On February 26, Irfan Chaudhry became the first director of MacEwan University’s Office of Human Rights, Diversity and Equity.
Creating this office is the outcome of an idea sparked in 2016, when Michelle Plouffe, MacEwan’s general counsel and vice-president, governance, realized the university was missing a resource for students facing discrimination.
“People are experiencing discrimination, hate, violence and injustice because of who they are, and that’s not acceptable,” says Irfan. “I want students to understand this isn’t just historical, or happening in another country or another province – it’s happening here. So let's collectively work together to address it.”
For Irfan, this is collaborative work that involves listening to students, celebrating diversity and, ultimately, building a MacEwan with students, faculty and staff who are human rights champions both within and outside these walls.
