Book Title: Untold Stories

Book Description

Untold Stories: Conversations on Inclusion, Belonging and Accessibility in Classrooms and Workplaces is a transformative Open Educational Resource (OER) that centers the lived experiences of students and educators from marginalized communities. Drawing on over two decades of teaching in post-secondary education, this resource was born from a deep need to move beyond passive listening and toward meaningful change. It invites readers into honest, often difficult conversations about exclusion, racism, and systemic barriers in academic and work-integrated learning environments. Through personal narratives, video clips, case studies, discussion questions, and learning activities, Untold Stories explores key themes such as Inclusion, Belonging, Accessibility, Representation, Indigenous Voices, 2SLGBTQIA+ Identities, Allyship, Equity, and the importance of Taking Action. Each chapter is grounded in the voices of KPU students, alumni, faculty, and staff, offering a diverse perspectives that challenge dominant narratives and highlight the power of small gestures—like a kind word or a space made for someone’s voice—to foster belonging. This resource is designed not only to inform but to inspire. It encourages educators to recognize students as contributors to knowledge and change, and to embrace Open Pedagogy as a tool for empowerment. It also calls on those in positions of power to examine and shift the systems and structures that perpetuate exclusion. Whether you are a student, faculty member, employer, or alumni, Untold Stories offers tools for reflection, dialogue, and action. Key features include: First-person accounts that humanize abstract concepts of equity and inclusion, reflection questions and case studies to help guide dialogue and deepen learning, and resources and suggested activities for educators and students who are ready to take action.

A focus on student agency and the transformative potential of Open Pedagogy, this OER offers insight through listening to those with lived experience and practical strategies for strengthening inclusive and accessible environments. Ultimately, this is more than a textbook—it’s an invitation to listen deeply, reflect honestly, and act courageously. Untold Stories aims to normalize conversations around equity and belonging in post-secondary spaces and beyond, reminding us that change begins with acknowledging that every voice matters.