Alexander is a music director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and Orion Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the Markham Contemporary Music Festival and the International Music Competition. Having led hundreds of orchestral and operatic performances, he has built a reputation for championing artistic excellence, cultural exchange and opportunities for emerging musicians. Through his leadership, mentorship and community initiatives, he has helped expand access to the arts for more than 1,000 young people, including neurodiverse youth, at-risk youth and students from low-income families. 

“For more than three decades, Maestro Kristian Alexander has dedicated his life to advancing the role of music in education and social connection,” said Brandon Vickerd, dean, (AMPD).  

“Through his work as a conductor, educator, scholar and humanitarian, he has enriched the cultural life in Canada and around the world, inspiring audiences, artists and communities alike.” 

Addressing graduands from AMPD and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Alexander reflected on a career spent building artistic institutions and creating new opportunities for musicians and audiences alike. 

He recalled his time as a young conducting student who envisioned a different kind of orchestra at a time when the practice was largely defined by tradition and established structures. 

"I wanted to develop an orchestra that could make its own artistic decisions, one that could operate according to a different model," he said. "There was no such orchestra, so I decided to create one." 

What began as an idea eventually grew into an internationally recognized organization, though not without setbacks and moments of self-doubt. The experience, he said, taught him lessons about perseverance, leadership and innovation. 

"You don't always have to find your place in an existing institution," he said. "Sometimes you can create the institution yourself, and sometimes the fact that something is difficult is precisely why it must be done." 

Almost 20 years later, he applied the same philosophy when he founded the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, despite warnings that the venture was too ambitious or unlikely to succeed. 

"When you believe in an idea, you must have the courage to make it happen and trust that others will join you," he said. 

Alexander noted that creating something new is only one part of the process; equally important is ensuring it can grow, adapt and continue to evolve through the contributions of others. 

"As graduates, you have enormous opportunities to create, but creation is not about keeping something under your care forever,” he said. 

“There comes a point when the most important thing you can do for what you have created is to allow others to shape it, to carry it forward, to make it their own.” 

That philosophy informed his advice to graduands preparing to enter an uncertain and rapidly changing world. Rather than feeling constrained by traditional career paths, he encouraged them to recognize the possibilities that emerge when existing models no longer meet people's needs. Alexander encouraged graduands to think big and to see uncertainty as an opportunity for innovation. 

“You have spent all of these years learning how to create, to imagine, to question, to experiment, to make something real,” he said. “Now you are standing at the beginning of something higher. A world that is waiting for you.” 

Alexander concluded by urging graduands to trust their ideas, take risks and embrace the responsibility of building the future. 

"When you leave here today, carry two questions with you: What is missing, and what could I create?" he said. "Don't wait for permission. Don't wait for the right moment. Don't wait until you feel completely ready. 

"Create what doesn't exist. Nurture it. Build it. Give it everything you have." 

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Graham's career has spanned more than five decades across the financial services, technology and automotive sectors. He was the founding chief executive officer of Proponix Inc., a global financial technology company, and previously held senior leadership positions with Citibank in Canada and Asia. 

As a Schulich alum, Graham has been a key contributor to the University. Serving for more than two decades as president of the Schulich Global Alumni Network, Graham has supported generations of students through mentorship, philanthropy and alumni engagement. 

Introducing him during convocation, Schulich Associate Professor Emerita Lorna Wright described him as "one of the school's most dedicated and influential alumni" and highlighted his long-standing commitment to creating opportunities for others. 

"Bill's legacy can ultimately be measured not only by the distinguished career he built, but by the many people he has helped along the way," she said. 

In his address to graduands, Graham reflected on the two lasting gifts Schulich provides its graduates: access to a global alumni network and a foundation in responsible business leadership. 

He encouraged graduates to view the school’s network of more than 38,000 alumni as a valuable resource for building relationships, accessing advice and learning from others’ experiences.  

“Over the last 40 years, I've used this network extensively, and what I found in almost all the cases were alumni who were willing to connect with me and build a relationship because it was valuable to them as well,” he said.   

Graham reminded graduands to support future generations of alumni and students. 

"It is important to recognize that this ... is reciprocal," he said. "It comes with a responsibility to give back, support and advise your fellow alumni and future students." 

Turning to the lessons he learned throughout his own journey, Graham reflected on his career in global financial services, using the rise and fall of Citibank and Citigroup to illustrate why responsible business practices, ethical leadership and a commitment to society are essential to long-term success. 

“It's not just the right thing to do; it is the smart and successful thing to do,” he told graduands, encouraging them to carry the principles of responsible business into their professional and personal lives. 

Successful organizations must look beyond financial performance to consider their employees, governance, ethics, the environment and the communities in which they operate, he said. While generating profits remains important to sustaining a business and attracting investment, he cautioned against making shareholder returns an organization's sole priority. 

“When that becomes your only focus, that so-called shareholder model drives adverse behaviours as well as negative value and cultural shifts that benefits no one, including the shareholders,” he said. 

He recalled the cultural and leadership shifts that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis and said that organizations can lose sight of their purpose when financial performance becomes the sole measure of success. 

"It is said that we learn more from our failures than from our successes, and we did learn from the failures of 2008," he said. 

Graham noted the crisis accelerated the rise of modern responsible business practices, which seek to strengthen the relationship between business and society while creating sustainable value. 

Addressing the next generation of leaders, he emphasized that the principles taught at Schulich and 91��ɫ will only matter if they choose to apply them. 

In closing, Graham reminded the graduating class to use knowledge and responsibility to shape the future. 

"You are now going to be those people. You are now going to be those leaders," he said. "Schulich has given you the tools. Now go out and use them." 

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WWF-Canada named 91��ɫ as one of seven Canadian post-secondary institutions recognized for translating environmental commitments into conservation initiatives, learning opportunities and community action.

During the 2025-26 academic year, 91��ɫ's Office of Sustainability, Facilities Services, Biodiversity Working Group, faculty, student organizations and community partners worked collaboratively to advance initiatives spanning ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, sustainable food systems and environmental leadership.

91��ɫ is transforming its campuses into places where environmental action is not only studied but put into practice, says Nicole Arsenault, director, Office of Sustainability. Students, staff, faculty and community members participated in biodiversity monitoring, pollinator garden stewardship, sustainable food programming at the Maloca Garden and Earth Month activities.

Those efforts translated into hands-on sustainability learning and measurable action across 91��ɫ’s campuses, including the planting of close to 400 trees and campus cleanups that collected 36 bags of litter.

“Our campuses are important places for both learning and biodiversity,” says Arsenault. “Earning the Living Campus certification for a third consecutive year reflects 91��ɫ’s ongoing approach to sustainability as something we put into practice across our campuses."

WWF-Canada highlighted 91��ɫ’s biodiversity work, including the planting of native vegetation to restore an area of Glendon Campus affected by a water main break.

The University’s wider habitat enhancement work included naturalization, invasive species management, biodiversity monitoring and stewardship of campus green spaces.

As well, students and staff recorded more than 200 species observations during two inventories of plants, wildlife and other biodiversity on campus.

The Sheila Colla Pollinator Garden – a memorial garden celebrating the late 91��ɫ Professor Sheila Colla – provides another example of biodiversity in action, bringing together research, remembrance, community participation and conservation to create habitat for pollinators at 91��ɫ.

Through these initiatives, Arsenault says 91��ɫ community members developed knowledge and skills related to ecological restoration, waste reduction, biodiversity conservation and sustainable food systems.

“By bringing together students, faculty, staff and community partners, we’re creating opportunities for hands-on learning while restoring habitat, supporting biodiversity and advancing the goals of 91��ɫ’s Sustainability Strategy 2030," she says.

The work advances priorities identified in 91��ɫ’s Sustainability Strategy 2030, Sustainability Policy, University Academic Plan and Well-being Strategy, as well as its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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Volpe is president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, representing one of Canada’s largest manufacturing sectors. A leading voice on industrial policy, trade and economic competitiveness, he has played a prominent role in advancing Canadian manufacturing interests and strengthening the country’s automotive supply chain.  

Appointed to the Order of Canada in 2023, he serves on both the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations and the Ontario Premier’s Council on U.S. Trade and Investment. 

Volpe has built a career at the intersection of industry, public policy and public service, said Siu Ning (Sunny) Leung, vice-dean, faculty and inclusive excellence, Lassonde School of Engineering. 

“Progress takes more than good ideas; it takes people who can bring others together and turn those ideas into action,” said Leung. “Few careers demonstrate that more clearly than that of Flavio Volpe.” 

After accepting an honorary degree before graduands of , Glendon College, and the Faculties of , Education and Science, Volpe reflected on the family and experiences that shaped his journey. 

Returning to 91��ɫ nearly three decades after completing his MBA, he said one lesson had become increasingly clear over time: "Nobody gets here alone.”   

That lesson, he noted, was rooted in his own family's connection to 91��ɫ. Before Volpe earned his degree, his mother, Mirala, returned to school as a mature student while raising four children, becoming the first university graduate in her family.  

“Her effort and her success were both a warning and an inspiration,” he said. “She was showing us, through her own work, what we could and should ask of ourselves.”  

Volpe encouraged graduands to recognize the family members, teachers, friends and mentors who helped them reach this milestone, and reminded them that opportunity comes with responsibility.  

"Your education gives you tools. What you do with those tools gives meaning," he said. “You are graduating in different disciplines. You will help communities understand themselves and the world. Your work will affect people you may never meet.” 

Looking back on his own career, Volpe recalled representing Canada's automotive manufacturing sector and the importance of keeping people at the centre of decision-making. 

"When I visit an office or a factory, I see skill, ingenuity, investment. I also see people paying their mortgages and raising their kids and making plans." 

He pointed to the automotive sector's response during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he led efforts to shift production to ventilators and personal protective equipment, as an example of people coming together to solve urgent challenges. 

"When you have the ability to help, you have a responsibility to try," he said. 

Volpe also shared insights from Project Arrow, the nation's first all-Canadian zero-emission concept vehicle created to showcase Canadian technology, talent and innovation. Drawing on this example, he challenged graduands to think boldly about their futures and ability to make an impact. 

"You do not have to shrink your ambition to fit somebody else's assumptions about you," he said. "Confidence does not require you to have every answer; it requires you to believe that your effort can make a difference, and to be willing to learn from the people who sit beside you. I hope you leave 91��ɫ with that confidence." 

Volpe encouraged the graduating class to carry forward both the opportunities they have received and the responsibility that comes with them. 

"Wherever you go, carry that responsibility with you. Make room for someone else. Share what you know. Stand up when it would be easier to sit down and be quiet." 

He concluded with a reminder about the values that matter most as graduates begin the next chapter of their lives. 

"Keep your kindness. Keep your honesty. Keep your loyalty to the people who trust you, be ambitious about what you can accomplish and thoughtful about who benefits when you do," he said. 

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Kidd is a professor emeritus and founding dean of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education whose career has influenced sport and physical education in Canada. A member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and an Officer of the Order of Canada, Kidd has spent more than five decades advocating for human rights and athletes' rights while advancing national sport initiatives.  

Parissa Safai, vice-president equity, people and culture, introduced Kidd as “an internationally recognized expert on sport history, policy and political economy,” during the Fall Convocation ceremony. 

“We honour your commitment to the physical, social and civic well-being of people and communities around the world, and your call to protect access to sport and physical education for all,” she said. 

In his address to graduands, Kidd reflected on a lifelong connection to 91��ɫ. His father, educator J. Roby Kidd, was among the University's founders and helped champion its commitment to accessibility, inclusion and innovative approaches to learning. 

Recalling stories he heard around the family dinner table, Kidd said he grew up listening to discussions about the creation of 91��ɫ and its mission to serve students whose educational goals might otherwise be out of reach. 

"In the 66 years since, 91��ɫ has realized those visions and prospered far beyond the dreams of its founders," he said. "And it's always retained its progressive focus. I followed your fortunes with a son's pride ever since." 

Kidd also reflected on his own time as a 91��ɫ graduate student and shared a formative piece of advice he received from economics professor Ian Macdonald. 

"I said, 'Professor Macdonald, can I still be a world-class athlete and a top student at the same time?' And he smiled and said, 'You'll never know unless you try.'" 

That willingness to embrace unexpected opportunities became one of the central themes of his address. 

"Always have a plan, but when an intriguing opportunity comes along that you never expected, and it looks interesting, give it a try," he said. 

Having competed at a time when athletes were expected to remain silent on social and political issues, Kidd said he came to recognize the inequalities that existed within sport and began using his platform to advocate for change. 

Drawing on experiences that included competing at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games following South Africa's expulsion over apartheid policies, Kidd became involved in the international campaign against apartheid sport, a movement that helped isolate the regime from global competition. 

"The lesson is wherever you can, be it in sport, health, education, or something else, be aware of your circumstances and employ that knowledge to advance progressive change," he said. 

"The challenges are daunting, but there's always something you can do to include the unjustly excluded, and call out unfairness," he said. 

Turning to the struggles facing society today, Kidd encouraged Faculty of Health graduands to use their education and expertise to address two issues he considers urgent public health concerns: declining rates of physical activity and the rise of sports betting and online gambling. 

“As your lives after graduation become even more stressful, don't forget that we are embodied creatures,” he said.  

“Be sure to develop a regime of physical activity and healthy eating that gives you pleasure and satisfaction for yourself and your families help realize such opportunities for the entire community.” 

Kidd encouraged graduands to combine professional excellence with a commitment to social responsibility as they move into the next step of their journeys. 

"Today, more than ever, we need professionals in every field who will not only be very good at what you do, but look out for others and serve as beacons for innovative, effective, inclusive and equitable change."

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The Canada’s awards are presented annually by Delta Management Group to recognize leaders who have made significant contributions to the clean economy over the previous two years. The Lifetime Contribution Award recognizes senior sustainability leaders whose careers have advanced environmental protection and climate resilience in Canada. 

Recipients are selected from more than 1,000 nominees nationwide.

Winfield, a professor at the , was recognized for a career spanning governance research, institution building, public engagement and student mentorship.

"I really see this as a recognition of the contributions of all of the people I have worked with over the years: colleagues and students at EUC, but also through the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, the Pembina Institute, and the Canadian Environmental Network," says Winfield.

Gavin Pitchford, CEO of Delta Management Group. says to receive a Clean50 award is truly indicative of nation-wide and personal leadership in the Lifetime Contribution category. "The individuals we chose for the Clean50 this year are true leaders and should be an inspiration for all Canadians.”

Winfield has played a significant role in Canadian environmental policy since 1992, beginning with the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy and later the before moving into academia. He served as a civil society member of Government of Canada delegations to international environmental negotiations and has worked with the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) on international environmental initiatives and projects.  

At 91��ɫ, Winfield's research has focused on sustainable energy, climate change, environmental law and public policy. He serves as co-chair of 91��ɫ’s and is co-founder of the and helped establish the Energy Modelling Hub as a nationally recognized resource. 

As a graduate supervisor and program leader, Winfield has mentored generations of students who have pursued careers in government, environmental organizations, law, research and public policy. 

“Through supervising graduate students, he has also built a small army of policy professionals, sending them off into government, law and the non-profit world," says Pitchford. "Three decades in, he is still building the institutions the next generation will need, for the long haul.” 

He is the author of two books and more than 50 chapters and articles. His research has contributed to policy development discussions in Canada and abroad, from testimony before Canada’s Senate and House of Commons to questions from the Australian Parliament about nuclear energy in Ontario.  

Winfield has also served as an advisor to environmental oversight bodies and contributed to research collaborations examining community energy planning, energy storage, low-carbon transitions and climate governance. He is co-editor of Carbon Federalism: Canadian Climate Governance in a Disrupted World, submitted to the University of Toronto Press last month.

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The title recognizes those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to teaching and research, alongside exemplary service to the University community. 

Ferrara will be honoured during an Oct. 15 convocation ceremony. 

The recognition, she says, represents a full circle moment. "I am deeply honoured to receive the University Professorship. That it comes from my alma mater, where my Canadian journey began as a student, gives it special significance." A professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), Ferrara has built a career defined by excellence in teaching, research and institutional leadership. She has taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses, guided by a teaching philosophy that emphasizes analytical reasoning, problem-solving skills and the application of economic theory to real-world challenges. 

Her contributions to pedagogy outside the classroom include the redesign of 91��ɫ's Research Seminar in Economics to incorporate community-engaged learning, which creates opportunities for students to apply economic theory to real-world challenges through partnerships with external organizations. Ferrara also played a key role in developing the Diploma in Risk and Insurance Management (DRIM) and the Hybrid Academia-Industry Internships via Virtual Engagement (HAIVE) programs to foster experiential learning and partnerships between students and the community.

Ferrara's extensive teaching record also reflects a sustained commitment to mentorship. Through the Directed Reading and Directed Research courses, Ferrara has consistently invested in undergraduate and graduate student success, helping them develop independence as thinkers and researchers. Both students and colleagues recognize her dedication to mentorship, and commend her generosity in offering guidance, encouragement and support while fostering a collegial, engaged and intellectually vibrant academic community. 

Ferrara has also made contributions to 91��ɫ through service and leadership. She served as undergraduate program director following the merger that created the unified Department of Economics, chaired the department from 2016 to 2019, and later served as vice-chair and Chair of the LA&PS Faculty Council. Her service has included work on numerous departmental, Faculty and University committees, as well as leadership roles within the 91��ɫ Faculty Association (YUFA) and the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre (RISC). 

An internationally recognized scholar, Ferrara's research has advanced understanding of environmental economics, public economics, health economics and the economics of risk and insurance. Her work, which examines how economic incentives interact with social, psychological and institutional factors, has informed research and policy discussions on topics including waste management, recycling, charitable giving, insurance participation and public policy design. Her research has appeared in leading journals and has been supported through numerous major external research grants. 

"I believe that an academic career carries both the opportunity and the responsibility to have a meaningful impact on students’ learning, on the advancement of society and on the vitality of the University and the wider community,” she says. “I have sought to remain faithful to this conviction throughout my career, and I would like to think that this recognition reflects, in some measure, the contribution I have aspired to make." 

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To answer this, 91��ɫ researcher Jonathan Michaels is investigating how the brain recognizes rhythm, anticipates patterns and coordinates movement with sound, work that has earned him a Brain Canada Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research award.

Michaels is one of 26 early-career researchers across Canada selected for the program, which supports emerging scientists pursuing high-risk, high-reward research with the potential to improve brain and health outcomes. The program is supported by the Azrieli Foundation and Brain Canada through the Canada Brain Research Fund, a partnership with the Government of Canada (Health Canada). 

“This award gives our lab the freedom to pursue an ambitious question about how learning changes the brain,” says Michaels. “As an early-career researcher, having support to follow an unexpected finding and test where it leads is especially valuable. I’m grateful to Brain Canada and its partners for making that possible.” 

The $100,000 award will fund his project “,” which investigates how reward helps the brain turn rhythmic sounds into predictions that guide movement. 

An assistant professor at 91��ɫ’s , Michaels will study this learning process through experiments with monkeys, tracking how the animals learn to anticipate sounds and timing their movements. By studying activity across multiple brain regions, he hopes to identify how rhythm-processing signals emerge and spread throughout the brain.

In a preliminary experiment, a monkey listened to repeated tones paired with small juice rewards. Brain regions involved in movement and motivation began responding to the rhythm. Even more interesting, he says, is that the brain can continue tracking the rhythm after the reward is gone, suggesting that learning had changed how the brain responded to the sounds. 

This is foundational research into how the brain learns to connect sound and movement, says Michaels. In the longer term, that understanding could inform approaches to movement rehabilitation. 

“I'm excited to continue building knowledge that could have meaningful impacts on health and well-being,” says Michaels. “Being recognized alongside outstanding researchers from across Canada is both an honour and a motivation.” 

This is the second recognition for Michaels this year; his contributions to the study of neuroscience earned him a Brain Star Award from the Canadian Association for Neuroscience for his research investigating the power of prediction. 

He is the principal investigator at the at 91��ɫ, where he leads a team of researchers on work to understand how the brain learns and controls skilled movement with the goal of improving recovery from injury and disease. 

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Founded in 1995 by Caldwell, Canada's Top 40 Under 40 celebrates emerging visionaries, innovators and business leaders who have demonstrated exceptional achievement, leadership and community impact. Over the past three decades, the program has recognized many of Canada's most influential executives, entrepreneurs and changemakers at early stages of their careers. 

The 2026 cohort includes Nick Frosst, Patrice Njoh and Jonathan Sherman, 91��ɫ community members who have demonstrated leadership in AI, consulting and law.

Nick Frosst, former research assistant 

Frosst is a co-founder of Cohere, an AI company that creates large language models and tools specifically for businesses. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Toronto, Cohere builds cutting-edge foundation models and end-to-end AI products that help businesses and governments solve real-world challenges with leading security, data privacy and deployment flexibility.  

Frosst plays a key role in the company’s research efforts with a focus on delivering top-tier user experiences for customers. Prior to founding Cohere, he was the first employee hired by Geoffrey Hinton at Google Brain’s Toronto lab, where his research focused on capsule networks, adversarial robustness and model interpretability.  

Frosst is a former research assistant at 91��ɫ's Tsotsos Computer Vision Lab at the where he worked on visual saliency prediction algorithms, focusing on benchmarking and optimization from 2013-15.

Patrice Njoh, alum (IMBA '13) 

Njoh is a partner at Deloitte Canada, where she advises senior executives on AI, technology, workforce transformation and enterprise change. She has partnered with some of Canada’s largest financial institutions and public sector organizations to adopt new technologies, redesign work and improve services used by millions of Canadians.  

A frequent speaker on AI, leadership and the future of work, the alum helps shape the global conversation on how organizations can harness emerging technologies responsibly. She champions practical, people-first adoption strategies that help organizations realize value from innovation while building trust and long-term resilience.

Beyond Deloitte, she serves on the board of The Kickback Foundation and mentors emerging leaders shaping the next generation of Canadian business. 

Jonathan Sherman, alum (JD '14) 

Sherman serves as executive Chair of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, a partner in its Capital Markets and Public M&A Group and founder of its Cannabis Law Group. He is the youngest partner in the firm's history and a trusted advisor on some of the market’s most significant and complex transactions. 

His practice focuses on emerging high-growth industries, including technology, beverage alcohol, gaming, cryptocurrency and real estate.  

Sherman, an alum of , has advised on major capital markets and corporate transactions, and provides strategic and legal advice to a range of industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investment dealers. He also plays a central role in shaping Cassels’ strategic direction, and he is frequently invited to share his expertise and perspectives on business and law by journalists, conferences and academic institutions. 

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His commitment to equitable and culturally responsive teaching and learning – a defining focus of his work as course director and instructor at the Faculty of Education – has earned him national honour as a recipient of the 2026 PHE Canada Impact Award. 

"It's deeply humbling," says Khan, who is pursuing a PhD at the . "I see this award as a recognition of the students, families, teacher candidates and communities who have shaped my thinking, and as an affirmation that equity and diversity belong at the centre of physical and health education, not at its margins."

The national award follows Khan’s receipt of 91��ɫ’s 2026 President's University-Wide Teaching Award, underscoring the impact of his teaching, curriculum development and advocacy both at 91��ɫ and beyond. 

At 91��ɫ, Khan works to advance inclusive and culturally responsive practice in education. His approach is informed by years of experience as an elementary and secondary educator and, more recently, as a course director preparing the next generation of teachers. 

"I saw how often students from racialized, marginalized and newcomer communities felt that physical education wasn't designed with them in mind," says Khan.  

"Whether it was dress, fasting, language or simply not seeing themselves reflected, many were opting out of something that should belong to everyone." 

His experience shapes the foundation of Khan's teaching, research and advocacy work, leading him to explore how educators can create environments where every student feels welcomed, represented and empowered to participate. 

Among the initiatives Khan is most proud of is “Learning from the Land,” which invites teacher-candidates to walk the Huron-Wendat Trail at 91��ɫ's Keele Campus and engage with Indigenous histories, relationships to place and the diverse populations that make up the 91��ɫ community. 

"These walks remind future teachers that land, place and community are powerful teachers in their own right, and that culturally responsive practice begins with understanding where we stand," says Khan. 

Khan also partners with OPHEA (Ontario Physical Activity Standards in Education) to deliver workshops on gender-based violence prevention, preparing future educators with the knowledge and confidence to address complex issues in health and physical education settings. 

Khan says the award affirms the importance of culturally responsive practice across classrooms, curricula and community partnerships. 

"It reinforces a conviction that runs through everything I do: teaching, research and advocacy are inseparable," he says.  

"Whether I'm preparing teacher candidates, developing curriculum, conducting research, or working alongside community partners, the goal is the same, to ensure that culturally responsive practice isn't an add-on, but a foundation." 

As he continues his work at 91��ɫ and beyond, Khan hopes other educators will be encouraged to embrace inclusive approaches and help ensure health and physical education reflects diverse identities. 

"I hope this recognition encourages more racialized and marginalized educators to take up space in health and physical education environments and affirm diverse identities in their classrooms."

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