Viola Desmond Awards
The Viola Desmond Awards and Bursary ceremony returns on February 19. It recognizes Black women and gender-diverse community members who show leadership at TMU.
The awards celebrate people who strengthen academic and community spaces at TMU. They honor Viola Desmond’s legacy while supporting Black leadership through recognition and financial awards.
Tickets are limited and filling up fast.
Rooted and Rising: Becoming an Afrocentric Scholar
Part of the Rooted and Rising workshop series, Becoming an Afrocentric Scholar invites Black graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to reflect on their research through an Afrocentric lens. It runs on February 24 from 12 to 1:30 p.m.
The session puts Black intellectual traditions at the centre. Participants will identify their influences and clarify who they’re writing for. Through small-group talks and discussions, scholars will explore how their work can create positive, lasting change.
The Black Scholarship Institute hosts this series with the Yeates School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, the Graduate Leadership Institute, and GRAD Thriving-in-Action. Black-identifying TMU graduate students and postdocs from all programs are welcome!
Mandela The Lawyer, Reconsidered: Law at the Crossroads of Justice and Oppression
Siyabulela Mandela will give a keynote address on February 25 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. He’ll examine Nelson Mandela not just as a global leader, but as a lawyer working within an unfair legal system.
The talk will explore how law can be both a tool of control and a way to fight back. It raises questions about justice and fairness in unequal societies. A panel discussion and Q&A will follow.
The International Law and Global Justice Initiative and the Black Law Students’ Association at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law are hosting this event.
Black Aces: Essential Stories from Hockey’s Black Trailblazers
Based on the book Black Aces: Essential Stories from Hockey’s Black Trailblazers (external link) , this event highlights the stories of Black players who shaped hockey.
Sports journalist Julian McKenzie shares stories that go beyond the rink. He explores identity, strength, and the personal journeys behind key moments in hockey history. The conversation also looks ahead to emerging voices shaping the sport today.
Black Studies Libraries tour
Toronto Metropolitan Libraries is hosting a Black Studies Libraries Tour on February 25 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Library experts will guide you through key resources and spaces.
The tour includes an overview of the Black Studies Libraries Guide, which highlights important scholarly and community resources. You’ll see a presentation on data and mapping tools for Black Studies, visit the virtual reality Immersion Studio to learn how Black Studies instructors use it and end at TMU’s Archives and Special Collections to view unique materials.
The tour starts at LIB 272A. All TMU students, staff and faculty are welcome.
Black Histories Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon
Join TMU Libraries for a Black Histories Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon on February 26 from noon to 3 p.m.
Learn to edit Wikipedia and help improve coverage of Black histories online.
The event begins with a keynote by Sam Tecle, a Black and Diaspora Studies scholar at TMU. He’ll explore how Toronto hip hop artists use music to document their experiences and resist being silenced. Optional training for beginners follows, then collective editing begins.
Drop in anytime. Lunch will be provided, and participants can win gift cards to A Different Booklist. The event takes place in the Library Collaboratory (LIB 387) and is open to the public.
