the nuances of racism and expose the realities of racial trauma in the workplace and other social settings. The audience will gain knowledge on what to do when experiencing racial trauma and how to find ones way towards healing and recovery.

Stephanie Simpson has been a member of the Human Rights Office at Queen’s University since 1996, starting in the portfolios of anti-racism advisor and education coordinator and increasing in responsibility since. She was most recently appointed in November 2018 as the Associate Vice Principal (Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion). In this role, Stephanie leads the Human Rights and Equity Office and plays a key role in fostering both competence and legislative compliance around matters such as inclusivity, diversity, accessibility, human rights, and equity on Queen’s campus. Stephanie has also supported inclusivity and equity efforts in the Kingston community through her roles with the Black Inmates and Friends group; her consultation and education services efforts with organizations such as Interval House, Limestone District School Board and Kingston General Hospital; and her role on the Kingston Immigration Partnership Operations Committee where she represents Queen’s.

Stephanie holds a BA (Honours), B.Ed. and MEd from Queen’s, and is in the process of completing her LLM at Queen’s. During her academic career she was active as a student in the African Caribbean Students Association, the Southern Africa Solidarity Group, and was a founding member of the Queen's Black History Collective. An engaged community member, she is a founding member and past Co-ordinator of Black History Month Kingston and is a longstanding member of the Black Inmates and Friends Assembly. Stephanie currently represents Queen's on the Kingston Immigration Partnership Operations Committee and is past Chair of the Board of Directors of Kingston Employment and Youth Services.

Stephanie is a sought after speaker on issues related to anti-racism, anti-oppression, social justice and domestic human rights. She has provided consultation and education services to a wide range of community partners and has been a well-respected leader on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Queen’s for many years.