Miles from campus Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity, Inclusion) Stephanie Simpson, ArtSci’95, lives on a small hobby farm. By day, she’s charged with making Queen’s campus safe from harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence. At home, she cares for her goats and chickens.
A Queen’s alumna, and former Director of the Human Rights and Equity Office, Simpson sat down with The Journal to share her experience as a Black woman at Queen’s.
Since she was a student, Simpson said her experience at Queen’s transformed her in ways she couldn’t imagine. Responding to anti-black racism and microaggressions while at university took a strong toll on her mental and physical health.
“Looking back at it all, I wouldn’t trade that experience, because it deepened my insight into the enormity of the challenges that face the Black community,” Simpson said.
Simpson committed her adult life to making Queen’s a better and safer place for students. In 2022, Simpson led The Principal’s Declaration Implementation Group to progress the inclusion principles outlined in the Scarborough Charter which Queen’s is a signatory of. Simpson’s Master’s thesis in 2010 focused on perspectives of Black youth in Kingston and their sense of belonging.
Inspired by her Jamaican immigrant parents, Simpson learned to carry herself with strength and humility. She was the first person in her family to pursue post-secondary education, coming to Queen’s from Mississauga for its concurrent education program and because she wanted to be independent away from home. She said she didn’t anticipate all the challenges lying ahead.
As an undergrad, upper-year students mentored Simpson, encouraging her to stay in the race and cross the finish line at graduation. Three decades later, she continues to the baton to the next generation of Queen’s alumni.
“There was a real spirit of and encouragement that came from the older generation of students who ed the baton to us for keeping the traditions alive and providing coaching and mentorship to the people that would come after us,” Simpson said.
Simpson knows Black students face the same anger, injustice, and microaggressions she did. She hopes to build a legacy beyond updating policies, where students—even if it’s just one—feel she’s made Queen’s a safer place to be their authentic selves.
“Your legacy is something that comes after you. For the time you’re here, your job is to do the very best you can and know that whatever it is that you can do is enough, and is appreciated, and is an important contribution,” Simpson added.
Accomplishments aren’t the metrics Simpson uses for success, instead she tracks her success through reasons she has to be grateful.
Watching her three children become wonderful people is Simpson’s greatest pride. With two already pursuing post-secondary, she’s proud she raised Black children in Kingston, which she acknowledged wasn’t without difficulty.
Reflecting on her younger self, Simpson said she was lost, angry and hurt by the injustice she saw around her. She encourages Black students to take up causes they’re ionate about.
“We don’t represent the end of a liberation struggle, we’re part of it, and that baton has simply been ed from our ancestors,” Simpson said.
“Your very presence, and your existence, is creating pathways for marginalized communities and Black communities in ways you may not even fully appreciate.”
Joy is a feeling all Black students deserve, Simpson said, encouraging students not to let racism take away their right to enjoy everything from a sunny view of Lake Ontario to a walk-through Kingston’s parks.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].