BLSA-Ottawa Condemns UWindsor’s Discriminatory Treatment of Jordan Afolabi and Other Black Students

The UOttawa Black Law Student’s Association has issued a statement of solidarity with the demands of Jordan Afolabi and the Windsor Black Law Students Association (BLSA-Windsor) calling on the University of Windsor to adequately address multiple recent incidents of campus anti-black discrimination. Jordan Afolabi and the BLSA have repeatedly called on the University of Windsor to address ongoing anti-black discrimination within the UWindsor administration through various implementations— some of which include the following:

• • Implementation of the collection, analysis, and production of race-based student statistical data
  • Implementation of a Racialized Student’s Policy.
  • Implementation of mandatory “unconscious and conscious bias training”,
  • The issuance of an apology to the black UWindsor community.
  • That rescinding of the extrajudicial sanctions laid against Jordan Afolabi and the completion of a proper investigation into the actions of the administrative members that were involved in the matter.

Specifically, the statement calls on the University to address the ongoing matter of extrajudicial sanctions laid against black UWindsor student Jordan Afolabi. 

Jordan Afolabi is a black computer science student who– despite being found by the University’s own investigation as well as the accounts of multiple witnesses to have been acting in self-defense from the unprovoked attack of Joseph Yakow (a fellow student who assaulted Jordan and subsequently filed false criminal charges stating that it was Jordan who attacked him)– is still banned from various locations on campus and has been labelled a “legitimate health and safety concern” to staff members while no disciplinary action has been taken against the student who assaulted him.

Jordan Afolabi was banned from these offices in response to his repeated attempts to have the University respond to evidence and complaints he had submitted demanding that the University take disciplinary action against the student that assaulted him and file false criminal charges against him as well as various members of the University that had chosen to ignore his complaints.

BLSA UOttawa is not the only group to issue similar statements calling for action from the UWindsor administration. 

1. BLSA Canada issued a similar statement condemning UWindsor’s “treatment of racialized students” on February 25th, 2020.
2. YUGSA (York University Graduate Student Alliance) issued a similar statement on March 12th, 2020 addressing UWindsor’s “ongoing discriminatory treatment of Mr. Afolabi” as well as repeated “failures to address…[]…instances of anti-black discrimination on UWindsor campus”. 
3. BLAC (Black Legal Action Center) likewise issued a statement on April 6th, 2020 expressing concern with UWindsor’s “handling of Mr. Afolabi’s case”.
4. UWindsor’s UWSA (University of Windsor Student Alliance) has also issued such a statement on the date of April 30th, 2020.
5. Most recently, on UOSU (UOttawa Student Union) has issued a statement also condemning the actions of the University 

BLSA UOttawa’s statement can be viewed below: