Kathryn

@kathrynas.bsky.social

4282 Followers 461 Following

Past-Chair of the Women’s Caucus at CASWE-ACFTS, P.hD. student, MSW, Long COVID research, therapist, equity advocate, intersectional feminist, mom. Not totally here. Still more there. Thoughts my own.

Black background with white text and an elephant wearing a mask towards the upper left-hand corner: “Spotlight: Masking as an Equity Practice Let's talk about the Elephant in the Room...high-quality masks are a tiny tool with big equity energy this respiratory illness season. Coughing, sneezing, fever, chills, and aches... Ontario's wastewater confirms that it's rough out there! Take it from the Middlesex-London Health Unit (Nov. 25 2025): "Staying home when feeling unwell and encouraging others to do the same helps us protect each other from viral illnesses. Frequent handwashing, covering coughs, socializing in well-ventilated spaces and wearing well-fitted face masks all contribute to reducing the risk of infection." Well-fitting respirators (N95s, KN95s, or equivalent) significantly reduce the spread of illness. That matters not just for individual health, but for equity..”
A blonde woman in a black respirator mask stands in front of a brick wall with yellow voting posters
Two black daisies flank a text box that reads “To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing - Raymond Williams”
Equity and Safety in the EDIDA Plan: Addressing Respiratory Illness With the release of the EDIDA Strategic Plan, UWOFA encourages the campus community to consider that a fulsome and proactive approach to health and safety on campus is required to meet the commitments outlined in the Strategic Priority of "Safe and Inclusive Spaces, Places, & Experiences" . As seen in the Government of Canada's October 2024 publication entitled 'COVID-19 and people with disabilities in Canada', protecting ourselves and each other against COVID and other respiratory illnesses is a fundamental equity issue. Middlesex-London Region is currently in a 'High Risk' period for respiratory illness, and recent data estimate that 1 in 41 Ontarians have COVID right now, that COVID remains a top 10 cause of death and hospitalization, that more than a third of Canadians who have had three or more COVID infections have experienced long COVID, that younger and middle age patients are more severely affected than older patients when it comes to neurological manifestations of long COVID, and that fewer than 5% of Canadians are vaccinated against COVID per recommendations. UWOFA supports a positive shared obligation to reduce and remove the burden of respiratory illness for everyone and create equitable spaces where protection and accommodation are the norm and not the exception. This includes following public health directives such as strong recommendations to mask, promotion and enabling of hybrid options, continued monitoring and reporting of ventilation and air quality, and having policies and practices which actually encourage and enable people to stay home when they are unwell.
Watercolour critter penguin sticker with written text that reads, “I MAY BE SMALL ВUT I AM ANGRY AND MOTIVATED AND I AM GOING TO USE BOTH TO CHANGE THE WORLD I SWEAR TO GOD”
A pothos plant in a small white, ridged pot sits atop a stack if books. The books, from top to bottom, are They Knew by Sarah Kendzior, Fierce Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, and Disjointed by Jovin (Ed.). There are red glasses and an AirPods case in the foreground.
A child in dark clothing holds a dinner plate-sized maple leaf in front of his face. He stands in grass with leaves around his feet and trees in the background