About Dr. Tope Adefarakan

My Story

Welcome! And thank you for your expressed interest to learn more about me and the work that I do. I am truly excited about the possibility of working together! First, let me tell you a bit more about myself and what informs my expertise as an Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion consultant.

I am an EDI professional with over 20 years of demonstrated leadership as an educator, academic, and grassroots advocate and activist. I use an intersectional, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and anti-colonial approach to help organizations address racism and other forms of discrimination to develop a workplace culture and climate that is anti-racist, diverse, equitable and inclusive.

As an Assistant Professor teaching Black Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto, who holds a doctoral degree in Sociology and Equity Studies, and Women and Gender Studies, I have a solid foundation in equity-centered theory. I also have a Bachelor of Education degree, and am faculty cross-appointed at University of Toronto’s Transitional Year Programme (TYP) and University College. The Transitional Year Programme is an academic equity hub with a strong ethos of anti-racism, inclusion, diversity and belonging. There is a specific focus on increasing Indigenous and African-Canadian attendance at TYP since these communities have been historically under-represented due to legacies of colonialism, which currently manifest as systemic anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous racism.

My extensive experience in merging academic scholarship with grassroots activism has produced a particular type of Anti-Racism & EDI work that focuses on the soul of an organization, to yield results in terms of transforming its culture and climate through: Anti-racism education; comprehensive trainings, workshops and learning sessions; development of policies, practices and procedures that are equity centered and informed by community engagement; and service provision and delivery for equitable outcomes.

In 2017, I became the first Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Lead at the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, where I am leading the development and implementation of an anti-Black racism strategy and embedding anti-racism and anti-oppression culture and practice across the organization. I lead the implementation internally for staff and senior leadership, and externally to improve community engagement and services to Black children, youth and families, as well as other equity seeking communities involved with child welfare.

When my son continued to be harmed by racism in the education system, I joined Advocacy Peel (Peel African Youth Advocacy), a coalition of diverse African-Canadian parent communities that are advocating for an Ontario school system free of anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination. I have been involved in the gender-based violence sector for over two decades, where I provide leadership to build organizational capacity and awareness on anti-Black gender-based violence.

It is all of these roles -both professional and personal- that inform my particular approach to my Anti-Racism & EDI practice, as one that is focused on the soul of an organization: I consult with non-profits, organizations and other institutional bodies to address existing barriers in achieving organizational well-being and equity.