Undergraduate Research Assistant | The Harriet Tubman Institute

Ruthneldha Attilus

rebsl — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:37:12 +0000

I am an undergraduate student in Political Science at 91��ɫ with research interests in international law, corporate governance, and global political economy. My work examines how legal and economic systems shape global inequalities, with a particular focus on the structural conditions that contribute to the underdevelopment of the Global South.

Margaret Ofori Asubonteng

rebsl — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:58:59 +0000

Margaret Ofori Asubonteng is a Black African Human Resource Management student with interests in Black studies, labor, equity, law, student engagement, and community development. Her academic and leadership pursuits explore the intersection of Black lived experiences, institutional systems, social justice, and belonging within educational and professional spaces.

She currently serves as an Upper-Year Student Engagement Assistant in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies at 91��ɫ, where she supports student outreach, programming, and peer connection initiatives. Margaret has also contributed to student transition and leadership programming through 91��ɫ’s Student Community & Leadership Development team and served as an Outreach Lead for a policy case competition through the School of Public Policy & Administration.

Her commitment to student engagement and service has been recognized through several honors, including a Certificate of Distinction for Excellence from Student Community & Leadership Development, the Best College Crew Volunteer Award (2024–2025) from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and recognition for her contributions to the Human Resources Student Association community. She was also recognized for her presentation at 91��ɫ’s International Career Ready Conference, where she shared insights on navigating university life as an international student.

Margaret is passionate about advocacy and community-centered engagement, and she hopes to continue contributing to conversations that affirm the richness, complexity, and diversity of African and diasporic experiences.

Keywords: Black Studies, African Diaspora, Labor, Equity, Social Justice, Student Engagement, Community Development, Law, Belonging, Youth Leadership, International Students

Beatrice Nkundwa

rebsl — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:35:07 +0000

Beatrice Nkundwa is an undergraduate student in environmental arts and justice at 91��ɫ. She studied Swahili a language from Tanzania and she is a Kirundi interpreter and translator. Clientship and human settlements are part of her research on social, economic and political development. Humanitarian assistance is one of her areas of studies and work.

Keywords: Language, African Culture, Diaspora, Humanitarian Assistance

Sarah Merghani

rebsl — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:50:21 +0000

Sarah Merghani is a third-year Global Health undergraduate student at 91��ɫ, specializing in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, with an interdisciplinary certificate in Refugee and Migration Studies. Her research interests center on African and diasporic health, forced displacement and migration, and the ways colonial legacies and anti-Black racism shape health and social outcomes for African communities in Canada and globally. She works as a research assistant and lab coordinator at the Wellness Impact Lab within 91��ɫ’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, where she supports interdisciplinary research and community-engaged initiatives on health and wellbeing. Sarah is also the founder of the Displacement & Health Relief Network, a grassroots initiative focused on displacement, health equity, and ethical community-led responses. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary inquiry and community-engaged research at the intersection of health, displacement, and social justice.

Sesina Issak

rebsl — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:34:38 +0000

Sesina Issak is an undergraduate Cognitive Science student at 91��ɫ whose work weaves together cultural memory, post-conflict recovery, and speculative imagination. Her research explores how frameworks like Afrofuturism can serve as tools for socio-economic justice, narrative reclamation, and psychological healing. A current DARE recipient, she is conducting research under Dr. Sylvia Bawa on African futurities rooted in decolonial ethics and pan-African solidarity. Originally from Tigray, Ethiopia, Sesina is deeply invested in designing futures—both scholarly and material—that speak to survival, regeneration, and self-determined development in the aftermath of conflict.

Keywords: Post-conflict recovery, Psychological healing, Cognitive science, Systems thinking, Creative resistance

Ehiosa Eweka

rebsl — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 20:00:31 +0000

My name is Ehiosa Eweka and I am in my last year of Biology at 91��ɫ. I am dedicated to health awareness and social engagement. As a former data collector and intern into black and brown inequalities in British Columbia, it is with the hope that I advance the research with my skills that will highlight the diverse histories and inform equitable policies within the Institute.

Keywords: Anti-black racism, Data Collection and Analysis, Colonial Histories, Preventative Health Education and Cultural Competence in Healthcare

Uyiosa Eweka

rebsl — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:57:57 +0000

Uyiosa Eweka - a second year criminology major at 91��ɫ with a deep passion for understanding the complexities of the world. Her legal inspiration stems from the need to address An avid reader and music lover, Uyiosa finds joy in singing and engaging in thoughtful debates. With a strong commitment to supporting others, Uyiosa channels her interest in law, politics, faith and the environment into meaningful insights that help make sense of today's challenges. Through her studies and personal pursuits, Uyiosa strives to blend knowledge with compassion, making a positive impact on those around her.

Keywords: Law, Policy, Impact of slavery, Crime displacement, Policing, Settler Colonialism, Africa

Karina Deepnarine

rebsl — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:02:08 +0000

Karina Deepnarine is a third-year student whose work sits at the intersection of race, identity, and post-colonial thought. She currently serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Harriet Tubman Institute. Beyond her research, Karina has a distinguished record of leadership and community engagement. From 2021-2023, she served as Vice-President and President of Goetz Black Voices, where she spearheaded initiatives like assemblies, panels, and discussions addressing colorism, texturism, microaggressions, and Black student empowerment, as well as the organization of Black History Month programming. She has collaborated with Black graduation coaches through the Black Community Advisory Council (BCAC) to help predominantly non-Black schools establish Black Student Associations. She has been interviewed by the Peel District School Board (PDSB) on strategies to better support Black students and has spoken on several high-profile panels, including Jean Augustine’s BSA Conference 2025 with PDSB at 91��ɫ on the Black undergraduate experience. Her leadership spans multiple organizations: she is the social media Director for the Black Business Student Association (BBSA), Ontario Hub Leader for the Federation of Black Canadians, Social Justice Chair for United Caribbean Islands (UCI), and an active member of the RISE Committee. She has also serves as VP of Internal Affairs for the Black Women in Law Association (BWLA), where she advocates for the advancement of Black women in the legal profession. Her advocacy has been recognized through numerous awards, including the NDP Rosemary Brown Social Justice Award, the Jacor Marketing Award for Inclusivity, and a Peel Regional Police Scholarship for Equity and Diversity. Her body of work reflects a commitment to dismantling the post-colonial mindset and advancing racial justice both within academic spaces and the broader community for Black communities.

Keywords: Advocacy, Human Rights, Anti-Black Racism, Black Education, Awareness

Oloto Arni

rebsl — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:15:38 +0000

I am Oloto Arni, a second-year undergraduate student at 91��ɫ, I am pursuing my bachelor's in International Development Studies and have minors in Information Technology. I participated in Dean's Awards for Research Excellence (DARE) project with the 91��ɫ Department of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS). I am also an executive member of the World University Services of Canada (WUSC) Program at 91��ɫ which sponsors refugee students from refugee camps across the world to Canada.

Renee Lefebvre

rebsl — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 01:31:39 +0000

I am a fourth-year student in the Human Rights and Equity Studies program at 91��ɫ minoring in History. After working as a research assistant and content coordinator for the Equiano's World website from May 2020 to December 2021, I have been accepted into placement as a research assistant with the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean. I plan on pursuing a career in the field of history after graduating.