Crescent Blogs

There are significant moments in life that remain in our minds and hearts forever. For me, the 1986 Challenger disaster was one of these events. I remember sitting on the floor of my elementary school gymnasium along with 400 other students, crowded around a small television set, and the corresponding silence, shock, tears, and cries from students and teachers when the space shuttle exploded soon after launch. I believe the moment when Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts for the murder of George Floyd is another of these seminal events. I will never forget watching the verdict, reflecting on the moment in the context of centuries of racism, and subsequently reading the words of Barack and Michelle Obama: “today, a jury in Minneapolis did the right thing.”

I logged onto the final meeting of the GTA CAIS counsellors a minute or two late. The first thing I heard was a sharp, collective intake of breath. The first thing I saw was my Zoom screen filled with faces best described as that emoji with all of the straight lines for features. I quickly gathered that the opening question had been, “So folks, how are this year’s university offers coming along?”