When I had the opportunity on the current Action Research project to consider what area I wanted to focus on, I knew I wanted to continue with this idea of de-colonizing spaces. As a Muslim, I devote myself every year to practicing fasting during the month of Ramadan, which is a month on the Islamic calendar where Muslims do not eat or drink water from sunrise to sunset. We also are expected and encouraged to further engage with our faith, and increase our additional prayers and read religious texts. I realized that the days that I was on campus, I did not feel safe to practice my faith. I of course could not pray in the classroom over the lunch break, or the office, as it shared by the entire department and I was hyper self conscious at the idea of making someone else uncomfortable. This meant that over the lunch break, when and where I could, I would leave campus and go to the local mosque to offer my prayers. One day I was having a conversation with Reina Lewis who is a Professor of religious cultures at LCF, and I was sharing my experience with her, when she informed me that we have quiet rooms that are available to us that I could be using. This was new information to me. Once I had access to this space, everything changed for me. I felt a greater sense of belonging and authenticity within the work-space. Being able to safely practice my faith made me feel more comfortable and offered me a greater sense of belonging at university.

Through this experience, I decided I wanted to focus my research question on the following: How can the multi-faith room be re-designed offer a sense of belonging for students at the new LCF East Bank building.

Key words: Faith / Belonging / Safe Spaces / Decolonisation