Called to the bar in 1984, Windsor Law alumna Thora H. Espinet (LLB 1982) is a lawyer and family law mediator based in Toronto. Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, Espinet moved to London, England, with her parents before moving to Toronto. After completing her undergraduate degree at York University, Espinet graduated from Windsor Law as one of the only Black women lawyers in Ontario that year.

Espinet says she has bittersweet memories of being one of the few Black women in law school and the legal profession in the early 1980s.

“Windsor Law was an incredibly progressive and supportive environment by standards of the time,” she says, adding that there were — and unfortunately still are — those who feel there is no place in the profession for women, much less a Black woman.

Despite these challenges, for over 36 years Espinet has run her own general practice in Toronto in the areas of young offender, criminal, family and child welfare, and real estate law. She has taught criminal law at Centennial College, is a past panel member of the Official Guardian (representing the interest of children in child welfare matters) and a former chair of the Canada Pension Plan Tribunal (1996-2006)

 In 2008, she was appointed deputy judge in the Small Claims Court. She is a previous member of the Board of Governors of Humber College, Tropicana Community Services Organization, and the Minister's Working Group on Child and Family Wellbeing for the reform of the Child Youth and Family Services Act. She also started the first Black Court Worker Program which assisted Black accused in the criminal justice system.

In the 40 years since law school, Espinet says that she has earned the respect of even those who doubted her through her perseverance and commitment to excellence.

“Gladly, the positives have outweighed the negatives,” she says.

Some of those positives include Espinet receiving the 2010 African Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in Law, and the 2017 Lincoln Alexander Award from the Law Society of Upper Canada for her demonstrated passion for community service and leadership in promoting social change, and addressing issues of discrimination and equality. In 2018, she was selected as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women.

“While I am proud of my awards and achievements,” says Espinet, “my greatest accomplishment has been the gift to influence, mentor, and motivate; to impact diversity and inclusion; and to inspire future generations of young lawyers to create their own narrative. I look forward to the time when systemic racism is no longer a barrier to Black lawyers reaching their full potential.”

Espinet encourages young lawyers to be resilient, flexible, and prepared to meet new challenges.

“Be visible,” she adds. “Become a mentor, get involved in your community and your law associations. Meet every challenge head-on with honesty and integrity and without fear or apology. Think outside the box. Keep learning, but also maintain a good life balance.”

In honour of Thora Espinet, Windsor Law has created new scholarships for Black-identifying students. To contribute to these scholarships, click here or contact Karen Momotiuk Chapman.

—Rachelle Prince

A new engagement challenge is intended to boost the health and wellness of UWindsor faculty and staff. Bingo4Health will connect teams of five colleagues to earn points for completing daily activities from March 1 to 29.

The team that accumulates the highest total over the four weeks will receive a luncheon, compliments of the Office of the President.

“We’ll have to continue to work together as we work apart to overcome the pandemic,” says organizer Mary-Ann Rennie. “This challenge offers a holistic approach to social connection while we stay safe.”

She hopes teams will form across the institution to inspire friendly competition while offering fun, daily activities promoting mental, physical, and nutritional wellness.

“Encourage colleagues to join the challenge,” Rennie says. “Have fun and focus on your wellness while we continue to work from home.

“Just remember, time is running out. The competition starts Monday, so recruit your team today!”

Find all the details, including rules, team tracking sheets, and online registration, on the Bingo4Health website.

A panel of Black alumni of the University of Windsor will discuss their experiences of life in Canada in a free public event Thursday, Feb. 25.

“Our Black Experience” will run 3 to 4 p.m. online.

Hosted by Dwania Peele (BSc chemistry 2011, BA political science 2011), owner of Canadian Small Business Women and author of The Power Within: Inspiring Stories of Female Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Voices of Strength: Inspiring Stories of Female Entrepreneurs, it will feature grads:

• Tamara Lopez (BA psychology 2004), an officer with the federal government;
• Brian Danso (BComm 2012), an account executive with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment; and
• Osi Nriagu (BComm 2005, B.Ed 2007), an all-Canadian jumper with the Lancer track and field team now serving as a border agent with the Canadian Border Services Agency.

Register in advance to receive the link to join the conversation.

The following day — Friday, Feb. 26 — Jermain Franklin (BA communications 1999) will engage in conversation with Bryant McBride, producer of the documentary Willie, about hockey pioneer Willie O’Ree.

Franklin is an anchor on TSN’s Sports Centre, the country’s premier sports news and information program.

McBride was the first Black executive at the National Hockey League when he served as its vice-president for business development from 1991 to 2000. Willie documents another first — the league’s first Black player.

“Celebrating Excellence” will be presented on the Microsoft Teams videoconferencing platform from 3 to 4 p.m. Registration is required to receive the link. Attendees will also enjoy the opportunity of a complimentary viewing of Willie at their convenience.

Both these events are presented by the University of Windsor Alumni Association to celebrate Black History Month.

The Faculty of Science is now welcoming graduates of various two-year college programs to transfer into related university programs, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in two years through The 2 + 2 Degree Completion Pathway.

“Joining the 2 + 2 Degree Completion Pathway is a unique chance to combine your hard-earned college diploma with unrivalled hands-on training opportunities, as well as learning from experts in the field, placing you at the forefront of a competitive field,” says Chris Houser, Dean of Science.

The Forensics Sciences pathway is set to launch in Fall 2021 and it will be a first of its kind opportunity for students interested in forensic sciences. Graduates of Ontario Police Foundations college programs were able to obtain credit for their previous college work, and earn the equivalent of two years of Advanced Standing towards earning a four-year degree from the Combined Bachelor of Arts in Forensics - Applied Forensic Science Stream.

“COVID-19 did put a pause on admissions in Fall 2020, but the interest in 2021 is very high, and we expect that we may have to cap admissions to this program,” says Maria Cioppa, Forensic Science program administrator.

“If you are interested in a career as a crime scene officer, behaviour profiler or perhaps a forensic psychologist – this is the program for you.”

In February 2021 the faculty officially brought two more options to the table when Senate approved two more 2 +2 Degree Completion Pathways. Graduates of a two-year Ontario College Diploma from an environmental-related program are eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Science Honours Environmental Science-Applied Environmental Science Stream. Those holding a diploma from a computer science or business-related program from a qualifying Ontario or equivalent College of Applied Arts and Technology are eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Arts Honours Economics - Applied Economics and Policy Stream degree program.

The Faculty of Science will continue designing additional 2 + 2 Degree Completion Pathway opportunities. Visit the 2 + 2 Degree to Completion Pathway page for more information.

—Sara Elliott

Have you noticed the variety of virtual online exhibitions and workshops being offered by arts organizations locally and around the globe during the pandemic?

The School of Creative Arts (SoCA) is following these innovations and invites students, faculty, and the community to a series of informal online conversations asking Windsor-based arts professionals what the future holds for virtual and online exhibitions.

The idea for these conversations came about during one of professor Lee Rodney’s graduate seminar discussions.

“We talked to Imogen Clendinning, program coordinator at Artcite Inc. and alumna MFA 2019, about the online exhibition she curated End of Daze [which features the work of three artists],” explains Dr. Rodney. “The exhibition features virtual installations or video-based performative work. She talked about her experience and what the response has been, but also she showed us examples of some of the new platforms that have cropped up recently.”

Each of SoCA’s featured guests have had different experiences during the past year, but all share a community focus in their work.

The conversations will run Thursdays 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Zoom. Featured guests include:

• Jennifer Matotek, director, Art Gallery of Windsor — Feb. 25
• Teajai Travis, director, Artcite Inc, Windsor — March 18
• Jaclyn Meloche, adjunct professor, University of Windsor, and independent curator —April 1

Each session includes a presentation, discussion, and question-and-answer period. All are welcome, but registration in advance is necessary to attend. Sign up for the February session here; links for the March and April events will be posted to the school’s Facebook page. Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Alexa, tell me about UWindsor Engineering’s virtual Go CODE Girl.

It's a free coding workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Feb. 27 for girls in Grades 7 to 10 and this year, participants will learn how to code for an Alexa device.

In partnership with the Ontario Network for Women in Engineering (ONWIE), the University of Windsor's Faculty of Engineering annually hosts a coding workshop for girls in the community as part of a province-wide series.

Go CODE Girl aims to educate, inspire, and equip girls with the digital skills, confidence, and resources needed to pursue education in some of the fastest growing industries — technology, computing, and engineering.

Participants do not need an Alexa device. Register now before this popular event reaches full capacity: www.uwindsor.ca/engineering/684/go-code-girl.

The St. Denis Centre and Forge Fitness Centre are available again to University of Windsor students, faculty, and staff.

Entry to the facility is limited to 10 occupants per one-hour reservation. Fitness equipment is divided between the Forge and the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse, where a temporary gym has been developed.

Staff asks patrons to arrive 15 minutes prior to their session start time, wear a face mask, and be sure to have student or employee identification. They must complete the COVID screening tool on the Safe Lancer app prior to each appointment and be prepared to show it upon admittance.

Find details, including hours of operation and appointment registration, at goLancers.ca.

Lancer Recreation continues to offer free virtual fitness classes weekdays on Microsoft Teams. To register, click here.

Incorporating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables into your meals ensures that you obtain micronutrients needed for optimal health, advises Human Resources in a message sent Monday to UWindsor faculty and staff.

It shares suggestions for adding more fruits and vegetables into your day:

• Add bananas or berries to cereal for extra flavour.
• Add mushrooms, onions, or peppers to a breakfast omelette.
• Put vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, or avocado on a sandwich and apple chunks, grapes, or raisins in tuna or chicken salad.
• Keep raw veggie sticks such as bell peppers, celery, and carrots in the fridge for easy snacks. 

Find more information about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables on the Human Resources Workplace Wellness website.