It all began with one day.

In 2022, Black high school students from the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) were invited by �첥��Ƶ’s Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora to the Keele Campus to take part in “A Day at York.”

The event was designed to help middle and high school students imagine themselves in a post-secondary environment and explore academic and career possibilities. They toured the campus, attended workshops, participated in Black-led panels and networked with Black tudents, alumni and faculty who shared insight on programs, the application process and more.

It was a success. But one day, it turned out, wasn’t enough. Students had more questions. They wanted more time with mentors who looked like them and shared similar lived experiences.

“Many of them had never been in an all-Black classroom or been taught by Black educators. They didn’t realize how impactful that could be, until they experienced it,” says Anika Forde, program director of the Jean Augustine Chair and founding member of the initiative.

“A Day at York” began to evolve into a broader initiative to support Black students through culturally relevant, experiential learning opportunities rarely found in traditional high school settings.

To co-develop a more comprehensive experience, Forde and Professor Carl James – who holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora – enlisted Melissa McKay, a co-teacher, PhD student in education and research assistant with the Jean Augustine Chair. Together, with input from Jean Augustine Chair research assistants Alanah Broomfield, LaToya Hinds and Richard Edwards, they developed a summer program that would give students a more comprehensive educational experience.

In summer 2023, they launched the Black Youth Internship Program, a four-week co-op credit course.

The goal was to reimagine what a summer school credit could look like for Black students. “That meant focusing on igniting in the students a sense of self-development, helping them explore who they are, where they see themselves and understanding that despite systemic barriers, there are people and places that will support them,” says McKay.

Initially the program offered creative, culturally relevant activities like art and music, but evolved – guided by student feedback – into a more holistic experience that emphasized mentorship, scholarship support, resume building as well as personal, professional and academic development.

Students also helped co-design future programming, offering feedback so the curriculum emphasized real-world applicability and encouraged students to see themselves as future leaders.

“My interest is in students contributing or giving input into their education," says James. "I see this as what the Chair endeavours to do.”

In 2025, the program expanded again into its current form: Y2 Innovators – Black Leadership and Innovation in Business Management. Delivered in partnership with YRDSB, it offers students in grades 10 to 12 a full Ontario secondary school credit in Business Leadership: Management Fundamentals, which can be included in post-secondary applications.

This July, 25 students came to Keele Campus for the four-week program. They explored leadership styles, financial literacy, human resources and strategic planning. Each module was rooted in community-responsive learning, using case studies – including Black-led and community-based businesses – to demonstrate concepts in action.

“Mentorship has been more powerful than I could have imagined,” says McKay. “There’s a visible difference in students’ body language and confidence when they feel seen and supported. The need for community in their learning is huge.”

Y2 Innovators has grown beyond a summer program. As part of the Securing Black Futures initiative – funded by RBC Future Launch – it continues to deepen insights into the systemic barriers Black high school students face. These findings inform the long-term work of James, who is principal investigator of Securing Black Futures.

“We need to build supports for Black students over time, not just through one-off exposures,” says Forde. “It’s not just about the supports, but also the learnings that can inform and advocate for systemic change.

“It’s about supporting Black students in realizing that their aspirations are within reach,” Forde adds. “With the right supports, they can absolutely achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.”

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The game that started almost 100 years ago on the streets of Barbados, with courts drawn out on tar or cement and vines or chalk used to mark boundaries, is now making its way into the classrooms of the York Region District School Board.

Road tennis, an indigenous sport in Barbados, has developed into a competitive game played on bright blue and green courts by two players using wooden rackets to hit a ball over an eight-inch net. It gained traction through people in impoverished communities who wanted to play a game similar to lawn tennis or table tennis, according to .

Although it has humble beginnings, the game has developed sophisticated rules and officiating structures, and is played competitively by athletes who aspire to gain the title of road tennis champion, according to Barbados Tourism.

In one of his visits to Barbados, where he had worked with the government on sport tourism initiatives, Ron Weese, president of Sport Aurora and town councillor, encountered road tennis and it immediately caught his attention.

“I was intrigued by its unique nature and the fact that it’s a sport that grew out of the streets of Barbados,” he said. “The fact that it’s relatively inexpensive to get underway was important.”

Road tennis is easy and fun to play, but it’s not so easy to master, Weese said.

Bringing the sport to elementary schools made the most sense because that’s where every child goes, giving each student a chance to try it, Weese added.

Weese, along with Barbados ex-patriot and Aurora resident Ron Kellman, approached the school board about including the sport in the curriculum.

Road tennis will be introduced through a pilot project for the 2023-24 year in several YRDSB elementary schools within the  curriculum. Students will be given instruction in the sport itself as well as learn about the cultural significance of road tennis in Barbados.

“It’s great exercise, it’s a great workout. It has the equity, diversity and inclusiveness in it,” Kellman said. 

Kellman has been working with the government of Barbados, which wanted to export the sport around the world but didn’t have the resources to do that, he said.

“I called on my friends and said, ‘We have an opportunity to do something really special.’ How often do you get to be on the forefront of something?” Kellman said. “We’re just getting started.”

A road tennis demonstration was held during the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 2022 induction gala, where it was an “immediate success,” said president Mark Gravett. 

“It was a natural for us to continue to work with local representatives and the Government of Barbados to extend this experience.”

Both Weese and Kellman said one of the motivating factors to bring road tennis to Canada is the opportunity to be at the forefront of a sport they hope will gain international traction and eventually be an official sport at the Olympics.

When Carl James, a professor at �첥��Ƶ, heard about the introduction of road tennis in the YRDSB curriculum, he initially wanted to know what the board was trying to accomplish and questioned if the sport would help reach that goal.

“In addition to the game and the program, what else (is the school board) going to put in place to affirm the presence of these students of Barbadian background? It cannot be just simply, let’s put in this sport and therefore it’s going to help affirm the students,” he said.

James said it’s important teachers are also supportive of students and their engagement in the schooling system. 

“Will you also start developing curriculum that will speak to the experiences of Black students beyond the game?”

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Road tennis, an indigenous sport in Barbados, is being introduced at some elementary schools in the York Region District School Board this school year as part of its Identity-affirming health and physical education program. We thought it was important to explore the potential impact it will have on students. 

Article originally published on August 25 by YorkRegion.com.

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It will be an empowering and elevating Summer 2023 as the Nubian Book Club (NBC) celebrates its 16^th anniversary. It is one of the highlights of the summer as students and staff from school boards in the Greater Toronto Area as well as Ottawa celebrate the power of literacy to energize minds, empower souls, encourage hearts and elevate spirits.

In addition: parents, community individuals, and educational stakeholders have been a vital part of each summer session. These summer sessions will continue the tradition of uplifting and building community through literacy. The NBC is a network of students, parents and community members who are engaged in the academic and social well-being of students. Furthermore, it uses literacy as a tool for advancing student success, leadership skills, and community engagement among youth, particularly those of African-Canadian heritage.

The four stated goals of the Nubian Book Club are:

• Motivate students by getting them to engage in what is most important to them
• Promote social literacies such as networking, authentic engagement and discussions around high-interest and non-fiction texts
• Stimulate discussions, speakers and participants make connections to different texts and share various experiences
• Expose students to people they may not otherwise meet and reinforces the value of reading and gaining knowledge and experience. They learn that literacy is something that enriches and creates community

Prior to the pandemic the summer sessions were held at Donna Cardoza’s home in York Region. The theme for 2023 will be “Cultivating Black Joy: Critical Literacy Through Student Voice.” The promotional material for the NBC 2023 mentions that the sessions will delve into the power of cultivating Black Joy and centering student’s voice. Together they will explore literature, engage in critical discussions and uplift the narratives that celebrate Black excellence. They want to create a space where our youth and community can: heal, grow and thrive. Black Joy is an excellent focus to highlight its vital power.

The dates and themes of each session are:

Session 1: Thursday, July 6^th (Virtual): Understanding Black Joy

Guest speaker, Ginelle Skerritt, Chief Executive Officer, York Region Children’s Aid Society

Session 2: Thursday, July 6^th (Virtual): Cultivating Black Joy

Guest speaker, Dr. Andrew Campbell (Dr.ABC), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in Leadership for Racial Justice in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of Toronto-Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Session 3: Thursday, August 20^th (In-person): Embodying Black Joy

The list of facilitators for Nubian Book Club 2023 includes the following:

• Camille Logan – Associate Director of School Engagement & Equity at PDSB
• Vidya Shah – Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at �첥��Ƶ
• Clayton La Touche – Assistant Deputy Minister, Student Support and Field Services
• Cecil Roach – Associate Director of Education, Equitable Outcomes and Schools at York Region District School Board (YRDSB)
• Jeewan Chanicka – Director of Education at Waterloo Region District School Board
• Alison Gaymes – Superintendent at Toronto District School Board
• Ramon San Vicente – Principal of Dixon Grove Junior Middle School in the TDSB
• Prince Duah – Superintendent of Instruction for Central Schools with the OCDSB
• Carl James – Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora
• Deanna Heron – Principal in York Region District School Board (YRDSB)
• Phiona Lloyd-Henry – Coordinating Principal for System Transformation & Capacity Building
• Pierrette Walker – Educator at YRDSB and Performance Plus Teacher
• Bethel Soressa -Technical blogger at bethel soressa
• Jacqueline Lawrence – Diversity and Equity Coordinator at Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB)
• Mubarek Baker – Middle School Success Counsellor with Toronto District School Board

Everyone is welcome to attend the NBC. Visitor can make registrations: bit.ly/nubianbc2023. For more information contact Donna Cordoza:(647)-403-5821

Article originally published via Toronto Caribbean on July 12, 2023.

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�첥��Ƶ will honour two esteemed faculty members during its 2023 Spring Convocation with a Distinguished Research Professorship and a University Professorship.

A Distinguished Research Professor is a member of faculty who has made outstanding contributions to the University through research and whose work is recognized within and outside of the University, and this year will recognize Professor Carl James. He will receive the honour during the Faculty of Education convocation ceremony on Friday, June 16.

A University Professor is a member of faculty recognized for extraordinary contributions to scholarship and teaching and participation in university life, and this year will celebrate the work of Professor Marcia Annisette. She will receive the honour during the Schulich School of Business convocation ceremony on Friday, June 23.

In accordance with the Senate Policy on Honorific Professorships, the committee may select up to two recipients each year up to a maximum of 30 active University Professors and 30 active Distinguished Research Professors.

Distinguished Research Professor – Carl James, Faculty of Education

Carl James is a professor in the Faculty of Education with cross-appointments in the graduate programs in sociology, social and political thought, and social work. He holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora and is also senior advisor on equity and representation in the Office of the Vice-President of Equity, People and Culture.

Nominator Lisa Farley, associate dean, research in the Faculty of Education, wrote that James is “an outstanding, highly sought-after scholar by a wide range of stakeholders inside and outside of York: national and international scholarly associations, community partners, graduate students, public media and universities that regard his expert knowledge as paramount to actioning their own objectives.”

James is widely recognized for his research contributions in the areas of intersectionality of race with ethnicity, gender, class and citizenship as they shape identification/identity; the ways in which accessible and equitable opportunities in education and employment account for the lived experiences of marginalized community members; and the complementary and contradictory nature of sports in the schooling and educational attainments of racialized students. In advocating on education for change, James documents the struggles, contradictions and paradoxes in the experiences of racialized students at all levels of the education system. In doing so, he seeks to address and move us beyond the essentialist, generalized and homogenizing discourses that account for the representation and achievements of racialized people – particularly Black Canadians – in educational institutions, workplaces, and society generally.

“I am very appreciative of this honour and for the recognition that all have shown – especially Lisa Farley – for my contributions over the years,” said James of receiving the honour. “And as I have always said, I am grateful to everyone – colleagues, students, family members, friends, research respondents and community members – for supporting me over the years. For afterall, through these supports, I have attained these accomplishments.”

His contributions to the field and the high quality of his work are underlined by his strong publication record, with 12 authored or co-authored books, 12 edited books, 81 book chapters, 40 referred journal articles, 32 reports, and a good number of policy interventions over the past 30 years. Many of these works are recognized as groundbreaking and continue to be relevant today. James has had immense success in securing external research funding from a diversity of funding agencies, and, in the last six years alone, he has secured over $6 million in funding as the principal investigator (PI), co-PI or project lead.

James is the recipient of numerous institutional, national and international awards, including the Killam Prize in the Social Sciences in 2022, the President’s Research Impact Award in 2021, and Fellow, Royal Society of Canada – Academy of Social Sciences in 2012. James has also been recognized with many community awards, including Outstanding Service to Canadian Black Scientists in 2023, Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence from the Ontario Alliance of Black Educators in 2019, and the Professional Excellence Award, Harry Jerome Award from Black Business & Professional Association in 2013.

University Professor – Marcia Annisette, Schulich School of Business

Marcia Annisette is a professor of accounting at �첥��Ƶ’s Schulich School of Business. She previously served as associate dean, students and director of Schulich’s Master of Accounting program, and was previously the School’s associate dean, academic. Nominated by Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick, Annisette is noted for having made extraordinary contributions to the University through her service, teaching and research.

With contributions dating back more than 15 years, Annisette is noted for her role as area coordinator (equivalent to department Chair) in the accounting area from 2007 to 2010, where she played an active role in curriculum development, recruitment and mentoring of junior faculty and staffing of courses. Following her term as area coordinator, Annisette began to work on developing the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program and became its director in 2013 with the official launch of the program.

“Her effectiveness in leading and reshaping Schulich’s activities in accounting is one of the many reasons why I consider her so worthy of the University Professorship,” says Zwick in his nomination letter.

With respect to the service roles she has taken on at the faculty level – including associate dean, students and associate dean, academic – Zwick notes that Annisette “has demonstrated an ability to be a constructive and creative administrator who consistently goes well beyond the basic requirements of the role.”

“It is an honour to be awarded the University Professorship. Academic service has given me the privilege to work with the most talented and committed faculty and staff at Schulich and across the University,” says Annisette. “This rich variety of high-quality encounters has only served to enhance my own effectiveness as a teacher and as a scholar. I am particularly indebted to Schulich Dean Emeritus Dezso Horvath and Dean Detlev Zwick for giving me the opportunity and privilege to serve.”

The nomination was supported by Faculty of Education Professor Carl James, who noted her participation as a faculty associate of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education Community & Diaspora and as an administration representative of the Joint Committee of Affirmative Action (JCAA). She has also served as a senator and a member of the Senate Executive Committee.

Annisette regularly publishes in top-tier journals in her field and several of her papers have won awards. Her major research interest is in the social organization of the accountancy profession. In particular, her research seeks to understand the strategies deployed by professional accounting bodies to differentiate themselves and achieve monopoly or elite status in the market for expert accounting labour. Her research has an international breath and includes studies of the profession in Ireland, England, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. Her research is also historically and sociological informed and specifically looks at the manner in which national bases of social exclusion such as religion, social class, race, nationality or immigration status, interact with professional structures to achieve professional closure.

In 2018 she was appointed editor-in-chief of Accounting Organizations and Society, the top tier academic journal for interdisciplinary research in accounting, and serves on the editorial board of 13 other academic accounting journals.

For a full list of convocation ceremonies, visit this website.

Article originally published in the June 14, 2023 issue of 

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The Faculty of Education Summer Institute (FESI) 2017 will run Aug. 23 and 24 at the Keele campus, and invites various stakeholders to learn from and with one another to engage in relevant and critical conversations involving the achievement and well-being of youth. The annual event works to mobilize for individual and collective action in education by offering a variety of workshops.

The stakeholders include community partners, youth, teacher candidates, parents/guardians, and educators in various capacities and from various schools boards/organizations who will exchange ideas about how they have been working with and meeting the educational needs, interests and aspirations of young people.

With this year’s theme in mind, the conversations will focus on Canada 150, and participants will be invited to engage in critical discussions about the purpose, impact and quality of education and social outcomes.

Keynote presentations and workshops will consider questions such as:

• What perspectives and ways of knowing have constituted spaces in which young people engage in educational, social and recreational activities in Canada over the past 150 years?
• What has been silenced?
• How might these perspectives and ways of knowing have impacted youth differently over the past 150 years?
• In considering education more than 150 years ago, and in considering education for the next 150 years, what possibilities exist for resurgence, reconciliation and justice?

Day one, which runs from 9am to 4pm, will focus on “Problematizing Canada’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples.” This portion of the conference will explore historical and contemporary relationships between Indigenous people and colonial settlers, as well as Canada’s history of cultural genocide.

Participants will have an opportunity to engage in deep learning, unlearning and relearning in workshops such as: The History of Colonization, Treaties and Land, Residential Schools, Inuit Education, Métis Education, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, and much more.

Day two, which runs from 9am to 4:15pm, will focus on “Problematizing Canada’s Relationships with various Communities and Considerations for Beyond 150.” On the second day, participants will have an opportunity to further problematize the historical and contemporary relationships of various diverse communities of Canada that have settled in this country for various reasons.

As well, participants will engage in current and relevant research that impacts student achievement and well-being. Workshops will focus on promising initiatives and programs working to address systemic barriers.

This year’s keynote speaker is  (The Woman Who Walks In The Light), a Haudenosaunee Mohawk/Mi’kmaw drum talk poetic rapologist, poet, musician, hip-hop MC, arts educator, social change workshop facilitator, performance artist, artist mentor, radio host, festival curator and more.

For more information, visit .

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