Dr. George Sefa Dei (he/him) will deliver a virtual keynote that focuses on critical understandings and ways of dismantling the colonial architectures of anti-Black racism. The presentation will make discursive links between race, Indigeneity, decolonization and anti-Black racism education. We engage key concepts of race, [anti-]Blackness, Indigeneity and decoloniality to think through and work to create equitable learning and social outcomes for young learners, field practitioners and community workers. In the discussion, we ask: how do we develop and sustain our research work, academic scholarship and political engagements for decolonial and anti-colonial framings of anti-Black racism? In what ways can Black, Indigenous and racialized communities work to build anti-colonial solidarities that ushers counter and Alter-futures? What next steps are required as ‘Way Forward’?

Guest Speaker: Dr. George Sefa Dei (He/Him)

Ghanaian-born George Sefa Dei is a renowned educator, researcher and writer who is considered by many as one of Canada’s foremost scholars on race, anti-racism studies, and Black and minority education. He is a widely sought-after academic, researcher and community worker whose professional and academic work has led to many Canadian and international speaking invitations in US, Europe and Africa. Currently, he is a Professor of Social Justice Education & Director of the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT).

In 2007, Professor Dei was installed as a traditional chief in Ghana, specifically, as the Gyaasehene of the town of Asokore, Koforidua in the New Juaben Traditional Area of Ghana. His stool name is Nana Adusei Sefa Tweneboah

Professor Dei was a 2015, 2016, and 2018-19 Carnegie African Diasporan Fellow. In  2012, he received the honorary title of ‘Professor Extraordinaire’ from the Department of Inclusive Education, University of South Africa, [UNISA]. He also received the ‘2016 Whitworth Award for Educational Research from the Canadian Education Association (CEA) awarded to the Canadian scholar whose research and scholarship have helped shape Canadian national educational policy and practice. In 2017, he was elected as Fellow of Royal Society of Canada, the most prestigious award for an academic scholar. He was the 2019 Paulo Freire Democratic Project, Chapman University, US – ‘Social Justice Award winner.

Professor Dei received the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators [ONABSE] for his long-standing work promoting Black and minority youth education. In October 2022 Professor Dei was named by Silvertrust Media as one of the 100 most influential Black Canadians nationwide. Professor Dei has forty-four (44) books and over eighty (80) refereed journal articles to his credit.