It’s Nice to Meet You!
Special Guests
DJ Velvet
Canadian-born Velvet has quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after international DJs in the Nation’s Capital. Her creativity stems from her Haitian Caribbean background, which has shaped her ability to blend sounds and genres, from Hip Hop and RnB to Afro-Beat, Amapiano, house music and beyond.
Currently the Main DJ for Skate & Play Roller-skating Center, she has mixed for different artists, including JUNO award-winning Charmaine, rising star Lia Kloud and Afro-Caribbean singer Jessie Simmons, as well as spinning at festivals Riverfest Elora, RBC Bluesfest, and Cranium Festival. In early 2023,she embarked on a festival tour with JUNO award-winning rapper Charmaine, spinning at SXSW (Austin) and New Colossus (NYC).
Velvet’s strides have not gone unnoticed, as she was the winner of DJ of The Year at the inaugural Recognize Awards by Cranium Arts Project. Her ability to maneuver between different genres combined with her fiery personality provides her audience with an unforgettable experience. DJ Velvet is also a Carleton University alumni with a Bachelor of Art degree in Law.
Hosts
Abigail Jackson
MSW Student
Hi, my name is Abigail, and I’m in my final year of the Masters of Social work program here at Carleton. My experience has centered around supporting BIPOC children, youth, and their families in the community, a passion that continues to shape my journey. I love engaging in readings that expand my mind. I am currently exploring the book , ‘My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies’ by Resmaa Menakem. Since joining the MSW program, I’ve been reflecting deeply on my identity and my roots, which has led me on a journey to reconnect with my African roots as a way to strengthen my sense of self. To take care of my body and mind, I find joy in weight training, walking, journaling, yoga, and spending time with my community. And amidst the busyness of it all, I appreciate the calm and grounding feeling of my train rides to and from school.
Dylan Bartley
MSW Student
Dylan Bartley is a Registered Social Worker with a strong educational background and hands-on experience in youth advocacy and community building. Holding a Bachelor of Psychology and Social Work and a Diploma in Child and Youth Care, Dylan is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work at Carleton University. Dylan has worked in various roles aimed at supporting and empowering young people, including serving as a Youth Counsellor for an addiction program in Vancouver, British Columbia, and as a Youth Support Worker for unhoused youth. Dylan is also the founder of the Brotherhood Mentoring Program at Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, where he has fostered positive relationships and provided mentorship to youth in the community. Dylan is deeply committed to creating inclusive spaces and advocating for the rights of marginalized groups. His passions include promoting 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, addressing anti-Black racism, and advancing anti-oppression work. He is dedicated to helping young people build strong academic achievements, develop positive racial identities, and engage meaningfully with their communities.
Presenter
Precious Iziomon
BSW Student
Precious Iziomon is a third-year Bachelor of Social Work Student at Carleton University and a proud student ambassador for the School of Social Work. She is also a stand-up comedian and public speaker with a fierce passion for human rights and social justice. Precious’ recent feature in the CBC documentary, Black 2 Golf showcases her advocacy for diversity in sports, a cause close to her heart. Guided by a philosophy of uplifting others, Precious channels her energy into creating a positive impact. You can keep up with Precious on Instagram @precious__iz (two underscores).
Panelists
Wisdom Tettey
President & Vice-Chancellor, Carleton University
Wisdom Tettey is Carleton University’s 17th President and Vice-Chancellor and began his term on January 1, 2025. Tettey joined Carleton from the University of Toronto, where he served as Vice-President and was Principal of the Scarborough campus between 2014 and 2018. Previously, he held the roles of Dean of the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, both at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, and was Interim Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary. At the national level, Tettey has since 2020 convened the National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities, the first of which resulted in the creation of the Scarborough Charter on anti-Black racism and Black inclusion in Canadian higher education. He chairs the Steering Committee of the Charter’s Inter-institutional Forum. The Forum currently represents about 60 Canadian universities and colleges, including Carleton. Internationally, Tettey has served as a consultant and advisor to various global organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the Africa Capacity Building Foundation and the International Association of Universities. He is an elected Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves on the advisory and editorial boards of various academic publications. He has been a board member of local and regional organizations such the Toronto PanAm Sports Centre and CivicAction. Tettey is a professor in Carleton’s Department of Political Science. His interdisciplinary research interest and expertise includes media, politics and civic engagement in Africa; African higher education and the knowledge society; transnational citizenship and the African diaspora; representation, identity, and inclusive citizenship.
Amina Mire
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Areas of Research Interest
Interdisciplinary analysis and critical research in:
Women and health;
Racialization and biomedicalization of women’s bodies and skin;
Anti-ageing;
Women, science and technology;
Political thought;
Sociology of gender;
Sociology of knowledge;
Gender and the cinema;
Anti-racist/anti-colonial research.
Current Research Projects:
Women and Health: Anti-ageing and the biomedicalization of women’s bodies
From Anti-ageing to Armoured Women
Globalization of the Skin-whitening Industry
Recent and Selected Publications
2025. From Antebellum Light Skinned Slaves to the Globalization of Skin Whitening Biotechnology. Lexington Books.
2021. Ursula Franklin’s Earthworms Theory for Social Change. TEDX Carleton University Colloquium (April 28, 2021).
2020. The truth behind the racist message in skin ‘whitening’ creams. Toronto Star. (Interview).
2020. What you need to know about rebranded skin-whitening creams. The Conversation.
2019 (Open Access). Wellness in Whiteness: Biomedicalisation and the Promotion of Whiteness and Youth among Women. Routledge.
Allison Everett
Assistant Professor/MSW Practicum Coordinator, School of Social Work
Professor Allison Everett is an Assistant Professor and Master of Social Work Field Education Coordinator at Carleton University’s School of Social Work, where she leads and enhances the graduate field education program. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) from Carleton University. Her doctoral research focuses on the recruitment and retention of Black students into professional practice programs within the education sector, addressing systemic barriers and fostering pathways for success. A faculty member since 2018, she co- founded the School of Social Work’s Black History Committee and has gained international recognition for her work on cultural competence and intergenerational solidarity at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. With a background in finance, Professor Everett transitioned to social work, advocating for marginalized communities facing homelessness, mental health crises, and systemic barriers. She teaches ethics, individual and family practice, and community work, integrating research with real-world experience in crisis intervention, community development, and policy writing. A published scholar on field education and online learning, she also leads community consultations and training on critical social issues. Recognized for her teaching excellence, she was named Ottawa’s 2025 Graduate and Undergraduate Professor of the Year by FACES Magazine. She serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Ontario Alliance of Social Work Field Education Directors and Carleton’s Equity and Inclusive Communities Advisory Committee. As the Executive Producer of Black History is Every Month, Professor Everett amplifies Black voices in Canada. Her leadership, scholarship, and community engagement make her a transformative force in social work education and advocacy. She views the classroom as a space for transformative change and impact, fostering the next generation of social workers committed to equity and justice.
Candace Sobers
Associate Professor, Department of History (cross-appointed Global and International Studies)
Candace Clare Sobers is a historian of international history and modern international relations, specializing in twentieth century decolonization, movements of national liberation, and the global reach of Third World revolutionary internationalism, with a specific focus on African independence movements and United States (U.S.) foreign policy. Dr. Sobers’ research and teaching are informed by questions of race, geopolitics, revolution, and ideas of order and disorder in the international system. Her work crosses geographic, disciplinary, and thematic boundaries, interrogating not only the material and institutional aspects of globalization, but also the circulation and consequences of radical political ideas. This multilingual, multi-sited approach illuminates important aspects of the past and offers insights into the roots of contemporary societal challenges. Dr. Sobers has written on foreign policy analysis, intelligence studies, revolutionary theory, and international history. Trained in Canada and the UK, Dr. Sobers has taught courses on the history of U.S. foreign relations, America in the 1960s, and American history since 1607. Her current book in preparation traces the global efforts to support, and to obstruct, Angolan independence from Portugal in the 1970s. Dr. Sobers worked in both international development and film and television production prior to becoming a historian.
Carieta Thomas
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Carieta Thomas is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University. Her areas of research include intersectionality, race, care work, immigration, and technologies of surveillance. A licensed attorney, Carieta’s doctoral research connected her immigration law background and Pan-African critical perspective with the sociology of care work. As a woman from Guyana and daughter of a care worker, Carieta used intersectionality theory to explore the lives and employment experiences of undocumented Caribbean women care workers in Canada and the U.S. As a professor at Carleton, Carieta’s research, teaching, and service centres Black immigrants, who are underrepresented in immigration scholarship and policy.
Dotty Nwakanma
Associate University Registrar. Researcher, Youth Advocate
Dotty Nwakanma is a dedicated higher education professional with a passion for youth empowerment and educational equity. As the Associate University Registrar in the Registrar’s Office, she plays a key role in shaping student success strategies and advocating for inclusive policies in higher education. With an MBA and currently pursuing a Ph.D, her research focuses on the impact of the Euro-Canadian curriculum on Black and Indigenous youth in higher education. Through this work, she seeks to critically examine systemic barriers and explore pathways to create more inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments that foster success for marginalized students. Beyond her professional and academic endeavors, she is deeply committed to mentorship, advocacy, and policy reform aimed at improving educational experiences for underrepresented youth. She actively engages in discussions on how institutions can better support Black and Indigenous students by challenging traditional narratives, decolonizing curricula, and fostering spaces of belonging.
Ikram Jama
Director of Human Rights & Equity, Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities
Ikram Jama is the Director of Human Rights and Equity at the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities at Carleton University. She has over 20 years of experience working with community agencies and educational institutions. Ikram embarked on her career while she was still a student at Carleton University. She is dedicated to creating learning environments that foster equitable and inclusive systems and communities. Ikram is an author and co-editor of Resilience and Triumph: Immigrant Women Tell Their Stories. She holds a master’s degree in political science from Carleton University.
Melissa Redmond
Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Dr. Melissa Redmond is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Carleton University. With Dr. Ilyan Ferrer, she also co-chairs the Centre for Studies on Poverty and Social Citizenship. Dr. Redmond’s current research examines the societal and social work possibilities associated with local public libraries (SSHRC-funded co-investigation with Dr. Beth Martin). Dr. Redmond maintains an active research agenda in addition to her teaching, administrative and service duties at Carleton University and within the wider community. Dr. Redmond’s research interests include social service program access, children’s human rights, wellness and health promotion, poverty reduction strategies, cultural identity and gender concerns and social work pedagogy. Dr. Redmond has worked as a social work practitioner, researcher and community advocate in varied academic and organizational settings. Raised in Montreal, Dr. Redmond has worked as a professional social worker and researcher in both French and English. Melissa Redmond holds a B.A. degree in Psychology & Western Civilization and Culture from Concordia University; a B.S.W. from the School of Social Work at McGill University; and Bachelor of Civil Law, Bachelor of Laws and Masters of Social Work degrees from the Faculty of Law and School of Social Work at McGill and a PhD from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.
Nana aba Duncan
Associate Professor & Carty Chair in Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion, School of Journalism
Nana aba Duncan is an associate professor and the inaugural Carty Chair in Journalism, Diversity and Inclusion at Carleton University’s School of Journalism. She is the director of the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Centre for Journalism and Belonging, a research centre which advocates, supports and participates in inclusive and belonging-focused journalism in Canada. Nana aba is also the co-founder of Media Girlfriends, a production company led by journalists of colour. Before joining Carleton, Nana aba was a host and producer at CBC Radio for 15 years, with her last position being the host of Fresh Air, Ontario’s top-rated weekend morning show.
Nduka Otiono
Director & Associate Professor, Institute of African Studies
Nduka Otiono is a writer, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University, Canada. Prior to a career in academia, he was for many years a journalist in Nigeria, General Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA, and a founding member of the board of the Nigeria Prize for Literature as well as of UNESCO’s National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage for Nigeria. He is the author and co-editor of twelve books of creative writing and academic research which include Oral Literary Performance in Africa: Beyond Text (2021) and Polyvocal Bob Dylan: Music, Performance, Literature (2019). His research has appeared in top-ranked academic journals and his monograph on Street Stories in Africa is on contract with McGill-Queens University Press. His professional honors include a Capital Educator’s Award for Excellence in Teaching; Carleton University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), Research Excellence Award; Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Early Career Award for Research Excellence; Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (twice); and 2018 Black History Ottawa Community Builder Award. His creative writing works include The Night Hides with a Knife (short stories), which won the ANA/Spectrum Prize; Voices in the Rainbow (Poems), a finalist for the ANA/Cadbury Poetry Prize; Love in a Time of Nightmares (Poems), and most recently, DisPlace: The Poetry of Nduka Otiono, which won the African Literature Association Book of the Year Award for Creative Writing (2023) and was a finalist for the Archibald Lampman Award for poetry. He has co-edited three celebrated anthologies of creative writing, including most recently, Unbound: An Anthology of New Nigerian Poets Under 40 (2024). A former President of the Canadian Association of African Studies and A Fellow of the William Joiner Centre for War and Social Consequences, University of Massachusetts, Boston Otiono is currently President of Canada’s Arc Poetry Society and member of the board of the Canadian Authors Association (CAA). In 2022, he was shortlisted for the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards sponsored by Western Union and his scholarly and creative oeuvre have been celebrated in a new multi-author scholarly volume, Critical Perspectives on Nduka Otiono (2024).
Tsitsi Mpofu-Mketwa
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
I have worked for 12 years as a social development practitioner in the fields of child protection social work, youth wellbeing, women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation, and community development in Cape Town. I conducted research in the Cape Flats vulnerable communities of Cape Town in projects that sought to explore violence prevention amongst young people in selected Cape Town township schools, the wellbeing of young people in Cape Town’s most deprived communities and gendered sustainable energy use in the informal food sector in Cape Town vulnerable communities. I worked on a research project that aimed to address higher education equity access in selected high-risk courses that impeded graduation for most deprived students, at the University of Cape Town. I apply participatory visual methods to enhance community engagement with multiple stakeholders to facilitate dialogue and address structural and systemic constraints that impede sustainable livelihoods and wellbeing outcomes. My research interests stem from applied community engaged research that draw on human development paradigms to build capacities of marginalised, vulnerable and most deprived communities in response to systemic, structural and environmental constraints. I am particularly interested in promoting sustainable livelihoods in poverty contexts, understanding how resilience, individual and collective agency contributes to development, transformation and poverty alleviation. I drew on my social development background and research interests to teach sociology introductory courses and courses that address poverty, development, globalisation, HIV/ AIDS policy and politics, community development, rural and urban development in Southern Africa.