2021 Black History Symposium: Honoring the Diversity of Black Leaders and Agents of Change | Presented by U of T’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office

Join U of T’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office at the 2021 Black History Symposium to explore anti-Black racism activism in diverse spaces and the role of post-secondary environments in transforming anti-Black racism advocacy.

Download the event agenda for a full overview of the 2021 Black History Symposium [PDF]

With Opening Remarks by:

Dr. Njoki Wane
Professor & Chair, Department of Social Justice Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education,
Co-Chair, Anti-Black Racism Taskforce

Dean Dexter Voisin
Co-Chair, Anti-Black Racism Taskforce,
Dean & Professor, Factor-Interwash Faculty of Social Work

Keynote and Q&A:

Featuring:

Dahabo Ahmed Omer, Executive Director of the Black North Initiative
Ms. Ahmed Omer has accumulated a wealth of experience and accomplishments in the performance measurement, policy development, HR planning analysis and employment equity and diversity sectors. She was recently appointed as the Executive Director of the Black North Initiative. In her previous role, Ms. Ahmed was the Human Resources Specialist within the Public Sector and primarily responsible for the Visible Minority Advisory Steering Committee of the Agency and working in the agency-wide Employment Equity Action Plan and Anti-Racism Strategy. Among the many other organizations of which she has been a part of, Ms. Ahmed is a founding member of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, which advocates securing justice for the late Abdirahman Abdi and his family. Ms. Ahmed is also the Chair of the Federation of Black Canadians, which is a national non-profit organization that is driven by Black organizations across Canada, which advances the social, economic and cultural interests of Canadians of African descent. Ms. Ahmed has been the recipient of notable awards over the years including the exceptional service within the Federal Public Service, the Canada150 Community Builder Award, The Hope Academy community contribution award, the Ottawa Black History Community Leadership Award and most recently the top 100 under 40 Most Influential Person of African descent in support of United Nations decade.

Following the keynote address, Ms. Ahmed-Omer will engage in Q & A moderated by Njoki Kamau.

Njoki Kamau is a 4th year Political Science Specialist and African Studies Major, with a focus in Comparative African Politics and Indigenous relations. Njoki advocates for the safety, protection and rights of over 2500 Black undergraduate students at the University of Toronto as the President of the Black Students’ Association. Njoki is pursuing research on the political and social effects of COVID-19 on Black Communities in the Greater Toronto Area and hopes to continue this research in Graduate School.

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