Alumni & Friends - Ways to get involved and give back
National Dialogues

Session Recordings

During the National Dialogues and Action, there were conversations shared about the experiences of anti-Black racism, which may negatively impact viewers. Community agencies offering mental health resources for Black Canadians are available to viewers who may need to reach out.

 

Dialogue 1: Student Access and Success

This dialogue identifies and addresses institutional barriers to access for Black students, their sense of belonging, their representation in institutional practices and structures, their academic success, and their overall wellbeing in the classroom and beyond from recruitment through to graduation. It also challenges the deficit narrative of Black excellence and explores how to ensure that student accomplishments, potential and connections to community before and after university are valued, recognized and rewarded within and beyond the academy.

Panelists:

  • Quenta Adams, Director, Student Academic Success, Student Affairs - Dalhousie University
  • Kyanna Giles, Student Basketball Athlete, University of Winnipeg
  • Tracey Lloyd, Director, Career Services and Co-operative Education - Centennial College
  • Hadiya Roderique, Lawyer and Rotman PhD Student, Rotman School of Management - University of Toronto St. George

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 2: Faculty Access and Success  

This dialogue examines structural barriers and cultural practices that constrain equitable representation of Black academics within institutions – from professional preparation, through recruitment, to recognition, to career progress and success, to leadership development and attainment. It explores effective ways to address these constraints in order to correct inequities, to attract and support Black academics, to value and meaningfully recognize their contributions; and to facilitate their career success and inclusion within relevant decision-making structures.  

Panelists:

  • Nathan Andrews, Assistant Professor, Department of Global and International Studies - University of Northern British Columbia

  • Andrew Campbell, Adjunct Faculty, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education - University of Toronto St. George

  • Juliet Daniel, Professor, Department of Biology - McMaster University

  • Annette Henry, Professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education - The University of British Columbia

  • Kevin Hewitt, Professor, Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science - Dalhousie University

  • Janelle Joseph, Assistant Professor, Critical Studies of Race and Indigeneity - University of Toronto St. George

  • Dori Tunstall, Dean, Faculty of Design - OCAD University

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 3: Staff Access and Success  

This dialogue examines structural barriers and cultural practices that constrain equitable representation of Black staff within institutions – from professional preparation, through recruitment, to recognition, to career progress and success, and to roles in leadership positions. It explores effective ways to address these constraints, in order to correct inequities; to attract, support and retain Black staff; to value and meaningfully recognize their contributions; and to facilitate their career success and inclusion within relevant decision-making structures. 

Panelists:

  • Kyomi Hastings, Senior Recruitment Officer - University of Toronto Scarborough
  • Jason Murray, President and Managing Partner - BIPOC Executive Search
  • Stephanie Simpson, Associate Vice-Principal, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion - Queen’s University

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 4: Inclusive Decision-Making Structures  

This dialogue will address deficits in Black representation in leadership, the benefits of addressing them, and how to effectively include the voices of Black students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members in governance and other decision-making structures to advance institutional commitments to inclusion and to contribute to a supportive and healthy environment to work, study, and create. 

Panelists:

  • Adelle Blackett, Professor, Faculty of Law - McGill University
  • Mary Anne Chambers, Former MPP

  • Wanda Costen, Dean, School of Business - MacEwan University

  • Tamari Kitossa, Associate Professor, Sociology - Brock University

  • Denise O’Neil Green, Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion - Ryerson University

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 5: Inclusive Teaching, Learning and Curricula  

This dialogue will address gaps in the inclusion and validation of Black perspectives, experiences, ways of knowing and learning, and contributions within existing curricula;  approaches to teaching, learning, curriculum design, pedagogical approaches; and classroom cultures. This will include ways in which current structures do not support and sustain teaching and learning practices that are explicitly inclusive of the needs and perspectives of Black faculty and students, and the absence of curricula that incorporate decolonizing and intercultural perspectives and knowledge systems.

Panelists:

  • Barbara Hamilton-Hinch, Assistant Professor, Associate Research Scholar, Healthy Populations Institute - Dalhousie University

  • Kisha McPherson, Lecturer, Master of Educational Technology - The University of British Columbia

  • Delores Mullings, Associate Professor, School of Social Work - Memorial University of Newfoundland

  • Gina Thésée, Professor, Department of Didactics - Université du Québec à Montréal

  • Handel Wright, Professor, Director of Centre for Culture, Identity and Education - The University of British Columbia

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 6: Responsibilities and Obligations of Non-Black Peers and Supervisors as Partners  

This dialogue recognizes that efforts in support of meaningful change within institutions and the higher education sector should not be the sole responsibility of Black colleagues. Discussion will focus on the responsibilities and obligations of non-Black peers and leaders to facilitate supportive environments, promote equitable practices and actively, intentionally, and appropriately foster inclusion for Black students, staff and faculty.  Participants will share experiences and best practices about how to move from ‘intention’ to ‘action’ and develop the competencies necessary to challenge anti-Black racism wherever it appears and to be an effective partner for Black inclusion. Focus will include the need to support and sustain “allyship”/partnership that is truly collaborative and ensures that authoritative voice appropriately resides with Black colleagues.

Panelists:

  • Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion - McMaster University

  • Tanya (‘Toni’) De Mello, Assistant Dean for Student Programming, Development and Equity - Ryerson University

  • Bryan Gaensler, Director, Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics - University of Toronto St. George

  • Minelle Mahtani, Associate Professor at the Institute for Social Justice - The University of British Columbia

  • Dru Marshall, Provost and Vice-President, Academic - University of Calgary

  • Joy Mighty, Professor and Senior Scholar for Innovation in Teaching and Learning - Carleton University

  • Yasmin Razack, Director, Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion - Centennial College

  • Deborah (Deb) Saucier, President and Vice-Chancellor - Vancouver Island University

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 7: Mentoring, Support Networks, and Wellbeing  

This dialogue will examine gaps in support systems for Black students, faculty and staff, and deliberate on how institutions and the sector, in collaboration with community partners, can enhance enduring support systems and mentoring networks that ensure their overall wellbeing, sense of belonging, retention within the academy as individuals and as a community, while facilitating their academic/career success. 

Panelists:

  • Afua Cooper, Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology - Dalhousie University

  • Wesley Crichlow, Associate Dean Equity - Ontario Tech University
  • Notisha Massaquoi, Provost Postdoctoral Research Fellow Factor, Inwentash Faculty of Social Work - University of Toronto St. George

  • Joseph Mensah, Professor, Department of Geography - York University

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 8: Race-Based Data Collection and Use  

This dialogue explores the current status of race-based data collection in post-secondary institutions, and identifies thoughtful approaches to data collection, analysis and interpretation. The session will address the effectiveness of race-based data collection in addressing and measurably reducing disparities for Black students, staff and faculty. This will include the appropriate use of data to address inequities across the key areas covered by the sessions in these dialogues.

Panelists:

  • Evelyn Asiedu, Ph.D. Student - University of Alberta

  • Shamara Baidoobonso, Provincial Epidemiologist - Province of Prince Edward Island

  • OmiSoore Dryden, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine - Dalhousie University

  • Carl James, Professor, Faculty of Education - York University

  • Camille Orridge, Senior Fellow - Wellesley Institute

Video Recordings:

Dialogue 9: Engaging Alumni and External Partners/Communities

This dialogue will focus on exploring ways to strengthen lasting relationships with alumni and external Black community partners. It will examine how our institutions and sector can engage as accountable partners in promoting and sustaining relationships with Black communities and other organizations that work to support anti-Black racism and Black inclusion. These discussions will highlight recommended practices to ensure engagement, with Black communities, are not based on a deficit model but recognize and value community assets and operate on the basis of fairness, reciprocity, and mutually supportive community development.

Panelists:

  • Dahabo Ahmed Omer, Executive Director - BlackNorth Initiative

  • Liben Gebremikael, Executive Director - TAIBU Community Centre

  • Mitzie Hunter, Member of Provincial Parliament (Scarborough-Guildwood) - Province of Ontario

  • Colin Lynch, Head of Global Real Estate Investments at TD Asset Management - Black Opportunity Fund

  • Neil Price, Dean, School of Justice and Community Development - Fleming College

  • Nadine Spencer, CEO - Black Business and Professional Association

Video Recordings: