When Enid Lee was awarded the degree of honorary Doctor of Laws at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario on October 26^th, 2001, she accepted the degree on behalf of people of African descent everywhere and on behalf of teachers and the teaching profession which she described as the profession which makes all other professions possible.

She regarded the degree as a recognition of the collective struggles for racial equality on the part of many individuals and communities.

Lee also gave the convocation address on that occasion. In her remarks she urged the graduates to make true the vision of Queen’s University-  “being the quality leaders in Canadian higher learning, developing exceptional students and scholars for citizenship and leadership in a global world." To bring that vision to reality, especially in this post September 11^th  era, Lee noted that,  we had to pay closer attention to inequality in terms of  resources , respect, representation and rights with regard to race , gender, geography and all the other ways in which our human identity is marked. And having named those realities,  set ourselves the assignment of o narrowing the gaps of inequality and of  maximizing  the richness of human diversity for all of humankind.

She observed that September 11^th had been a time when under-the surface racism had come to the surface in schools in which she consults and in the society at large.

According to the speaker, these times called upon us to draw from  wisdom and knowledge of many sources. These sources included the knowledge and wisdom of young children, ordinary folk, the knowledge brought to this land by immigrants of many races and religions, the ancient civilizations such as those found in Africa. And in our recognition of often neglected wisdom. We should remind ourselves of  the large degree to which we are the beneficiaries of the First Nations of this land and not their benefactors as we often portray ourselves.

In illustrating some of the wisdom of children, she recounted the story of a group of First Graders who were asked to think of Items for  a Wall Of Hope which would make the world a better place. Those students according to the speaker showed a level of complexity and depth in their thinking that left her hopeful . To the teacher’s surprise,  these students immediately came up with items like , land , jobs, food , enough for everyone. One of them even used the word “equality” in summing up what would make the world a more better place and a chance for lasting change.. The speaker urged the graduates to listen for such wisdom as they made their way through their worlds.

Lee further stressed the importance of approaching situations and accounts of situations with a critical mind and a discourse of possibility which would lead one to ask,

“What else could be there?”

“What else should be there?”

“What else must be there?”

These questions will help cast of the comfortable mantle of mediocrity when we feel that we have reached the top. These questions will prod us    to embrace excellence and equality in all of our work.

The speaker also invoked the name of Harriet Tubman, Freedom Fighter who despite great fear acted with courage as she moved backwards and forth between the United States in Canada ferrying others into what she hoped would be a space for Freedom. Lee reminded the gathering that that journey towards justice and racial equality is still an unfinished one here in Canada and that undertaking it was part of the responsibility of Queens’ newest wave of graduates.

She observed that there was no more fitting task for graduates from the first University West of he Maritimes to admit women. She felt that concerning ourselves with such matters would be an appropriate tribute to Robert Sutherland, first graduate of Queens of African descent in the 1850’s who must have regarded his alma mater as a source of inspiration and a beacon of hope when he left it a significant endowment.

Lee ended her remarks by wishing the graduating students, courage, clarity of vision, compassion, commitment to justice and at the end of that day a wonderful time of celebration for the degrees they had just received.