Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora Archives | Faculty of Education

91��ɫ U scholar supports national study advancing Black health

acoward — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:35:30 +0000

_{Edited by Ashley Goodfellow Craig February 25, 2026}

Carl E. James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education, brings his expertise to a four-year Genome Canada research project focused on Canada’s Black population.

Genomic Evidence for Precision Medicine for Selected Chronic Diseases Among Black Peoples in Canada – developed through collaboration with the Centre for Applied Genomics, at SickKids Hospital and McGill Genome Centre – is an effort to sequence the genomes of 10,000 Black Canadians to ensure equitable health care for an often-understudied population.

By sequencing the nucleotides that make up the participants’ DNA and RNA, researchers will gain a better understanding of how diseases affect Canada’s Black population and develop better precision medicines to target their conditions.

_{Carl James}

“We need to encourage these approaches for research, since medical studies often miss the racial diversity of health care recipients,” says James, a renowned sociologist with a research focus on race and ethnic relations. “In fact, we need to understand differences in all populations.”

The study is led by four prominent medical researchers: Upton Allen, division head at SickKids Hospital’s Infectious Diseases and professor at the University of Toronto; Loydie Jerome-Majewska, McGill University Department of Pediatrics professor and co-founder/program lead for the Canadian Black Scientists’ Network (CSBN); Juliet Daniel, McMaster University cell biologist and cancer researcher; and OmiSoore Dryden, professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University.

Read the full article in the February 25, 2026 issue of Yfile

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A Path Toward Change: Understanding Youth Success Beyond the Classroom

acoward — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:29:59 +0000

A Spotlight on Carl James (FRSC) for Black History Month February 2026

Carl James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education and Distinguished Research Professor at 91��ɫ. His work focuses on how social systems shape the educational experiences and outcomes of Black and other racialized youth — and how those systems can be transformed. Through research, advocacy, public scholarship, and policy advising, he works in close collaboration with his community to advance more equitable education systems designed for all students to succeed.

Seeing youth success beyond the classroom

In his first summer after entering university, Carl began working as a youth worker in downtown Toronto, where he saw firsthand how young people’s lives beyond school — family responsibilities, housing conditions, and economic realities — shaped their educational paths and future opportunities.

He initially turned to social psychology to understand what motivates students, particularly Black students, to succeed. Over time, however, he realized that success could not be understood in isolation. Family, community, and the school system itself play a critical role in shaping outcomes. This realization led him to sociology — a discipline that allowed him to keep community at the centre of his work.

One early interaction continues to shape his approach. A fellow student once challenged him by asking, “What is sociology actually going to do for us?” That question sharpened Carl’s commitment to ensuring that research does more than describe inequity — it helps to change it.

Rather than placing responsibility solely on students to “work harder,” Carl argues that meaningful equity requires society to work harder — by addressing the structural barriers that limit opportunities outside of the classroom.

COVID-19 as a lens on inequity

In 2021, Carl became Co-Chair of the . The role built on his long-standing research into education and inequity and offered a stark reminder of how crises expose and deepen existing disparities.

His findings were clear. Black and other racialized students were disproportionately affected by the pandemic — not because of individual choices, but because of the social and economic conditions shaping their lives.

Many lived in high-density housing, relied on public transportation, and had parents working in frontline jobs that could not move online. These realities increased exposure to the virus while reinforcing harmful narratives that framed racialized communities as inherently “high-risk,” rather than structurally vulnerable.

School closures further strained families. Parents were suddenly expected to support learning at home while juggling work, caregiving responsibilities, and financial stress. The loss of school-based food programs increased food insecurity, while limited access to computers and reliable internet left some students disconnected from school altogether — raising the risk of disengagement and dropout.

At the postsecondary level, the effects carried forward. Many students entered university already feeling behind. Remote learning limited opportunities to build relationships, access support, and develop a sense of belonging. Some delayed or withdrew from their studies entirely, compounding financial pressures on themselves and their families.

As Carl emphasizes, COVID-19 revealed how racism intersects with class, language, gender, and immigration status — and how the consequences of disruption extend well beyond the height of the pandemic.

“COVID-19 highlighted that racism is not just simply racism.”

The inequalities shaping the lives of Black and other racialized youth existed long before the pandemic. COVID-19 simply made them more visible — and more severe.

When recommendations meet resistant systems

As part of the task force, Carl authored Racial Inequity, COVID-19 and the Education of Black and Other Marginalized Students, which outlines nine recommendations for addressing educational inequities. These include reforming education policy, strengthening partnerships between schools and community organizations, engaging parents without shifting teaching responsibilities onto them, improving curriculum accessibility, collecting and using data to advance equity, and better preparing educators to support student well-being.

Yet Carl is realistic about the limits of recommendations when systems themselves resist change.

“We can always make recommendations, but if the system is not ready for that big change — if those systemic issues are not dealt with — then the recommendations become just simply that: recommendations.”

Although COVID-19 has faded from everyday conversation, its effects continue to shape students’ educational and career paths. As Carl notes, we must continue to take into account the long-term impacts of the pandemic and the ongoing role of racism in shaping young people’s trajectories.

Black History Month — and the importance of systems

For Carl, Black History Month is not only about commemoration — it is an opportunity to examine the systems that shape present-day realities. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Canada’s racial history, including colonialism, the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and the fact that Black people are not recent immigrants, but were originally brought to Canada through enslavement, not immigration.

These histories are not peripheral. They are central to understanding how race operates in Canadian institutions today, including schools.

“We need to think of the social, political, and cultural situation of Black people beyond just a month — and beyond just Black people. If we’re thinking of Black people, we should also be thinking of other racialized groups, and how race operates more widely in our society.”

A path toward change

When asked to describe his work in one word, Carl offers two — change and path. Change speaks to the possibility of transformation. Path speaks to movement — how people navigate shifting conditions that shape opportunities, risks, and possibilities over time.

“People are constantly moving and travelling. You can be travelling along a path, but the weather might change — it might be icy and –10 degrees, or it might be sunny and warm. What matters is that we pay attention to these changes and adapt as we continue to walk our paths.”

Carl’s work makes one thing clear — to understand the path, we must understand the systems that shape it. And for real change to occur, those systems must be ready to change as well.

“How we deal with change is important — but so is paying attention to the context of that change.”

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In the media: Black youth lead research revolution at transformative TDSB Conference

acoward — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:54:45 +0000

_{Photo Courtesy of Halima Elmi}

The fourth annual Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Conference, hosted by the Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement (CEBSA), delivered a powerful showcase of Black youth leadership. Held on Saturday, November 1^st, 2025, at Highland Hall on the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus, the event brought together students, educators, administrators, and community partners. Their shared goal: elevate student-led research and highlight the issues that matter most to Black learners.

The conference grew out of the Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP), a creative initiative shaped by CEBSA. The program began with ten students in 2019 in partnership with the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community, and Diaspora at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education. Participation expanded to 30 students in 2020 and surged to 100 by 2025. This growth turned the program into a competitive, in-demand experience for students eager to lead, research, and influence their schools. BSSLP affirms Black identity, excellence, and leadership, while modeling how schools and communities can work together to expand access, create career pathways, and drive systems change.

on the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper website

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In the media: Sankofa Square finally gets its ‘grand opening’ this weekend. For many, it’s a long time coming

acoward — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:31:43 +0000

_{The new logo and signage for Sankofa Square at the “Sankofa Square” celebrations on Saturday. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star}

Sankofa Square, formerly known as Yonge-Dundas, is finally ready to celebrate its new identity.

Thousands of people are expected to flood downtown Toronto for the inaugural event at the rebranded public space Saturday. The celebration commemorates Sankofa Day, a date recognized internationally by the United Nations in remembrance of the slave trade and its abolition.

Carl James, 91��ɫ professor and the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, said the renaming of the square acknowledges Canada’s “colonial baggage” — a positive development that he hopes contributes to a shift in thinking among broader Canadian society.

“It’s a good first step,” he said. “Now, what do we do further?”

He noted that the conversations in 2020 that spurred the name change are a signal of what can happen “when we start paying attention.”

Read the full article in the .

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91��ɫ’s Y2 Innovators program builds confidence, community for Black students

devontem — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:44:00 +0000

Written by Alex Huls (YFile July 25, 2025)

It all began with one day.

In 2022, Black high school students from the 91��ɫ Region District School Board (YRDSB) were invited by 91��ɫ’s Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora to the Keele Campus to take part in “A Day at 91��ɫ.”

The event was designed to help middle and high school students imagine themselves in a post-secondary environment and explore academic and career possibilities. They toured the campus, attended workshops, participated in Black-led panels and networked with Black tudents, alumni and faculty who shared insight on programs, the application process and more.

It was a success. But one day, it turned out, wasn’t enough. Students had more questions. They wanted more time with mentors who looked like them and shared similar lived experiences.

“Many of them had never been in an all-Black classroom or been taught by Black educators. They didn’t realize how impactful that could be, until they experienced it,” says Anika Forde, program director of the Jean Augustine Chair and founding member of the initiative.

“A Day at 91��ɫ” began to evolve into a broader initiative to support Black students through culturally relevant, experiential learning opportunities rarely found in traditional high school settings.

To co-develop a more comprehensive experience, Forde and Professor Carl James – who holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora – enlisted Melissa McKay, a co-teacher, PhD student in education and research assistant with the Jean Augustine Chair. Together, with input from Jean Augustine Chair research assistants Alanah Broomfield, LaToya Hinds and Richard Edwards, they developed a summer program that would give students a more comprehensive educational experience.

In summer 2023, they launched the Black Youth Internship Program, a four-week co-op credit course.

The goal was to reimagine what a summer school credit could look like for Black students. “That meant focusing on igniting in the students a sense of self-development, helping them explore who they are, where they see themselves and understanding that despite systemic barriers, there are people and places that will support them,” says McKay.

Initially the program offered creative, culturally relevant activities like art and music, but evolved – guided by student feedback – into a more holistic experience that emphasized mentorship, scholarship support, resume building as well as personal, professional and academic development.

Students also helped co-design future programming, offering feedback so the curriculum emphasized real-world applicability and encouraged students to see themselves as future leaders.

“My interest is in students contributing or giving input into their education," says James. "I see this as what the Chair endeavours to do.”

In 2025, the program expanded again into its current form: Y2 Innovators – Black Leadership and Innovation in Business Management. Delivered in partnership with YRDSB, it offers students in grades 10 to 12 a full Ontario secondary school credit in Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals, which can be included in post-secondary applications.

This July, 25 students came to Keele Campus for the four-week program. They explored leadership styles, financial literacy, human resources and strategic planning. Each module was rooted in community-responsive learning, using case studies – including Black-led and community-based businesses – to demonstrate concepts in action.

“Mentorship has been more powerful than I could have imagined,” says McKay. “There’s a visible difference in students’ body language and confidence when they feel seen and supported. The need for community in their learning is huge.”

Y2 Innovators has grown beyond a summer program. As part of the Securing Black Futures initiative – funded by RBC Future Launch – it continues to deepen insights into the systemic barriers Black high school students face. These findings inform the long-term work of James, who is principal investigator of Securing Black Futures.

“We need to build supports for Black students over time, not just through one-off exposures,” says Forde. “It’s not just about the supports, but also the learnings that can inform and advocate for systemic change.

“It’s about supporting Black students in realizing that their aspirations are within reach,” Forde adds. “With the right supports, they can absolutely achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.”

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In the media: Professor Carl James to receive Honorary Doctorate from McGill University

mmvs — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:02:02 +0000

Luminaries in their fields, this year’s Hon Docs will be honoured during Spring 2024 Convocation ceremonies, running from May 28 to June 5

Ten exceptional individuals will receive honorary degrees from McGill as part of Spring 2024 Convocation ceremonies. This year’s recipients represent a diverse array of leaders whose contributions span disciplines, industries, and continents.

“The conferral of an honorary degree, McGill’s highest honour, is both a recognition of the transformative power of individual achievement and a celebration of the values and aspirations that unite our community,” said Deep Saini, President of McGill. “Each a poignant testament to the limitless possibilities of human endeavour, our honorary doctorate recipients are wonderful role models for the Class of 2024, and an inspiration to us all.”

Carl James: Doctor of Letters, honoris causa (D.Litt.) Faculty of Education (May 30, 3 p.m.)

Carl James is a distinguished scholar and advocate for equity and diversity in education and society. Coming to Canada from the Caribbean in the early 1970s, he has dedicated his career to researching and addressing issues of race, immigration, and education.

The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, at 91��ɫ, James is a former founding Director of the 91��ɫ Centre for Education and Community. He also served as the Senior Advisor on Equity and Representation in 91��ɫ’s Office of the Vice-President of Equity, People and Culture; and presently serves as the Equity Advisor to the Dean in the Faculty of Education.

James is renowned for his groundbreaking body of research in Black education in Canada, and in multicultural and anti-racist education worldwide.

Read the full article on the .

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In the media: Black History Month mural campaign unveiled on the TTC

acoward — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:39:59 +0000

Art by: @Myas.Art
Designed and curated by: AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives

Report on the series of 11 murals honouring Black Torontonians who have had a positive impact on the City. The murals were unveiled on Saturday as part of a Subway tour from 91��ɫ to Union Station. Carl James, a Distinguished Research Professor of Education and Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community, and Diaspora at 91��ɫ, comments on the project. James says it's a way African Canadians can educate Torontonians and the rest of the world about the Black presence in Canada.

For more information on each of the 11 remarkable individuals being honoured, visit the .

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Becoming Professor Carl James

acoward — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:55:00 +0000

_{Professor Carl James in the lobby of the TIFF Lightbox}

Now a prominent academic, 91��ɫ's Faculty of Education Jean Augustine Chair reflects on experiences of Black community in 1970s Toronto

It was at the now-closed Brockton High School near the new Dufferin Mall on what was then called Awde Street, where a young Carl James met with other community organizers on a September Saturday. That morning they launched the Caribbean Alliance Council (CAC) and that evening they celebrated with dinner and dance at the Soul Palace Restaurant, just north of what is now Sankofa Square.

Like other Black immigrants of his generation from Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean islands, James came to Canada in the post-1967 period after the state had removed race-based immigration restrictions.

While pursuing his education, James engaged in youth work, volunteering with organizations such as the Black Education Project. Located just north of Davenport on Bathurst, James describes the organization as “central” to the education experiences of Black parents and students at the time. He also worked with Harriet Tubman Centre at St. Clair and Oakwood, which still operates today as the Harriet Tubman Community Centre close to Don Mills subway.

_{A young Carl James, pictured with a student outside Central Tech school at Bloor and Bathurst.}

“I was at the time going through school, volunteering and working with the other volunteers – an adolescent working with younger Black adolescents,” recalls James. “I came to the work that I do through working on issues of Black life. The situation that I was observing and trying to understand with regard to Black youth informed my work.”

Later, he worked in Regent Park, a neighbourhood located in Toronto’s east downtown that’s now a mix of condominiums and social housing. Back then it was exclusively a public housing project – Canada’s first and largest. Many of the youth with whom James worked saw their participation in sports as the key to their future success and were not often going into academic areas because of streaming practices in their schools.

This inspired his early research at 91��ɫ. Today, James is a prominent academic who has dedicated his career to studying some of the very issues he first observed and experienced four decades earlier.

“I'd been noticing that the education and schooling system had not been as helpful in educating or schooling Black immigrant students as we would have expected,” recalls James. “That happens today; and happened then. So, I'm very interested in, well, ‘How can this change? If over and over again, we keep finding and seeing the same thing, what have we not been doing to change the situation?’”

In addition to being a professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education and an author of many books on race, education and immigration, James currently serves as the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora.

His 2017 report highlighted the systemic racism Black students face in GTA schools. This work helped to bring about an end to academic and applied streaming for Grade 9 students in Ontario, a decision that was announced in 2020.

Current include community outreach, such as the Day at 91��ɫ programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary, the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at 91��ɫ with those entering the university, and Word, Sound, Power, a free annual event that takes place during Black History Month with dance, music and spoken word performances. It also includes partnerships with Black researchers across Canada that will serve to create better data on race and education, and collaborations with health science researchers looking at the health conditions and needs of Black individuals.

James is also a frequent figure in the media, commenting on recent news headlines from the renaming of Dundas Square, to new rules banning the N-word from use in the Toronto District School Board system, diversity in the city’s emergency services, and the provincial government mandating Black history in the Ontario curriculum.

However, it is not about him, James insists, nor the research, but working in the interest of community and using advocacy work to address and bring about the wider changes needed.

“It is not about research for research’s sake, but to inform action,” says James. “Community is often a central feature for those who have been marginalized. Of course, I think you can’t think of someone independent of their communities. And I'm thinking of communities not only in geographic terms, but as ethnic communities, gendered communities, class communities, and how all these might be operating in individuals’ lives.”

I'd been noticing that the education and schooling system had not been as helpful in educating or schooling Black immigrant students as we would have expected. That happens today; and happened then."

— Professor Carl James, commenting on his early experiences working with youth in Regent Park

James adds that community is often a central construct of how Black youth imagine their future lives.

“You might find them highly represented in social services, social sciences, and education because they are ‘giving back’ to community,” he says. “They feel an obligation to respond to the needs of the community that has supported them. So, it's understandable that Jean would think that community is central to the work that’s been done through the Chair and for the Chair to engage community.

“Essentially, the idea is for us to work with community, and invite them to do the needed education work together.”

One of his current research projects looks at how individuals’ social capital ⁠–⁠ racialized individuals in particular ⁠–⁠ mediates access to employment, careers and occupational mobility once they land a job. Like much of James’s other work, the study follows research participants over a number of years, with a particular focus on periods of transition.

“I'm very interested in the differences between transitioning through high school to college and/or university, or from university to college, and to work,” says James. “All those permutations are very useful to look into in order to capture the ways in which young people are navigating life and negotiating the world around them.”

_{Carl James is being celebrated by the TTC with original artwork that can be can be seen at 91��ɫ subway station, a wrap on a bus deployed from the Queensway Garage and on subways across the city.}

The Chairship is of course named after Jean Augustine, Canada’s first Black woman Member of Parliament, who made the motion that was unanimously passed in the House of Commons in 1995 for Black History Month to be officially recognized in Canada. She later established the Chair in her name at 91��ɫ. James became the second Chair after the role was restructured and reimagined from the original framing of ‘Education in the New Urban Environment,’ which was held by . Thanks to a combination of a $1.5 million gift from the federal government and grassroots funding, the Chair is now fully endowed. (Her actual, physical chair, that she once sat in as an MP, now sits in the Dean’s Office at the Faculty of Education).

James’ initial connections with Augustine go back to his early years in Toronto and their mutual involvement in community organizations such as the CAC.

Some documentation of this can be found in the Jean Augustine collection hosted through the at 91��ɫ’s Scott Library, such as a letter regarding the founding meeting, written and signed off by James on behalf of Augustine, then the secretary of the CAC. At that meeting, James asked the group about working with high school students and recommended a summer research project looking into the experiences of immigrant children from local communities.

James is being celebrated in two pieces of art this Black History Month – one by 91��ɫ alumni Robert Small as part of the Legacy Collection, and the other by Mya Salau as part of this year’s Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Black History Month campaign, Salau’s mural can be seen on an oversized mural at the 91��ɫ TTC subway station, a wrap on Bus #3349 that operates on various lines deployed from the Queensway Garage, and on subways across the city.

A lot has transpired in the decades since James began his work, but it was in those early experiences with Black communities in Toronto that set him on his life path.

“I always say, suppose I never worked with those downtown youth. Would I have been able to think of the questions I have today?” he reflects. “Suppose they never answered my questions, or even sat with me for half an hour to share their experiences.

“So, while I look earnestly at the people who have worked with me, and given me mentorship, I have to also remember the research participants or even those who just simply entertained my conversations and my questions to think through more of what I might want to eventually contribute to life.”

Join James, mural artists, other honourees and their family members and youth from the TDSB this Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. at 91��ɫ subway station for the kickoff of a TTC . The tour will then make five more stops down the line and end at Union Station. James is not the only member of the 91��ɫ community to be celebrated by the TTC as part of Black History Month. Honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient Itah Sadu, who is helping to organize Saturday’s event, is featured in a mural at Bathurst station.

Jean Augustine's story teaches us about Canada's domestic workers’ scheme

_{Advice to West Indian Women Recruited for Work in Canada as Household Helps is the first item in the Jean Augustine archive collection held by 91��ɫ.}

Augustine had come to Canada as a domestic worker from Grenada during a time of political upheaval in her home country, with Grenada achieving independence in 1974. These early days are documented in the hosted through the Clara Thomas Archives at 91��ɫ’s Scott Library located at Keele Campus.

The first item in the archive is a pamphlet entitled Advice to West Indian Women Recruited for Work in Canada as Household Helps. A lot of the space in the pamphlet is devoted to advice on what behaviour is expected: Be truthful, courteous and polite at all times in your dealings with your employer and their children; unmarried women who get pregnant in their first year could be deported and may never be able to return.

“The women who have been sent to Canada in previous years have not let down West Indian womanhood and it is confidently expected that you will do the same,” a passage reads.

The pamphlet also contains practical advice on life in Canada: While it is easy to get credit, it is also easy to get in trouble with it if you can’t keep up with payments; bring warm clothes, but no more than is needed as it will be cheaper to purchase winter clothes after you arrive; if your lips get chapped, try Vaseline or Camphor Ice.

There are warnings of “useless correspondence courses,” especially in nursing, that will take large sums of money, but won’t be of any use either in Canada or back home.

Canada needed more immigrants in the post WWII period when Europeans were staying home, and it was in that context that the Canadian government allowed workers from certain territories in the West Indies entry to Canada beginning in 1955, and the total lifting of race-based immigration restrictions in 1967. Caribbean domestics came to Canada to take care of other people’s children so those people could go to work, explains James. And people like Augustine who were teachers back home, not only provided domestic duties, but also the socialization of Canadian children.

“Beyond simply thinking of Jean coming here and becoming a Parliamentarian, what does Jean's story also tell us about Canada? To me, it's a big or national story,” reflects James.

“Her story represents Canada’s relationship with the Caribbean, and Caribbean women’s, and people’s contributions to the social, cultural, economic and political development of Canada. Her story is important; and there are many things we can learn from it.”

Members of the 91��ɫ community and public can access the Jean Augustine collection by appointment by contacting the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at archives@yorku.ca.

This story was republished with permission from News at 91��ɫ

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91��ɫ community celebrates Black artistic talent at annual Word, Sound, Power event

mmvs — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:24:35 +0000

Members of the 91��ɫ community celebrated Black artistic talent during a showcase of performances on Feb. 7 at the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora’s annual Black History Month event, Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression.

The event celebrated the rich and diverse world of Black artistic expression and was a vibrant showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride.

This year’s featured performances included:

solo performances, including song and instruments, dance and spoken word, from students from Greater Toronto Area school boards;
a performance from the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble;
a performance from the 91��ɫ R&B Ensemble;
a spotlight artistic performance of the evening from Ian Kamau, an artist and designer;
a performance from the 91��ɫ Gospel Choir; and
an Afro-Caribbean dance performance by students from James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School in the CIBC Lobby during the welcome reception.

This year’s Word, Sound, Power event was put on in partnership with 91��ɫ’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, with primary sponsorship from Unifor. 91��ɫ’s Division of Equity, People & Culture also provided funding support.

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Annual Jean Augustine Chair event shines spotlight on Black artists

acoward — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:14:33 +0000

Members of the 91��ɫ community are invited to celebrate Black artistic talent during a showcase of performances on Feb. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., when the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora presents Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression.

The annual event celebrates the rich and diverse world of Black aritistic expression, promising to be a vibrant showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride.

Carrington Christmas and Isaac Crosby

The event is open to the community and is free to attend. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome reception in the CIBC Lobby, Accolade East Building at the Keele Campus, and performances will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Tribute communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building.

The event’s land acknowledgement will be provided by Carrington Christmas, a 91��ɫ alumna, who is an Indigenous anti-racist educator and self-described “Aunty Extraordinaire” with Black Scotian-Mi’kmaw and German ancestry.

Andrea Davis

The ceremony will then be closed with an Afro-Indigenous blessing from Isaac Crosby, an agricultural expert of Ojibwe of Anderdon heritage.

Hosting and providing opening remarks will be Andrea Davis, a professor in the Department of Humanities, who in recognition of her work advancing equity, access and justice in post-secondary education.

Also providing remarks before the performances begin will be Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada; Samia Hashi, Ontario regional director of Unifor, which sponsors the event; and Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education.

Among the featured performances this year are:

solo performances, including song and instruments, dance and spoken word, from students from Greater Toronto Area school boards;
a performance from the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble;
a performance from the 91��ɫ R&B Ensemble;
a spotlight artistic performance of the evening from Ian Kamau, an artist and designer;
a performance from the 91��ɫ Gospel Choir; and
an Afro-Caribbean dance performance by students from James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School in the CIBC Lobby during the welcome reception.

Anika Forde and Karen Burke

This year’s Word, Sound, Power event is put on in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, with primary sponsorship from Unifor. 91��ɫ’s Division of Equity, People & Culture has also provided funding support. The Faculty of Education – home to the Jean Augustine Chair – and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, through faculty member Davis, also play a critical role in the event.

Anika Forde, research project manager for the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, and Karen Burke, Chair of Music, were co-conveners of the event this year.

Those interested in attending can .

Article originally posted in the February 2, 2024 issue of

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