Social Justice Pracademics 

Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander

Do you ever find yourself wondering about the namesake of a public building, or road? The Lincoln Alexander Parkway in Hamilton references Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor (1985-1991), who focused his activities on anti-racism, youth and education while fiercely and fearlessly combatting the overt and systematic racism he encountered throughout his life.

Among his many distinctions, Lincoln Alexander served as Canada’s Observer to the United Nations in 1976 & 1978. He doesn’t mention the experience in his memoir, Go to School, You’re a Little Black Boy; however, through our collective pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, we can honour how he fought with and for others, including Indigenous and Asian Canadians. For more information about Lincoln Alexander, visit the African American Registry.

Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad

In October 2023, coincidentally Ireland & The UK’s Black History month, the Toronto District School Board hosted a Parents and Caregivers conference. Listening to the US-based super-achiever Dr Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad describe the historical pedagogy of Black education and restoring it, was moving and humbling, and powerful.

In the introduction to her book, Unearthing Joy [a Call for Humanizing Pedagogies], Dr. Muhammad  introduces readers to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning. In his forward, Pharrell Williams describes that her work,

“…encourages teachers and school leaders to cultivate joy in themselves…” and, “…create[s] conditions for joy and to fertilize and cultivate opportunity… With Unearthing Joy, Dr Muhammad offers a practical path for schools to do that.”

Dr. Muhammad’s toolkit sets a great book club scene, including reflective questions, multimedia resources and music playlists. Find a link to Hill Pedagogies here.