In this episode, a panel of Black women from diverse backgrounds and members of the Backpack Project discuss their experiences growing up in the Caribbean and Canada, the differences in the education systems from their lived experiences, and the impacts on equity deserving groups, specifically those in the black community. Melissa Enmore, who was introduced in episode 5, and I co-host the episode alongside panelists Alicia Sullivan and Michele Mitchell. Themes and topics that emerged from the discussion included: education as a means to find ways in and out; variability by location; school as hub; classism and racism; cultural sensitivity; degradation; guardianship; mentorship and coaching; representation; and entrepreneurship.

Alicia Sullivan manages a project devoted to cultivating the signature learning experience at Sheridan College. She is passionate about building relationships, has an eye for systems-thinking and is dedicated to designing processes to drive forward implementation outcomes. She is also a part time professor of Sociology at Sheridan. Alicia is actively involved in the local community where she lives, serving as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program and Outreach Advisor for the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton and as an advisor to the Halton Children’s Aid Society African Black Caribbean Advisory Committee. During the heights of the global pandemic in 2020, Alicia co-authored an anthology, 21 Resilient Women: Stories of Courage, Growth and Transformation. Alicia’s inspiration comes from her desire to live in a world where her children (and all children) are treated equitably and provided universal access to the highest quality educational resources and experiences to optimize their potential.

Michele Mitchell is a vibrant, conscientious Black Canadian woman of Caribbean descent from the beautiful island of Antigua. Her quest to make a positive impact on others’ lives has led her to live and work in three different provinces (AB, SK, ON) and a different country (Dominica). Her educational background is diverse with a focus on health studies, psychology, and biology from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Saskatchewan. Over the years, she has been involved in a number of community and church initiatives near and dear to her heart. One of her most gratifying initiatives is the BackPack Project as she believes she can help BPP support children to reach their full potential.

Two members of the Backpack Project who contributed to the discussion prior to recording and could not be on the panel included:

Diana Raymond-Watts is the founder and principal consultant at DRW & Associates - a boutique management consulting firm focused on improving health services through strategic planning, operational excellence and enhanced relationship management.

Michelle McFarlane is a scholar in STEM academics and, outside of her work as a Board Member with the Backpack Project, she  works as an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) Consultant.