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Janelle Brady

Janelle Brady

Assistant Professor
EducationPhD
OfficeKHS 363-K, Kerr Hall South
Phone416-979-5000, ext. 544862
Areas of ExpertiseBlack feminist thought; Anti-racist education; Sociology of education; Social justice education; Community-based research
https://www.janellebrady.ca

Biography

Janelle Brady (she/her/hers) is an assistant professor in the School of Early Childhood Studies, Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is an anti-racist educator, activist-researcher and community organizer. Brady completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her doctoral work explored Black mothering experiences of navigating anti-Black racism in the schooling and education system for their children. At OISE, Brady served as the senior coordinator and researcher of the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) and is now an advisor. She has been featured by CityNews, CBC, Global TV, the Toronto Star, the Huffington Post and other local media outfits. She taught for a number of years in postsecondary education institutions prior to joining the School of Early Childhood Studies.

Brady has over ten years of experience in the curation and delivery of professional development education curriculum in the areas of anti-Black racism, anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion, and capacity-building. She is the co-founder and associate of the Collective Group, an anti-racist and diversity, equity, inclusion consultancy organization. Brady is also a co-founder and director of a social enterprise, the Downsview Advocate, a local newspaper in Toronto’s north end. She is interested in supporting children and family by engaging in various community-based research projects to enhance social and racial justice.

  • CLD 231: Families in Canadian Context I, Toronto Metropolitan University
  • CLD 448: Childhood in a Global Context, Toronto Metropolitan University
  • CS 8923: Social Justice and Childhood, Toronto Metropolitan University
  • LSSC 1220: Race and Racism in the Caribbean and the Americas, George Brown College
  • ECS 2080: Social Justice in the Field of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph Humber
  • WGS250: Women and Families, University of Toronto, Mississauga
  • LSSC 1204: Sociological Inquiry, George Brown College
  • LSSC 1301: Deviance and Society, George Brown College
  • GSSC 1159: Strange World of the Familiar, Sociology, George Brown College
  • SSCI 1013, SSCI 1014: Introduction to Sociology, Parts I and II, George Brown College

Research interests:

  • Black studies 
  • Children and families
  • Mothering research 
  • Community-based research
  • Anti-racist education in early years

Research projects:

  • Dei, G.J.S., & Brady, J. (2021). School of Cities Anti-Black racism/Black Lives project. Role: Co-founder and managing editor (incoming). $10,000.
  • Anderson, L., Hilowle, M., Brady, J., & Samuel, M. (2020). Jane Finch Parent Navigator Project. Ontario Trillium Foundation. $92,400.
  • Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies. Role: Research Collaborator and Senior Coordinator, ongoing projects.

  • Brady, J. (2021 Spring). Black labour activism and the fight for racial justice. Education Forum Magazine. Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. https://education-forum.ca/2021/05/05/black-labour-activism-and-the-fight-for-racial-justice/ (external link) 
  • Brady, J. (2019). In my mother’s kitchen: Spirituality and decolonization. In Wane, N.N., Todorova, M., & Todd, K.L. (Eds.) Decolonizing the spirit in education and beyond. Cham: Springer Nature.
  • Brady, J. (2016, June). Congressing in 2016! Online Web Log Post. Ontario, ON: Canadian Society for the Study of Education.

Videos and podcasts:

News articles:

Resources:

Academic journal editing:

  • Senior Copyeditor & Review Mentor. (2017-2018). Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education (CJNSE), Canada.
  • Student Editorial Representative. (2016-17). Canadian Journal of Education (CJE) advisor on the Canadian Committee of Graduate Students in Education (CCGSE), Canada.
  • Associate Copyeditor. (2016-17). Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education (CJNSE), Canada.

Books:

  • Villegas, J.F., & Brady, J. (Eds.). (2019). Critical schooling: Transformative theory and practice. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-00716-4, 338 pages. Foreword by Dei, G.J.S., & Afterword by James, C.E.

Journal articles:

Book chapters in edited collections:

  • Brady, J. (2020). Rethinking curriculum through critical Blackness and African Indigenous knowledges: A Black educator’s response. In Afful-Broni, A., Anamuah-Mensah, J., Kolawole, R., & Dei, G.J.S. (Eds.) Africanizing the school curriculum: Promoting an inclusive, decolonial education in African contexts. Main: Myers Education Press: 204-222.
  • Brady, J & Abawi, Z. (2019). Disrupting Dolls and Princesses: A pedagogical moment in dismantling Eurocentric norms of beauty through anti-colonial theory. In Villegas, J.F., & Brady, J. Critical schooling: Transformative theory and practice. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan,125-146.
  • Villegas, J.F., & Brady, J. (2019). Continuing important conversations: an introduction. In Villegas, F., & Brady, J. Critical schooling: Transformative theory and practice. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 1-20.
  • Brady, J. (2018). (Re)claiming spirituality as anti-colonial resistance and decolonial praxis: An Africana-feminist discussion on spirituality and Indigenous knowledges in education. In G.J.S. Dei., & C. Jaimungal. (Eds.) Indigeneity and Decolonial Resistance: Alternatives to Colonial Thinking and Practice. Maine: Myers Education Press, 35-49.

Book reviews:

  • Abawi, Z & Brady, J. (2016). Decolonizing Solidarity: Dilemmas and Directions for Supporters of Indigenous Struggles, by C. Land]. McGill Journal of Education. Zed Books, 256 2015. (ISBN 978-1—783- 60173-8).

Reports:

  • Ratkovic, S., Kovacevic, D., Brewer, C.A., Ellis, C., Ahmed, N., Brady, J. (2018). Supporting refugee students in Canada: Building on what we have learned in the past 20 years. A report prepared for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
  • Brady, J., Wright, J., Wemigwase, S., & Brabazon, G. (2017). Social justice education student caucus report: Academic planning 2017. Prepared for the Ontario Institute’s academic planning project.
  • Gray, E., Bailey, R., Brady, J., & Tecle, S. (2016, September). Perspectives of black male students in secondary school: Understanding the successes and challenges. Mississauga, ON: Peel District School Board.

Encyclopedic entries:

  • Brady, J. & Cully, C. (2017). Kinship. In B. Turner (Ed.), The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory.

  • Emerging Leader Award, Leaders and Legends Award, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 2021
  • School of Cities Fellowship Award, University of Toronto, 2020
  • International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Award, University of Toronto, 2019
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2017-2019
  • Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canadian Graduate Scholarships Master’s Scholarship. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, 2014-2015

Select awards, 2011-2014:

  • Franc and Mary Joubin Bursary Fund, York University
  • Graduate Student Entrance Award, Faculty of Education, York University
  • Murray Ross University-Wide Award (Faculty of Liberal Arts and nominee)Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers, Lieutenant Governor
  • Magna Cum Laude, Honours, B.A. Sociology with great honour
  • Dean’s Honour Roll
  • The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies Outstanding Leadership Award
  • The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies Outstanding Volunteer Award
  • Sociology Undergraduate Students’ Association (SUSA) Certificate of Appreciation
  • City of Toronto Award for Outstanding Community Service