Reporting in Black Communities Symposium February 28, 2026 | #REPORTINGBLACK
Calling journalists, journalism educators, students and Black community members! Join us to help improve news coverage of Black communities in Canada.
Saturday February 28, 2026
The Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University
80 Gould Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2M7
About the Symposium
You are invited to a day of learning and knowledge sharing through panels, presentations, and small group discussions to provide feedback that will directly shape the Reporting in Black Communities resources.
Hosted by professors Eternity Martis and Nana aba Duncan in partnership with the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Centre, the Reporting in Black Communities Symposium brings together Black community members, journalists, journalism educators, and students for a day of panels, presentations, and knowledge sharing to create more equitable news coverage of Black communities in Canada.
In small group discussions, we’ll go through the Reporting in Black Communities report and review insights we gathered from Black news consumers, Black journalists, non-Black journalists, and non-Black newsroom leaders. Whether you’ll be using the guide or just want to see what we found, come share your thoughts on what the guide should prioritize and how it can best support the people who will actually be using it.
Register nowTentative Schedule
9:45 AM
Panel: How Does the News Actually Impact Black Communities?
11:00 AM
Lightening Round: Breaking the Cycle: Anti-Racist Practices in Newsrooms
12:00 pM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Symposium Presentation
2:00 PM
Discussion Sessions – (Sign-Up Required)
4:30 PM
CLOSING REMARKS
6:00 PM
Reception
Meet the Speakers
Meet the Reporting in Black Communities Symposium panelists, moderators and facilitators:
Hosts
Eternity Martis
Assistant Professor, Journalism, Toronto Metropolitan University
Co-Lead, Reporting in Black Communities
Co-Lead, Reporting in Black Communities
Nana aba Duncan
Associate Professor, Journalism, Carleton University
Co-Lead, Reporting in Black Communities
Co-Lead, Reporting in Black Communities
Panelists
Notisha Massaquoi
Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Society, UofT Scarborough
Danette A. Edwards
Barrister & Solicitor, former Legal Director, Black Legal Action Centre
Stephen Hennessy
Youth co-ordinator, Westhaven Community Association Centre
Brian Daly
Associate Director, Assistant Professor, Journalism, University of King’s College Halifax
Shree Paradkar
Investigative Reporter, Toronto Star
Ian Brimacombe
Managing Editor, CBC Nova Scotia
Lisa Dennis
Member of CBC Nova Scotia’s Community Advisory Board
Inori Roy
Journalist and Associate Editor, The Local
Emilie Nicolas
Independent Montréal journalist, Le Devoir
Brent Jolly
President, Canadian Association of Journalists
Shari Okeke
Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University
Discussion Facilitators
Julie Sobowale
Journalist, Lawyer, Western Director, Canadian Association of Black Journalists
Brandon Hay
Founder of Black Daddies Club
Sonya Fatah
Associate Professor, Journalism, TMU
Gavin Adamson
Professor, Journalism, TMU
Eternity Martis
Assistant Professor, Journalism
Read the Report