Canadian Black Scientists Network

Canadian Black Scientists Network screens doc on Black astronauts as part of its advocacy efforts

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:26:07 +0000

Canadian Black Scientists Network screens doc on Black astronauts as part of its advocacy efforts

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:26

Cutline

Guion “Guy” Bluford became the first African American in space in 1983. His story is showcased in documentary The Space Race, which is being screened by the Canadian Black Scientists Network (photo by NASA CCO Images)

Tina Adamopoulos

Topic

Our Community

Black Research Network

Canadian Black Scientists Network

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Black History Month

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

"This is a beautiful, artistic film that gives people a sense of the actual emotions involved in what we’re fighting for"

Maydianne Andrade first watched The Space Race a few months ago while preparing for a post-screening panel – one of countless events she has been involved in as a higher education leader and co-founder of the Canadian Black Scientists Network.

Focused on the little-known stories of Black astronauts, the documentary left an impression on the evolutionary ecologist. So, she decided to watch it a second time.

Now, together with partners across Canada, the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) is screening the film in cities across the country as part of its Black History Month programming – including an event Wednesday at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

“A lot of Black communities, including scientists, value the arts and humanities,” says Andrade, University Professor in U of T Scarborough’s department of biological sciences. “It’s critical to engage through the arts to help people not just learn about statistics but feel it.”

Following Wednesday’s screening, Andrade – who is also a member of the steering committee for the Black Research Network, one of the university’s institutional strategic initiatives – will be joined by Rene Harrison, a professor of biological sciences at U of T Scarborough, to discuss the film and how its themes resonate through today.

CBSN leaders meet at the 2024 Black History Month celebration at the Canadian Museum of History. Left to right: Chinyere Nwafor-Okoli, Trevor Charles and Maydianne Andrade (supplied image)

The Space Race reframes the history of U.S. space exploration through interviews with several pioneers of NASA’s space program – the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists in their journey to become astronauts. Starting in the 1960s civil rights era, the film leads up to the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the racial reckoning that followed.

It includes the story of Ed Dwight, a U.S. Air Force pilot who would have become the first Black astronaut when he was chosen by President John F. Kennedy to join a pilot program at the Edwards Air Force Base. His hopes came to a halt after Kennedy’s 1963 assassination when he wasn’t selected for the NASA program.

In 1983, Guion “Guy” Bluford became the first African American astronaut to go to space.

Andrade says many of the issues raised in the film are still relevant, including the need to better support Black and Indigenous students who are interested in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine) subjects.

“We have data in Canada that shows Black youth are streamed out of STEMM programs. The issues are still current,” Andrade says. “We want to shine a light on things that still need to be fixed and have those conversations.”

Shaping the future of STEMM

Launched in 2020, the CBSN is a national coalition of more than 700 members that works to elevate, connect and celebrate Black Canadians pursuing advanced degrees in STEMM. It advocates for equitable practices in funding and works to enhance the visibility of Black researchers in the field and increase retention of Black youth. That includes providing mentorship and opportunities to realize a career in STEMM through its Youth Science Fair.

CBSN-Youth delegates from Halifax at the Canada-wide science fair in 2023: Silver medalist Joy Akinkunmi (left) and bronze medalist Munir Al-Taher (supplied image)

The film screenings mark the launch of the CBSN’s Regional Nodes, associations of CBSN members and allies across Canada who support local programming and outreach. Regional Nodes are currently located in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec, with connections in Atlantic Canada through local partners.

“This is a beautiful, artistic film that gives people a sense of the actual emotions involved in what we’re fighting for. It’s about community and support,” Andrade says.

“I want people to understand the joy involved and how much we want to participate in these fields.”

Black History Month 2023: What's on across U of T's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:58:26 +0000

Black History Month 2023: What's on across U of T's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/01/2023 - 12:58

Cutline

Volunteers serve food at the annual Black History Month Luncheon three years ago, when the event was last held in-person (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Adina Bresge

Topic

City & Culture

Black Founders Network

Canadian Black Scientists Network

Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office

Black

Black History Month

Cinema Studies

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Film

Hart House

Innis College

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Rotman School of Management

Toronto International Film Festival

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

From dance parties to thought-provoking panels and celebrations of Black excellence, the University of Toronto is hosting a wide array of events across the three campuses to mark Black History Month.

Members of the U of T community will have the chance to come together to learn, reflect, share stories, have fun and engage in self-care at conferences, cultural events and celebrations throughout February.

Rounding out the calendar is the annual Black History Month Luncheon, which is being held in-person and will spotlight Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey.

Here’s a sampling of the events on offer throughout the month.

Feb 1. – Feb. 4

BE-STEMM 2023 Conference

The Canadian Black Scientists Network is hosting a four-day virtual conference that brings together researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine and Health (STEMM). The agenda includes talks by leading Black scholars across disciplines, networking sessions and opportunities to mentor the next generation of scientists.

Feb. 1

Ghetto Fabulous: Black Y2K Party

Time to pull out your finest threads from the 1990s and 2000s for this throwback bash, hosted by the Black Students’ Association at U of T, reclaiming the word “ghetto” and celebrating the Black subculture of the era.

Feb. 2 – Feb. 3

Re/Viewing, Re/Visioning, and Re/Imagining Black Canada Symposium

This two-day symposium, co-hosted by U of T and York University, will provide a forum for Canadian and American scholars to reckon with themes raised in the recent volume Unsettling the Great White North: Black Canadian History, published by University of Toronto Press. The event will engage participants in the latest debates, research and theories in Black Canadian history/studies to better understand how scholarship has evolved to offer a more expansive and nuanced view of Black Canadian experiences.

Feb. 4

Black Excellence Kiki Ball

You better bring your A game to this sports-themed kiki at U of T's Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Guests can warm up with a beginner-friendly vogue dance workshop led by Legendary House Mother Snoopy of the Disney Kiki House. Then get ready for a ballroom battle celebrating game-changing Black athletes such as Colin Kaepernick, Simone Biles and Venus and Serena Williams.

Feb. 6

Black History Month Symposium – What Has Changed: The Role of Attitudinal Barriers to Advancing Black Inclusion

Hosted by the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, this event will examine attitudinal barriers that contribute to anti-Black racism in post-secondary environments and discuss strategies to address this systemic problem. It includes a performance by U of T alumna Michelle Bookal and opening remarks by Njoki Wane, chair of the department of social justice education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and Charmaine Williams, dean of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Panellists include: Cherilyn Scobie Edwards, director of the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Office at U of T Scarborough; Andrew Campbell, assistant professor at OISE; Nancy Simms, adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law; and Teeanna Munro, project co-ordinator in the Black Perspectives Office at Concordia University.

Feb. 8

Kickoff Panel for Black Histories Wikipedia & Wikidata Edit-a-thon

This is your chance to contribute to Wikipedia through a series editing sessions focused on Black histories. The events are co-organized by U of T and other universities in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library. Funké Aladejebi, an assistant professor in the department of history in the Faculty of Arts & Science, moderates the kickoff panel featuring multidisciplinary artist Debbie Ebanks Schlums and Jonsaba Jabbi, co-founder of Building A Black Archive.

Feb. 9

Tastes of Culture 2022-23: African Perspective

U of T Mississauga’s International Education Centre and Hart House co-present this virtual cooking session that will bring the tastes of Ghana to your home kitchen. Chef Kwame Owusu-Afriyie Nsafoah will show how to make stewed black-eyed peas and krakro (plantain fritters) to be paired with jollof rice and stuffed into a burrito.

Feb. 9

The Intersecting Identities that Inspire Our Excellence

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health hosts a celebration of Black leaders across a range of fields for a discussion on how their intersecting identities inform their work. Panellists include: Toronto Argonauts linebacker Hénoc Muamba; Celina Caesar-Chavannes, a former MP and business consultant; Jason Faulkner, owner and clothing designer of Spread Love; Stella Djulus, visual artist and founder of Arts by Stella; and Kevin Allwood, owner of Allwood MKRT & KaSpace Café.

Feb. 10

Rest as Resistance

This session, hosted by Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, invites Black participants to slow down and engage in community care. After starting the session with gentle meditation and movement, Yamikani Msosa will facilitate a dialogue about how both rest and action can be forms of resistance in the fight against anti-Black racism.

Feb. 13

Pop-Up Barbershop

Get a free trim, fade or braid while testing your hip-hop knowledge at this pop-up hosted by Hart House Hip Hop Education in partnership with beauty services finder Fyyne, co-founded by Jeff Fasegha, a U of T graduate and a member of the of the Black Founders Network.

Feb. 15

Our Stories: Black History Month

Learn from the lived experiences of three U of T students as they share their stories at this virtual event co hosted by U of T Scarborough’s International Student Centre, U of T Mississauga’s International Education Centre and the St. George Centre for International Experience.

Feb. 16

Black Health Leaders Recognition Ceremony

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health hosts its inaugural recognition ceremony celebrating Black leaders in Toronto’s public health and health systems. This year’s recipients are: Fatimah Jackson-Best, project manager at the Black Health Alliance and assistant professor at McMaster University; Cynthia Damba, director of health analytics at Ontario Health, Toronto Region; and Jacqueline Silvera, director of inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism with the University of Health Network.

Feb. 17

Hip Hop Family Skate Day

Skaters of all ages are invited to hit the ice at Varsity Arena and glide along to the sounds of hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeats curated by DJ Mel Boogie. Professional figure skaters Chloe Panetta and Kieran Thrasher will be on hand to offer tips and perform a routine.

Feb. 22

Black Ice: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), Innis College and the Cinema Studies Institute present a special screening of Black Ice, an acclaimed documentary tracing the history of anti-Black racism in hockey, from the 19th century to the present-day. Director Hubert Davis will join KPE faculty members Janelle Joseph and Simon Darnell for a discussion of the film, which counts LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter as executive producers.

Feb. 23

Panel Discussion on Black-Led Community Space

Isaac Olowolafe Jr. of the Dream Legacy Foundation, Amina Mohamed of the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation and Alica Hall of Nia Centre for the Arts engage in conversation about the need for community spaces built by and for Black communities. The event – sponsored by the Infrastructure Institute at U of T’s School of Cities and co-hosted by the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation – comes on the heels of a joint report examining gaps in public investment in and access to Black-led social infrastructure in Toronto.

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Feb. 24

21st Annual Black History Month Luncheon

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey is set to give the keynote address at this year’s celebration of Black excellence, continuing a more than two-decade-long tradition that has become Black History Month’s marquee event at the university. Community members will come together at Hart House and be treated to delicious food, captivating speakers and dynamic performances.

Feb. 25

Future Black Business Leaders Conference

Black business leaders will share their tips for success with the next generation of power players at this conference hosted by the Rotman School of Management. Attendees will have the chance to connect with top industry professionals and learn more about Rotman’s scholarships and awards for future Black leaders.

Feb. 28

Lecture/Recital with Beau Dixon

Actor, musician and playwright Beau Dixon returns to U of T to discuss his creation and curation of the Stratford Festival’s Freedom Cabaret 2.0: How Black Music Shaped the Dream of America. The event will also feature performances by Dixon and singers from the Faculty of Music.

Feb. 28

The Self-Care Fair

There are plenty of ways to decompress at this Hart House event aimed at encouraging self-care for Black students. Relaxing activities include painting, aromatherapy ball-making, guided meditation, massages and board games.

'Now is the time': Maydianne Andrade on elevating Black people in STEMM

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 17:24:46 +0000

'Now is the time': Maydianne Andrade on elevating Black people in STEMM

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/25/2023 - 12:24

Cutline

Maydianne Andrade, a professor of evolutionary biology at U of T Scarborough, co-founded the Canadian Black Scientists Network three years ago (photo by Dylan Toombs)

Topic

Our Community

Canadian Black Scientists Network

U of T Scarborough

The underrepresentation of Black people in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) is a persistent problem in Canada – and a missed opportunity for talent and perspective in the research community.

From overt discrimination and microaggressions that undermine confidence, to feeling isolated and unsupported in an environment that offers few opportunities to meet other Black scientists who could be mentors or collaborators, Black people often face obstacles from the time they are students through to the highest ranks of STEMM professions.

In 2020, a group of volunteers formed the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) to “Elevate, Make Visible, Celebrate and Connect Black Canadians” in STEMM. They included Maydianne Andrade, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto Scarborough, whose “day job” is figuring out how widow spiders can be a model for how species will adapt to the changing climate.

Since then, the network has accomplished a great deal, including registering hundreds of members.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation recently spoke to Andrade, the CBSN’s co-founder and first president, to find out more about what the network is doing now, and about its vision for the future.

The Canadian Black Scientists Network held its first meeting in July 2020. What led to that?

A small group of people had been discussing the challenges and underrepresentation of Black Canadians in STEMM for many years. Most of us were “the lonely only” in our departments or even on our campuses, struggling alone to try to effect changes and make the academy more welcoming for Black colleagues.

For much of that time (for me, 20 years or so), most of our colleagues did not recognize that there were particular barriers for Black scholars based on pervasive negative stereotypes. Attempts to discuss underlying inequities were commonly met with “I don’t see colour” or “Why are you making it all about being Black?” I would say this is particularly true in the sciences, where many denied the existence of bias.

Then George Floyd’s murder in June 2020 changed everything. Suddenly our colleagues were asking about barriers and recognizing that Black Canadians have a very different experience from the one they expected, including experiences in research and innovation.

Professor Tamara Franz-Odendaal, who is the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Atlantic) at Mount Saint Vincent University, finally said, “Now is the time,” and she worked with Professor Juliet Daniel from McMaster University to circulate a Google doc sign-up sheet. Tamara and Juliet, Professor Loydie Jerome-Majewska from McGill, Professor Kevin Hewitt from Dalhousie, and I, took that list and created the Canadian Black Scientists Network, pulling together our first meeting in July 2020.

The CBSN has accomplished a great deal since it started: hosted a conference (and will host a second conference for February 2023), organized a science fair and registered hundreds of members. What is the one thing so far that energizes you the most?

The response from young people is the most energizing. We get tears of relief, expressions of joy and hope where we are told there was just anxiety before. People have shared images of their children watching the conference online.

More recently, it is the stories from Black professionals in STEMM who were going to give up on a career in research and innovation because doors were shut to them. But through mentorship and opportunities at our virtual career fair, some of them now have new career paths.

If I were to ask you that question again in five years – what are you most energized by or proud of – what would you hope to answer?

That Black people have become a part of the fabric of the Canadian research and innovation landscape to such an extent that I never again hear from anyone “hiring diverse candidates means sacrificing excellence.” That the automatic assumption of deficits is replaced with a widespread appreciation for the value of diverse talents and passions that are not correlated with skin colour.

The CBSN sets out to “Elevate, Make Visible, Celebrate and Connect Black Canadians” in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine, which means increasing the number of young Black people entering and staying in these fields, as well as advocating for equitable practices in funding. Does any of that ever feel overwhelming?

Yes. All of it is overwhelming. All of us leading the network are volunteers with full-time careers elsewhere. In effect we have two jobs, and many of us have other service organizations we support, so, in fact, we have three. (In my case, the third job is the Toronto Initiative for Diversity & Excellence, a group I founded in 2016.)

It is exhausting. We have many ideas for how to correct problems that we did not create. But to make these things happen, we need to not only build programs from scratch, but also apply for multiple grants every year to continue to operate, while also doing everything from updating our website, to documenting our invoices, to giving talks to tri-agency executives, and mentoring our members. And this is in addition to our day jobs. We are told repeatedly that Canada does not have a way to support our sustained operation given the way that federal budgets currently work. So it is a treadmill.

My greatest fear is that we will not be able to sustain this level of effort, and the CBSN and all of the wonderful things it has started will become a “remember when.”

A couple of years ago, you were part of a panel on the subject of Black scientists, science and systemic racism. You said you sometimes get frustrated because we’ve known what we need to do for a long time – collect data, develop programs, educate decision makers, set targets and incentivize those targets – but that we just need to do it. What stands in the way?

What stands in the way? A few things. First, people who are willing to speak the words, but not connect them to actions (the problem of passivity and lack of accountability).

Second, people who see the data about racism and bias, but refuse to connect that to changes in practices, either because “That’s not how things work” or because “That’s not a problem in my context! We are really inclusive in my department/campus/institution” (the problem of separation).

Third, people who are in power who fear making mistakes or upsetting others who are also in power, and refuse to acknowledge that some of that power comes from their identity. These are leaders who put a priority on ensuring that those in power do not feel threatened by the reality that the current system excludes and crushes the hopes and dreams of many with equal talent.

Every single thing about this is frustrating. Canada cannot afford to let bias and racism lead to a loss of talent, particularly in the current context of a labour gap, a skills gap, pandemic economic recovery and a need for innovation, and yet many refuse to change even when they are shown how the current system is pushing Black people out, from school-aged onwards.

A love of STEMM can start so early in life. What would you say to Black kindergartners about science?

Science is like art that allows you to answer so many questions you have about the world. It is like a superpower. It is creative – you ask a question, then imagine possible answers and also how to figure out which answer is most likely. It’s like solving puzzles every day, and it is deeply satisfying.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an ally for what the CBSN has set out to do?

Engage with us. Come to our events. We are not seeking an echo chamber and we are not seeking sympathy. We want to introduce you to the diverse array of incredibly talented and innovative Black people in our network who have a passion for STEMM and we want you to know we are here – even if you don’t see us in the hallways of your institutions. We want you to ask your colleagues and your leaders why we are missing. And every time you hear “hiring for diversity is sacrificing excellence,” we need you to speak up, because we are not in those rooms (yet).

This story originally appeared at the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Building momentum: Canadian Black Scientists Network partners with U of T Scarborough

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:21:27 +0000

Building momentum: Canadian Black Scientists Network partners with U of T Scarborough

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/04/2023 - 13:21

Cutline

Co-founded by U of T Scarborough professor Maydianne Andrade in 2020, pictured, the Canadian Black Scientists Network now boasts more than 500 members (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Matthew DiMera

Topic

Our Community

Canadian Black Scientists Network

Scarborough Charter

STEM

U of T Scarborough

When Maydianne Andrade co-founded the non-profit Canadian Black Scientists Network with other Black scientists across Canada two years ago, she felt there was a need to create a larger sense of community.

What she didn’t anticipate was the rapid growth.

“We just see momentum building and building every year,” says Andrade, a professor in the department of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

By the time the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) held its first annual national conference virtually in 2022 for Black excellence in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (BE-STEMM), it had already grown from 20 members to 150. Now, as it prepares to host the second conference in 2023, it has more than 500 members.

As the CBSN was looking for a university partner to host the network for a five-year term, U of T Scarborough was an ideal choice. It had already been the virtual host for the first BE-STEMM conference, and as the home of the Scarborough Charter – a commitment from more than 50 Canadian universities to address anti-Black racism and to promote Black inclusion – there was a symbolic and practical alignment with the network’s goals to remove barriers facing Black researchers and practitioners in STEMM.

“This partnership enables a variety of things. The first is to raise the visibility of the network,” Andrade says.

“It really advances the vision of both organizations and also aligns with the institutions that signed the charter from across the country. It’s providing essential support because although we are a virtual network, we do need some physical support – and the campus has been very generous in contributing to our operating requirements.”

As the inaugural president of the CBSN, Andrade has witnessed the importance of the network’s work with Black communities.

Olamide Falomo, CBSN's new program administrator, next to Maydianne Andrade at U of T Scarborough (supplied photo)

“It is a completely unique conference in Canada – and one of very few in North America – where you can hear more than one Black STEMM researcher talking about their work,” she says. “In any one place we tend to be fairly small in number, [so] that visibility is lost.

She adds the conference is an opportunity to learn about the work that Black experts in STEMM across the country are pursuing.

“We’re about research across all these different disciplines, but we’re also about change. We're really about action,” Andrade says. “We are here to get our people gainful employment, good career paths and to make sure that there are no barriers to their success.”

A recent immigrant to Canada, Brenda Tibingana-Ahimbisibwe was looking to return to work now that her two young children are in school. But she wasn’t hearing back from any prospective employers. Despite having trained as a medical doctor in Uganda and having a master’s in public health from the University of Manchester, she was considering leaving science behind. But after attending the CBSN conference’s virtual career fair, Tibingana-Ahimbisibwe landed a job with Statistics Canada.

“When you come as an immigrant, you don't really have any connections. Moving here, it was just my husband and me,” she says. “It’s quite daunting to re-enter your field at a level that matches your skills. You do need people with insight to help you navigate. You need support.”

Albert Kaboré, meanwhile, was looking to transition to civilian life after retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces when he attended last year’s career fair at the conference. Kaboré, who has a PhD in microbiology and immunology from Laval University, credits the conference with connecting him to his current position as the manager for evaluation impact and measurements with Genome Canada.

“I would really encourage people just to take advantage of that venue to showcase themselves and to widen their networks,” he says.

The conference also includes a science fair where middle school and high school students can connect with Black mentors.

“It’s important to have mentors of all sorts,” Andrade says. “But particularly having someone who looks like you who has succeeded in this field is encouraging for youth.”

Andrade says that graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, research associates, people in the job market and new Canadians are interested in meeting Black scientists who have succeeded in an ecosystem that’s not always welcoming to them.

This year’s conference, BE-STEMM 2023, will feature a panel on the challenges faced by skilled Black immigrants.

While the government makes it easier for highly educated and skilled newcomers to immigrate here, it’s been well-documented that many find it difficult to find jobs in their field once they arrive. Systemic racism can make the problem even worse for Black newcomers.

“Black women are perhaps the most heavily negatively impacted,” Andrade says. “This panel is going to be a discussion about that problem – about how we can change our systems. We are progressively seeing a gap in terms of skill in our labour markets in Canada and elsewhere, and we have the people who could fill those gaps. But we have to see them where they are.”