Aaron is a doctoral researcher at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at the University of Waterloo studying the foreign policy of Jamaica and the political economy of China’s relationship with the Caribbean. Aaron is also a community archivist, curator and the founder of Vintage Black Canada.Founded in 2019, Vintage Black Canada is a multidisciplinary archive that documents the transnational modern history of the African Diaspora in Canada. Video and images from the archive have been exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ontario, University of Waterloo Art Gallery, the Centre for International Governance Innovation and in Maclean's magazine.

Amsa Yaro is a Mixed/Multi Media artist who creates original works inspired by Nigeria, current issues and commissions with a variety of materials which include acrylic, paper, yarn and more.
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Yaro has been a part of several vendor and exhitibitions which include Sunfest, London, Ont, Home County Festival, London, Ont, Unity Project’s UpwithArt Auction in 2021 and 2022, Black history Month Arts Pop Up Show in Musuem London, February 2022, London Artist Studio Tour 2023, Simpl Reflections Annual Art Exhibition 2023, as well as a London Arts Live artist with London Art Council and London Public Library, London, Ontario.

Yaro co-curated the 2021 Black Visual Arts Exhibition at the Somerville 630 Gallery, London, Ont as well as organized the Black History Month Arts Pop Up in Museum London, 2022. Her work is featured in many sites and locations the city of London, Ont, which include "Yetunde" on a traffic Light box, and murals on Dundas street and Covent Garden Market, a historic building in the city.

Yaro was awarded Outstanding Commitment to The Arts in 2022 by the Essence and Culture Black Community Awards for London, Ontario.As an art teacher, she covers a wide variety of classes which include Plasticine Relief sculpting, Paper Mache Sculptures, Paper Collage Art, Watercolor Batik Art and more, finding ways to make the practice of art more accessible in her community.

Dr. Andrea A. Davis is Associate Vice President: EDI at Wilfrid Laurier University. She has a long record as a champion of Black Studies in the humanities and fierce advocate for students. Her research foregrounds questions of race and gender through Black women’s literary and cultural productions, and Black and Indigenous solidarities. Her book, Horizon, Sea, Sound: Caribbean & African Women’s Cultural Critiques of Nation (2022), winner of the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies’ best book prize, imagines new relationships among Black, Indigenous and other racialized women, and reflects on the relationship between the Caribbean and Canada.

I am a 5th year student completing a double major in philosophy and religion and culture, with a minor in women and gender studies. I am primarily interested in Africana philosophy, philosophy of race, philosophy of social science, and Marxist theory. I intend to continue my studies in philosophy and pursue these topics at a graduate level. Outside of philosophy, I am interested in the intersection between Black identity politics and religion. Additionally, I am a union organizer on campus, working on a campaign to unionize instructor’s assistants!

Bishara Elmi is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and educator working in various art forms and with numerous materials and creative processes. Bishara’s work focuses on Black geographies and exile, and the many stories and concepts within that.

Carol B. Duncan is a writer, researcher and tenured professor in the Department of Religion & Culture at Wilfrid Laurier University. Professor Duncan is a chronicler of cultural and religious life in the African Diaspora. Her research focuses on Black Church studies in Canada, Caribbean religions in transnational and diasporic contexts, religion and popular culture and women’s and gender studies.

Christopher Stuart Taylor is the Associate Vice-President of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism (EDI-R) at the University of Waterloo. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of History. He completed his PhD at Western University (Canada) in History and Migration & Ethnic Relations (MER).His book, Flying Fish in the Great White North: The Autonomous Migration of Black Barbadians, is available from Fernwood Publishing.

Singer/songwriter Joni NehRita invites listeners to feel, move and think more with her socially charged soul. She has a knack for sun-drenched melodies and infectious grooves that help her message of equity, compassion and being the change go down like a cool drink on a sweltering day. She learns in toward fearless self-expression and the complexities of what it is to be a human striving to be better. The pathis not liner, but that doesn't mean that it can't be joyful along the way. NehRita also spins her music and message into workshops and classes in community spaces as well as post-secondary institutions including Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Guelph & Seneca at York covering topics such as songwriting, improvisation, Música do Círculo, vocal technique and songwriting. This winter she will release, "The Better Me Project - Songs For Community", an exciting initiative forchoirs, classrooms, and beyond.

Kojo Damptey is a multifaceted musician and interdisciplinary decolonial scholar-practitioner dedicated to fostering a world free from injustice. Through his music and educational endeavours, he strives to promote a more just and equitable society, drawing from his rich cultural heritage and comprehensive understanding of global socio-political dynamics. This is evident in his PhD research project “Black Epistemologies for Solidarity, Reciprocity, and Action for a Decolonial World”- a multimodal project to theorize/highlight/explore and document how African/Black civic and political leaders in Canada are addressing anti-Black/African racism.

Dr. Laura Mae Lindo (she/her/elle) is a respected activist, educator, and former politician who holds both a Masters and PhD in Education. Dr. Lindo is a knowledgeable advocate for the rights of womxn and girls, a respected ally to vulnerable communities, and, most importantly, a courageous public speaker, ready, willing, and able to speak to issues often left unaddressed. Dr. Lindo has worked at Toronto Metropolitan University in the Diversity Institute as well as lectured at St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, Nova Scotia), the University of Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island), York University (Toronto, Ontario), and Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario). A former Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre and Ontario’s Official Opposition Critic for Anti-Racism and Equity as well as Colleges and Universities and Citizenship and Immigration, Dr. Lindo was the inaugural Chair of Ontario’s first Black Caucus. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario) and Founder and Director of the e(RACE)r Institute where she continues to put anti-racist theory into practice.

Nadine Brown is a UK-born creative—an actress, choreographer/movement director, drama/dance facilitator, voiceover artist, and emerging filmmaker. She has collaborated with institutions such as Royal Albert Hall, Rogers, and the AGO, engaging people of all abilities and ages. Her deep passion for Caribbean heritage led her to win the Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship, allowing her to travel and research African retention in Caribbean folklore and dance. Nadine has appeared in short films, web series, commercials, and music videos. She also founded a production company supporting Black filmmakers, particularly those in her age group, creating impactful content and fostering opportunities.

Natasha Henry-Dixon is an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University. The 2018 Vanier Scholar is researching the enslavement of Black people in colonial Ontario. She has been an educator for 25 years, teaching kindergarten through to university.

Natasha is an award-winning author and an award-winning curriculum developer, focusing on African Canadian experiences. Her publications include the books Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), “Sold as a Slave for Life: Black Enslavement in Colonial Canada” (2024), "Where, Oh Where, is Bet? Locating Enslaved Africans on the Ontario Landscape” (2022), "Chloe Cooley: A Black Woman Enslaved in Niagara” (2021); a number of youth-focused titles, and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history.

Natasha Henry-Dixon is an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University. The 2018 Vanier Scholar is researching the enslavement of Black people in colonial Ontario. She has been an educator for 25 years, teaching kindergarten through to university.

Natasha is an award-winning author and an award-winning curriculum developer, focusing on African Canadian experiences. Her publications include the books Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), “Sold as a Slave for Life: Black Enslavement in Colonial Canada” (2024), "Where, Oh Where, is Bet? Locating Enslaved Africans on the Ontario Landscape” (2022), "Chloe Cooley: A Black Woman Enslaved in Niagara” (2021); a number of youth-focused titles, and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history.

Olukayode is a Nigerian born artist now resident in London Ontario. He studied Fine arts from the prestigious Art school of University of Benin in Nigeria.

Kay’s art practice covers the areas of teaching, studio practice, public demos and exhibitions. He has shown his works in Africa, Europe, and Canada. His works were on display at The Parliament Building in Toronto as part of the 2023 Art a la carte exhibition. Kay’s works are sold at the Museum London gift shop and Art Emporium in Port Stanley.

His art style is Abstract-Impressionism. He loves to experiment with diverse media and surfaces. He started a project called Kay’s Art Live KAL) where he leads art enthusiasts in creating art within London.

Rhonda C. George is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Dr. George’s research is concerned with the social and intersectional dimensions of race, racialization, and racial stratification within social institutions such as sport, education, Black popular culture and medicine & health. Grounded in Black Studies and Critical Race Theory, her research is concerned with the ways in which Black communities, particularly Caribbean diasporic groups, experience, navigate, and resist systemic racial barriers.

Tait Garrett is a Kitchener bred music creator & curator as well as entrepreneur. After graduating from Toronto's Harris Institute for the Arts, Tait moved back to his hometown to open up Track House Studio in 2015 and have been serving the community ever since. More recently, Tait worked with hip-hop artist and producer, Jon Corbin, to record the Hip-Hop Hope mixtape, funded by The Waterloo Arts Fund.