In September 2024, a new Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Office launched at Allard Law.
Supported by a gift from the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the EDI Office works collaboratively with students, faculty and staff to support education, training and initiatives focused on issues such as anti-racism and building an inclusive environment.
Mio Tomisawa (Senior Manager, EDI) and Carlos Nunez (Coordinator, EDI) discussed their team’s work to foster community and belonging at Allard Law.
How will the Allard Law community benefit from the EDI Office?
Nunez: The Allard community benefits in several ways. We aim to create initiatives that foster belonging and understanding, provide resources and support for students facing systemic challenges, and advocate for policies that promote fairness and inclusion. Throughout the year, we offer workshops and training sessions to equip students – as well as staff and faculty – with tools to challenge biases and foster more inclusive environments.
Whether through workshops, events or simply having a safe space to share their experiences, we aim to empower students and help them feel seen and heard.
How does the EDI team support students in feeling a sense of belonging at Allard Law?
Tomisawa: Our team is supporting a number of new initiatives at Allard Law focused on fostering equity and belonging, spanning from efforts to further increase representational diversity in admissions to initiatives that promote inclusion and support students’ academic success.
This year, our office helped support a first-year academic success program with the UBC Black Law Students’ Association and Professor Nikos Harris, hosting a range of workshops covering exam preparation, how to review cases and preparing for moots.
The IDEA Leaders program, which launched in August 2024, is another program that welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to join a cohort of emerging leaders in the legal field. Participants take part in a three-day pre-orientation and are offered year-long programming to support the first-year experience and foster a strong, connected community.
This past year, we also created a centralized repository of EDI resources for students, faculty and staff, offering information and tools related to equity, well-being and building inclusive communities.
What are your team’s current priorities for advancing EDI at Allard Law?
Nunez: Our team’s priorities focus on structural change and community engagement. One of our key goals is to foster a stronger sense of belonging and inclusion for students from equity-deserving groups by creating more consistent and meaningful opportunities for dialogue, feedback and connection.
We also prioritize the development of our faculty and staff. We’re currently planning tailored EDI training sessions that address issues such as gender equity and inclusive pedagogy, designing anti-racist and inclusive curriculum, and creating an inclusive workplace culture. We believe that building capacity across all levels is essential for sustaining cultural and systemic change.
Another major priority is working closely with student affinity groups to ensure that their voices shape our programming and policy development.
Lastly, we’re reviewing internal procedures and practices to identify where inclusion barriers still exist and ensure that equity is embedded in everyday decision-making.
How would you describe your approach to building a more inclusive community?
Tomisawa: Our approach is highly collaborative. Building an inclusive community takes effort from everyone, and we’re making it a priority to work closely with students, faculty and other groups at Allard Law. Since our launch, we’ve hosted a number of listening sessions, where we’ve had candid conversations with students, faculty and staff, which have helped shape our upcoming initiatives and training.
EDI work is not always easy, but I really value being able to build relationships with the community to create changes and opportunities. Seeing the enthusiasm for our office and how we can support students has also been exciting.
We strongly encourage the Allard Law community to get in touch with our team to share ideas for initiatives or events that our office could help collaborate on.
Next week, Allard Law is welcoming our incoming class of JD students at Orientation. How can incoming law students get involved and help contribute to a more inclusive law school community?
Nunez: All students can play a meaningful role in fostering an inclusive law school community. One of the most powerful ways to contribute is by showing up with openness, curiosity and a willingness to learn from others’ lived experiences. That includes being thoughtful about language, actively listening and reflecting on the impact of our actions, even when the intent is positive.
As a new student, you can get involved with student affinity groups – creating solidarity and advocacy spaces for underrepresented communities. These groups often host events, panels and discussions where all students are welcome to participate and learn.
There are also opportunities to work with the EDI Office by volunteering at events, contributing to initiatives like orientation programming or sharing feedback about what inclusion looks like to you. We welcome your ideas, collaboration and insights. This work is ongoing, and everyone has a role to play.
