National indigenous history Month feature

奥丑别苍听Rick Powless聽learned that Health Sciences North in Sudbury launched its first Indigenous hospital menu, he felt a shift happen.

The third-year doctoral student at 91亚色's Faculty of Education is a Red Seal-certified Indigenous chef, an Ontario College of Teachers-certified educator and a member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Bear Clan.

He was also the primary consultant on an initiative led by Compass Group Canada to bring Indigenous meals into Ontario hospitals 鈥� a project that recognizes the role of traditional and cultural food in healing.

His contributions also serve as a testament to his work to advance meaningful cross-cultural engagement.

"It was emotional for me," he says of the menu鈥檚 launch in Sudbury. At 91亚色, his PhD research draws on Indigenous food sovereignty, food insecurity in urban centres and strategies to integrate traditional foods and land-based knowledge into Kindergarten to Grade 12 education.

Much of Powless's work focuses on how traditional foods and land-based knowledge support well-being, identity and learning for Indigenous people living in urban communities. His research explores the impact of food and cultural disconnection on mental health while also examining how Indigenous knowledge is taught 鈥� or overlooked 鈥� in Ontario鈥檚 Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms. For Powless, that means pushing beyond superficial, checkbox-driven approaches and creating space for stories, reciprocity and food-based learning rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing.

鈥淚f you give somebody a recipe to cook Indigenous food but don't have the stories or the history behind those recipes then the students aren't getting anything out of it,鈥� he says. 鈥淏eyond mere sustenance, our food is also a form of cultural transmission.鈥�

Part of what makes his work distinct is its attention to access. Indigenous ingredients 鈥� such as sun chokes, wild rice, butternut squash 鈥� have been more commercialized, driving up prices and making them less accessible.

Read the full story in the June 3, 2026 issue of Yfile

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Thinking about pursuing your MEd or PhD degree?

Join us for the聽Graduate Program in Education Info Session Night (Open House) to learn more about 91亚色's Graduate Program in Language, Culture & Teaching 鈥� one of Canada's most innovative and interdisciplinary programs.

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Time: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Grad Lounge - 113 Winters College

During this session, prospective students will:

• Learn about the program's structure and areas of specialization
• Meet current students and faculty
• Get guidance on the application process
• Discover how 91亚色 supports graduate students in advancing their scholarly and professional goals

RSVP by November 10, 2025 to attend this in-person event.

For more information about the Graduate Program in Language, Culture & Teaching, visit /别诲耻/蝉迟耻诲别苍迟蝉/驳谤补诲耻补迟别-辫谤辞驳谤补尘蝉/听

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Two 91亚色 community members 鈥� Professor Satinder Kaur Brar and Faculty of Education PhD candidate Anna Pearson 鈥� have been recognized with a 2024 Minister鈥檚 Award of Excellence from Ontario鈥檚 Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

The annual awards celebrate the work of faculty and staff at publicly assisted colleges and universities who are making a difference in students鈥� lives, in their communities and in the province. This year, there were more than 170 nominations and only six recipients selected, including professors, researchers and post-secondary leaders.

Brar, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at 91亚色鈥檚 , received the award in the category of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The category recognizes faculty and staff who work with industry and business to drive economic development in Ontario.

A globally recognized leader in green technologies for removing contaminants from drinking water and wastewater, Brar was recognized for her pioneering research in enzyme-based environmental remediation. Working in collaboration with researchers at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique and engineering consulting firm TechnoRem Inc., Brar helped develop and implement a faster, more sustainable method for cleaning petroleum-contaminated sites using enzymes rather than traditional microorganisms. The method, which is 100 times faster and achieves an 80 per cent reduction in contaminants without toxic residues, is especially effective in cold northern climates where other microorganisms are less viable.

The approach has been supported by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan and is already in use at several polluted sites across Canada, addressing surface water, groundwater and soil contamination. 鈥淥nce it [the method for cleaning sites] gets into the field, that is where the real magic starts,鈥� says Brar, noting how rewarding it is for her team to see their lab work result in real-world environmental improvements.

She describs receiving the award as a 鈥渇antastic surprise鈥� and emphasizes the recognition is a shared achievement with her research team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great boost for them to understand that whatever we do in the lab does see light of the day at some point,鈥� she says.

Brar also highlights the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and industry. 鈥淭his kind of recognition reinforces the belief that we can transition from lab to field,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd when we see the results in the field, it can have fantastic repercussions.鈥�

Pearson, a PhD candidate at 91亚色, received the award in the category of Future-Proofing Ontario鈥檚 Students. The category highlights individuals whose work helps students build the skills and resilience needed for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Pearson, who has taught in both elementary and secondary settings across Ontario for nearly two decades, was recognized for her contributions to program design, policy leadership and community-based learning initiatives aimed at preparing teacher candidates to meet the demands of a changing educational landscape.

Reflecting on the award, she credits those who shaped her own academic path. 鈥淚t means I've had some wonderful teachers in my life,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd it also means that now I'm giving my students the same kind of mentorship that I received.鈥�

She also sees the recognition as an opportunity for thoughtful evaluation. 鈥淚t means that I have an opportunity to see what's working and what's not,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd that's the hard part.鈥�

Brar and Pearson鈥檚 achievements exemplify 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation and societal impact.

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Are you interested in learning more about the Graduate Program in Education: Language, Culture and Teaching at 91亚色's Faculty of Education? Come learn more about our Master of Education (MEd), Master of Leadership & Community Engagement (MLCE) of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs. Program advisors, faculty, current students and staff will be available to answer all of your questions related to the program and the application process.

Please RSVP at聽 by November 11^th.

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Are you interested in pursuing a MEd or PhD degree? Come learn more about the GRADUATE PROGRAM IN LANGUAGE, CULTURE & TEACHING.

The Graduate Program in Education: Language, Culture & Teaching is internationally known for its interdisciplinary approach to engaging the most pressing educational research, ideas and issues of our time. For over twenty-five years, the program has supported researchers, scholars and students to advance ground-breaking thinking, studies and policies in education. Our graduate students are leaders across the private and public education sectors and continue to make positive change in the field of education wherever they are.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and meet current students and faculty.

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A closer look into Shava McLean鈥檚 Master of Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE) professional degree program Capstone Project

The Faculty of Education is proud to showcase the work of Master of Leadership and Community Engagement (MLCE) professional degree program student Shava McLean, who is making a significant impact in the field of education through her capstone project, "Mobilizing to Shift Power."

鈥淭he project sets out to better understand how non-profits and grassroots leaders might reimagine mobilization approaches as a vehicle that enables Black and Brown voices to direct and to be in control of policies that affect them in pushing for police reform and broader access to justice,鈥� Shava says. 鈥淎nd to further share recommendations for inclusive policy-making practices that lawmakers and community organizers should be aware of.鈥�

Through this project, McLean had the chance to ally with grassroots leaders and community organizations in Toronto's Regent Park neighborhood to complete her research.

One such leader was Joseph K. from Regent Park, a dedicated community activist who has been making positive change in the community through using media documentation and community storytelling as a tool to challenge dominant narratives that are harmful to racialized communities. McLean also collaborated with Community leader Sureya Ibrahim from Toronto Centre for Learning and Development (TCCLD), who played an integral role in ensuring that her research authentically centered BIPOC voices. To complete her research, McLean also worked closely with Mothers of Peace 鈥� Regent Park, a grassroots group, comprised of racialized female-identified resident leaders who have been impacted or provide leadership support to victims of gun violence in Toronto Downtown East. The group engages in numerous community mobilization efforts, served as a community crisis response collective, while advocating for neighborhood safety, racial justice and economic opportunities for low-income residents.

鈥淭he capstone work contextualizes Black and Brown communities鈥� socio-historical experience of excessive use of police force and broader systemic injustices as symptomatic to a much larger problem of lack of equitable access to public participatory processes and decision-making power over the policies that impact them,鈥� Shava says. 鈥淎 number of processes, techniques, program materials, oversight bodies were drawn on to bring this project to life.鈥�

McLean notes that her research drew on a number of theoretical frameworks, which included: Critical Race Theory, Design Thinking, community centered leadership, and anti-oppressive research practices. "Part of that included recognizing that, in the search to understand and challenge the way power is constructed, research in itself is laden with power,鈥� she says. 鈥淭raditionally, researchers hold significant decision-making over the research process and framing.

鈥淚n my capstone research work, I took a decentralized approach by creating pathways for research participants to have input and control over the research". The significance of McLean's work is not only felt in the University's Faculty of Education, but also in the broader Ontario education community. Her research shines a light on the importance of inclusive policy-making and the need to empower marginalized voices in the fight for justice.

"It's important for the education community to understand the impact of systemic injustices on marginalized communities and to work towards creating inclusive and equitable policies," says McLean.

Article by Dennis Bayazitov special contributing writer.

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Glenford Duffus always wanted to be a lawyer in his youth. That is, until his studies brought him to Coffee Piece All-Age School in Coffee Piece, Jamaica鈥攁 school where the principal鈥檚 focus was on assisting students who were from deep-rural communities to be engaged in academic achievement, he recalls.

 鈥淭he strategies the principal employed at the time to help underserved kids were excellent,鈥� he says. "The way she engaged the community in the effort really attracted my attention.鈥�

So when the principal approached Duffus and asked if he had ever considered Teacher鈥檚 College, he did not hesitate. 鈥淚t was the first thing I did [after school]. I went off to Teacher鈥檚 College at the age of 19, and have been a teacher ever since.鈥�

Duffus is now retired, but this fateful decision brought him 45 years of service in education.

Duffus began his career in the Jamaican education system where he served for over 15 years鈥攏ine as principal, after which he moved to Canada. His new pedagogical practice in Canada brought him back to his roots in Jamaica as a classroom teacher which he drew on in order to perfect his craft in a new cultural context. Such mastery would lead him to positions as VP, Principal and ultimately Superintendent with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) for nine years.

Along the way, Duffus pursued a PhD with the Faculty of Education, his focus being on Language, Culture and Learning.

In his time as Superintendent with the TDSB, Duffus chiefly served students, communities and schools within the Jane and Finch corridor. A central part of his role focused on serving as system lead for equity and inclusion, which involved asking what teachers should be doing as a system to support underserved students to change their trajectories from underachievement to achievement.

鈥淒o we have open access to high quality educational offerings that all students can tap into that will help them advance their academic aspirations and lead them to some kind of gainful employment?鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat will move them out of poverty and into accessing the kind of wealth through their education that other groups do?鈥�

Duffus says that a key takeaway from this time was to recognize that many students have undergone trauma and oppression. 鈥淪uch students cannot leave those aspects of their experience at the door when entering the classroom,鈥� Duffus emphasizes. "Such students must bring who they are into the school and learning environment, which then becomes a part of their identity.鈥�

鈥淛ust like we have the Reconciliation Deal to support our Indigenous individuals, we need not only some kind of specific things to support Black and Hispanics, who are at the bottom of the pyramid in terms of achievement, but we also need to some kind support to help them climb,鈥� he says.

These are the sorts of lessons Duffus can reflect on after a 45+ year career as an educator. Teachers like him have a truly unique viewpoint about the role classroom teachers have in bringing these broader-scale visions to fruition.

He considers students today who might be in a similar headspace as the young student in Jamaica who nearly went into law so many years ago. To those students on the fence about whether teaching is for them, he says: 鈥淵ou have to have a love for the advancement of humanity. You have to be passionate about service.鈥�

To him, service means putting yourself aside to take on the causes of others鈥攕omething that he himself, over his entire experience as an educator, has had to continuously do: support students and their families in order to help those who were disenfranchised.

鈥淚 could have made big bucks in some other profession or career, but nothing would have given me the self-actualization and satisfaction that I feel having served 40-something years as a teacher,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o if you鈥檙e looking for something where you will be satisfied that you鈥檝e done your best and have served humanity, this is the route to go.鈥�

Article by Dennis Bayazitov, special contributing writer

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91亚色 graduate students are invited to present their creative and scholarly works in a collaborative, professional and welcoming environment during the 18th annual 91亚色 Graduate Student Conference in Education, March 24 to 26.

This year鈥檚 event will be offered in a hybrid format, with virtual and in-person sessions (pending changing COVID regulations), and will highlight the theme 鈥渞e:.鈥� As society moves toward a re-opening, the theme invites presenters and attendees to explore the preposition re: as an intersection of pasts, presents and futures as we re-imagine and re-consider our 鈥榬e鈥檚ponsibility as researchers, educators, scholars, storytellers, makers and creators.

Graduate students interested in submitting proposals for the conference should do so by Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m.

For more information on the call for submissions, or on the conference theme, visit the . Questions can be directed to the conference committee by emailing gradconf@edu.yorku.ca.

Article originally published in the January 19, 2022 issue of

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Sixty percent of employees are now considering a real career change. COVID-19 has inadvertently sparked an era of soul searching 鈥� pushing employees to really think about their lives, their goals, and their future plans.

Human Resources Director (HRD) magazine spoke to Dr Vidya Shah, assistant professor in the Faculty of Education at 91亚色 University and staunch follower of issues of equity and justice. Dr Shah revealed how to know if it鈥檚 time to put your career soul searching into action.

鈥淚t all starts with the five C's,鈥� Dr Shah told HRD. 鈥淭he first theme is contribution - asking yourself real questions around how you are contributing to the wellbeing of others. Are you doing the most you can to build a humane world?

Shah revealed a new program on offer at 91亚色 - Master of Leadership and Community Engagement degree program (MLCE) 鈥� which focuses on leading and fostering social change.

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The MLCE degree program, the first of its kind in Ontario, is a professional master鈥檚 degree offered by the Graduate Program in Education that prepares graduates to advance in leadership roles in public sector organizations and communities with a focus on community engagement and innovation.

The program is designed for candidates who are working in a wide range of contexts, including educational settings, community organizations, and other public sector areas, such as health care, child and youth services, libraries, arts and culture institutions, and recreational programs.

鈥淚 decided to take the MLCE program because as an Academic Advisor at 91亚色 U I want to be able to learn about and develop strategies to increase student retention and engagement with students from the immediate 91亚色 community,鈥� said April, a student in the program and Academic Advisor at 91亚色. 鈥淚 believe that the MLCE will provide me with the knowledge and skills to do this.鈥�

A central component of the program is experiential learning where students will participate in two community placements. These placements provide participants with arenas in which to reflect, consolidate, integrate, synthesize and deepen their understandings of their future roles as leaders in their various professions.

鈥淭he MLCE will give students in-depth understandings of leadership, community, and engagement while enhancing their research capacity,鈥� said Sue Winton, Associate Dean of Research & Community in the Faculty of Education. 鈥淭he program was designed for public sector professionals who are interested in developing their professional skills and knowledge to leverage community-based research and practice for social change. We want to equip students with what they need to advance in their careers and to improve their communities.鈥�

For more information about the Master of Leadership and Community Engagement program, visit the Faculty of Education .

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