CIARS Latest Newsletter and Upcoming Decolonizing Conference
The Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) is housed in the Department of Social Justice Education in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (Ƶ) at the University of Toronto. CIARS is the first and only centre at the University of Toronto, and to our knowledge, the first one in Canada, to be devoted to Anti-Racism Studies in Education. CIARS's mandate is to enhance research and teaching in the areas of equity, anti-racism praxis and alternative knowledge(s) in education.
Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 6: Rooted and Rising
Stay connected with the latest from CIARS through the newsletter, titled “Rooted and Rising.” This edition features research highlights, a powerful recap of our Summer Institute in Ghana, and community initiatives, led by OISE alumni and community members, that are rooted in justice, anti-racism, and care. Plus, read a timely message from Nana on why speaking up and speaking out matters now more than ever before, and get a preview of our upcoming mid-March Decolonizing Conference featuring keynote speaker Dr. Bettina Love.
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Want to contribute to the next issue? CIARS invites students, faculty, Elders, alumni, and community members to submit artwork, written pieces, poetry, research highlights, event promotions, and community spotlights that engage themes of anti-racism, justice, resistance, care, and collective futures. .
13th Decolonizing Conference: Colonial Ruptures
Tickets are still available for CIARS' 13th Decolonizing Conference, Colonial Ruptures: Unmasking Ongoing Coloniality and Fostering Counter-Insurgency, Resistance, and Liberatory Possibilities.
The 13th Annual Decolonization Conference invites scholars, activists, educators, artists, Elders, and community leaders to gather, reflect, and mobilize in response to the enduring legacies of empire. Taking place Thursday, March 12 - Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (Ƶ), this in-person event centers grassroots organizing, critical inquiry, and collective imagination toward decolonial futures.
The 2026 keynote speaker is Dr. Bettina L. Love, Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, a New York Times bestseller.
Register and learn more at:
Volunteer with the Conference
CIARS is also seeking volunteers to join the team of passionate students and community members. Opportunities include event and registration support, tech set-up, daily set-up and clean-up, and guest greeter/guide roles.
Volunteering comes with many benefits: networking opportunities, access to presentations and plenaries, and supporting decolonial research and community-building.
To join the volunteer team, email: centreforiars@gmail.com.
