Creating a welcoming environment where everyone belongs and feels accepted doesn’t happen accidentally. University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) alum Kimberly Daniels (Media & Communication Studies, class of 2007) believes that cultivating belonging is intentional – and she has built a career dedicated to creating environments where community can thrive.
Daniels currently serves as the Dean of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (EDIB) at Humber Polytechnic. She describes her role as being at the intersection of people, policy, and possibility as she oversees the teams at the Office of EDIB that play a role in this endeavour. This includes learning and development, strategy, and all student equity hubs: Black Student Support and Engagement, the LGBTQ+ Resource Centre, and the Spirituality and Wellness Centre.
Daniels and her team are architects of EDIB policies and initiatives that make a lasting impact. They’re reshaping systems to be more inclusive.
“My role isn't just about what I want or my vision. It's about co-creation and working with community and building community in ways that that feel supportive so people can show up as themselves,” she said.
Daniels combines her lived experiences with community consultation, ensuring she listens to the needs of others as well. Growing up Black in a predominately white small town gave her early experiences of feeling “othered.” She recalled not having the language or understanding to advocate for herself when she was young. But looking back, Daniels reflected that she always had a sense of curiosity to learn more about advocating for herself and eventually others.
It was when she attended Guelph-Humber where she really found her voice.
She said having student spaces helped her discover her inner power, her strength in advocacy. Inside the classroom, she noted that a public relations course taught her about critical analysis in the context of marketing. Through analyzing language and branding, Daniels strengthened critical thinking skills and began to tap into critical analysis outside of media and into her daily life. U of GH shares the equity hubs with Humber, which also provided safe spaces to gather and share ideas with like-minded, equity-deserving groups and allies.
“When I think about Guelph-Humber, I miss the community of my classmates. I went through that journey of learning with them. I think that was an early indicator for me that learning doesn't just happen inside the classroom in formal ways and that a lot of learning comes from relationships,” Daniels said.
As a graduate, her career eventually brought her back to the post-secondary sector, where she worked for U of GH and Humber Polytechnic’s student union, Ignite, for over a decade in various roles, including student services coordinator, chair of the mental health committee, and training and development lead.
The role of Ignite is frontline student advocacy. Daniels made an impact through listening to students, responding, and adapting. This role prepared her for what she does in the EDIB Office because she gained an understanding about how systems within post-secondary institutions affect students.
“Understanding the complexity of systems and being able to have a lens of care and how we have direct accountability to students is not just in abstract ideas, but in impacting their time at Humber [and Guelph-Humber],” she said.
Post-secondary institutions can harness that power. While every department has a different responsibility, everyone has a common goal: serving and supporting all students. And while February is Black Heritage Month, that power and responsibility lingers 365 days a year.
“We know institutions have power. They have resources, they have platforms, they have legitimacy. I think it's the institution's responsibility to move beyond celebration and into sustained investment,” Daniels said of putting meaning and action behind words of acknowledgement. This is what makes her role at the Office of EDIB meaningful.
Her path from Guelph-Humber has been one that’s impactful and touches the lives of others. By bringing listening skills, lived experiences, and empathy to the table, Daniels is now building inclusive futures for two institutions.
To learn more about the Media & Communication Studies program and the various pathways the program opens, click here.
