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Our feature on anti-Black racism was made possible by the hard work and brave contributions of our two guest editors, Gail-Ann Wilson and Andrew Parker, as well as numerous other teachers and creative professionals who shared their stories and creative talents.
ANDREW PARKER
Feature Guest Editor
The last two years of my life have taught me the importance of family. Namisango (Kendra), Quincy and Zuri … David, Stephen and Mama (Dr. Claudia Parker). And of course my new family: the Black Teachers Association of Alberta (BTA).
Throughout my path toward social justice, my family taught me many things. My immediate family taught me humility, grace and patience. The family I was born into taught me about the importance of history, justice and reflection. And my new family, the BTA, taught me how to become a leader by steering me in the direction that our community needed during this current global civil rights movement.
This issue of the ATA Magazine is a glimpse into the life of my family … all of us, how we think, feel, learn, teach, hurt and heal. My heart and soul belong to my family. Thank you for giving me the courage to walk this path. And thank you for walking with me.
GAIL-ANN WILSON
Feature Guest Editor
I am honoured to be a contributor along-side my courageous Black colleagues to address what it feels like to be a Black teacher. Racism has defined many moments of my teaching career. I am often asked to talk about this so others can understand what a racial experience feels like. Some people need to be persuaded that racism exists through stories detailing what happened. I share these with caution. Shocking folks with the extreme examples of racism are what I call “campfire stories.”
Such stories focus on what happened, which isn’t an effective approach. As antiracist educators, we need to understand people before we can find solutions. If you truly seek to grow in your understanding of racism, I invite you to ask a Black person, “How were you treated?”
I’m grateful to the ATA for having candid conversations about racism with this feature’s contributors. My love and gratitude to my greatest teachers and the village behind me: Ken and Marie, Rachel, Livi, Sophie and Derrell.
STEFAN LEGACY
Cover, pp. 20-22, 26-29, 35 and 40
Stefan Legacy is an Edmonton-based photographer who originally hails from the Caribbean island of Trinidad. Relocating to Canada in 2010, he found photography to be an art form that enables him to express himself through images that tell stories.
KYLE SMITH
pp. 32-34, 36-37
Born in the north and raised under the Caribbean sun, Kyle has been drawing since he was four years old. What started with attempts at recreating Sunday comics and cars, drawing has always been a part of his life.
Having worked predominantly in advertising for nearly two decades, Kyle started InkFable Media, a company focused on freelance illustrative design and digital illustration. You can find him at various comic convention artist alleys in North America, selling art prints while putting the finishing touches on his original comic Children of Rebel Gods. He’s also the illustrator of an ongoing one-page comic called Dating While Black, which is published in a magazine representing Afrocentric culture in Canada.
JENNIFER KELLY
p. 23
Dr. Jennifer Kelly is a professor emeritus in the faculty of education at the University of Alberta.
Her scholarly work encompasses race, racialization and social formation of African-Canadian communities in Alberta. She is the author of books, book chapters, journal articles and a digital exhibition on Black Alberta. Her academic expertise also informed her role as researcher and co-producer of the play West Indian Diary, which highlighted the story of immigrants from the Caribbean who came to Alberta in the 1960s.
ROSALIND SMITH
p. 26
Rosalind (Ros) Smith is an educational consultant with more than 35 years of experience as a teacher, principal and central services leader. Known as a strategist practitioner, she helps teachers develop action plans to be responsive to the needs of high-needs students. Through mentoring the skills and practices of modern-day educational leaders, Ros has influenced the thinking around moral leadership, equity in schools and antiracism education. Ros has spoken at provincial, national and international education conferences.
SARAH ADOMAKO-ANSAH
p. 40
Sarah Adomako-Ansah received her bachelor of education from the University of Alberta in 2013; since then, she has taught grades 3 through 6 at St. Pius X Catholic Elementary School in Edmonton. This year, she is also educator in residence at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, in Winnipeg—teaching remotely.
Sarah is passionate about diversity, leadership, representation and technology. She is the cofounder of the Black Teachers Association of Alberta and strives to amplify all voices in schools.
MAXINE HACKETT
pp. 30 and 42
Maxine Hackett has been a foods teacher at Edmonton’s Jasper Place High School for the past eight years. Along with her colleague Angela Johny, she has started an antiracism committee at her school. The committee focuses on teaching staff how to integrate antiracist work into their lives and therefore their classrooms.
She is passionate about teaching her students the skill of cooking, how to give back to the community and how to get involved with social justice initiatives. She recently had her first baby and is enjoying maternity leave with her son and partner.
