Carl James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education and Distinguished Research Professor at �첥��Ƶ. His work focuses on how social systems shape the educational experiences and outcomes of Black and other racialized youth — and how those systems can be transformed. Through research, advocacy, public scholarship, and policy advising, he works in close collaboration with his community to advance more equitable education systems designed for all students to succeed.

Seeing youth success beyond the classroom

In his first summer after entering university, Carl began working as a youth worker in downtown Toronto, where he saw firsthand how young people’s lives beyond school — family responsibilities, housing conditions, and economic realities — shaped their educational paths and future opportunities.

He initially turned to social psychology to understand what motivates students, particularly Black students, to succeed. Over time, however, he realized that success could not be understood in isolation. Family, community, and the school system itself play a critical role in shaping outcomes. This realization led him to sociology — a discipline that allowed him to keep community at the centre of his work.

One early interaction continues to shape his approach. A fellow student once challenged him by asking, “What is sociology actually going to do for us?” That question sharpened Carl’s commitment to ensuring that research does more than describe inequity — it helps to change it.

Rather than placing responsibility solely on students to “work harder,” Carl argues that meaningful equity requires society to work harder — by addressing the structural barriers that limit opportunities outside of the classroom.

COVID-19 as a lens on inequity

In 2021, Carl became Co-Chair of the . The role built on his long-standing research into education and inequity and offered a stark reminder of how crises expose and deepen existing disparities.

His findings were clear. Black and other racialized students were disproportionately affected by the pandemic — not because of individual choices, but because of the social and economic conditions shaping their lives.

Many lived in high-density housing, relied on public transportation, and had parents working in frontline jobs that could not move online. These realities increased exposure to the virus while reinforcing harmful narratives that framed racialized communities as inherently “high-risk,” rather than structurally vulnerable.

School closures further strained families. Parents were suddenly expected to support learning at home while juggling work, caregiving responsibilities, and financial stress. The loss of school-based food programs increased food insecurity, while limited access to computers and reliable internet left some students disconnected from school altogether — raising the risk of disengagement and dropout.

At the postsecondary level, the effects carried forward. Many students entered university already feeling behind. Remote learning limited opportunities to build relationships, access support, and develop a sense of belonging. Some delayed or withdrew from their studies entirely, compounding financial pressures on themselves and their families.

As Carl emphasizes, COVID-19 revealed how racism intersects with class, language, gender, and immigration status — and how the consequences of disruption extend well beyond the height of the pandemic.

“COVID-19 highlighted that racism is not just simply racism.”

The inequalities shaping the lives of Black and other racialized youth existed long before the pandemic. COVID-19 simply made them more visible — and more severe.

When recommendations meet resistant systems

As part of the task force, Carl authored Racial Inequity, COVID-19 and the Education of Black and Other Marginalized Students, which outlines nine recommendations for addressing educational inequities. These include reforming education policy, strengthening partnerships between schools and community organizations, engaging parents without shifting teaching responsibilities onto them, improving curriculum accessibility, collecting and using data to advance equity, and better preparing educators to support student well-being.

Yet Carl is realistic about the limits of recommendations when systems themselves resist change.

“We can always make recommendations, but if the system is not ready for that big change — if those systemic issues are not dealt with — then the recommendations become just simply that: recommendations.”

Although COVID-19 has faded from everyday conversation, its effects continue to shape students’ educational and career paths. As Carl notes, we must continue to take into account the long-term impacts of the pandemic and the ongoing role of racism in shaping young people’s trajectories.

Black History Month — and the importance of systems

For Carl, Black History Month is not only about commemoration — it is an opportunity to examine the systems that shape present-day realities. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Canada’s racial history, including colonialism, the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and the fact that Black people are not recent immigrants, but were originally brought to Canada through enslavement, not immigration.

These histories are not peripheral. They are central to understanding how race operates in Canadian institutions today, including schools.

“We need to think of the social, political, and cultural situation of Black people beyond just a month — and beyond just Black people. If we’re thinking of Black people, we should also be thinking of other racialized groups, and how race operates more widely in our society.”

A path toward change

When asked to describe his work in one word, Carl offers two — change and path. Change speaks to the possibility of transformation. Path speaks to movement — how people navigate shifting conditions that shape opportunities, risks, and possibilities over time.

“People are constantly moving and travelling. You can be travelling along a path, but the weather might change — it might be icy and –10 degrees, or it might be sunny and warm. What matters is that we pay attention to these changes and adapt as we continue to walk our paths.”

Carl’s work makes one thing clear — to understand the path, we must understand the systems that shape it. And for real change to occur, those systems must be ready to change as well.

“How we deal with change is important — but so is paying attention to the context of that change.”

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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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Edwards, an associate professor in California Polytechnic State University’s physics department, is on a Zoom call with CBC while sitting in a friend’s brightly lit shed near her home in Berkeley, Calif. 

Mulling the question, she turns her head to the right, facing white wood-panelled walls. She’s thinking hard.

“Ummm,” she says, looking off into the distance. “There are definitely a few new grad students that I know of.”

She pauses and smiles. “I know some physicists. And some education astronomy folks.”

It’s clear she’s struggling. 

“Yeah, there’s very few,” Edwards finally says. “I don’t know if there’s any other folks who are currently working not as students [but] as astronomers who are Canadian. I don’t know. I would imagine I would know them.”

Canada has some of the world’s most talented astronomers, astrophysicists and physicists. There’s , whose work on pulsars and neutron stars earned her the Gerhard Herzberg Canada gold medal for science and engineering; , a world-renowned astronomer and planetary scientist at MIT who earned a MacArthur “genius” grant in 2013 and is a leader in exoplanet research; and .

One thing they have in common? They’re all white.

Black astronomers are few and far between in North America, but especially in Canada. Inside the community, members share stories of discrimination, micro-aggressions and feelings of isolation, which can ultimately dissuade others from pursuing careers in the sciences.

High school challenges

Hewitt is active in bringing STEM to Black youth. He co-founded , a STEM outreach program in Nova Scotia for Black students. His programs include the , a summer camp at Dalhousie. 

Why are there so few Black Canadian scientists in general, but in particular, those who seek out a career in astronomical science? 

One of the problems may be found in the education system.

Take the province of Ontario, for example. Until recently, high schools there had a “streaming” program, which directed students into different post-secondary routes. “Academic” courses were more challenging and required for university; “applied” courses prepared students for college and trades; and “essentials” provided support for students in meeting the requirements to graduate.

In 2017, , a professor in the faculty of education at �첥��Ƶ in Toronto, found that only 53 per cent of Black students in the Toronto District School Board were put in academic programs, compared to 81 per cent of white students and 80 per cent of other racialized students. 

Conversely, 39 per cent of Black students were enrolled in applied programs, compared to 16 per cent of white students and 18 per cent of other racialized students.

“What we found in that study was many of the [Black] parents were talking about how their children were streamed into vocational or essential or low-level courses,” James said. Some parents would try to “intervene,” he said, but their concerns fell on deaf ears.

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The Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC’s) subway system recently became the canvas for a new mural honouring �첥��Ƶ Distinguished Research Professor Carl James and his impact on community and racial equity.

The mural – which features an evocative portrait of James – can be viewed at the �첥��Ƶ TTC subway station, as well as a bus wrap that’s emblazoned on a TTC vehicle deployed from the Queensway Garage, and at various subway stops across the city. It pays tribute to Professor James’ impactful contributions to education, community and racial equity.

Mya Salau, a third-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough, was commissioned for the project by AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives, a Canadian organization that describes itself as committed to supporting Black and Indigenous emerging artists in public art and Web3 activities.

Salau’s inspiration for the mural stemmed from her desire to capture the essence of James’ teachings and accomplishments. To create the image, she used acrylic paint on canvas, then had the painting digitized to be displayed on TTC buses and murals. She also incorporated various visual elements to reflect his dedication to educational equality, youth studies, and race and ethnic relations.

“I wanted the artwork to not only celebrate Professor James, but also to serve as a reminder of his profound impact on our community,” Salau explained. “Through this mural, I hope to convey the essence of his teachings and inspire others to continue his legacy of advocacy and social change.”

The mural features a captivating portrait of Professor James adorned with textbook pages, symbolizing knowledge, literature and the power of education. “I also added a futuristic eye lens,” Salau said, “as a lot of his work advocates for future change and improving systems in Canadian society.”

The mural – which features an evocative portrait of James – can be viewed at the �첥��Ƶ TTC subway station, as well as a bus wrap that’s emblazoned on a TTC vehicle deployed from the Queensway Garage, and at various subway stops across the city. It pays tribute to Professor James’ impactful contributions to education, community and racial equity.

Mya Salau, a third-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough, was commissioned for the project by AstroSankofa Arts Initiatives, a Canadian organization that describes itself as committed to supporting Black and Indigenous emerging artists in public art and Web3 activities.

Salau’s inspiration for the mural stemmed from her desire to capture the essence of James’ teachings and accomplishments. To create the image, she used acrylic paint on canvas, then had the painting digitized to be displayed on TTC buses and murals. She also incorporated various visual elements to reflect his dedication to educational equality, youth studies, and race and ethnic relations.

“I wanted the artwork to not only celebrate Professor James, but also to serve as a reminder of his profound impact on our community,” Salau explained. “Through this mural, I hope to convey the essence of his teachings and inspire others to continue his legacy of advocacy and social change.”

The mural features a captivating portrait of Professor James adorned with textbook pages, symbolizing knowledge, literature and the power of education. “I also added a futuristic eye lens,” Salau said, “as a lot of his work advocates for future change and improving systems in Canadian society.”

James worked closely with Salau as she shaped the mural over various iterations. “I very much appreciate that Mya was able to share an early version of the painting, and use my comments to develop the final version,” he says. “Her efforts to represent me and my scholarship in the painting reflects her reading of my work.”

That work, in a nutshell, is about addressing systemic inequalities in Canadian education and society.

From his early days as a community organizer to his current role as the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at �첥��Ƶ, James has provided research on race, education and immigration that sheds light on the challenges faced by Black students in the Greater Toronto Area. His investigations have catalyzed significant policy changes, including the end of academic and applied streaming for Grade 9 students in Ontario.

“It is not about research for research’s sake, but to inform action,” James said in a recently published interview.

“Community is often a central feature for those who have been marginalized, and it is through collaboration and advocacy that we can bring about meaningful change.”

That work, in a nutshell, is about addressing systemic inequalities in Canadian education and society.

From his early days as a community organizer to his current role as the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at �첥��Ƶ, James has provided research on race, education and immigration that sheds light on the challenges faced by Black students in the Greater Toronto Area. His investigations have catalyzed significant policy changes, including the end of academic and applied streaming for Grade 9 students in Ontario.

“It is not about research for research’s sake, but to inform action,” James said in a recently published interview.

“Community is often a central feature for those who have been marginalized, and it is through collaboration and advocacy that we can bring about meaningful change.”

The unveiling of the mural on Feb. 24 coincided with Black History Month, a time to celebrate the rich contributions of Black Canadians to society. Alongside other honourees, James was recognized during a TTC subway tour honouring Black Torontonians, showcasing their enduring legacies and contributions to the city.

Article originally published in the April 2, 2024 issue of

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Now a prominent academic, York'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.

“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 �첥��Ƶ. 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 �첥��Ƶ’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 York programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary, the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at York 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 a frequent figure in the media, commenting on recent news headlines from the renaming of Dundas Square, to new rules banning the N-word from use in the Toronto District School Board system, 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.”

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 �첥��Ƶ. 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 �첥��Ƶ’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 York 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 mural can be seen on an oversized mural at the �첥��Ƶ 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.”

Join James, mural artists, other honourees and their family members and youth from the TDSB this Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. at �첥��Ƶ subway station for the kickoff of a TTC . The tour will then make five more stops down the line and end at Union Station. James is not the only member of the York community to be celebrated by the TTC as part of Black History Month. Honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient Itah Sadu, who is helping to organize Saturday’s event, is featured in a mural at Bathurst station.

Jean Augustine's story teaches us about Canada's domestic workers’ scheme

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 �첥��Ƶ’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 �첥��Ƶ community and public can access the Jean Augustine collection by appointment by contacting the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at archives@yorku.ca.

This story was republished with permission from News at York

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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.

The post Cultivating Black Joy: Critical Literacy Through Student Voice appeared first on Faculty of Education.

By Elaine Smith

“Education will get you to the station, but can you get on the train and will you know where to get off?” says Professor Carl James, �첥��Ƶ Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, building on a quote by a Ghanaian refugee, Kofi, that refers to the experiences of first-generation students attending university. In other words, being admitted to university is only the first step; the next is navigating the terrain. 

A book written by James and Leanne Taylor, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, profiles York alumni who participated in a 2002 pilot project, or, as Taylor calls it, “an intervention,” as incoming undergraduates. The project was designed to support first-generation university students during their undergraduate years, recognizing that they didn’t have parents who could offer them insights into the world of post-secondary education. 

“The barriers that they face in accessing higher education don’t go away once they’re on campus,” Taylor says.

 catches up with a selection of these students 20 years later and profiles their experiences prior to university, during university and in the years afterward. It is subtitled Counterstories “as a way of pushing back on ideas of the ideal student,” Taylor said. The book highlights the students’ successes and challenges and offers insights into the types of supports that first-generation students find most useful. 

The participating students faced barriers due to race, community, class, gender and/or sexual orientation. 

“We wanted to see how we could assist them when they got to university,” James says. “We as professors don’t necessarily realize that they have no idea how to negotiate university or the campus.” 

The “intervention” 

The pilot project required each participant to take part in an entrance life history interview and follow-up interviews and to keep journals of their experiences. They interviewed family members to learn more about their perceptions and expectation and also had work placements. In addition, Taylor ran a weekly group session, referred to as the ”common hour,” where students could discuss their experiences, goals and aspirations. 

“We worked with two cohorts of students over three years and there was a weekly group meeting, a common hour, where we discussed their experiences, goals and aspirations,” says Taylor, who served as the research assistant for the project while working toward her PhD at York. Combining those sessions with all the other information, “We had a rich, rounded idea of what they needed.”  

During the course of their weekly sessions, Taylor became friends with many of the students, who weren’t much younger than she was. These strong ties made it easy to reconnect with them after many years and arrange further interviews. 

“It was something special to go back and see where their lives have shifted,” she says. 

Many of the students said the weekly common hour was pivotal in their success in navigating the subtleties of university culture and in helping them balance peer and parental expectations with their actual university experiences. They were able to identify the existing conflicts and the areas where there was a lack of support – a gap that parents didn’t always know how to fill. 

“The students also challenged the idea that people from marginalized backgrounds are always behind,” Taylor adds. “They drew on other types of capital, such as community, to help them succeed. They also framed themselves as belonging, but were aware that others saw them as students who were admitted as part of an access program.” 

Taylor says the book challenges the idea that all first-generation students are similar; they are complex and “understood the intersectional pieces of their lives.” She believes universities and schools need to understand from where students draw support and how to help support and mentor them. 

“We also see the counterstories as telling us how students resisted and challenged the university structure and pushed back on the dominant narrative,” she says. “We have to realize that there are inequities in the institution itself.” 

Practical applications 

These discoveries should help inform the ways universities and individual faculty members work with first-generation students and how they address the students’ needs. 

“The book is a useful teaching tool,” James says. “I have used it with teachers and assigned various teachers a student in the book so they could compare their own stories, and participants identified with different stories. Many of them talked of having similar students in their classes.” 

He has also used the book with graduate students when teaching Education in the Urban Context. 

“They liked the book and were able to identify with some of the experiences, and they pointed out that some of the students didn’t always see their own privileges.” The book also dovetails nicely with York’s academic priority, from access to success, as set forth in the University Academic Plan. 

Article originally published on May 18, 2023 on YFile.

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Professor and Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, Carl E. James, writes about a recent Toronto Star investigation into grade inflation and whether it's holding top students back and setting others up to fail. James analyzed top scholar media coverage, STEM study, and teacher-student relations to understand this upward trend.

Schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are “.”

This is according to a recent Toronto Star investigation into grade inflation. It asked: “Is runaway grade inflation holding top students back and setting others up to fail?”

The Star found that data indicate “Grade 12 averages are on a steady slope upwards and the number of kids entering university with a 95+ average has exploded.”

This question had me recalling with average grades of 100 per cent.

Understandably, what accounts for the upward trend in grade averages is difficult to determine, since there are many complicated and nuanced reasons.

Nevertheless, among the reasons the Star investigation identifies is “the popularity of STEM courses” to boost averages.

When I examined reporting about the “top scholars” who received grades of 100 per cent, they were mainly taking science courses.

I wonder about the effects such media narratives have on youth who tend not to see their stories celebrated as “top scholars.”

Read the full article authored by Carl E. James on .

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