Sept. 11, 2026, TORONTO 鈥� While there is a lot of focus right now in Ontario on attendance rules, testing and scores, 91亚色 Faculty of Education Interim Dean and Professor Sarah Barrett says that none of this will work without a focus on what is core to teaching, which is relationships.

How fundamental this is was made especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, when relationships between teachers, students, parents and even the government were particularly strained, a topic Barrett explores in her book . Available open-access online as a free PDF download, Barrett interviews 50 teachers and surveys hundreds more for the book. What emerges are stories where remote learning became a disembodied experience that weakened peer and teacher-student bonds, further marginalizing students who may have already felt like they didn鈥檛 belong, says Barrett.

鈥淲hen relationships break down, that's when students have major attendance issues. If it's not about health, or being a high-performing athlete, it's about being bullied, feeling like teachers don鈥檛 care or parents feeling like their child is not being seen,鈥� says Barrett. 鈥淩ecent government changes can be beneficial, but none of them will work for the most vulnerable students unless we prioritize and protect relationships in schools.鈥�

Barrett is available to talk to media about:

• Why strong relationships are a core need of teaching
• Why students who struggle the most in classrooms are the most affected when relationships break down
• The importance of in-person connections in classrooms to build relationships and community
• How policies regarding classroom size, testing and more can either help or hinder teachers looking to build strong relationships in the classroom and beyond
• Relational struggles in classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons for contemporary pedagogy

More Faculty of Education experts can be found here

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028 (subject to accreditation). 91亚色 was recently named one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers for the 14th consecutive year. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, egamulin@yorku.ca

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With students arriving back in classrooms, experts from 91亚色鈥檚 and beyond are available to speak to the issues impacting education this back-to-school season.

Carl James

Recognized nationally and internationally for his work in education and equity, Professor has written many books on race, education and immigration. In particular, his research looks at the Black experience in Canada and how anti-Black racism continues to be perpetuated in systems such as education and employment. James currently holds the position of Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora. Current projects include community outreach such as the Day at 91亚色 programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary  and the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at 91亚色 with those entering the university. He also has partnerships with Black researchers across Canada that will serve to create better data on race and education. 

James is available for interviews on:

• The educational experiences of Black youth in Canada
• Race, racism and racialization in the school system
• Equity, inclusion and social justice pertaining to marginalized Canadian students
• The disproportional educational achievements of Black female and male students聽
• Generational differences in the social and schooling experiences that lead to the academic performance and educational outcomes of racialized students

Molade Osibodu

Drawing on experiences growing up in Nigeria, working as a secondary school math teacher in South Africa, and obtaining her PhD in the U.S., Faculty of Education Associate Professor 鈥檚 research examines the enduring impacts of coloniality in math education, with a focus on the lived experiences of Black youth and educators in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa. Grounded in decolonial frameworks, Black geographies, and participatory research methodologies, her scholarship explores how mathematics curriculum, policy, and pedagogy are shaped by eurocentric and racialized structures.

Osibodu can speak to: 

• Math education broadly and the experiences of Black youth in mathematics classrooms in particular
• Critically examining the role of mathematics in society and who is deemed "naturally able" to do and be successful in mathematics
• Changes to Ontario curriculum, including new rules for financial literacy learning and why excessive testing does not necessarily lead to more learning聽

Sue Winton

The privatization of public education shows itself in a number of areas, says , 91亚色 Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and the author of Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada. Privatization undermines the public school system and perpetuates inequalities, says Winton. 

Winton is available for comment on: 

• How policy plays a role in supporting or undermining public education聽
• How increasing privatization can affect kids, families, communities, and democracy
• How school fees, fundraising, school choice, and specialized programs can all contribute to the increasing encroachment of privatization

Note: Winton is away at a conference Aug 30 - Sept 9 is not available for media interviews at that time. 

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Multi-province study involving 642 students found half won鈥檛 need reading intervention

Struggling Canadian readers achieved a year and a half of literacy growth in just five months, according to preliminary findings from a landmark multi-province project that shows short, frequent intervention sessions can radically accelerate reading skills in young kids.

More than 600 grade two students identified as struggling readers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec took part in the study. Over a 16-week period, these students received small-group intervention sessions four times a week for 30 minutes, with a focus on phonological awareness, phonics, irregular word reading and decodable text reading.

The results showed significant gains in record time: in just five months, children improved their word reading skills by approximately one and a half years, over and above what would be expected from their maturation.

The project, called Turning the aspiration of universal literacy into a reality in Canadian schools, demonstrates that with targeted, evidence-based intervention, struggling readers can achieve literary success in a short period of time. This work was led by George Georgiou at the University of Alberta and Robert Savage at 91亚色. Additional results from the project involving students from Ontario are expected at a later date.

The success of this intervention provides a clear roadmap for the future of Canadian education and the project team is now looking to scale this work nationwide.

"By training school personnel in evidence-based practices, we can ensure high-quality primary instruction that prevents reading gaps before they widen, thus significantly decreasing the number of children who require intensive literacy support," say the co-researchers.

The research was supported by a coalition of funders, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Max Bell Foundation, and Alberta Education.

A study with the full findings will be published at a later date.

For more information or to speak with one of the researchers, please contact:

Emina Gamulin | 91亚色 Senior Digital Media Relations Officer | egamulin@yorku.ca

Sarah Vernon | University of Alberta Media Strategist | svernon@ualberta.ca

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Media invited to gospel music performance and talk and annual Word, Sound Power event featuring Canadian dub poet, writer and Juno award winner Lillian Allen

TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2026 鈥� Media have two opportunities to attend live gospel music at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus this evening, with two Black History Month events featuring the 91亚色 Gospel Choir (YUGC), one for the 91亚色 community and the other one open to the public. 

 The YUGC鈥檚 roots go back to the 1990s with a student-run choir called Vessels of Honour. In 2005, the YUGC was created as a course, making 91亚色 the first university in Canada to offer gospel music course curriculum. Growing from a small group of 20 students to more than a hundred, the choir regularly performs to sold-out audiences. 

Gospel Music Collaboration with Founders College and Black Excellence
5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Open to the 91亚色 community, the YUGC, led by choir conductor Natalie Stewart, will perform, interspersed by a discussion led by  Assistant Professor  on the impact of gospel music on the Black diaspora. Performance and talk starting at 5:30 p.m. with a panel discussion and Q&A to follow. 

Put on by  (BE U) and Founders College, the event takes place at Founders Assembly Hall, 152 Founders College.

Centering our Stories and Communities: Word, Sound, Power: Black Artistic Expression
5:30 p.m. 鈥� 9:00 p.m.

The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education at 91亚色, with the support of UPS, are pleased to present their annual Black History Month Celebration.

Word, Sound, Power: Black Artistic Expression will be an evening of performances showcasing Black artistic expression here at 91亚色. Featuring musical performances including the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Music Chair , and the YUGC, as well as spoken word artists from Highschool Students to Emcees. 

The evening also features a spotlight presentation by Canadian dub poet, writer and Juno Award winner&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Lillian Allen.

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. RECEPTION (CIBC Lobby, Accolade East Building, 83 91亚色 Blvd.)

6:30 - 9:00 p.m. PERFORMANCES (Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, 83 91亚色 Blvd.)

RSVP

This is a free event open to the public. All are welcome to attend, but seats are limited. 

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

Media Contact: 

Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post Two chances to catch live gospel music tonight at 91亚色 U appeared first on News@91亚色.

TORONTO, Sept. 2, 2025 鈥� Experts from 91亚色鈥檚 are sharing their tips to make the transition to back-to-school a successful one for students, parents and educators and comment on broader trends in education. 

Karen Devonish-Mazzotta

Based out of Glendon Campus, as a course director and faculty and a practicum facilitator with 91亚色 and a part-time French as a Second Language (FSL) teacher/teacher-librarian with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), has a duel perspective on real-time issues facing new and practicing teachers in the largest board in Canada, particularly as they relate to FSL curriculum. 

Devonish-Mazzotta is available for interviews in English and French on: 

• FSL programming; recruitment and retention of FSL teachers across Ontario
• Resources and resourcefulness in FSL programs and the benefits of additional language learning for FSL students

• Harnessing the power of the Library Learning Commons in the TDSB
• The power of community competence in a large school board
• The importance of family engagement 

Lisa Farley

Prof. Lisa Farley鈥檚 research uses psychoanalysis in conceptualizing the meaning of childhood and education. Her book, Childhood Beyond Pathology, examines how psychoanalytic concepts can inform challenges children may experience with development, belonging, interior worlds and relationality, with a focus on debates over how children should be treated, what they might know, and who they should become. Within teacher education, Farley has explored teachers' memories of childhood and schooling as key parts of becoming a teacher. 

Farley is available to give interviews on: 

• How education is an emotional experience for students and teachers
• How teaching affects teachers 
• How teaching is shaped by early experiences of having gone to school

Carl James

Recognized nationally and internationally for his work in education and equity, Professor has written many books on race, education and immigration. In particular, his research looks at the Black experience in Canada and how anti-Black racism continues to be perpetuated in systems such as education and employment. James currently holds the position of Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora. Current projects include community outreach such as the Day at 91亚色 programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary, the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at 91亚色 with those entering the university. He also has partnerships with Black researchers across Canada that will serve to create better data on race and education. 

James is available for interviews on:

• The lives of Black youth in Canada
• Race, racism and racialization in the school system
• Equity, inclusivity and social justice pertaining to marginalized Canadian students
• Masculinity and young Black males
• Athletic experiences and academic performance of racialized students
  

Sue Winton

The privatization of public education shows itself in a number of areas, says , 91亚色 Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and the author of Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada. Privatization undermines the public school system and perpetuates inequalities, says Winton. 

Winton is available for comment on: 

• How policy plays a role in supporting or undermining public education 
• How increasing privatization can affect kids, families, communities, and democracy
• How school fees, fundraising, school choice, and specialized programs can all contribute to the increasing encroachment of privatization

-30-

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Co-host of world鈥檚 largest conference on youth homelessness prevention says number one reason for homelessness is a lack of affordable housing; addressing family conflict key for adolescents

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2025 鈥� 91亚色 Faculty of Education professor , also president of the , says after decades of research and advocacy work, homelessness prevention is no longer being treated as a 鈥渄irty word鈥� by the policy makers, government agencies and not-for-profits he talks to.

The concept of prevention 鈥� basic on the surface, but previously met with so much resistance 鈥� seems to finally be having its moment, says Gaetz, perhaps in part because the problem has become impossible to ignore.

鈥淗omelessness is on people's minds. The growth in the numbers in Toronto and across Canada and the rise in encampments make homelessness highly visible, and while what we are advocating for hasn鈥檛 changed, the resistance to these ideas certainly has,鈥� says Gaetz, who along with Melanie Redman of is next week in Toronto.

鈥淭he main reason for homelessness in general is a lack of affordable housing, but for youth in particular, family conflict plays a huge role. Half of homeless people will have their first experience of homelessness under the age of 25, so preventing youth homelessness is a crucial part of tackling the larger crisis.鈥�

Acknowledging that the housing 鈥榗risis鈥� is actually a chronic condition that continues to grow worse, Gaetz advocates for a public-health model of prevention. This includes broad strategies that benefit society as a whole, such as widely available affordable childcare and housing, to targeting those most at risk of homelessness, with specific strategies dealing with Indigenous homelessness, interventions for those facing imminent eviction, and for those who do find themselves homeless, swift interventions to house them immediately and make sure they don鈥檛 become homeless again.

A key intervention for youth is to enhance their family connections and other natural supports.

鈥淚f we focused our efforts on preventing youth homelessness, not only would we have better outcomes for young people, but also for their families and communities, and in the long run we would have an impact on chronic homelessness,鈥� says Gaetz.

鈥淐urrently, youth who age out of foster care, hospital patients and those being released from prison are all being discharged into homelessness in this country. This should never happen.鈥�

Held Monday, February 24 to Wednesday, February 26 at the Westin Harbour Castle, the conference will feature researchers, service providers, experts with lived experience and thought leaders from Canada and around the world, highlighting research that showcases evidence-based solutions to youth homelessness.

With more than 500 people registered for the event, Gaetz says to his knowledge it is the largest conference hosted on the topic of youth homelessness prevention to date. Gaetz is available at the conference and beyond to speak to the media on concrete strategies communities can adopt to prevent homelessness, and youth homelessness in particular.

• Why half of homeless people first experience homelessness as youth and how addressing family conflict for both youth and their families is key
• The connection between foster care, criminalization and homelessness
• The key evidence-based interventions that have demonstrated how to prevent youth homelessness.
• Why providing homeless people with housing is cheaper and more effective than focusing resources on the shelter system
• Examples from around the world of governments successfully taking action to prevent homelessness

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:

Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, Aug. 29, 2024 鈥� With students returning to the classroom next week, experts from 91亚色鈥檚 are available to talk about how public education is increasingly relying on private dollars and how to help kids tackle math anxiety. 

The privatization of public education shows itself in a number of areas, says , 91亚色 Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and the author of Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada. Privatization undermines the public school system and perpetuates inequalities, says Winton. 

Winton is available for comment on: 

• How policy plays a role in supporting or undermining public education 
• How school fees, fundraising, school choice, and specialized programs can all contribute to the increasing encroachment of privatization
• How increasing privatization can affect kids, families, communities, and democracy
  
  

says the idea that there are some kids that are just good at math and others that are not, is simply not true. Parents and teachers can implement a number of strategies that can help give kids the confidence they need to succeed when it comes to dealing with numbers. 

Rapke, who works directly with students and teachers in classroom settings, is available for comment on topics including:

• Why and how to focus on students鈥� ideas to enhance math education

• Strategies for classroom teaching and math learning at home

• How kids develop mathematical ideas

While young students definitely benefit from phonics-based learning for early reading and spelling acquisition, implementing such policies needs to be done thoroughly and in an evidence-consistent way, says Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Education聽. Savage, who has published 100 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals exploring children鈥檚 early reading and spelling, emphasizes that changes need to be age- and needs-appropriate and be introduced in ways that consider both foundational skills and how phonics is situated in wider literacy practices.聽

Savage is available for comment on: 

• Curriculum changes to early learning and reading intervention strategies

• Cognitive processes in reading and spelling

• Strategies for different age-groups when learning how to read and spell

• How dyslexia and other learning difficulties affect reading and spelling

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Retired Professor who broke borders to bring higher education to refugees in Dadaab, Kenya, one of the world鈥檚 largest refugee camps, is recognized with Order of Canada    

鈥淚 am both delighted and astonished,鈥� said Senior Scholar and retired Professor Wenona Giles at 91亚色, after she was recently appointed as an Officer to the Order of Canada 鈥� a designation that recognizes achievement and merit of a high degree, especially service to Canada or to humanity at large.

This good news wouldn鈥檛 have come as a surprise to anyone who has known the internationally renowned social anthropologist as a changemaker. Or those familiar with Giles鈥檚 positive impact on humanity through her research in refugee migration studies and applying evidence-based solutions to social issues facing the world.

鈥淧rofessor Giles sets a high bar on establishing and delivering on research partnerships that can evolve into global teaching engagements,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice president research & innovation at 91亚色. 鈥淎mong the many great examples of her partnership initiatives, the ambitious Borderless Higher Education for Refugees project delivering university education for refugees in camps, stands out. I am grateful that she continues to be part of 91亚色 after retirement.鈥�

Giles retired in 2018, more than three decades after teaching in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. Still associated with 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS), Giles is also actively engaged with the University鈥檚 Research Commons where she supports faculty applying for research and partnership grants.

As someone who studied, researched and co-authored with Giles, Professor Jennifer Hyndman adds, 鈥淧rofessor Giles tirelessly worked to forge partnerships with faculty at universities in the global South and Canada and NGOs in both Kenya and Canada, and fundraising with foundations and governments, before embarking on the pedagogy of delivering post-secondary curriculum to displaced people living in camps and the surrounding communities in which they lived. This honor recognizes this enormous and vital, but often invisible work.鈥�

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Giles is truly a global scholar. Her scholarship is enriched by both lived experiences and through extensive research knowledge. Being drawn to social anthropology as a scholarly discipline came naturally to Giles, who has lived, studied and worked in Iran where she was born, and in the United Kingdom (her first citizenship), Canada (her second citizenship), France, Italy, the United States, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

鈥淎s an anthropologist, I thought I might be able to ask and possibly begin to answer questions about the poverty and other social inequalities that I had witnessed in Africa and the Middle East and the tenacious neo-colonial and unequal gender relations that persist to this day in international development, and in the politics of migration in Europe and Canada,鈥� says Giles.

She sought to find answers to those pressing questions collaborating with researchers both here at 91亚色 and on the ground elsewhere in the world. For example, she co-authored with Hyndman books that provide insight into the vulnerable status of refugees. Their joint research topics included the role gender plays in militarized conflict, from war zones to refugee camps, and across regions as diverse as Africa, Europe, Central America and South Asia, and how refugees across the globe live in conditions that extend from years to decades, without legal status that allows them to work and establish a home.

Giles also co-wrote  with Laurie Miller (UBC), and counterparts in Kenya, Somalia, and the U.S., and NGO workers in and students from the camps, proving how global collaborations are possible and productive. The book was awarded the Jackie Kirk Award which recognizes literature committed to gender and education (particularly of girls and teachers) and/or education in conflict zones, and that works to identify, globalization as a context for local practice, and visual participatory research methodologies. The award funds, along with all book royalties, have been contributed to the support of university students in refugee camps in Kenya. 

The book published in late 2021 is based on , the project that she launched and then co-led until her retirement in 2018, with education Professor Emeritus Don Dippo. The project was hosted by the CRS, which Giles and Dippo were part of, and Global Affairs Canada funded it to improve access to education for refugees where they live.

The aim of the project was to create equity in higher education, prepare local uncertified refugee teachers, improve teaching practices for better student achievement at elementary and secondary levels, and provide university degree programs in Dadaab 鈥� one of the world鈥檚 largest refugee settlement in Kenya. The project is a development partnership between 91亚色; Kenyatta and Moi universities in Kenya; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, University of British Columbia; and Windle International Kenya.  

Giles is a believer in life-long learning and continues to be affiliated to CRS. And as a life-long scholar and researcher, she is currently writing a historical novel, Pursued 鈥� 丿賳亘丕賱. The story spans the early decades of the 20th century in England and Persia (Iran) and examines the unquenchable imperial thirst for what lay beneath the ground in southwest Persia 鈥� both oil and archaeological treasures 鈥� and how this  thirst threatened to destroy the lives of more than one of the novel's multigenerational characters.

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Now a prominent academic, 91亚色'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 鈥渃entral鈥� 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.

鈥淚 was at the time going through school, volunteering and working with the other volunteers 鈥� an adolescent working with younger Black adolescents,鈥� recalls James. 鈥淚 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.鈥�

Later, he worked in Regent Park, a neighbourhood located in Toronto鈥檚 east downtown that鈥檚 now a mix of condominiums and social housing. Back then it was exclusively a public housing project 鈥� Canada鈥檚 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亚色. 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.

鈥淚'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,鈥� recalls James. 鈥淭hat happens today; and happened then. So, I'm very interested in, well, 鈥楬ow 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?鈥欌��

In addition to being a professor in 91亚色鈥檚 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亚色 programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary, the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at 91亚色 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 , commenting on recent news headlines from the renaming of Dundas Square, to new rules banning the N-word from use at several school boards, diversity in the city鈥檚 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.

鈥淚t is not about research for research鈥檚 sake, but to inform action,鈥� says James. 鈥淐ommunity is often a central feature for those who have been marginalized. Of course, I think you can鈥檛 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鈥� lives.鈥�

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.

鈥淵ou might find them highly represented in social services, social sciences, and education because they are 鈥榞iving back鈥� to community,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey 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鈥檚 been done through the Chair and for the Chair to engage community.

鈥淓ssentially, the idea is for us to work with community, and invite them to do the needed education work together.鈥�

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

鈥淚'm very interested in the differences between transitioning through high school to college and/or university, or from university to college, and to work,鈥� says James. 鈥淎ll 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.鈥�

The Chairship is of course named after Jean Augustine, Canada鈥檚 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亚色. James became the second Chair after the role was restructured and reimagined from the original framing of 鈥楨ducation in the New Urban Environment,鈥� 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鈥檚 Office at the Faculty of Education). 

James鈥� 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亚色鈥檚 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 鈥� one by 91亚色 alumni Robert Small as part of the Legacy Collection, and the other by Mya Salau as part of this year鈥檚 Toronto Transit Commission鈥檚 (TTC) Black History Month campaign, Salau鈥檚 piece can be seen on an oversized mural at the 91亚色 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.

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

鈥淪o, 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.鈥�

James is not the only member of the 91亚色 community to be celebrated by the TTC as part of Black History Month. Honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient Itah Sadu, is also featured in a mural at Bathurst station.

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

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亚色鈥檚 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.

鈥淭he 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,鈥� 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鈥檛 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 鈥渦seless correspondence courses,鈥� especially in nursing, that will take large sums of money, but won鈥檛 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鈥檚 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.

鈥淏eyond 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,鈥� reflects James.

鈥淗er story represents Canada鈥檚 relationship with the Caribbean, and Caribbean women鈥檚, and people鈥檚 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.鈥�

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

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