Diaspora | The Harriet Tubman Institute

Tiana Reid

rebsl — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:22:56 +0000

Tiana Reid is an assistant professor in the Department of English at 91��ɫ and the author of the poetry collection Nightnursing (2026). Born and raised in Toronto, she holds both a PhD in English and Comparative Literature and an MA in African American Studies from Columbia University.

Her essays, reviews, and academic articles have been published in many places, including American Quarterly, Bookforum, C Magazine, Dissent, Feminist Formations, The Nation, The New 91��ɫ Review of Books, Theory & Event, Women & Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory, and The Yale Review. She is also an editor at Pinko, a magazine of gay communism.

Keywords: black studies, black feminist theory, literary studies, labour, diaspora, Marxism, gender, sexuality, comparative literature

Nia Akilah Wilson

rebsl — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:22:35 +0000

Nia Akilah Wilson (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Department of Humanities at 91��ɫ. She is a research associate with the YRC II in Black Sonic Cultures. Nia earned her MA in Human Geography from University of Toronto. Her SSHRC CGS-M funded thesis focused on the experiences of Black women with anti-black surveillance practices, especially in the wake of Toronto’s Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy. Her current research explores the implications of counterinsurgent surveillance policies on Toronto’s Caribana and London’s Notting Hill Carnival, with a focus on Black youth.

Keywords: Carnival, diaspora, Black youth, surveillance, counterinsurgency, resistance

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

Mary Uhunoma Isibor

rebsl — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 16:12:56 +0000

Dr. Mary Isibor is an African historian, interdisciplinary scholar, and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas, 91��ɫ. With over a decade of teaching, research, and mentorship experience at the University of Benin, Nigeria, her work bridges historical scholarship with contemporary issues shaping Africa, its diasporas, and global Black communities.

Her research lies at the intersection of African history, diaspora studies, gender studies, development studies, entrepreneurship, migration, and cultural production. Through interdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship, she examines how historical processes, social structures, and transnational networks influence identity, mobility, economic participation, and development within African and diasporic communities.

Prior to joining 91��ɫ, Dr. Isibor served as a Lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies at the University of Benin, where she taught courses in African history, gender, development, migration, and international studies while mentoring emerging scholars and contributing to academic and public debates on Africa’s past, present, and future.

At 91��ɫ, her postdoctoral research investigates the resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurial strategies of Black immigrant women in Canada. Her work explores how Black women navigate barriers related to access to capital, mentorship, professional networks, and business growth while creating pathways for economic mobility, community development, and transnational engagement. By centering the experiences of Black women entrepreneurs, her research contributes to broader conversations on equity, inclusion, migration, and economic empowerment.

Committed to translating research into action, Dr. Isibor’s scholarship extends beyond traditional academic outputs to generate meaningful community impact. Drawing on insights from her research, she founded the Black Women’s Enterprise Exchange (BWEE), an innovative research-impact initiative of the Harriet Tubman Institute. BWEE serves as a platform that connects entrepreneurs, scholars, policymakers, practitioners, community leaders, and ecosystem builders to address barriers to business growth, foster mentorship and collaboration, and advance opportunities for Black women entrepreneurs across Canada, Africa, and the global diaspora.

Dr. Isibor’s broader research agenda explores African and diasporic histories, migration, entrepreneurship, digital economies, gendered labour, art and culture, and the ways Black communities create resilience, belonging, and opportunity across borders. Her scholarship has been presented at national and international conferences and contributes to academic, policy, and community conversations on social justice, economic inclusion, development, and Black diasporic futures.

Through her research, teaching, mentorship, and public engagement, Dr. Isibor is dedicated to producing scholarship that not only advances knowledge but also drives social change, strengthens communities, and creates pathways for sustainable and inclusive development.

Keywords: gender, entrepreneurship, migration, diaspora, resilience, African and Black women

Jake Dabang Dan-Azumi

rebsl — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:33:14 +0000

Jake Dan-Azumi is a professor of Political Science and Development Studies and the Technical Assistant to the Director General, the National Institute for Legislative & Democratic Studies, Nigeria National Assembly. He has extensive experience in development work focusing on democratic governance and public policy, parliamentary institutional strengthening, research, peace and security, human rights, conflict and peacebuilding, and gender. He previously worked as a Special Assistant to the President of the Senate, Sen. (Dr.) David Mark, GCON, between 2011 and 2014. Jake possesses extensive experience in the design and delivery of parliamentary and democratic support programmes. He holds a Doctorate Degree in International Development from University College London (UCL); an MSc in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University; a BA (First Class, Honours) from the University of Zimbabwe, where he was awarded the Book Prize for the Best Student; and a BA (First Class) from the University of South Africa. His other qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Methods from the University of Bradford, UK.

Keywords: Democratic Governance, Parliament, National Development, Diaspora, Civil Society & Parliamentary Engagement

Chris Francois

rebsl — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:47:10 +0000

Chris Francois is a master’s student in the Development Studies program at 91��ɫ. Their research interests include queer migration, diasporas, and Latin American and Caribbean identities. Francois holds a previous master’s degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University, and a bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict resolution from Manchester University. They currently serve as an Ambassador for Peace for Haiti with the Universal Peace Federation, an NGO in consultative status with the UN.

Mary Goitom

rebsl — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 15:11:40 +0000

Mary Goitom is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, 91��ɫ. Dr Goitom’s research explores migration, mobilities, diasporic connections, transnational processes, and social relations. Her work is centered on community-based research and is grounded in Ethiopian epistemologies and larger African traditional knowledge systems. Dr Goitom’s work explores transnational social fields in relation to the constitution of settlement, citizenship, well-being, agency, resilience and identity making.