5000 Yonge Street, Ste. 1901
Toronto, ON M2N 7E9

1 (833) 762 2226

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info@parentsofblackchildren.org

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Speakers Bureau

The PoBC Speakers Bureau caters to guest speaking opportunities such as keynote speaking opportunities for relevant areas of expertise, panel discussions, and information sessions about PoBC. PoBC DOES NOT provide facilitation services, workshops or training. For these services please get in touch with the PoBC Knowledge Exchange Centre: https://pobcknowledge.org

Kearie Daniel

Kearie Daniel

Executive Director

Kearie Daniel

Kearie Daniel is a senior non-profit leader, community advocate, communications strategist, and thought leader.

Kearie has over 20 years of experience leading strategic initiatives across multiple sectors including healthcare as a lead communications advisor for various initiatives within Cancer Care Ontario (Ontario Health), the non-profit sector, and the child welfare sector, where Kearie led strategic communications and community engagement for the provincial initiative One Vision One Voice community initiative to address the overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system, at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies.

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As the co-founder and inaugural Executive Director of Parents of Black Children, one of the fastest-growing non-profits in Ontario, Kearie has spearheaded and created the organization’s strategic vision, mandate, and approach and has leveraged her experience with systems navigation in cancer care and child welfare system to implement the methodology in support of Black families engaged within the education system. This has changed the landscape of support for Black parents by formalizing the historic practice of Black community advocacy within the education sector. As a ‘learning futurist’, Kearie works to challenge existing educational pedagogy and encourages education leaders to re-imagine education design. In this capacity, Kearie also conceptualized and led the development of PoBC’s Omo Africentric Campus, the first Africentric virtual campus in Canada accessible for Black children and families- offering an alternative, reimagining of how electronic platforms can be utilized in the education space.

In addition to her work within non-profit leadership, Kearie has anchored her career as a thought leader and writer on race, motherhood, and education issues. With a Masters’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and a Bachelor’s in Mass Communications, Kearie began her career as a Journalist working as a freelance associate producer and assignment editor for NBC News, London Bureau.

In 2017 Kearie created the Podcast and Blog, Woke Mommy Chatter, a space to combat the invisibilizing of the Black motherhood experience and to shed light on the Black parenting journey. Kearie also writes about race, equity, and the Black motherhood experience for various publications, including Today’s Parents, CBC Parent, Flare, and Chatelaine.

Topics Covered:

  • Parent Engagement
  • Anti-Racist Parenting
  • Black Motherhood
  • Inclusive Communications
  • Equity
  • System Leadership
  • Child Welfare 

Charline Grant

Charline Grant

Chief Advocacy Officer

Charline Grant

Charline is a mother of three children and a wife who led the fight to take on the York Region District School Board to defend and advocate for her children and others against systematic racism. Charline is known for her courageous efforts to improve the York Region District School Board. Her efforts led to provincial changes in education; increased accountability and transparency around finances; and equity training within the York Region District School Board.  Currently a local business owner in Vaughan and a former law clerk, Charline earned a diploma from Centennial College and has her real estate license from the Ontario Real Estate Association College. She has over 20 years of legal, real estate, and management experience.   Charline is a recipient of the Courage Award from the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the President’s Award from the Association of Black Law Enforcers. Charline was also a trustee candidate in the 2018 Municipal Election.

Topics Covered:

  • Advocacy
  • Systems Navigation
  • Equity
  • Child Welfare 

Claudette Howell Rutherford

Claudette Howell Rutherford

Executive Lead, Education Research and Evaluation

Claudette Howell Rutherford

Claudette Howell Rutherford is a wife and a mother of 3 children. She has been an educator in Social Science and Humanities for 20 years. Claudette was a 2018 recipient of the York Region District School Board Applause Award for outstanding contributions to education and is currently on secondment at the Ministry of Education. Claudette previously served as President and Director of Youth & Education Programs for the Markham African Caribbean Canadian Association and was one of the co-founders of Parents of Black Children.

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Claudette sits on the OACAS Education Outcomes Strategy Committee and is a roster member at the Ontario College of Teachers. Claudette is currently completing a Master in Education in Social Justice Education at OISE (U of T) and recently published an article on Educating against Anti-Black racism which she co-authored with renowned antiracism scholar George Sefa Dei. Claudette runs her own private consulting firm, developing curriculum resources and offers, professional development and strategic planning services from an anti-oppression lens. She serves on several municipal and provincial steering committees championing race equity and is an Op. Ed contributor for the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies.

Topics Covered:

  • Anti-racist Education
  • System Leadership
  • Education System
  • Teaching Approaches

De’Ann Edwards

De’Ann Edwards

Outreach and Government Relations Analyst

De'Ann Edwards

De’Ann was born in Canada and raised in the United States of America. She has always been intrigued by philanthropic work and was privileged to experience various cultures and ethnicities. As a child, she faced the harsh reality that not everyone receives equal treatment in society, recognizing that the struggles within the community resulted from more significant problems of social injustice, discrimination, and racism. From age ten, she knew she would dedicate her life to raising awareness and advocating for change for minority groups and communities.

De’Ann graduated from Ontario Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, specializing in Social Justice, Globalization, and Development. De’Ann is presently a student at Arizona State University enrolled in the Social Justice and Human Rights MA program (online).

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Through volunteer opportunities and community work, she has developed a strong knowledge of the nation’s and Ontario’s legislative offices and parliament. De’Ann is a passionate dual citizen of Canada and the United States of America, which has made her diverse in both nations’ politics. Eager to learn everything there is to know about social justice, policy, and governance, through her work with POBC, she has been able to advocate and educate others on the harms of Anti-Black Racism in the education system across Canada and the United States.

Her academic and career goals include exploring the effectiveness and ability of education systems and systems alike to serve students belonging to minority groups when policies, procedures, and foundational principles of these systems date back to times of colonialism and white supremacy. The only system that has yet to face significant changes and restructuring is the education system. De’Ann believes it is time to reconsider and reimagine the formative years of education. It is time for education to evolve.

Topics Covered:

  • Advocacy
  • Policy Analyzation
  • Equitable System Development

PoBC Knowledge Exchange Centre

The PoBC Knowledge Exchange Centre, is a stand-alone non-profit organization dedicated to exchanging knowledge-sharing initiatives and resources to dismantle anti-Black racism. As leaders within anti-Black racism advocacy, PoBC will facilitate learning and knowledge-sharing sessions that will create transformational change, accountability and a peaceful existence for Black people across all systems. 

Student and Family Advocate Program (SFA)

The Student and Family Advocate Program (SFA) is a Black community-based program designed to support Black families and students as they engage with the education system. 

There are 17 Black-led organizations with SFAs across Ontario. The SFA program is  ‘Systems Navigation’ by another name. We are your villageNo matter what type of support you need we’ll stand beside you as you engage with your child’s school.  

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