Winners of the 2024 Equity Awards - McGill University
Academic Staff category: R. Nanre Nafziger, PhD, Assistant Professor of African/Black Studies, Faculty of Education
R. Nanre Nafziger, PhD, is an educator-organizer-scholar who serves her various communities through writing, research, teaching, and pan-Africanist organizing. She currently works as an Assistant Professor of African/Black Studies in Education at McGill University. Nanre’s research contributes to debates and collective knowledge production in the areas of critical education policy studies, Black/African Studies in Education, decolonial approaches to education, global critical race theory, critical youth studies, Black/Africana social movements, youth participatory action research; and the role of civil society in education and democratic nation-building in the Global South. Nanre is committed to building bridges between the university and community through engaged methodologies and pedagogies that enable education students to pursue social justice in their teaching and daily practices.
Academic Staff category: Frédéricka Petit-Homme, Course Lecturer, Schulich School of Music
Frédéricka Petit-Homme embodies artistic citizenship. Trained as a classical singer and choral conductor, her eclectic career path reflects a passion for exploring the full spectrum of music making. From chorus work with OSM and contemporary opera with Musique 3 Femmes, to cross-cultural collaborations with local ensembles, Frédéricka's journey demonstrates how non-linear careers can fuel personal and musical growth. As the visionary behind Ensemble Nigra Sum, she champions Afrocentric music, enriching Canada's cultural tapestry and demonstrating the power of embracing diverse musical traditions. Her commitment to community engagement, particularly through the "More than a Song: Gospel Music Workshops" hosted by McGill University, fosters meaningful connections within the wider Montreal community. Petit-Homme's academic activities, which began in 2005 as a course lecturer at the Schulich School of Music, and her pursuit of a PhD in music education focusing on resilience, cultural production, and leadership in community gospel music, mirror her hands-on experience. Frédéricka also brings the world of choral music to a wider audience through her CBC Music radio program, "Choral Concert," showcasing diverse choral works. Join her every Sunday morning as we celebrate the power and beauty of choral music together, coast to coast.
Administrative and Support Staff category: Farah Chouayakh, Student Affairs Liaison for Muslim students, Office of the Dean of Students
Farah Chouayakh, McGill’s Student Affairs Liaison for Muslim students, is a passionate social justice advocate with extensive experience in international humanitarian and civil society projects on youth, women, refugees, and migrants, as well as specific issues touching Muslim women and youth in Quebec. A firm believer in the unconditional sovereignty of human dignity, Farah’s personal mission in her role is to be there for all Muslim students, in all their rich diversity, and to help them reach their full potential as they navigate their unique journey at McGill. As an African, Arab, and visible Muslim woman who has been facing, surviving, and overcoming multiple systemic barriers since she has started her recent immigration journey to Quebec, she advocates for the acknowledgement of diverse forms of expertise and experience, such as lived reality. In the same vein, she deeply believes in the key role of education and awareness-raising in stimulating collective critical reflection, cultivating authentic allyship, and generating positive social change. She loves foregrounding personal stories, deconstructing stereotypes, biases, and prejudice to contribute in creating more egalitarian and inclusive spaces around her.
Administrative and Support Staff category: Madeleine Elise Nadler, Business Analyst Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Enrolment Services
Madeleine Elise Nadler (she/her) is the Business Analyst Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Enrolment Services. Working on the Applicant Census and Students Census, these centralized demographic data collection tools are used to better understand the composition of our applicant pool and student population, informing data-driven operational decision making to address identified areas of underrepresentation. Madeleine works closely with Branches - McGill's Community Outreach Program - on mentoring and supports for students with additional barriers to accessing higher education. Madeleine's work includes conducting research, developing proposals, managing key performance indicators and impact assessments, generating and presenting reports, coordinating tailored trainings and resources, as well as advising on policy to drive change at McGill for its communities.
Student category: Yustine Carruyo Soto, Department of Psychology
Yustine Carruyo Soto is a third-year undergraduate Psychology student and currently serve as the McGill Psychology Student Association’s senior representative on the psychology department’s EDI Committee. In this role, Justine has led initiatives aimed at improving access to research opportunities, mentoring and fostering a more inclusive climate within the committee and the department. Highlights of her work include spearheading the initiative to ensure equitable eligibility criteria to the Honours program and advocating for the creation of a new graduate course aimed at training clinical and research psychology students to work with marginalized communities. These initiatives are set to take place next fall. Beyond Justine’s university commitments, she has pursued research opportunities focused on understanding the influence of sociodemographic factors on cognitive outcomes among children who have survived cancer. Her career goal is to become a pediatric neuropsychologist dedicated to providing culturally sensitive care to marginalized families while advocating for improved access to services through research and practice.
Student category: Kevin Ah-Sen, PhD candidate, Educational Psychology in the Faculty of Education
Kevin Ah-Sen is a former secondary school English teacher and a 4th year PhD candidate in Educational Psychology in the Faculty of Education at McGill University. He is a fellow at the Andrew W. Mellon-funded Diaspora Solidarities Lab, a Black feminist Digital Humanities collective where he co-leads the Remains // An Archive microlab. His interdisciplinary research examines theories and forms of racial and queer subjectivities and grief, and their conceptual and pedagogical limits. Additionally, Kevin is a founding member and convener of the black symposium noir, a Montreal-based independent Black Studies collective. Kevin’s doctoral research is supported in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral program. In fall of 2024, Kevin will be joining The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College as a Visiting Research Scholar.