Advancing equity and social justice through community-engaged research
From the Institute of Pandemics - a research seminar for graduate students.
We invite University of Toronto graduate students for insightful presentations on advancing equity and social justice through community-engaged research. Discover how co-creating knowledge with marginalized communities and queering data can drive meaningful change and inclusivity.
Presentation topics
Equity in Action: Co-Creating Accessible and Inclusive Knowledge
In Chavon Niles’ talk, she will explore how community engagement can drive equity, accessibility, and social change through using critical social theories. Drawing on the work from her ACCESS Lab at the University of Toronto, she’ll highlight how they collaborate with communities to address systemic inequities in rehabilitation and healthcare. Their approach prioritizes co-creating knowledge with people whose lived experiences are often excluded. She’ll share examples of how they work alongside immigrants with disabilities, Black and racialized individuals, disabled caregivers, community organizations, and others navigating intersecting barriers, focusing on bridging research with practical, equity-centered solutions.
Queering Data: Community-Based Research and Social Justice in Black 2SLGBTQIA+ Populations
Lance McCready will describe examples of community-based research projects in/with Black2SLGBTQIA+ populations, focusing on strategies of community engagement and knowledge mobilization. He argues that data from these studies does more than describe the “lived experiences” of anti-Black racism, homophobia, transphobia and classism among Black sexual and gender minorities. Rather, “queer data” from community-based research in/with Black 2SLGBTQIA+ populations provides multiple opportunities for “queering” (i.e. questioning) the approaches normally deployed to collect, analyze and mobilize research about Black queer folk. He will make the case that “queering” data rather than simply collecting it, helps us move towards community engagement strategies that are more socially just, inclusive and ethical.
About the presenters
Dr. Chavon Niles is a Guyanese Canadian Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, cross-appointed to the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto. She is deeply committed to advancing justice and equity in healthcare and rehabilitation. She earned her PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
As a parent of two young children and a caregiver, Dr. Niles brings a unique perspective to her work, drawing on her lived experiences to better understand the challenges families face while navigating complex systems. She leads the ACCESS Lab, where her research focuses on addressing systemic inequities in healthcare and rehabilitation.
Her work centers the stories of underserved populations, including racialized individuals, immigrants with disabilities, disabled caregivers, and those living with chronic conditions such as Long COVID. Using critical social theories, the lab explores barriers to healthcare access and partners with people with lived experiences, community organizations, healthcare providers, and policymakers to build more inclusive systems. Her work is fueled by a passion for developing actionable strategies that advance equity and accessibility in healthcare.
Through both her professional work and personal experiences as a parent and caregiver, Dr. Niles is motivated to drive systemic change that uplifts families and strengthens communities.
Lance T. McCready is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Director of the Transitional Year Programme at University of Toronto. His research and program adaptation work explores education, health and the welfare of Black families, youth and adults in urban communities and schools.
He is the author of Making Space for Diverse Masculinities published by Peter Lang and is Co-Director/Principal Investigator of the Black Youth Leaving Care study, Exploratory Study of Black Gender-Expansive Youth, and African, Caribbean, Black Family Group Conferencing Project. He also serves as Co-Investigator on the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) Get a kit study and International Partnership for Queer Youth Resilience, He is the 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Research Scholar Award from the Ontario Education Research Symposium.
Where and when
Monday, 27 January, 2 - 3 pm
Haultain Building, St George Campus.