Turning it up: campus radio station wins national awards
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The campus-based frequency 105.5FM (CHRY-FM), serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as VIBE 105, was recently named the 2023 Best Community/Campus Station in a Canadian major market by the Broadcast Dialogue Canadian Radio Awards (BDCRA).
The award is the latest point of pride for a broadcast that – especially since its rebranding in 2015 – has been a leader in spotlighting R&B, electronic and, notably, hip-hop. “You can’t tell the story of hip-hop in Canada without mentioning CHRY,” general manager and CEO Randy Reid recently told The York University Magazine.
VIBE 105 has grown into a national broadcast leader in majority Black media content, aimed at the growing Afro-Caribbean and racialized populations across the entire GTA with an average listenership of 425,000 during prime drive time.
The BDCRA’s Best Community/Campus Station award was given to the not-for-profit station for demonstrating broadcasting excellence as well as an ability to impact and engage with its campus and local audience.
That wasn’t the only award it received, either. The station was also was recognized with the 2023 Best Imaging Production award – despite competing with the largest commercial broadcasters in the country – for the creative and technical imaging efforts behind its campaign “Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop,” tied to a global initiative to celebrate the musical form.
“This is a culmination of years of work,” says Reid about the BDCRA’s recognition.
Broadcasting from the First Student Centre on the University’s Keele Campus, VIBE 105 is firmly rooted in the York community. It is supported, in part, by student levy contributions from the York University Graduate Students’ Association and the York Federation of Students, in addition to occasional work-study grants from the University. The station also provides experiential education opportunities for students, as well as people from the community surrounding the Keele Campus, to express themselves through media and the arts.
Workshop explores relationship between art and anthropology
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Art exhibits can serve as powerful forms of public anthropology, putting on display an individual’s creative exploration of what it means to be human. As part of its Anthropology Beyond the Academy series, the York University Department of Anthropology’s Winter 2024 event will demonstrate just that by featuring the work of abstract and mixed-media artist Audra Townsend, a York alumna.
Audra Townsend
Titled Art & Anthropology, the Feb. 9 event will showcase Townsend’s artwork in the Vari Hall Rotunda from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a workshop from 3 to 4 p.m. where Townsend will discuss her professional path and her work in exploring humanity through art. All are welcome to attend.
Townsend is a British-born, Jamaican Canadian artist based in Toronto, who believes art is a manifestation of our curiosity about the material world and an essential part of what it means to be human. A former Ontario public servant, she is a trained sociocultural anthropologist who currently works as a data privacy consultant.
“Anthropologists use art to explore the essence of lived experiences, enabling a more immersive and emotive engagement with the subject of their studies,” explains Othon Alexandrakis, Chair of York’s Department of Anthropology. “By integrating visual storytelling into their research, anthropologists enhance the accessibility and impact of their narratives, fostering cross-cultural empathy and promoting a deeper appreciation for the richness of human diversity.”
When Townsend examines the relationship between art and the human experience, she borrows from intuitive and tactile art forms. Her work is characterized by a dense network of criss-crossing and squiggly lines separating rectangles of multiple shapes made of different materials, earthy and celestial colours, and textures of sand and stone, among others.
“We are excited to welcome Audra back to the department for this exciting workshop,” says Alexandrakis. “Audra’s art is extraordinary. We invite the York University community to come meet Audra, hear about her journey, and learn about art and anthropology.”
Annual Jean Augustine Chair event shines spotlight on Black artists
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Members of the York University community are invited to celebrate Black artistic talent during a showcase of performances on Feb. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., when the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora presents Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression.
The annual event celebrates the rich and diverse world of Black aritistic expression, promising to be a vibrant showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride.
Carrington Christmas and Isaac Crosby
The event is open to the community and is free to attend. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome reception in the CIBC Lobby, Accolade East Building at the Keele Campus, and performances will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Tribute communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building.
The event’s land acknowledgement will be provided by Carrington Christmas, a York alumna, who is an Indigenous anti-racist educator and self-described “Aunty Extraordinaire” with Black Scotian-Mi’kmaw and German ancestry.
Andrea Davis
The ceremony will then be closed with an Afro-Indigenous blessing from Isaac Crosby, an agricultural expert of Ojibwe of Anderdon heritage.
Hosting and providing opening remarks will be AndreaDavis, a professor in the Department of Humanities, who recently received an honorary degree in recognition of her work advancing equity, access and justice in post-secondary education.
Also providing remarks before the performances begin will be Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada; Samia Hashi, Ontario regional director of Unifor, which sponsors the event; and Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education.
Among the featured performances this year are:
solo performances, including song and instruments, dance and spoken word, from students from Greater Toronto Area school boards;
a performance from the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble;
a performance from the York University R&B Ensemble;
a spotlight artistic performance of the evening from Ian Kamau, an artist and designer;
a performance from the York University Gospel Choir; and
an Afro-Caribbean dance performance by students from James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School in the CIBC Lobby during the welcome reception.
Anika Forde and Karen Burke
This year’s Word, Sound, Power event is put on in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, with primary sponsorship from Unifor. York’s Division of Equity, People & Culture has also provided funding support. The Faculty of Education – home to the Jean Augustine Chair – and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, through faculty member Davis, also play a critical role in the event.
Anika Forde, research project manager for the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, and Karen Burke, Chair of Music, were co-conveners of the event this year.
CHREI workshops to spotlight anti-racism and Black inclusion
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Engaging in the work of equity and inclusion requires reflection and capacity building, which is why in celebration of Black History Month, the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (CHREI) is offering a series of four workshops (three in English, one in French) throughout the month.
Titled “A Spotlight on Intersectional Anti-Racism Work and Black Inclusion,” the series is tied to CHREI’s ongoing Rights, Equity, Decolonizing, Diversity & Inclusion (REDDI) Mini-Series of workshops. Those who attend three sessions can receive a special course certificate.
The ongoing workshop series focuses on various themes and topics covering human rights, equity, diversity, and inclusion and is open to all faculty, staff and students at York University. Sessions are interactive and instructor-led by members of the CHREI education team.
Acknowledging and Addressing Racism Feb. 5, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This workshop will help participants gain an understanding of how to recognize racism, how it can manifest and its impacts. Participants will learn strategies to address barriers to inclusive spaces and become familiar with relevant tools, policies and legislation.
Black Inclusion: Historic and Current Efforts to Dismantle Anti-Black Racism Feb. 14, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This session will follow the birth and development of anti-Black racism globally and locally, and the efforts to dismantle it. Through case studies and scenarios, participants will gain tools to respond to anti-Black racism in effective and sustainable ways.
Do the Work: Intervening on Racism Feb. 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
This workshop will be highly participation-based and will ask attendees to design strategies and tools to intervene in moments of racial discrimination, harassment and microaggressions. Prior familiarity with these concepts is recommended.
Note: Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one of the workshops above before attending this session.
[En Français/In French] Reconnaître et aborder le racisme 29 février, 10h00 à 11h30
Cet atelier aidera les participants à comprendre comment se manifeste le racisme, et quels sont ses impacts. Les participants découvriront des stratégies visant à éliminer les obstacles aux espaces inclusifs et s’exerceront à interrompre les commentaires racistes.
Celebrating Black stories, Black voices for Black History Month
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
Each year, Black History Month is a catalyst for ongoing efforts to enact meaningful change throughout the year, a reminder of the past and present injustices faced by racialized individuals, and an opportunity to centre the experiences and invaluable contributions of Black individuals and communities.
At York University, we are fortunate to count among us many Black scholars whose expertise and leadership help us understand our world as it is, has been and might become. Below, we highlight – as congratulations, thanks and welcome – just a few of those colleagues:
Professor Christina Sharpe received multiple kudos for her book Ordinary Notes, including being a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize (YFile);
Professor Andrea Davis was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from Royal Roads University for her visionary work in Black Studies (YFile);
Monique Herbert, associate professor in the teaching stream, is the Faculty of Health’s inaugural associate dean faculty affairs and inclusiveness (see here for some of Professor Herbert’s activities); and
Professor Marcia Annisette of the Schulich School of Business has begun her appointment as the University’s vice-provost academic (YFile).
We also welcome new Black faculty members who joined York this academic year:
Melissa Davis in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design;
Stephanie Fearon in the Faculty of Education;
Safiyah Rochelle, Amanda van Beinum, Tamanisha John and Joe Pateman in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies;
Charles-Édouard Boukaré and Mohamed Omar in the Faculty of Science; and
Abu Shiraz Abdul-Rahaman in the Schulich School of Business.
We know that more needs to be done to support the advancement of Black communities and, at York, we remain dedicated to ensuring the success of our talented Black scholars, staff and students, and to combating systemic discrimination, empowering communities and raising awareness as we continue to advance the Action Plan on Black Inclusion.
Laina Y. Bay-Cheng Interim Vice-President, Equity, People & Culture
Célébration des histoires et des voix des personnes noires pour le Mois de l’histoire des Noirs
Chaque année, le Mois de l’histoire des Noirs est un catalyseur des efforts déployés pour mettre en œuvre des changements significatifs tout au long de l’année. C’est aussi un rappel des injustices passées et présentes auxquelles les personnes racialisées sont confrontées et une occasion de mettre l’accent sur les expériences et les contributions inestimables des personnes et des communautés noires.
L’Université York a la chance de compter parmi ses rangs de nombreux universitaires noirs. Leur expertise et leur leadership nous aident à comprendre le monde actuel et à imaginer à quoi l’avenir pourrait ressembler. Nous aimerions présenter quelques collègues et en profiter pour les féliciter, les remercier et leur souhaiter la bienvenue :
La professeure Christina Sharpe a reçu de nombreux éloges pour son livre, Ordinary Notes, notamment en tant que finaliste du National Book Award et lauréate du Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize (YFile).
La professeure Andrea Davis a obtenu un doctorat honorifique en droit de l’Université Royal Roads pour son travail visionnaire dans le domaine des études noires (YFile)
Monique Herbert, professeure agrégée du volet enseignement, est la première doyenne associée de la Faculté de la santé pour les affaires facultaires et l’inclusivité (voir ici pour certaines des activités de la professeure Herbert).
La professeure Marcia Annisette, de l’École Schulich des hautes études commerciales, a pris ses fonctions de vice-rectrice aux affaires académiques de l’Université (YFile).
Nous souhaitons également la bienvenue aux nouvelles personnes noires qui ont rejoint le corps professoral de York cette année :
Melissa Davis à l’École des arts, des médias, de l’animation et du design
Stephanie Fearon à la Faculté des sciences de l’éducation
Safiyah Rochelle, Amanda van Beinum, Tamanisha John et Joe Pateman à la Faculté d’arts libéraux et d’études professionnelles
Charles-Édouard Boukaré et Mohamed Omar à la Faculté des sciences
Abu Shiraz Abdul-Rahaman à l’École Schulich des hautes études commerciales.
Il reste encore beaucoup à faire pour favoriser l’avancement des communautés noires. York réitère son engagement envers la réussite de ses talentueux universitaires et membres du personnel et de la population étudiante noirs, envers la lutte contre la discrimination systémique et envers l’épanouissement des communautés et la sensibilisation de l’opinion publique tout en continuant à faire progresser son Plan d’action sur l’inclusion des personnes noires.
Laina Y. Bay-Cheng Vice-présidente intérimaire de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture
Harriet Tubman Institute kicks off Black History Month
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The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa & its Diasporas is set to commence Black History Month with an opening ceremony on Feb. 1 at the Resource Centre located at 314 York Lanes.
This year’s theme, “Black Educators and Black Education,” will be celebrated through a series of events, starting with a reception where the community, friends and visitors can gather to socialize over a meal catered by the Executive Learning Centre.
The ceremony will include a panel discussion featuring distinguished Black faculty members from York University and a visiting scholar from the University of Guelph, delving into the “Black Educators and Black Education” theme.
The panellists from York University include: Godfred Boateng from the School of Global Health; Molade Osibodu from the Department of Education; Ola Mohammed from the Deptartment of Humanities; and Solomon Boakye-Yiadom from the Department of Engineering. Lawrence Goodridge, from the the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, will also be part of the panel.
The event aims to create a friendly and joyful space for the community to celebrate and support Black educators. It also serves as an opportunity to set positive intentions for Black History Month.
To attend the opening ceremony and panel discussion, interested individuals are encouraged to register in advance.
To learn more about the series of events organized by the Harriet Tubman Institute, in collaboration with its partners, please review the full schedule on the institute’s website.
Bestselling author to share publishing secrets at upcoming event
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If you’ve ever fantasized about becoming a published author, or are simply curious about how the book industry works, you won’t want to miss this upcoming event. On Wednesday, Jan. 31, York University’s Writing Department and Creative Writing program are hosting a talk and Q-and-A session with Cody Caetano, a literary agent and award-winning Indigenous author whose bestselling debut memoir, Half-Bads in White Regalia (Penguin Random House Canada, 2022), won the 2023 Indigenous Voices Award for Published Prose in English.
Cody Caetano
Caetano, who is of Anishinaabe and Portuguese descent and is an off-reserve member of Pinaymootang First Nation, holds a master of arts in creative writing from the University of Toronto, where he wrote his memoir under the mentorship of Indigenous Canadian writer and academic Lee Maracle.
The highly successful memoir that resulted, Half-Bads in White Regalia, was longlisted for the 2023 Toronto Book Award, the 2023 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and Canada Reads 2023. It was also named one of the best books of the year by the Globe and Mail and CBC Books.
To make his career trajectory even more impressive, Caetano was writing his bestselling debut memoir while working his way up the corporate ranks in the publishing industry, from his entry-level role as contracts administrator to his current job as a literary agent at the CookeMcDermid agency.
At this in-person event, the author and agent will speak about how to break into the book publishing industry and the challenges and rewards of being an author while also working a day job. After his talk and Q-and-A, he will read from his forthcoming novel and sign copies of his memoir.
The event will take place in the Harry Crowe Room, 109 Atkinson Building, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration is not required and all York University community members are welcome to attend.
Building pathways to education: a Q-and-A with Professor Carl James
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Studies have shown that Black students are significantly under-represented on Canadian post-secondary campuses, due in large part to systemic barriers. The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, now fully endowed and housed within York University’s Faculty of Education, aims to address this disparity and others by advancing access, equity, and inclusivity to education through community engagement and collaborative action.
Carl James
Distinguished Research Professor Carl James, who has held the position of Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora since 2016, met with YFile to discuss the Chair, his role within it and what the recent $1.5 million in federal funding means for its future.
Q: For those who are unfamiliar, can you describe the mandate of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora?
A: We work with community to enable and support students from racialized and marginalized groups through education; not only through elementary, middle and high school, but through university and college as well.
Q: What is your focus in your role as Chair?
A: I’m very interested in programming because it is a useful reference for knowing about the experiences and concerns of Black community members and students. In this way, we get to know about the research questions we might want to explore. There’s a tendency to separate research from program, but I think Jean Augustine expects the Chair to combine research with programs. It is simply not research for research’s sake. Instead, once you do the research, we should act on it.
I particularly like the participatory action research we do, where we set up a program and then, as the program proceeds, we research the program – is it working, is it not working, and why? And as we conduct the research, we might put into place some adjustments to the program if it’s not heading towards the expected outcome. Hence, when we’re promoting the idea that a particular program works, we will be able to say the program works because we have done the necessary research and have some documented evidence. We use the participants as researchers, as well, collaborating with them about the information we’re trying to gather.
Q: Can you explain what it means that the Chair is now fully funded?
A: The federal government’s recent $1.5-million contribution towards the endowment means that the Chair is well positioned to continue with its activities. It also means that we now have endowment funds to create some of the programs we’ve been wanting to.
Q: What is the Day at York program?
A: The Day at York program, which has hosted over 450 students from Ontario (and some from Halifax, Nova Scotia) in the past year and a half, provides Black students enrolled in Grades 7 to 12 with an opportunity to imagine themselves at a post-secondary institution.
We can tell students to go to university, but it’s difficult to imagine if you don’t have something to stimulate or inform that imagination. This program helps insofar as students are able to attend lectures, workshops, campus tours, and networking sessions with students, alumni and Black faculty members.
When students think of, where should I go to university, sometimes familiarity with an institution might help them to choose a particular university or program. It provides many opportunities that students would not have otherwise had.
Q: What are your proudest accomplishments in this role so far?
A: One of the things I’m particularly pleased with is the Jean Augustine Chair (JAC) Student Network, which involves Black undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates. The group contributes to the work of the Chair by sharing their experiences navigating university and working to be successful in their respective educational programs. Members act as hosts and mentors to high-school students who come on campus; and they do not only help to inform and contribute to the Chair’s research agenda, they also participate in the research as respondents, research assistants and collaborators. Ultimately, the network provides members with opportunities for personal, educational, team building and work-related skill development in an affirming and supportive post-secondary educational environment.
Also, we have the Jean Augustine Chair’s annual Black History Month event that happens every year in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design’s music program. Called Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression, it is a showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride. It is taking place this year on Feb. 7. It is held in recognition of one of Jean Augustine’s legacies – that is, the crucial role she played in establishing Black History Month in Canada. Therefore, it seems logical to hold an event at York through the Chair.
Q: What are some other projects you’re working on as part of the Chair?
A: We’re currently conducting research on social capital, a significantly new area to explore. We’re looking at how individuals employ their social capital – that is, their cultural assets, interests, aspirations, education and consciousness of what is possible – to take advantage of opportunities by which they might access training and employment to realize their social, economic, career and other ambitions. In partnership with the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism and York University’s School of Continuing Studies, we will investigate the lived experiences and needs of racialized Canadians, using the three years of the project to collect data that will help to inform educational and employment program initiatives.
As well, we recently received program funding from the RBC Foundation to put in place Securing Black Futures, a national partnership by which we might collectively work to build pathways for Black youth to pursue their educational goals and attain academic and career success. Led by us at York and working in partnership with colleagues from six universities across the country, the program activities will serve to inform us about relevant and appropriate educational and social interventions and supports for Black youth. We will also get to know how we might best mentor, enable, support and educate Black students in their pursuit of post-secondary education, as well as particular educational and career pathways – particularly STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Q: Looking toward the future, how do you hope the now fully endowed Jean Augustine Chair will impact the lives of Black and marginalized youth in Canada?
A: I think that a fully endowed Chair is nicely positioned to continue with its current local, regional and national initiatives. These include: supporting students in constructing their aspirations, in their decision processes as they journey towards their future selves; facilitating the voices of Black Canadians as they tell of their experiences through the research we will conduct, report and publish; helping to build university-community partnerships through which we might help to address structural and institutional barriers to full inclusion and equity of Black and other racialized people within Canadian society; and making substantial research contributions about Black life in Canada, taking into account education, employment, health and housing needs.
Q: How important is the York University community to the success of the Chair?
A: We cannot underestimate the support that York University has given the Chair, both financial and otherwise. Neither can we underestimate the contributions of the Faculty of Education, faculty members from across the University, our community advisory committee, and our partners at York University centres such as the Harriet Tubman Institute and the Centre for Research on Latin America & the Caribbean. It’s this whole network of people that enables the work of the Chair.
York profs, alumni help expand UNESCO’s history of Africa
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In 1964, the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) began a project aiming to rewrite the history of the entire African continent, from the first appearance of humans through to modern-day Africa and its diasporas.
To accomplish that feat, the organization called upon more than 230 leading experts in the field of African studies, whose work was overseen by an International Scientific Committee. The finished product, the General History of Africa, was completed in 1999 and included eight richly illustrated volumes.
A lot has changed since 1999, however, so UNESCO continued its work and recently published three new volumes reflecting the latest social, political, and archaeological developments on the continent and beyond.
One of those volumes, General history of Africa, X: Africa and its diasporas, edited by University of Pennsylvania Professor Vanicléia Silva Santos, includes contributions from many York University community members – both faculty and alumni – signifying their trusted expertise in the field.
Michele Johnson
The York-affiliated contributors are: Professor Michele A. Johnson, associate dean of students in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies; Paul E. Lovejoy, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus and Canada Research Chair in the Department of History; Nielson Rosa Bezerra, former Banting Fellow (2012-14) at York’s Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa & its Diasporas; and alumni Mohammed Bashir Salau (PhD), Olatunji Ojo (PhD), Vanessa S. Oliveira (PhD) and Behnaz Mirzai (PhD).
Paul Lovejoy
“The three new volumes are important because they break with the former continental approach to Africa to address ‘global Africa,’ where people went into diaspora,” explains Lovejoy, a member of the project’s International Scientific Committee whose role it was to organize one-third of Volume X.
His major contribution involved assembling over 200 pages of essays, which he then edited and composed an introduction for.
“The whole series,” Lovejoy says, “is a monumental achievement and important reference that targets not only current scholarship but also schools, libraries and a public that does not easily have access to scholarly analysis – not only in Africa but throughout the world.”
With editions now available in English, Portuguese and French, he says the publication will eventually be translated into many more languages to maximize its reach and impact.
Osgoode’s Sikh law students create first-of-its-kind national network
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Members of the fledgling Osgoode Sikh Students Association (OSSA) – the first group of its kind in Canada – are playing a key role in bringing Sikh law students together. Not just at Osgoode Hall Law School, but across the country.
The rigours and demands of law school can be a challenge under the best of circumstances, but even more so without support. “The feeling of community in law school can make or break a student’s experience,” says Dalraj Singh Gill, co-president of the OSSA, which was launched in the summer of 2022 and aims to improve its members’ law school experience.
Tripat Kaur Sandhu (left) and Dalraj Singh Gill (right), co-presidents of the Osgoode Sikh Students Association, receiving the Osgoode Student Club Award for Community Building.
Third-year Osgoode student and OSSA co-president Tripat Kaur Sandhu and Osgoode graduate Karen Kaur Randhawa, a co-founder of the group, established the group with the hope that the initiative would benefit not only Sikh students at the law school, but the wider Osgoode community, the legal profession at large and Sikh law students across Canada.
Gill – a 2025 candidate in the Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration program at Osgoode and Shulich – said one way the organization is looking to accomplish that is by helping Sikh students to remain rooted in the central principles of the Sikh faith, including the pursuit of justice and standing against oppression – ideals that are also relevant to the practice of law.
Members also hope OSSA, through events and activities, can help improve understanding of the Sikh community at Osgoode and provide a platform to advocate for Sikh issues and other racialized and minority communities at the school.
“Our goal, among others,” said Gill, “is to tackle systemic barriers which prevent Sikh students and persons of colour from accessing the legal profession.”
Since establishing OSSA, the co-founders have actively reached out to Sikh law students across Canada, encouraging and supporting their efforts to launch chapters at their own universities. And their outreach has proven successful, with many Sikh Students Association (SSA) chapters popping up across the country throughout 2023 – at the University of Ottawa in January, at Toronto Metropolitan University in February, at the University of Windsor in May, at Thompson Rivers University in the summer and at Queens University in the fall. This year, an SSA chapter is being eyed at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
Last year, the Osgoode Legal & Literary Society recognized OSSA’s impactful work with its annual Student Club Award for Community Building.
“We are also hoping to get in touch with B.C. law schools,” said Gill, “and then later expand across to law schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and at Dalhousie in Nova Scotia.”
Gill added that although the SSA chapters are not affiliated with the Canadian Association of Sikh Lawyers, his group’s goal is to create a Canada-wide network and community that will extend to alumni groups and established legal professionals. A longer-term goal is to eventually host a national conference involving all SSA chapters.
