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She’s talking about healing, community, and responsibility.

A proud member of Timiskaming First Nations, and a graduate of 91��ɫ’s Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) - Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education program, McGill represents the sort of educator that leads from the front: grounded in lived experienced, guided by community, and deeply committed to change starting in the classroom.

Her path to teaching began not in a lecture hall, but an elementary school classroom.

While studying Social Services at Confederation College, McGill completed a placement at a local school where she was invited to speak with students about her Kokum’s experience at a residential school, using the national education initiative .

“I completely fell in love with the work,” McGill says. “I was welcomed into classrooms to talk about the history of my Kokum’s residential school.

“And I knew I wanted to continue working in education.”

When she learned about 91��ɫ’s B.Ed Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education program, the fit felt immediate, and so she applied with intention, not just to become a teacher, but to learn within a community that embodied her vision.

“I wanted to learn from Indigenous educators who understood my values,” she says. “I wanted to be surrounded by peers committed to creating meaningful change in classrooms, moving beyond cultural inclusivity toward cultural advocacy and celebration.

“And that’s exactly what I got.”

For McGill, that commitment was on display daily at through the program.

She credits her professors -- Kiera Brandt, Rebecca Beaulne-Stuebing, and Andrew McConnell -- for providing the foundation in both her pedagogy and in her identity as an educator.

“Their dedication to Indigenous-led, community-informed learning, and equity-driven teaching, has helped me thrive in my role as an educator, and truly enjoy the work I am doing.”

Today, McGill teaches at North Easthope Public School with the Avon Maitland District School Board, where her classroom now reflects the values she admired through the program– student-centered learning, cultural safety, and shared knowledge.

“The program better equipped me to deliver meaningful instruction in ways that are both positive and healing,” she says. “I also learned how to find reliable resources that center Indigenous voices, which has shaped how I approach learning and teaching across cultures.”

And perhaps most transformative of all was how Waaban reframed her understanding of just what it means to teach in the first place.

“It helped me understand my role as a facilitator of learning,” she says. “We may enter the profession with excitement about the material we teach, but it is just as important to be equipped to meet students where they are. I am not the sole source of knowledge in the room, and I love that. My job would be very boring if I were.”

That philosophy reflects where education in Ontario is heading, with a strong focus on equity, reconciliation, and student wellbeing.

For McGill, the impact of 91��ɫ’s B.Ed Waaban Indigenous Teacher Education program extends beyond coursework. It’s a lifelong network of support.

“The small class size helped me feel supported through my courses. I am still in contact with my professors, I’m still in a book club with some of my peers from our cohort, and I know there are at least 20 people rooting for me in anything I do.”

To prospective students considering the program, her message is quite simple: “If you are open to it, you can gain so much from this program: spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally.”

Waaban’s vision is realized in educators like Bailey. More than preparing teachers, it builds leaders serious about leading Ontario classrooms with integrity, care, and purpose.

Story by Dennis Bayazitov, special contributing

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People in the Niagara Region of Ontario have a 91��ɫ Faculty of Education alumna to thank for the healthy, reasonably priced food options regularly available to them.

Pamela Farrell, currently an assistant professor at the Werklund Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary, earned her BEd at 91��ɫ in 2007, the first step in a journey of lifelong learning in the field of education that eventually led her to found , Canada’s first community food literacy centre based in Niagara Falls.

Farrell, a native of Switzerland, met her Canadian husband while she was in London and originally came to Canada through the Youth Mobility Program. She began working for EY Canada in human resources, which included adult learning and diversity training.

“EY was ahead of its time with regard to diversity, and I learned about inequity in the workplace and in hiring, something that transferred to education,” Farrell said .

Her husband inspired her to pursue her interest in education through 91��ɫ.

“91��ɫ’s BEd program was transformational; it makes you think about your own learning and is very introspective and reflective. You consider how learning resonates with your own experience and values. I’m not sure that any other program requires you to think about your own experiences and how they affect your principles, as well as how you learn and how others learn.”

The BEd program also emphasized the importance of lifelong learning, a belief that Farrell embraced. She pursued further studies and has since acquired an MEd from Australia’s University of South Queensland and a doctorate in education from the University of Calgary. She is currently pursuing an MA in Educational Leadership from Harvard University.

Where does GROW fit into this picture, one might ask? It grew out of Farrell’s doctoral dissertation, given her specialization in language and literacy. When Farrell came across the term food literacy, she decided to explore the term from a literacy perspective.

“People often approach food literacy from a health and nutrition point of view, but what does it really mean?” Farrell asked. “You need to understand the social context behind literacy. Everyone has food literacies, but they look different across cultures, and some people can’t act or do what they like to do with food.” {GROW defines food literacy and skills as the interconnected information, knowledge, relationships, capacities, and sense of agency, together with the social, cultural, and physical environments, that support healthy eating and informed food choices.)

Through her research, she discovered that many “low-income people have rich food literacy practices, but no access to healthy foods and fresh vegetables.” In addition, she found that only 25 per cent of food-insecure population used food banks and when they do, “they might get three days’ worth of food that isn’t culturally or nutritionally appropriate. Her research illuminates a stark public health crisis; persons with disabilities, especially women, are disproportionately affected by food insecurity.

While living in Niagara, she decided to use this research to make an impact in the community, and in 2020, created a concrete way for the community to access healthier food. Its low-cost market in Niagara Falls provides fresh produce, dairy, and meat, as well as dairy and meat alternatives to community members living on low incomes. The program is supported by grants, program partners and runs with the assistance from volunteers.

“GROW provides food access in a dignified way,” Farrell said. “There’s no prescribing, and we’re not shaming you; we’re just providing access. We know you can cook, so here are the ingredients.”

To meet demand in Niagara, in 2024, GROW added an electric mobile market truck, GROW-on-the-GO, to its programs in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada. Working with partners throughout the region, GROW-on-the-GO travels daily to locations throughout the region that are identified as food deserts – urban areas with no affordable grocery stores. As GROW-on-the-GO completes its second year of service, Farrell and her team will conduct a formal evaluation of the new addition to determine how it can serve the community better.

“GROW-on-the-Go is Pam’s vision brought to life,” said Lindsay Krahn, the mobile marketing program manager for GROW. “It was her idea of how we could expand in the region without needing more bricks and mortar.

“Pam really brings a unique perspective to this work. She is so involved in the research side of things, but is also dedicated to the practical component. She is really dedicated to this work.”

Farrell, who now oversees GROW from Calgary, says it’s all about education.

“When I think about my own philosophy of teaching and learning, it’s critical to have the literacy to understand our neighbours, our food systems and how the world works.”

Story by Elaine Smith, special contributing writer

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91��ɫ’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards program is a prestigious annual recognition of outstanding young alumni who are making significant contributions in their fields and communities. This year, the Faculty of Education proudly highlights alumna Blessing Owusu, a three‑time 91��ɫ graduate, as one of the honorees. Blessing is an educator, children’s book author, and dedicated advocate for equity and inclusivity in education.

A leader in inclusive teaching, her master’s research on Black students’ experiences in schools led to the creation of Abena’s Adventures: A Taste of Home, a children’s book inspired by her Ghanaian‑Canadian heritage that is now used in classrooms to celebrate cultural identity and belonging. She also launched Lessons With Blessing, an online platform offering resources to help educators create equitable, affirming learning environments. These innovative contributions, reflecting her commitment to “bringing inclusivity and equity to the forefront” of teaching, research and advocacy earned her a place on 91��ɫ’s 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list.

For the complete list of recipients and their profiles, visit 91��ɫ’s official Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards page.

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Article by Deirdre Kelly ()

Photography by Horst Herget

Marnie and Rena Schwartz are a force to be reckoned with. The identical twins, who both earned double degrees (BA ’01, BEd ’01) from 91��ɫ, have spent more than two decades transforming the Greater Toronto Area’s dance scene through their ViBE Dance and Fitness Studio.

Founded in 2002, ViBE is no ordinary dance school. From its inception, the Schwartz sisters envisioned a space where creativity trumped competition – a sprawling 12,000-square-foot studio in Vaughan where students of all ages could focus on self-expression rather than scorecards or trophies. “We wanted to create a place where everyone felt welcome,” says Marnie, who oversees the business side of operations. “It’s about joy, not judgment.”

That vision has resonated with thousands of students over the years. ViBE’s inclusive approach treats every dancer equally – whether they’re three years old, or an adult – and emphasizes fun over pressure. “We believe in building confidence through movement,” adds Rena, who leads the artistic side of their business.

Education has always been central to their lives. Their mother, Susan Schwartz (BA ’80), is an accomplished educator and author of teaching manuals used at 91��ɫ and beyond. Growing up surrounded by her passion for learning and teaching left a lasting impression on Marnie and Rena, who credit their own time at the University for shaping their approach to leadership and innovative thinking. “91��ɫ taught us how to manage our time and think creatively. It really ignited our passion for lifelong learning.”...

For more, check out the full article in the

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With “Abena’s Adventures,” Blessing Owusu (BEd ’19, MEd ’24) embarked on a journey that blended her passion for education with a mission to fill a crucial gap in children's literature. An educator with the 91��ɫ Region District School Board, her story first began with a foundational education at 91��ɫ where she pursued an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in 2017 and later earned her Bachelor of Education in June 2019. Blessing recently completed her Master of Education at 91��ɫ in June 2024. Alongside her degree, she completed a Major Research Project (MRP) which led to the creation of her children's book. She also earned a diploma in Education in Urban Environments as a part of her Master’s degree.

The inspiration for Blessing's creative endeavor, "Abena's Adventures: A Taste of Home," stemmed from her own childhood experiences as a Ghanaian-Canadian growing up in Vaughan, Ontario. "Throughout my education, the concept of blackness was only acknowledged during the month of February, with the focus solely on struggle and adversity. Whenever I visited both my school library and the public library, I could never find books featuring a black protagonist as a hero or heroine or represented in any other way beyond overcoming obstacles and demonstrating resilience," she says. “I wanted to write a book that my 7-year-old self would have wanted to pick up.”

"Abena's Adventures: A Taste of Home" centers around Abena, a spirited young girl whose journey unfolds through themes of cultural identity, diversity, a sense of belonging, and the warmth of multi-generational experiences. The book also teaches readers how to pronounce Ghanaian words, introducing them to the beauty and richness of the Twi language.

“Inspired by my own experiences as a first-generation Canadian within an immigrant family, I felt compelled to craft a narrative that would spark meaningful conversations specifically for children, but also for all readers within various age groups,” says Blessing. “My goal was to encourage everyone to share their cultural experiences and understand different perspectives to connect with each other.”

As a self-published author, Blessing navigated the challenges of bringing her vision to life. From overcoming writer's block, to finding an illustrator who could vividly capture Abena's world, Blessing persevered with guidance from her supervisor, professor Molade Osibodu. “I faced writer’s block because I wanted to write this book as a student, a researcher, and as an educator,” she says. “I wanted to make sure that it was authentic and it centered on my Ghanaian identity and celebrated my heritage while also making it inclusive for all readers.” The result is a visually captivating book available for print through her website, , where it serves as a valuable resource for educators and families alike.

The most rewarding aspect of Blessing's journey has been the heartfelt feedback from readers. Children, regardless of their background, see themselves reflected in Abena's story, fostering a sense of belonging and pride in their heritage. “It has also been rewarding to hear from adults expressing how they felt reading the story because a lot of people shared that it is something they can relate to as they are also first-generation Canadians,” Blessing adds.

Looking forward, she plans to expand her impact by creating educational resources for educators and intends to author more books that celebrate cultural diversity. She envisions "Abena's Adventures" as a catalyst for conversations about representation in literature and hopes to share her story globally through bookstore visits, library readings, and community engagements. Blessing’s experience with "Abena's Adventures" has not only solidified her commitment to inclusive education, but has also deepened her understanding of the power of representation in shaping young minds.

Blessing’s advice to fellow graduate students and aspiring authors is to “blend academic rigor with creative expression to create impactful work that resonates with diverse audiences.”

In the end, Blessing's journey with "Abena's Adventures: A Taste of Home" exemplifies the power that literature has to transform and foster cultural awareness, acceptance, and self-esteem among children. Through her dedication to education and advocacy for diverse representation, Blessing will continue to bring inclusivity and equity to the forefront in educational settings and inspire educators and readers to do the same.

Article by Dennis Bayazitov special contributing writer

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Kate Haiyun Mossop (MLCE ’21) is a community builder with a lifelong passion for strengthening communities and helping people overcome barriers. It was this passion that guided her to 91��ɫ.

“My earliest memories include a variety of community experiences,” says Kate. “From wrapping donated medical supplies that my mother shipped to Vietnam, to fundraising for families experiencing hardship, to volunteering for various elections. Community engagement is a core theme in my life, which is why I was drawn to the Master of Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE) program at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education.”

Taking what she learned at 91��ɫ, she served as a YWCA Canada delegate at the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) Big Six Global Youth Summit where she was a member of the #ImpactCOVID project, a pan-Canada youth-oriented pandemic recovery plan at the Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity.

“As a Chinese-born Canadian, my interests concern the Asian diaspora, with anti-Asian hate crimes skyrocketing since the onset of COVID-19,” says Kate. “In a post-pandemic world and with the influences of extremism via social media, young people are being impacted in ways we have never seen before. Community engagement plays an integral role. People are healthier when they feel connected, supported, friended and contributing to their own growth and community.”

Further developing her leadership skills, Kate took part in the UN Association in Canada's Building Young Entrepreneurs Programme. While participating in the program, Kate developed Zillennial Women in Leadership, a community of practice supporting young emerging leaders.

“After completing the United Nations Association in Canada’s Building Young Entrepreneurs Programme, it sparked my entrepreneurial interest,” recalls Kate. “I hope to start an initiative supporting and empowering people of diverse backgrounds to enact social change.”

Currently, Kate serves as the director of Community Programs at University Settlement, supporting newcomers, children, youth and seniors. She has taken her passion of community building into volunteer roles as an active member of the community, volunteering on the Board of Directors for the Toronto Council on Aging and Toronto Intergenerational Partnerships.

Kate hopes to inspire future changemakers at 91��ɫ to pursue leadership positions in community building. “As a BIPOC woman, I want to be a role model and influence other generations to disrupt the status quo,” she says. “Now is the opportunity to unite and celebrate equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Kate was named one of 91��ɫ's 2023 Top 30 Alumni Under 30. Learn more about the program and the impressive young alumni on the list.

Original article by Division of Advancement - Alumni and Friends.

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Collette Murray (MEd ‘ ), was among the remarkable group of 20 dance educators to receive an award for Outstanding Leadership in Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Murray is a dance scholar in arts education, community arts engagement and Afrodiasporic dance vernacular. She centralizes dance education in teaching, mentorship, and advocacy of the Canadian African diasporic dance sector. Her multi-award recognitions are for advancing the importance of cultural arts and anti-racism work in dance in Ontario and for significant contributions to collaboratively work with culturally diverse communities and creating access to arts and culture in Toronto.

With a background in West African, Caribbean folk, and stilt-walking/dance, Murray is pursuing a Ph.D. in Dance Studies at 91��ɫ on the pedagogical training of Afrodiasporic dance educators. She holds a master’s in education, an Honours BA in Race, Ethnicity and Indigeneity from 91��ɫ, and a Sociology BA from the University of Toronto.

Miss Coco Murray is her mobile dance education business, and she is artistic director of Coco Collective, an intergenerational team offering culturally responsive dance programs and cultural arts education of African and Caribbean practices to schools, organizations, and communities. Murray leads as Board Chair of Dance Umbrella of Ontario, a National Council member of the Canadian Dance Assembly, and the Board of Directors for Arts Etobicoke to bring an equity and decolonizing lens for change.

Read the full article posted on the web site

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Duran’s connection with the Faculty of Education runs deep, dating back to 1982. "I like to call my interest in completing a PhD this late in my career 'doing poetic justice to myself,'" she says. The Faculty's unparalleled research focus, renowned professors in the Graduate Program, and nurturing environment for intellectual growth made it the perfect choice for her academic aspirations. Moreover, her extensive involvement with the Faculty over the years, in various roles such as an Additional Qualifications (AQ) courses instructor, seconded professor, contract faculty, and program developer and coordinator, further solidified her connection with this academic institution.

Duran’s service as an instructor with 91��ɫ has been equally diverse and impactful. Over the years, she has played an instrumental role in shaping the educational experiences of countless students. "This 2023/24 academic year, I am returning as a contract faculty instructor with the concurrent program,” she says. “I will teach one of the fall-winter community practicum courses for first-year students and one section of the Inquiries Into Learning course in the winter term."

Her journey as an educator commenced with teaching the Socio-Cultural component of the ESL AQ (now ELL), simultaneously serving as a Multicultural Consultant in the ESL Department of the then-North 91��ɫ Board of Education. Embracing her association with the Faculty, Marcela was seconded to the institution in 1989-90, actively participating in transformative projects like the Westview Project, which fostered a valuable partnership between 91��ɫ, the Faculty of Education, and the Jane-Finch community public schools.

However, life's demands led Duran to put her PhD dreams on hold, not once but twice, during the 1980s and 90s when she started her PhD program with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), U of T. It was only later in her career, during her involvement with the Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) program with the Faculty, where she taught online courses to refugee students living in the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps in Kenya, that she was profoundly transformed as a teacher. Inspired, she decided to shift her research focus to explore the significance of connecting with an extraordinary group of students who happened to be refugees seeking to complete their teaching degrees. Thus, her thesis, titled The Story of a Course, School, First Languages and Home: A Qualitative Discourse Analysis of the Voices of Refugee Students and their Teacher, was born.

"Writing and researching [my thesis] brought back to me the vivid memory of the interpersonal ethical encounters that were possible during the teaching of the course: ED/EDST 2450 Multiculturalism and Multilingualism in Educational Contexts Fall 2018" she says. “It also afforded me the opportunity to reflect again and analyze how much I had learned about my students' lives in refugee camps and the significance for them of first language loss, difficult schooling and deep longing for home.”

Duran hopes her work will serve as a reminder of the importance of advocating for improved educational conditions in refugee camp schools, emphasizing the significance of first language maintenance and the need for deep respect and appreciation of refugees' culture. Her research also aims to stimulate reflection on the persistence of linguistic imperialism, even within well-intentioned humanitarian programs and schools in refugee camps.

Receiving her ED PhD is a crowning achievement in Marcela's career. “I am so thankful for the incredible support, intellectual challenges, and lessons I received from the members of my thesis committee, professors Don Dippo, Aparna Mishra Tarc, and Khaled Barkaoui," Duran says.”It was a joy to learn from them as it also was to take courses with other members of the Graduate Program.

“I have had the luxury and the opportunity to spend some years reflecting, learning and hopefully growing as an educator despite being at the end of my teaching career. Although it may sound cliché, one should never stop learning, and this was a wonderful opportunity.”

Article by Dennis Bayazitov special contributing writer

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By Deirdre Kelly

ON A FAMILY TRIP to Colombia in 2019, Aline Nalbandian (BA/BEd ’99) visited a rural marketplace in the north of the country, where she spied a stall overflowing with colourful, handwoven totes. She drew closer, attracted by a bag of jungle-green and parrot-blue called a mochila. Speaking through a translator, she learned that the bags are made by the Wayuu, an Indigenous matrilineal society whose weaving traditions have been passed down from woman to woman for generations.

Featuring embroidered straps and drawstring closures with pom-pom tassels, each bag is a one-of-a-kind creation with tribal wisdom hand loomed into the geometric patterning. Popular with the Coachella music festival set, along with devotees of sustainable fashion and the editors of Vogue, the designs are derived from nature and stories about the mythical Walekeri, a spider deity said to have taught the Wayuu how to crochet.

The Wayuu’s homeland of La Guajira, a desert peninsula located in the north of the country, on the Caribbean coast, isn’t just harsh; it’s home to one of the poorest regions in all of Colombia. More than half the population lives below the poverty line and suffers from malnutrition, according to official figures released by Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics.

To secure much needed pesos for food, the women sell their mochilas in La Guajira’s marketplaces, often through a third-party vendor who pockets most of the profits. “As soon as I heard that,” Nalbandian says, “something clicked. I just had to get involved.”

She bought one bag. Then three and eventually several hundred – bypassing the exploitative middlemen to buy directly from the women at fair market prices. She now sells the bags herself in partnership with the Wayuu at pop-up shops in her home city of Toronto and elsewhere across southern Ontario under the brand name A-Line Wayuu Love.

A portion of all proceeds is re-invested into the artisans’ communities, where the bags are more than a chic accessory.

“Girls learn the craft from their elders around the age 12,” says Nalbandian, “and they continue weaving well into adulthood as members of their community’s female collective of artisans. It’s not fashion to them. It’s a way of life.”

Besides helping to sell the Wayuu’s weaving arts in Canada, the married mother of three daughters works to support the community on home turf. Travelling to La Guajira up to four times a year, she donates education kits along with other much needed supplies such as shoes for the community’s children, who have to walk more than two kilometres each way to reach the nearest school.

When in the community, she also volunteers in the classroom, teaching the math skills acquired when she was a 91��ɫ Con Ed student. Last year, she contributed to the building of a small, two-room school in Alta Guajira, located in the far north of the Guajira desert. It opened last September, and is now serving 80 kids who otherwise couldn’t access a classroom because of the vast distances.

“That’s how I’m making a difference,” Nalbandian says. “The bags are beautiful and I’m paying forward by giving back to a community whose devotion to nature, family and a simpler way of life is truly inspiring to me. I want to help them preserve their traditions and I’m honoured the Wayuu are letting me do it. I don’t take it for granted.”

Article originally published via The 91��ɫ Magazine, summer 2023.

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