Bridging the gap: Kimberly Lee-Louis

As the inaugural Assistant Dean (Inclusion – Black & Indigenous Flourishing), Kimberly Lee-Louis, BCL/LLB’13, will play a leadership role in the Faculty’s collective efforts towards recruiting and supporting Black and Indigenous law students. With a background that combines education, public interest and social services, Lee-Louis will collaborate with students, professors and administrative staff to implement McGill’s Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism, and its Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan 2020–2025 within the Faculty and its surrounding communities.

How does it feel to be the first person to occupy this role, and what do you hope to bring to it?

I am elated! I am excited about the work and the chance to engage with students, faculty and staff to come up with a collaborative strategy as to how we can have a more inclusive environment and education at McGill Law. As a graduate of the Faculty, it feels like coming home. I bring with me the same objectives I had going into law school as a multiethnic, multilingual woman.

I wanted to be able to understand the system to be able to help myself and others navigate it better. I am aware of the issues in Montreal when it comes to racialized communities, Indigenous communities and Inuit communities, and of the barriers to accessing information and resources.

I am interested in combining what we learn in academic settings and the reality on the ground in a practical way for people who need it.

Comment votre expérience dans les domaines de l’éducation, du droit, de la santé, entre autres, vous sera-t-elle utile dans ce rôle ?

Grâce à mon expérience, je suis en mesure de travailler étroitement avec les personnes concernées et d’aborder les problèmes à partir d’une perspective intersectionnelle. Quand on parle d’éducation inclusive et d’appartenance au sein de la Faculté, il est utile de comprendre la multiplicité des expériences qu’y vivent différentes personnes. Il est important d’examiner ces problèmes à travers leur prisme et leur vision du monde.

Why do you think this new position is an important one?

Even though the position is new, the concerns are longstanding. It’s timely that the position was created given the broader socio-political climate. Especially in this generation of students, there’s a greater awareness. They are vocalizing their concerns directly to the institutions and bringing them to the forefront.