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February is Black History Month. While we should celebrate Black history and excellence every day, this is an opportunity for a focused, intentional and elevated reflection and recognition of Black history and achievement – and the many historical and contemporary contributions of Black Canadians, Black British Columbians and Black students, faculty and staff at UBC.
Read a reflection from Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion on celebrating Black History Month.
Featured UBC Events
January 30-31, 2026
UBC Black Student Leadership Summit
The Summit will bring together Black students from UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan for a two-day experience focused on leadership, learning, and connection. Students will have an opportunity to strengthen leadership skills and experiences, build a lasting network of Black student leaders, mentors, and peers, and explore the unique dimensions of Black leadership at UBC.
February 1–29, 2026
Lighting the Ladner clock tower and University Commons
To raise visibility of and recognize Black History Month, the Ladner Clock Tower and University Commons outside of the AMS Nest will be lit up in red, yellow and green.
February 3, 10 & 24, 2026
Black History and the History of Black Studies Speaker Series
The Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice and the UBC Black Caucus invite you to a speaker series on Black History and the History of Black Studies every Tuesday in February, ending on February 24, 2026.
Events include “Africa and the Pan-African History of Black Studies with Dr. Jemima Pierre,” “‘To Be in a Rage, Almost all the Time’: Foundations and Legacies of Black Studies with Dr. Crystal Sheffield,” and “Diasporic Grooves: Funk Music and Global Black Sonic Movement/s with Dr. Scot Brown.”
February 3, 2026
Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: How to Build Cool Things, Break the Rules and Stay Audacious with Coralie Tcheune
Coralie received her BASC in Biomedical Engineering from UBC and is currently a MD Candidate in the Faculty of Medicine. She bridges her passion for patient-centric medicine with my enthusiasm for creating technology. She is naturally drawn to a space of innovation and challenge where she can foster her fascination with robotics, medicine, software, and neurotech. In 2023, she received the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Undergraduate Student Research Award. This allowed her to intern as a research assistant in UBC’s Molecular Mechatronics Lab where she fabricated soft, capacitive pressure sensors and integrate them into a robotic hand.
The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.
February 5, 2026
Black Futures, Ananse Tales: Diasporic Storytelling in Motion
MOA welcomes Akofena Afro-Theatre Society for a vibrant, immersive performance rooted in Anansesem—the Spider Tales storytelling tradition of the Akan peoples of Ghana and, the diasporic communities of the Caribbean and the Americas. Drawing on the legendary trickster Kweku Ananse, this one-of-a-kind experience weaves together theatre, music, dance, and oral narrative to explore how stories travel, transform, and sustain communities across generations and diasporas.
Audiences are invited into a world charged with humour, wisdom, resistance, and creative energy, as artists reinterpret classic Ananse tales through bold contemporary lenses. Centring Black artistry and innovation, this performance honours ancestral knowledge while imagining liberated Black futures.
February 7, 2026
Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper
Two master musicians—one from Mali, the other from South Africa—come together in a spellbinding conversation between kora and guitar.
In 2024, Sissoko and Gripper released a self-titled album that was praised as a “mesmerizing collection of seven instrumental tracks reflecting spontaneity and mastery.” (All About Jazz) By combining their talents, the duo offers a meeting of string and spirit: lyrical, boundless, and utterly transportive.
February 10, 2026
Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: Swimming to UBC Like a Fish with Dr. Rashid Sumaila
Dr. Rashid Sumaila is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.
His research examines how economics can be used to protect marine ecosystems, with a focus on fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills. Through this work, Dr. Sumaila bridges science, economics, and policy to address some of the most urgent environmental challenges facing our oceans.
The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.
February 23, 2026
Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: How Learning Works: Living Sober in a Time of Excess with Dr. Kemi Ola
Dr. Ola describes herself as a storyteller and a community builder which was prominently shaped by her parents and reflected in her work as an educator and researcher at UBC.
She teaches introductory programming and data visualization, supporting students as they build confidence and fluency in computing. As a researcher, her work focuses on removing barriers to learning, developing support structures that address common misconceptions, and examining the socio-emotional factors that influence learning.
The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.
February 26, 2026
Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: Microbiome of ‘Success’: Cultivating Resilience from Roots to Ecosystems with Dr. Zelalem Taye
Dr. Taye leads an interdisciplinary research group studying agricultural, forest, and urban ecosystems, with a focus on ecosystem productivity, sustainability, and resilience under global change.
His team collaborates closely with experts in soil science, plant science, plant pathology, plant breeding, computer science, and statistics, among other fields. Their work combines wet-lab and field research with computational and data-driven approaches to better understand and support climate-resilient ecosystems.
The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.
March 9, 2026
Black Career Fair
The Black Career Fair is designed with you in mind, Black upper-year undergraduates and graduate students who are ready to explore meaningful career pathways. While the fair is tailored to support students further along in their academic journey, first and second-year students are also welcome to attend, explore, and begin building their networks early.
Connect with employers offering various opportunities that support your growth as an emerging professional. Come network, ask questions, and discover opportunities that align with your goals.
Are you in a UBC department or student group planning a Black History Month event?
Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.
UBC Okanagan Events
Looking for UBC Okanagan Black History Month events or resources?
Visit https://events.ok.ubc.ca/black-history-month/
Featured Community Events
February 2026
Black History Month Events, BC Black History Awareness Society
Join the BC Black History Awareness Society for public events that recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of historical and contemporary people of African descent.
Are you community group planning a Black History Month event?
Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.
Resources and Support
UBC Community Groups
- UBC Black Students Union
- UBCO African Caribbean Student Club
- UBC Black Caucus
- IBPOC Connections
- IBPOC STEM Network
- Centre for Culture, Identity and Education
- UBC Black Law Students’ Association
- UBC African Awareness Initiative
- UBC Black Graduate Student’s Network (BGSN)
- Black Mental Wellness Collective
Of Interest
Illustrations: blackillustrations.com
