KDocsFF will open a social justice workplace this fall

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KDocsFF, Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s social justice documentary film festival, will open a workspace to students, staff, and faculty this fall.

The KDocsFF Social Justice Lab in Cedar 3024 at KPU’s Surrey campus is a place where groups no larger than 10 participants can work on social justice projects and build community.

“I want it to be a hub for social justice dialogue. I want it to expand on the KDocs mandates, which at its heart [has] always been about students and learners and social justice documentary activism,” says Greg Chan, director of the lab and KDocsFF community outreach.

“I’m already seeing the reaction, the goodwill, and people coming up with ideas. We just had our soft launch and already have people contacting me wanting to volunteer in the lab, which is so heartening.”

The soft launch was an Indigenous beading workshop for Pride that Rachel Chong, the Indigenous engagement and subject liaison librarian, led on July 18. Participants made rainbow pins and earrings.

“[For] the inaugural event, I wouldn’t want to do it any other way,” Chan says.

“With our commitment to decolonization at the university, … we’re going to have Indigenous events throughout. This is not just about the first event, but it seemed only fitting that the first event should have an Indigenous, intersectional theme.”

Besides beading equipment, the lab also has knitting supplies, 3D and colour printers, two Mac computers with editing software, a portable projector, social justice documentary DVDs that can be signed out, and a button maker.

He selected the equipment after researching social justice-focused makerspaces and found 3D printers and button makers were recurring items among them.

He tested the button maker last spring during a KDocsFF fundraiser for Ukraine, where participants made their own “wearable activism.” Chan also visited the Wilson School of Design and physics lab to learn about 3D printers.

He wants participants to use the lab’s 3D printer to create materials that can be brought into the classroom for activities like presentations, group work, and debates.

“I’ve created a whole list of artifacts that can be created in history classes, English classes, educational studies classes, and the possibilities are really endless to create some sort of object that ties into what you’re studying,” Chan says.

“It literally gives three-dimensions to what the students would be studying, and it’s fun.”

Chan took a one-year sabbatical, which he has recently returned from, to focus on setting up the lab, researching equipment, and consulting with the KPU community about what they want.

He says the idea to create the lab began several years ago among the KDocsFF team and continued during the pandemic because they received feedback from students, staff, and faculty about wanting more small-scale and on-campus gatherings outside of the film festival.

They then started looking into makerspaces and creation labs, which Chan says are growing among other universities.

The lab’s official launch will have criminology instructor Tara Lyons run a two-session workshop called the “Radical Queer Knitting Circle” on Sept. 21 and Sept. 27.

The lab will also welcome the winner of the Emerging Filmmaker Residency Prize, which is a partnership between KDocsFF and South Asian 2SLGBTQ+ charity Sher Vancouver.

For Chan, the lab’s focus on social justice projects is important.

“They’re central to everything that we’re striving for at the university and the dialogue that we want to create, the conversations that we want to continue.”

To book the lab, visit www.kdocsff.com/socialjusticelab or email greg.chan@kpu.ca.