In the spring of 2020, the brutal police killings of unarmed Black people, most notably the asphyxiation death of 46-year-old George Floyd, led to civil unrest and global condemnation. In the weeks that followed, businesses and non-profit organizations the world over, including universities and governments, were called upon by protestors, Black leaders, students and academics to address anti-Black racism and white supremacy.

York President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton together with Sheila Cote-Meek, vice-president of equity, people and culture (EP&C), responded to the call for action. In messages to the community issued in the Spring of 2020, they committed to a series of actions to combat anti-Black racism, including increasing the number of Black scholars, enhancing financial support for Black students, refining the community safety model, unconscious bias training, and developing an equity strategy...