Realize your future with TMU Graduate Studies
![David Grant, Master of Social Work alumnus](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/grant_david_310.jpg)
Flipping the script on Black men’s pain
David Grant, Master of Social Work alumnus
Growing up Black in Scarborough, David Grant often heard the term “angry Black man.”
Grant investigated this stereotype through TMU’s master of social work program. His major research paper (MRP), “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” examined the lives of previously incarcerated Black men in Scarborough and found that their heightened exposure to racism and violence led to hypermasculinity and displaced anger towards their community and themselves. For his research, Grant received the Faculty of Community Services’ Dean’s Graduate Writing Award.
As an extension of his MRP, Grant delivered a TEDxRyersonU talk entitled “Black Men’s Pain,” in which he connects slavery’s dehumanizing effect on Black people to the all-too-common “school-to-prison pipeline” for Black men.
Currently, Grant is a family service worker with the Toronto Children’s Aid Society, gaining valuable frontline experience before pursuing his PhD. He plans to become a professor to show the next generation that they too can reject the “angry Black” script and write their own stories instead.
At TMU, we engage in relevant research that reflects the diversity of our world.
Photo credit: Ian Patterson
![South Asian man with long black hair, glasses and orange vest with embroidered flowers standing with arms crossed in front of steel Ring sculpture on TMU campus](/content/dam/graduate/future-students/our-people/cyrus-sundar-singh-ring-310.jpg)
‘The journey continues to be amazing’
Cyrus Sundar Singh, Communication and Culture PhD student and Documentary Media MFA alumnus
![Kittie Pang, MHA(CC) student](/content/dam/graduate/images/pang-kittie-310.jpg)
Shaping the future of health care
Kittie Pang, Master of Health Administration (Community Care) student
![TMU graduate alumna Jenny Duffy](/content/dam/graduate/images/2019/duffy_jenny_310.jpg)
A new look at the world’s oldest profession
Jenny Duffy, master’s alumna, Philosophy & Public Policy and Administration
![Graduate student and Trudeau Scholar Nathaniel Brunt](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/brunt_nathaniel_310.jpg)
Making black-and-white more grey
Nathaniel Brunt, Communication and Culture PhD student and Trudeau Scholar
![Three graduate students wearing hard hats on construction site](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/building_science_310.jpg)
Supporting women through building science
Building Science master's students
![Graduate student with drone at the Ontario Science Centre](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/hanna_dalia_310.jpg)
Using drones to locate people with dementia
Dalia Hanna, Computer Science PhD student
![Grad student with building models and blueprints](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/ferguson_matthew_310.jpg)
Building sustainability into architecture
Matthew Ferguson, Architecture master's student
![Ella Dubinsky, Psychology MA student, holding guitar](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/grant_david_310.jpg)
Flipping the script on Black men's pain
David Grant, Master of Social Work alumnus
![Female grad student standing in front of Queen's Park](/content/dam/graduate/images/2017/illesinghe_vathsala_310.jpg)
Standing up for immigrant women
Vathsala Illesinghe, Policy Studies PhD student
![Graduate alumna Adrienne Smith](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/smith_adrienne_310.jpg)
Giving refugees a second chance
Adrienne Smith, Immigration and Settlement Studies MA alumna
![MBA-MTI alumnus Mauricio Meza demonstrates Tecla-e to user Neil Mercer](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/mauricio_meza_310.jpg)
Opening possibilities with inclusive tech
Mauricio Meza, MBA-MTI alumnus
![Kate McKenzie and male marathon contestant running on road in Afghanistan](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/mckenzie_kate_310.jpg)
Secret marathon meets social change
Kate McKenzie, Master of Digital Media alumna
![Jake Pyne, Master of Social Work, sitting on couch](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/pyne_jake_310.jpg)
Transgender research meets transformed lives
Jake Pyne, Master of Social Work
![Steve Naraine holding cannabis plant](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/naraine_310.jpg)
Cannabis research meets new potential
Steve Naraine, Molecular Science MSc
![Noura Sakkijha, Ted Rogers MBA](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/sakkijha_noura_310.jpg)
Jewelry business meets digital disruption
Noura Sakkijha, Ted Rogers MBA
![Dr. Colin Robert Phillips in his office using a computer Dr. Colin Robert Phillips in his office using a computer](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/robert_phillips_310.jpg)
City issues meet the big picture
Dr. Colin Robert Phillips, Policy Studies PhD
![Dr. Michael Kolios and graduate student in hospital imaging lab](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/kolios_choose_mdb_20151111_159896_310.jpg)
Cancer research meets better patient care
Dr. Michael Kolios, Professor and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Science
![Jacky Au Duong with fellow graduate student in classroom](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/jacky_choose_ryerson_310.jpg)
Professional passion meets real-world opportunities
Jacky Au Duong, Master of Professional Communication
![Dr. Amira Abdelrasoul in engineering lab](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/amira_supervisors_310.jpg)
Inspirational faculty meets innovative research
Dr. Amira Abdelrasoul, Chemical Engineering PhD
![Maayan Ziv in a hallway in RCC](/content/dam/graduate/images/Ryerson-university-graduate-maayan-ziv.jpg)
Entrepreneurship meets accessibility
Maayan Ziv, Master of Digital Media alumna
![Adedoyin Adesemowo at Toronto Beaches boardwalk](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/adesemowo_adedoyin_310.jpg)
Life-changing experience meets long-term success
Adedoyin Adesemowo, MBA-MTI
![Réal Carrière talking with professor in TMU Quad](/content/dam/graduate/images/choose_ryerson/carriere_real_310.jpg)
Ancient traditions meet empowered youth
Dr. Réal Carrière, Policy Studies PhD