Decolonization | The Harriet Tubman Institute

Bashir Munye

rebsl — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:43:28 +0000

Chef Bashir Munye is a Somali-born, Italian-raised culinary educator, food advocate, and co-founder of the African Food �첥��Ƶ Centre. With over 25 years of experience, he is committed to decolonizing culinary practices and promoting food sovereignty.

Bashir has served as a culinary professor at George Brown College, where he designed inclusive curricula and mentored future culinary leaders. As a community advisor, he played a pivotal role in the development of the Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan, approved by City Council in 2021, addressing systemic barriers to food security for Black communities.

Through his work at Black Creek Community Farm, Bashir developed sustainable food initiatives that merged cultural relevance with economic viability, strengthening community engagement. His efforts emphasize culturally appropriate foods, equitable systems, and the celebration of African culinary traditions.

Bashir’s interdisciplinary approach aligns with the Harriet Tubman Institute’s mission to advance research on African and diasporic histories, fostering a deeper understanding of social justice issues. His advocacy for food justice and sustainability continues to inspire systemic change, making him a leader in advancing inclusive culinary practices and community empowerment.

Keywords: Afrofuturism, Decolonization, Culinary Education, Food Sovereignty, African Foodways, Sustainability, Diaspora Studies, Culturally Appropriate Foods, Social Justice, Ancestral Knowledge, Community Engagement, Anti-Colonial Practices, Food Systems Equity, Interdisciplinary Research, Performative Learning

Michelle J. Martineau

rebsl — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 18:55:24 +0000

Michelle is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the Université de Montréal. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Law (Université des Antilles – Guadeloupe) and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, Cooperation, and Development (Université du Québec à Montréal). Her Master’s research focused on departmentalization and independence in the Guadeloupean context, spanning from 1950 to 1990. Her doctoral project examines identity (both political and cultural) and its impact on Guadeloupe’s political future in a post-colonial setting. Specifically, she aims to deconstruct the notion of departmentalization, illustrating how epistemic violence has influenced the construction of political and cultural identity in the archipelago. She was the student representative for CRIDAQ (2021-2023) and received scholarships from CRIDAQ as well as the CÉRIUM writing grant (winter 2023). She is the founder of the blog identitescaraibes.org and a columnist for NéoQuébec.

Keywords: Colonization, decolonization, postcolonial and decolonial theories, race, ethnicity, identity, citizenship, assimilation, universalism, France, nationalism, Caribbean geopolitics, regional Caribbean governance, international relations, political violence, (De)colonial feminism, Black studies

Zakirah Allain

rebsl — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:15:34 +0000

My name is Zakirah Allain, pronouns she/they, and I am 23 years old. Education and advancing opportunities for all is my passion. In my undergraduate studies I double majored in International Development studies and African Studies with a certificate in Black Canadian studies. This year I enter my first year of graduate studies in Social Anthropology. I look forward to a future of life-long learning with hopes to educate and work to expand peoples freedoms and opportunities around the globe.

Keywords: Decolonization, Education, the Caribbean, Black Canadian Studies, International Development

Ify Okadigbo

rebsl — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:53 +0000

Ifeyinwa (Ify) Okadigbo, PhD. is a Black African Canadian scholar-activist with a strong record of developing theoretical and methodological frameworks for understanding the nuanced and complex experiences of Black African women across diverse physical and ideological contexts. She earned her PhD from �첥��Ƶ in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies, completing it in four years, passing without revisions, and receiving a nomination for dissertation prize by the faculty of Graduate Studies. In addition, she holds dual master’s degrees from �첥��Ƶ where she earned a distinction, and the University of East Anglia, UK, in Gender and International Development.

With over a decade of research, teaching, and community engaged experience, her work explores gender, spirituality, governance, and institutional power in African and Black contexts. Her pedagogical practice is informed by critical, inclusive, and decolonial approaches that empower students to interrogate power, resistance, and social transformation. Beyond the academy, she collaborates with policymakers and community organizations to produce engaged, policy relevant research that advances gender justice, challenges racism, patriarchy and sexism across public and private spheres.

Keywords: Decolonization, Spirituality, African Feminism, Gender, Coloniality, Power

Sylvia Bawa

rebsl — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 21:50:57 +0000

Dr Sylvia Bawa is a global sociologist and tenured Associate Professor of Sociology at �첥��Ƶ in Canada with expertise in human rights, development, gender and globalization. With immense experience working with international and local organizations and groups on development, social justice and human rights issues, her expertise in these areas have been recognized through numerous research awards. With over 15 years of experience in conducting exceptional qualitative research on the aforementioned areas, she has led and currently co-leads international collaborative research projects on human rights, truth and reconciliation and gender and development. Her publications appear in high impact journals such as Third World Quarterly, African Identities, Qualitative Research Report, Development in Practice, Canadian Journal of African Studies as well chapters in the International Human Rights of Women

(Part of the International Human Rights Series) and The Palgrave Handbook of African Women’s Studies (Springer Major Reference Works Series).

Matthew Robertshaw

alexall5 — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 01:50:22 +0000

Matt Robertshaw is a PhD candidate in History at �첥��Ƶ. He focuses on Haiti, the Caribbean and French colonialism in Africa. He is also a video essayist via Sleeper Hit History on YouTube.