Who We Are
Hello everyone! Welcome to the National Black Graduate Network and welcome back to those returning! We are excited to kick off this new school year with renewed energy and a deep sense of our growing community. Whether you are considering research, just beginning your graduate journey, or nearing the final stretch of your studies, this space offers opportunities to connect, share your voice, and showcase your work.
As we begin this academic year, there is a renewed sense of excitement surrounding Black studies in Canada. Each year brings an opportunity to recommit ourselves to learning, research, and community engagement. The NBGN team is honoured to walk alongside you in this journey, empowering and supporting Black graduate students across universities in Canada.
We look forward to learning, growing, and celebrating with you in the year ahead. Here’s to a school year filled with scholarship, connection, and community power!
To start us off, here are a few words from the NBGN team as we begin this exciting new chapter together.
Emmanuel Rutayisire
Hi everyone! I am excited to be back working with the National Black Graduate Network for the 2025-2026 school year. My name is Emmanuel Rutayisire. I am a third-year PhD student in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. I am a qualified elementary school teacher with a focus on French language and special education. My research interests include critical pedagogy, alternative education, teacher education, and research-creation.
I am moved by research that makes room for a creative practice alongside traditional written-based research. When I am not studying or working, you can find me enjoying a long bike ride in the city. I also enjoy visiting art galleries. I enjoy staying active and discovering new activities to do in Toronto.
I look forward to having an engaged, fun, and productive school year. I also look forward to connecting and reconnecting with new and existing members of the National Black Graduate Network.
Sahra Mohamud
Hello everyone! My name is Sahra Mohamud and I’m a first-year PhD student in the Curriculum and Pedagogy program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. My research interests include early childhood studies, teacher education, community-engaged scholarship, equity in education, and Black student achievement.
I am passionate about being in and with the community, and I hope to utilize my skills and resources through academia to help create more equitable and empowering educational spaces. Beyond my academic work, I enjoy photography, a good dose of caffeine, and long strolls that give me space to reflect and recharge.
I’m so excited to be part of the National Black Graduate Network this year, and I look forward to connecting, learning, and growing alongside you all.
What NBGN does (Vision and Values)
The National Black Graduate Network is a platform run by and for graduate students. This is a gathering space for Black graduate students to connect, communicate, and share their work. We encourage active participation by attending and interacting with the events we have planned this academic year. Our hope is that we collectively transform this platform into a space of mutual and relational collaboration. For the past five years, the NBGN has been under the supervision and guidance by Dr. rosalind hampton, who teaches at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) in the Department of Social Justice Education.
Here is the link to the National Black Graduate Network: https://nbgn.ca/
What is CBSE (How are we related?)
The Centre for Black Studies in Education (CBSE) is a physical space located on the second floor of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education building in Room 225. This is a gathering space for Black professors and students to meet, exchange ideas, and further build scholarship in Black Studies.
This school year is the first time the National Black Graduate Network (NBGN) is hosted at the CBSE, under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Andrew B. Campbell (Dr. ABC). We are excited and looking forward to the work that will emerge under this new collaboration and under the new supervision and direction.
Here is the link to the Centre for Black Studies in Education: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/cbse
How to Get Involved
This academic year presents many opportunities to grow with the National Black Graduate Network, both personally and professionally. As members of NBGN, you are part of a multifaceted community that values your aspirations, contributions, and voice. We recognize the importance and need of advocacy and representation within academia, and we are committed to being a platform where you can advocate for the rights and interests of Black graduate students, address systemic challenges, promote equity, and amplify your voices in our online space.
One of the most powerful ways to get involved is through writing. We invite you to share your experiences, thoughts, and work on our website, message board, and research page. Each month, a new blog is featured on our website. We also extend a special invitation to our francophone members to write in French, ensuring that the diversity of our community is fully represented. Writing offers a unique opportunity not only to share your perspective but also to spark meaningful change in academia and beyond.
Stay Connected & Future Opportunities
In addition to our website, we will be using our social media platforms more intentionally this year as spaces for engagement and collaboration. By joining the conversation online, sharing your work, and amplifying the contributions of others, you can help strengthen our collective presence and ensure that the voices of Black graduate students are heard across Canada. Although the NBGN is based in Ontario, our community extends nationwide, and we are eager to learn from the work happening across graduate campuses in Canada. Wherever you are, your voice and contributions have a place here.
This academic year, we encourage you to take every opportunity to engage, whether through writing, dialogue, or collaboration. By sharing your experiences, insights, and expertise, you help us build a network rooted in scholarship, advocacy, and community power.
