Jean Augustine Chair Archives - News@91��ɫ

Becoming Professor Carl James

egamulin — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:11:34 +0000

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 , 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’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 piece 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.”

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, is also 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.

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ 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��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s 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��ɫ Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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91��ɫ kicks off Securing Black Futures: A National Partnership to Advance Youth Academic & Career Success

roshanp — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:27:43 +0000

Made possible by $1.2-million donation from RBC Foundation, as part of RBC��ܳٳܰ����ܲԳ��

91��ɫ��has received a $1.2-million donation from the RBC Foundation as part of��, directly supporting the work of the��Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, held by well-known educator��— in partnership with colleagues from four universities across the country: Kevin Hewitt, Physics Professor from��, Juliet Daniel, Associate Dean of Research from , Jennifer Adams, Canada Research Chair in Creativity & STEM and Associate Professor from , and Annette Henry, Professor, Language and Literacy Education from . This generous donation is creating and building on James’ education initiatives for Black youth in priority areas including student success, pathways to education, and support for Black scholars.

Established in 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair is an endowed Chair established by the��Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada, and champion of the unanimous vote in 1995 that saw February designated as Black History Month. The Chair is one of only two endowed university chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization��endeavours��on Black and African-descended communities.

It is anticipated that up to 900 high school and university students, and postdoctoral scholars could be served through the various projects as part of the��Securing Black Futures: A National Partnership to Advance Youth Academic & Career Success��program. RBC Foundation’s $1.2-million donation will provide direct support to the Chair’s programs in four key areas, including:

Hosting the first ever National Conference for Black youth in Canada;
Supporting student pipeline initiatives at 91��ɫ and up to four other universities across Canada that will bring high school students onto university campuses, thereby enabling them to imagine themselves participating in post-secondary education;
Establishing a new Canadian data hub that will strengthen research and information capacity and inform better public policy; and
Creating new opportunities, supports and training for young Black scholars who as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will engage in research, teaching and mentorship activities that will serve as resources to local Black communities.

The research component will build on existing Canadian census data with a longitudinal study of grade 11 and 12 students over a three-year period, informing the development of new community-based and student-support programs, and will for the first time facilitate the sharing of documentation and data across Canadian universities — allowing for geographical and contextual comparisons to be made.

The Research & Data Hub brings together school boards largely from Metropolitan Toronto (Durham Region, Peel Region, 91��ɫ Region, Toronto, Toronto Catholic and Ottawa) to act as a central repository of census data that will provide the first broad-based educational and social profile of youth in far greater depth than that which is presented by Statistics Canada. It will tell of the conditions which shape the experiences of children and youth; identify particular challenges and/or barriers to their educational and social success; make visible institutional and structural inequities across sectors, communities and regions; and most importantly, provide opportunities to develop effective and transformative interventions. With research data and knowledge translation, children, youth, families, educators, youth workers, and social service providers will benefit.

��is a 10-year, $500 million commitment to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. With a focus on networking, skills development, practical work experience and mental wellbeing supports and services, the initiative aims to help break down the barriers facing young people. In 2020, RBC��a series of actions against systemic racism��— including a commitment to invest $50 million by 2025 through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 BIPOC youth with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

Building on previous work, and working with all university community partners, 91��ɫ has re-doubled efforts to advance specific initiatives and strategies to support Black scholars, and directly address anti-Black racism. Through innovative programs, including the research and scholarly work of Prof. James, the Jean Augustine Chair, our unique��Black Canadian Studies Certificate, and the new��we are putting this responsibility at the centre of our teaching and research.

The program kicked off with a virtual celebration event which included:

Rhonda Lenton, President & Vice-Chancellor, 91��ɫ, Robert Savage, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Sheila Cote-Meek, Vice-President Equity, People & Culture, Jean Augustine, the Honourable Jean M. Augustine, Mark Beckles, Vice President, Social Impact & Innovation, RBC Corporate Citizenship, Ed McCauley, President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Calgary, David Farrar, President & Vice-Chancellor, McMaster University, Ainsley Carry, VP Students, University of British Columbia, Frank Harvey, Provost and VP Academic, Dalhousie University and a pre-recorded message from, Santa Ono, President, University of British Columbia. The event also featured a panel discussion with Carl James, Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, Faculty of Education, 91��ɫ, Juliet Daniel, Professor and Associate Dean of Research & External Relations - Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Annette Henry, David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education, University of British Columbia, Kevin Hewitt, Professor of Physics, Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science Dalhousie University, Jennifer Adams, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair, Creativity and STEM, University of Calgary.

Watch the full event below:

Quotes

“My research, academic, and community work has long been guided by the urgent need to support Black youth as they strive for success in the face of longstanding systemic barriers in education, and in society,” said Prof. Carl James, who holds the Jean Augustine Chair. “RBC Future Launch, designed to support a variety of community-centred initiatives for young people, is a deeply appreciated contribution; and I’m pleased that the work of the Chair — particularly its programs that seek to support Black youth across Canada��— will benefit significantly from this generous donation.”

“The Jean Augustine Chair is addressing the systemic barriers and racial inequalities in the Canadian education system which is vital to an equitable future,” said the Hon. Jean Augustine. “Focusing on empowering Black youth today through high-quality education, providing a central source for data to inform decisions on policy and practice, and providing Black scholars with research experience to build capacity and skills, will address diverse representation in areas such as academia and industry for generations to come.”

“We are excited to be partnering with 91��ɫ to deliver on the promise of RBC Future Launch: helping young Canadians prepare for the future of work,” said Mark Beckles, Vice President, Social Impact & Innovation, RBC. “Through the resources and mentorship opportunities supported by our partnership, we are directly empowering more Black youth to achieve post-secondary success. Further, the research produced by the data hub will generate long-term, positive impact by informing the systems and supports offered to Black youth across Canada��— including RBC Future Launch.”

“91��ɫ is committed to offering a diverse student population access to a high-quality, research-intensive university committed to the social, economic, cultural, and environmental well-being of society,” said Rhonda L. Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor. “This generous donation, made possible by the RBC Foundation, will support Professor James’ trailblazing work to build pathways for Black youth to pursue their educational goals, and provide new opportunities for current and future Black scholars to drive positive change at 91��ɫ, across Canada, and beyond.”

Videos

Watch President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton's announcement about 91��ɫ's financial commitment to the��Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora:

Watch what Professor has to say about the program:

Watch remarks from Mark Beckles, Vice-President, Social Impact and Innovation, RBC:

91��ɫ��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��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s 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:��Kayla Lewis, 91��ɫ Media Relations, cell 416-455-4710,��lewiskay@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ kicks off Securing Black Futures: A National Partnership to Advance Youth Academic & Career Success appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

91��ɫ kicks off Securing Black Futures: A National Partnership to Advance Youth Academic & Career Success

roshanp — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:27:43 +0000

Made possible by $1.2-million donation from RBC Foundation, as part of RBC��ܳٳܰ����ܲԳ��

Hosting the first ever National Conference for Black youth in Canada;
Supporting student pipeline initiatives at 91��ɫ and up to four other universities across Canada that will bring high school students onto university campuses, thereby enabling them to imagine themselves participating in post-secondary education;
Establishing a new Canadian data hub that will strengthen research and information capacity and inform better public policy; and
Creating new opportunities, supports and training for young Black scholars who as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will engage in research, teaching and mentorship activities that will serve as resources to local Black communities.

The program kicked off with a virtual celebration event which included:

Watch the full event below:

Quotes

Videos

Watch President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton's announcement about 91��ɫ's financial commitment to the��Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora:

Watch what Professor has to say about the program:

Watch remarks from Mark Beckles, Vice-President, Social Impact and Innovation, RBC:

Media contact:��Kayla Lewis, 91��ɫ Media Relations, cell 416-455-4710,��lewiskay@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ kicks off Securing Black Futures: A National Partnership to Advance Youth Academic & Career Success appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

91��ɫ announces partnership with RBC Future Launch, receiving $1.2 million donation in support of Black youth leadership initiatives and Black scholars

roshanp — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:35:39 +0000

TORONTO, March 2, 2021 - 91��ɫ is pleased to announce it has received a new $1.2 million donation from the RBC Foundation as part of , directly supporting the work of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora which is held by well-known educator . This generous donation will create and build on James’ education initiatives for Black youth in priority areas including student success, pathways to education, and support for Black scholars.

Established in 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair is an endowed Chair established by the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada, and champion of the unanimous vote in 1995 that saw February designated as Black History Month. The Chair is one of only two endowed university chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization��endeavours��on Black and African-descended communities.

RBC Foundation’s $1.2 million donation will provide direct support to the Chair’s programs in four key areas, including:

Hosting the first ever National Conference for Black youth in Canada;
Supporting student pipeline initiatives at 91��ɫ and up to four other universities across Canada that will bring high school students onto university campuses, thereby enabling them to imagine themselves participating in post-secondary education;
Establishing a new Canadian data hub that will strengthen research and information capacity and inform better public policy; and
Creating new opportunities, supports and training for young Black scholars who as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will engage in research, teaching and mentorship activities that will serve as resources to local Black communities.

It is anticipated that up to 900 high school and university students, and postdoctoral scholars could be served through the various initiatives, serving as a pipeline for many of their post-high school ambitions. The accompanying research will serve to inform the feasibility and productivity of programs implemented.

is a 10-year, $500 million commitment to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. With a focus on networking, skills development, practical work experience and mental wellbeing supports and services, the initiative aims to help break down the barriers facing young people. In 2020, RBC a series of actions against systemic racism – including a commitment to invest $50 million by 2025 through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 BIPOC youth with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

Building on previous work, and working with all university community partners, 91��ɫ has re-doubled efforts to advance specific initiatives and strategies to support Black scholars, and directly address anti-Black racism. Through innovative programs, including the research and scholarly work of Prof. James, the Jean Augustine Chair, our unique Black Canadian Studies Certificate, and the new we are putting this responsibility at the center of our teaching and research.

Quotes:

“My research, academic, and community work has long been guided by the urgent need to support Black youth as they strive for success in the face of longstanding systemic barriers in education, and in society,” said Prof. Carl James, who holds the Jean Augustine Chair. “RBC Future Launch, designed to support a variety of community-centred initiatives for young people, is a deeply appreciated contribution; and I’m pleased that the work of the Chair – particularly its programs that seek to support Black youth across Canada – will benefit significantly from this generous donation.”

91��ɫ 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��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s 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: Barbara Joy, Director, Media Relations, 416-333-3374, barbjoy@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ announces partnership with RBC Future Launch, receiving $1.2 million donation in support of Black youth leadership initiatives and Black scholars appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

How should parents talk to their kids about anti-Black racism?

roshanp — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 12:34:59 +0000

(UPDATED) How should parents talk to their kids about anti-Black racism?

91��ɫ educator available to discuss killings and injustices against Black people

TORONTO, June 1, 2020 – Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rash of anti-Black killings and racists acts in the U.S – including George Floyd who was killed after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by pressing his knee on his neck, and birdwatcher Christian Cooper who was accosted in Central Park by a white woman who falsely accused him of threatening her.

These incidents are opening doors for Canadians to talk about anti-Black racism, police brutality and the nationwide protests against the deaths of unarmed Black people – which are all happening on both sides of the border – but parents need to remember that their children are watching these events unfold too, says , a professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education who is the .

“People are angry, tired and in pain, and today’s generation of young people, no doubt are trying to make sense of the anti-Black racism they are observing,” says James, a leading education expert on Black youth and race relations. “That’s the reason why parents need to talk to their children to help them understand what is happening.”

“It’s very easy in the Canadian context to think of what is happening as simply a product of racism in America,” says James. “There is enough evidence of Black Canadian people’s experiences with racism so we need to understand the Black experience if we’re going to effectively address racism.”

He is encouraging parents to talk about why injustices against Black people are wrong and how systemic racism works. It also helps to put this in the context of Black history, the legacy of slavery and segregation, and the power of the civil rights movement, Black leadership and the Black Lives Matter movement.

“White parents need to talk to their white kids about white-skinned privilege and how to not take that for granted,” says James. “White families, non-Black families and Black families all need to help their children interpret what is going on around them and the role that race plays. Explain why this is happening and what Black people are experiencing that triggered these anti-police protests. Ask questions like, ‘Why did the white police officer think he could kneel on the neck of a Black man for nine minutes?’”

James is encouraging teachers to talk about anti-Black racism with their students, even if it’s through teacher-led online learning which is occurring across Ontario because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’d also like to see schools and school boards organize online sessions for students to talk with each other about race and racism.

For those parents thinking that their kids are too young to see colour, think again.

“Children as young as age three understand the difference between Black skin and white skin,” says James.

Researchers have shown that when given a choice of Black dolls and white dolls, children – including Black children – show a preference for white dolls, says James, who made a similar finding in 1992 when he co-led this experiment at Toronto childcare centres. The Black and white children in James’ study neglected the Black dolls.

A former youth worker and community worker, James has led extensive research on the lived experiences of marginalized community members within the framework of equity, inclusivity, and social justice. In 2017, he led a report,��, which found Black students in the GTA are disproportionately being streamed into applied instead of academic programs, often times below their ability, and are being suspended at a much higher rate than their counterparts.

James is the author and co-author of several books including and . Currently, he is exploring the relationship between race and COVID-19 noting the impact of the virus on Black people as part of a study led by the University of Toronto. James is also leading two research projects – one on the Black justice system and the other on Black students who left university without completing their studies and enrolled in college.

He can comment on:

Anti-Black racism and racialization
The lives of Black youth in Canada
Multiculturalism and race relations
Equity, inclusivity and social justice related to marginalized Canadians
Masculinity and young Black males
Education and schooling of minority students

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

��Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452,��vthomps@yorku.ca

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Evolving meaning of Blackness in Canada to be discussed at 91��ɫ U

roshanp — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 16:09:52 +0000

TORONTO, February 15, 2017 – 91��ɫ is hosting a on February 17 and 18, to discuss the evolving meaning of Blackness in Canada at the juncture of its 150 years since Confederation, inviting leading academics, students, community organizers and activists.

Keynote by Professor Anthony Stewart from Buncknell University, USA, will open the symposium on February 17

Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora is the lead organizer of the symposium which will kick off with a special keynote by Professor Anthony Stewart from Buncknell University, USA, on the inaugural day. Several other keynotes and roundtable discussions on various topics are scheduled for the following day.

Program includes:

Keynote speakers
- Professor Anthony Stewart, Bucknell University
- Kiké Roach, civil rights lawyer
- Judge Michael H. Tulloch,��Ontario Court of Appeal
- Professor Rinaldo Walcott, 91��ɫ
- Barrington Walker, historian
Panel discussions
- Critical Histories of Blacks in Canada
- The Education of Black Students and the Inequitable schooling system
- Black community responses to the justice system
- Re-imagining Canada's Future with Blacks

Who: 91��ɫ Faculty of Education
What: Black History Month Symposium: The Evolving Meaning of Blackness in Canada
When: Friday, February 17- 5:30pm to 9pm and Saturday, February 18 – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Where: Founders Assembly Hall, Room 152, Founders College, 91��ɫ Keele Campus, Toronto (building number 50 on the )

To RSVP, or for more information, visit:

is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni.91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media contact:
Gloria Suhasini, Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 22094, suhasini@yorku.ca

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